Blessings From the Father (31 page)
Read Blessings From the Father Online
Authors: Michelle Larks
“I don't care what Javier says, I was not involved. I'd be a fool to try something stupid like that. What reason would I have to pay someone to break into your office?” She cut her words off and put her hand over her mouth. “I can explain. . . .”
“Do tell,” Carson said furiously. He tapped his foot impatiently. He had never hit a woman or even wanted to. At that moment Lola tried his patience extremely.
“
Mi amor,
I did it for us. I hope you didn't think I was going to stand by and let some other woman have you,” Lola yelled. “You're mine and that's never going to change. I should never have given you the divorce.” She shook her head violently.
Mi amor,
I did it for us. I hope you didn't think I was going to stand by and let some other woman have you,” Lola yelled. “You're mine and that's never going to change. I should never have given you the divorce.” She shook her head violently.
“Lola, when will you get it through your head that you don't own or have me? I am my own person.” Carson pointed his finger at his chest. “The marriage ran its course, and at the end life was a nightmare for both of us. The only good thing that came out of the marriage was Aaliyah and Ashanti. I will always take care of and be there for them. I suggest you call a criminal lawyer because Javier will give you up, especially if he can cut a deal. And, secondly, you'll need to call your lawyer because I'm going to apply for full custody of the girls.”
“But, Carson, I love you,” Lola protested as she pulled at his arm. “I did it for us. I wanted you to open your eyes and see her for the person she is. She's nothing, she's from the gutter. The only thing that woman,” Lola said venomously, “has going for her is her daddy's money. I have money too. Please, Carson, let us get back together for the girls. I need you and they do too.”
Carson pushed Lola away from him. “That woman, as you call Mariah, you're not fit to wipe her feet. I wouldn't get back with you if someone paid me a billion dollars. Why can't you understand we're over?” Carson made a slashing motion across his throat.
“
No,
” Lola shouted and stamped her foot. “I will never let you go.”
No,
” Lola shouted and stamped her foot. “I will never let you go.”
Her doorbell chimed. Lola ignored it. She continued trying to plead her case to Carson.
There was a loud banging at the front door. Lola ignored it, but the sounds continued. She cursed in Spanish, walked to the front door, and flung it open. Her face whitened when she saw who was on the other side. She tried to shield her half-naked body.
“Hello, Mrs. Palmer. My name is Officer Janokowski from the Hammond PD.” The detective flashed his badge. “This is my partner, Officer Linton,” he introduced the female officer. “I need to talk to you about the break-in that occurred at your ex-husband's office. You might want to put on some clothes. Officer Linton will go with you.” He nodded at Carson.
Lola was knocked for a loop. Her hand fluttered to her chest. Her legs felt weak as overcooked spaghetti.
“It's good to see you're on the case.” Carson smiled. He looked at his ex-wife and said, “Think about what I said. I'll talk to you later. Oh, I'll pick the girls up from the afterschool program. You may be tied up for a while.” Then Carson departed the apartment.
When he returned to the truck, Carson's body throbbed with anger at Lola's audacity. He told himself to calm down as he headed to his daughter's school. He decided to take them to his parents' house and return to the hospital. Carson wondered how Mariah was coping with Cassie. He said a quick prayer and hoped all was going well and that Rosemary's condition had improved.
Chapter Thirty-eight
At the hospital, Sonyell escorted Cassie back to Rosemary's room. When Cassie entered the area and saw her mother lying in the bed, with tubes in her arms, and machines humming, her step faltered. Mariah was standing next to the bed holding Rosemary's hand and talking to her softly.
Cassie thought she'd never seen her mother look so pale. She stood motionlessly near the door and watched the rise and fall of Rosemary's chest to make sure she was still alive.
Cassie walked over to the bed and rudely bumped Mariah aside. “Momma,” she yelled in a scratchy voice. “Momma, can you hear me?” She ran her hands across the white sheet covering her mother's body.
Mariah interrupted Cassie, and said firmly, “She needs her rest. Try not to disturb her.”
“Don't tell me what to do.” Cassie's chin shot up. “She's my mother, not yours. She's always concerned about you and your feelings. Can I just be with my mother for a minute without you telling me what to do?”
Mariah bit her lip. She wanted to tell Cassie to cut the crap, that she knew that Rosemary was her mother too. She realized now was not the time or place. “Sure, but try to be mindful of her condition. She had a bad attack. She's not out of the woods yet.”
“Did I ask you?” Cassie retorted as she looked back at Mariah. “I ain't gonna do nothing to hurt Momma. I love her.” Cassie looked like a little girl as she looked down at her mother. She wasn't sure what to do with her hands; she patted Rosemary's arm.
Rosemary opened her eyes. She smiled and then grimaced, as if in pain. “Both my girls are together, praise God.” Then she closed her eyes, turned her head, and promptly fell asleep.
“It's the medication,” Mariah explained. “She's been in and out. We can only stay with her for ten minutes. I'll be back in the waiting area.”
“Thank you,” Cassie said and frowned at Mariah's back. She turned back to Rosemary. “Momma, I'm sorry. I hope I ain't the cause of you being here. I promise, Momma, if you get better, I'ma try to get myself together. I ain't said this in a long time, but I love you.” She put her head on Rosemary's bosom and cried.
Cassie refused to leave her mother's side, until the nurse came into the room to inform her that time was up. Cassie got lost trying to find the waiting room. When she finally located it, she kept her swollen eyes averted from Mariah, Sonyell, Raquel, and Michael. Cassie sat away from them on the other side of the room.
Michael stood up. “She can have my seat if she wants. I'm going to tell her she can sit with y'all.”
“Michael, no.” Mariah shook her head before he could leave. “I don't know if I can cope with Cassie and with Granny being so ill. Maybe she should stay where she is.”
“I think your grandmother would want the two of you together right now,” Sonyell declared. “I know Cassie is not the easiest person in the world to be around. Couldn't you put up with her for a little while?” She looked at Mariah encouragingly. Raquel nodded in agreement.
“I guess. If she gets on my last nerve, then you're going to have to deal with her,” Mariah told Sonyell.
Michael walked over to Cassie. He sat next to her and began talking.
“Okay. We got you. Do you want coffee or anything?” Raquel asked. “I need to stretch my legs.” She stood up, and waited to see if Mariah wanted anything. Mariah said that she didn't and Rocki departed the room.
Mariah's gaze fell on Michael and Cassie. “I wonder what Michael is saying to Cassie.” She turned toward Sonyell.
“Probably the same thing I said to you. How the two of you need to come together for Granny,” Sonyell quipped. Her tone became serious. “I have a feeling it's going to be a long night. I need to run and get Sasha from day care. I'm going to take her to my mother's house and then I'll come back.”
“Okay.” Mariah's grabbed Sonyell's hand. “Please hurry back. I couldn't bear it if something bad was to happen to Granny. Rocki is okay and all, but in a crisis, I'd rather have you here than her.”
“I know, girl. I'll be back as soon as I can.” She looked at her watch. “I should be back in about an hour. Keep the faith, Granny will be fine.” She stood up and headed to the exit.
Michael caught up with her before she reached the door. “Where are you going?”
“I'm going to pick up Sasha from school, take her to my mom's, and then come back.”
“I can stay with her. You could drop us off at your house, I'll stay with her. She's going to be worried sick. It's best that one of us stay with her.”
Sonyell hesitated then she nodded her head. “Okay. Then I can get back here sooner.”
As Mariah looked at the couple departing together, a little smile crossed her lips. She turned her left to see Cassie sitting in the seat next to hers.
“Michael told me to be nice. I know Momma would want me to. I guess it ain't gonna kill me to sit by you,” Cassie announced curtly. She looked up at the television screen perched on a stand in the left corner of the room.
Mariah simply bobbed her head up and down. She looked at her watch and discovered she had forty minutes before she could go back and see Rosemary again.
Raquel returned with a cup of coffee. She handed it to Mariah. “Do you want anything?” she asked Cassie, who shook her head.
“Where's Sonni?” Raquel asked Mariah after she took the vacant seat on Mariah's other side.
“She and Michael went to pick up Sasha,” Mariah leaned over and told her.
“Hmmm.” Raquel narrowed her eyes and shook her head. “I knew they wasn't over.”
Carson and Sonyell returned at the same time, about an hour later. Mariah and Cassie took turns checking on Rosemary. Her condition was the same; it hadn't worsened. She would be moved from the emergency room to Cardiac ICU was soon as a bed was available.
By nine o'clock that evening, Cassie was becoming edgy. She became short-tempered, and was clawing at her arms like she had the measles or chicken pox. Everyone noticed her behavior.
“I think I'd better take her home,” Carson told Mariah. “She's getting worse. I'll come back if you'd like.”
“No, you go on home. I know you need to talk to your girls. I'll call you if anything changes. Carson, thank you for being here with me.” She took his hand, and held it tightly. “Your being here makes my heart glad.”
“No problem, love. I know you would do the same if it were me.” Carson squeezed Mariah's hand lightly. “I love you and I'll do what I can to help.”
“I love you too.” Mariah became choked with emotion. “I'll see if Cassie is ready to go and walk you to your truck.”
She nudged Cassie's arm and whispered, “Are you ready to go? Carson says he'll take you home.”
Cassie looked relieved. She jumped out of her seat. “Yeah, I'm ready. I'ma just go see Momma. I'ma tell her I'll be back tomorrow.”
“That's good,” Mariah said approvingly. “I'm going to spend the night at the hospital. I should be here when you come back.” She watched Cassie rush to Rosemary's room.
Cassie returned to the waiting room several minutes later. Mariah and Carson were standing near the exit. Mariah waved Cassie over.
“Bye,” Cassie told Sonyell and Raquel. She nearly ran to the exit door.
“Take care. See you tomorrow,” Sonyell told her.
As the trio walked to Carson's truck, Mariah said, “Cassie, I know you don't have a phone. How do I get in touch with you, if something were to happen?”
Cassie answered, “I can give you a number. It's to the lady who owns the building I stay in. You can leave a message with her and she can get it to me.”
Mariah took her cell phone out of her purse. “Give me the number and I'll program it in my phone.”
Cassie recited the number. They arrived at the truck.
“Thanks for coming, Cassie,” Mariah said as Carson opened the truck door for Cassie. “I'll call you if anything changes.”
“She's my momma,” Cassie said dramatically. “Where else would I be?”
“Okay.” Mariah held up her hands in surrender. “I'm sorry. What time do you think you'll be here tomorrow?”
“Look, I don't know. I gotta try and find a ride. I'll be here when I get here.” She looked at Carson impatiently. “I'm ready if you are.” She clawed at her arm again. “This place makes me nervous. Bye, Mari.”
Carson gave Mariah a comforting look. He held two finger nears his ear, and mouthed, “I'll call you,” before he and Cassie departed.
Mariah returned to her friends and sat in the chair between Sonyell and Raquel. “If you need to go home, I'll understand,” she informed them.
“We ain't going nowhere.” Raquel thumped her hand on the side of the chair. “We'll sleep here in the waiting room tonight. We are not leaving you alone.”
“What did I do to deserve such good friends?” Mariah's voice cracked. “You know I love both of you; thank you for staying with me. If you could just stay until they transfer Granny to a room, I can take it from there.”
Raquel turned to Sonyell. “I think this girl is hard of hearing.” She put her hand near her ear and said to Mariah, “Didn't you hear me say we were staying with you no matter how long it takes?”
“You know,” Sonyell said with a deadpan expression, “she's slow sometimes. We're going to forgive her today. I heard you. You're right; we're going to stay all night.”
Mariah reached over and hugged Sonyell, then Raquel. “Again, thanks.”
The women talked to pass the time, and Raquel made a food run. They were in and out of Rosemary's emergency room. Finally, the older woman was taken to the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit at 10:00
P.M.
After she was settled into her room, the nurse informed Mariah she couldn't stay in the room with Rosemary, since she was in intensive care, but that the three women were more than welcome to bunk in the waiting room.
P.M.
After she was settled into her room, the nurse informed Mariah she couldn't stay in the room with Rosemary, since she was in intensive care, but that the three women were more than welcome to bunk in the waiting room.
Mariah called Carson and he told her the girls were at his house. He told her again to stand on faith, and to call him if she needed to talk regardless of the time. When Mariah finished talking to Carson, she went to the ladies' room. She splashed cold water on her face. She looked fatigued. She closed her eyes, “Father, thank you for allowing my Granny to live one more day. Lord, please take care of her. I can't imagine life without her. Thank you for my sisters, Sonni and Rocki. I don't know where I'd be without them. They are my rocks in the storm. And, Father, thank you for bringing Carson into my life. In the midst of his problems, he took time to take care of me. Lord, help me to be kinder to Cassie. I know that's what Granny would want. These blessings, I ask in Jesus' name. Amen.”
Mariah felt strengthened. She realized that she wasn't alone. God had sent angels to her in her time of need. Most of all, the Father was there for her to lean on whenever she needed to. The old song “Jesus on the Mainline” came to mind. He was available twenty-four seven. Mariah inhaled deeply, and exhaled. Then, she departed to check on her grandmother.
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