Scandalous Heroes Box Set (57 page)

In the mean time Leelah lessened her restraints on her daughter and gave her a house key. She’d earned it. It was decided that when school resumed it would be Vanessa who would decide if her mother would pick her up and take her up the hill or if she would stay with Jalissa.

But Vanessa decided that she didn’t need to walk up the hill after school anymore. She was popular and had friends again. More importantly she couldn’t face Scotty even though she missed him terribly. She had not yet sorted out her feelings for him although she knew that she could no longer like him
that
way. Could she ever just walk up to him and say, ‘Hey big brother, how’s it going?’ No! She didn’t see that ever happening. Why did her mother have to sleep with Scotty’s father?! Vanessa decided that she wasn’t truly angry at her mother. She was just brokenhearted.

~***~

It was New Years Eve and the streetlights had just gone out. Aunt Callista had given them strict instructions to be back in the apartment five minutes after or there would be hell to pay. She said fools started drinking early and anything was liable to happen to them. It was cold and they had been out playing or at friends houses all day so there was no reason not to do as instructed.

“Did you ask Aunt Leelah why your Daddy is in jail?” Jalissa asked.

Vanessa scowled. “No. I don’t care why he’s in jail. Probably got caught pimping.” Vanessa never brought up her mother’s other occupation, or Juan Carlos or the other Tremonts. But she did wonder. Only her imagination was pretty vivid and she didn’t think she could handle much more information. She should have never had to know even the bit she did know.

Sensing her cousin’s bad mood Jalissa changed the subject. “My mama said we can have some wine at midnight. She left it in the refrigerator for us.”

Vanessa smiled at that. “Is she going out with Mr. Johnny?”

Jalissa shrugged. “I don’t know. She said that if Johnny’s trifling ass doesn’t show up tonight then she’s through with him.”

“She always says that,” Vanessa said.

“I know.”

“I saw…his thing once.” Vanessa whispered.

The information didn’t seem to phase Jalissa. “I see it all the time.”

“Ugh!”

“I know girl, it’s ugly but we girls are going to have to get used to it some time or other, right?” Jalissa stated matter-of-factly.

“Yeah. But when we’re older!”

Jalissa just shook her head. “I should have been the oldest!” She used her key to unlock the door and they tossed their coats on the closet floor, too lazy to hang them.

“You girls home? I’m leaving in an hour and I want this house just as neat as it is now! You hear me Jalissa?!”

“Ye ma’am.” Vanessa called when Jalissa failed to answer.

Jalissa scowled and went into the kitchen for a snack. “I can’t wait for her to leave. Then we’re opening that wine. We ain’t waiting for midnight, either!”

“Why do you treat her so mean?” Vanessa whispered. When Jalissa got into arguments with her mother then they both started screaming and it caused her nerves to unravel. Jalissa should just learn to say yes ma’am like she did.

Ignoring her question Jalissa put a foil wrapped package directly on the stove’s burner and then lit the flame beneath it.

Vanessa grabbed two cups and poured them Kool-Aide. It was grape, yay! Her mama always mixed grape and lemon but just plain grape was fine.

Jalissa shook the jiffy pop waiting for the first explosion of the popcorn, then the girls would get as close as they dared to watch the foil puff and grow with the popping of the corn.

It was one of those rare moments when Vanessa felt completely comfortable. Marvin Gaye’s Make Me Want to Holler was drifting from the radio, and the kitchen smelled of the pigs feet and black eyed peas that aunt Callista had cooked earlier, although the buttery fresh popcorn smell had overcome much of that stench. Still the smells were comforting.

“In just a few days I’m going to be your same age.” Jalissa stated. The girl poked at her chest. “I’m getting boobs. My mama’s about to buy me a bra.”

Vanessa gave her chest a critical look. That was the same baby fat that she’d had for the last five years, but Vanessa didn’t comment. She herself was ashamed of the little buds that had developed on her chest within the last year. She would probably need to start wearing bras by the summer when it would be impossible to layer up in sweaters and shirts to hide them.

She wasn’t sure why she was ashamed of the way her body was beginning to transform but she was so tall that having boobs was going to make her look way older…and the boys were definitely going to be looking at her differently. Maybe by summer she would be okay with that but not right now when thinking about boys also made her remember what her mother was probably doing right now with some strange man.

Aunt Callista left—alone, and grumbling. Vanessa would be spending the night which wasn’t uncommon during the winter break. Jalissa immediately opened the bottle of wine and the girls ate popcorn, watched the pre-countdown shows, sang and danced all while getting drunk. And when the guns began to go off at midnight, they turned off the lights and watched television from the floor where they were safe from stray bullets.

~***~

Scotty was propped up on his mattress, reading a book by some guy named Truman Capote. It was about death and murder and the rawness of the story is what he liked—more than the gruesomeness of the crime.

He thought fleetingly of Vanessa’s house. It was still hard as ever to find some peace in quiet in his house but school was out until the New Year and headphones worked pretty well for just reading. Instead of the radio being tuned to WCIN, the local soul station, Scotty was listening to Led Zeppelin; something that his brother despised—hence the headphones. Scotty liked metal. It sounded the way he felt most times. He thought that Kashmir by Zeppelin should be his theme song if people walked around with such things.

Tino poked his head into the room and Scotty lowered the headphones. He still hated Tino—but he didn’t like hating him. Tino was very happy with him and the amount of money he now brought home. These days he was nice and if one had to deal with Tino, this was the best way to do it.

“Come on. We’re going out.”

Scotty frowned. “Where?” It was nice and warm here and the book was getting good…

“It’s fucking New Year’s Eve! You’re not staying in. We got a party to go to, boy!”

He still wasn’t interested but was probably not going to be able to get out of it. “Can I bring G?”

Tino shrugged and stripped out of his jeans. “Yeah, he’s cool.”

Scotty jumped up in excitement. The two friends had planned to take turns firing a pistol while drinking beer around a bonfire at the abandoned apartments going up to Garden Hilltop. This would be a heluva lot warmer! He ran downstairs to call G while Tino showered. G said he was coming right over and Scotty told him to bring the beer with him.

After Tino left the shower Scotty got in and when he returned to the bedroom to dress he saw Tino sitting on the mattress wearing nothing but boxers and reading the Truman Capote book. His sleek dark curls hung around his shoulders dripping water and for a minute Scotty remembered that Tino, who had just turned seventeen, was still a kid.

“It’s a pretty good book.” Scotty commented.

Tino put it down. “Tell me what happens when you’re done with it.”

Scotty reached for a pair of jeans. “I already know what happens. The two guys get the death sentence and they’re both hanged.”

“Damn.”

Scotty shook his head. “They deserved it. They even killed the kids.”

Tino looked thoughtful. “That’s fucked up.” He jumped up and grabbed the jeans from Scotty. “Hey, don't wear those jeans, boy! This is New Year’s Eve. Grab those grey pants of mine. They’re too small for me. They should fit you pretty good.” Scotty grabbed Tino’s pants and they did fit nice. The boys were the same height; Tino was just beefier. The older boy made him wear a button down shirt that Scotty thought made him look like a flaming pimp but when Tino donned a similar one he looked pretty cool.

As Tino, Scotty and G left the apartment, Phonso puffed out his chest. “What about me? Can’t I go?”

Tino laughed. “Next year little man. I promise.” However that was a promise that he would be unable to keep.

Tino placed one arm around G’s shoulder, the other around Scotty’s as they headed down the street to Jay Dog’s house. “Tonight, you boys are getting laid.”

Now that he knew of his brother’s intent, Scotty was a nervous wreck. Every since that movie Roots aired, none of the girls he knew showed him the least bit of interest. And at school he was still the new kid. Besides sex was a distant thought that wasn’t as important as his day-to-day living.

They got to Jaydog’s house but only long enough to hop into his car so that they could head downtown. Downtown Cincinnati’s skywalk was crowded with people, drinking and acting wild. Music could be heard from portable stereos carried by men dressed in their outlandish finery, as well as from the opened door of a skating rink.

G whispered to Scotty. “I thought we were going to a house party. We can go skating any time.”

Scotty shrugged, thinking that losing his virginity was more important than a house party or skating. Tino had plenty of girls, but Tino also had the dark brooding good-looks of a Latin Lover…and Scotty didn’t. He was just a blue-eyed, blond haired kid that lived in in a predominately black neighborhood.

They bypassed the skates and then Scotty saw that the place was decked out like a disco. People were dancing on the rink and with the disco lights glowing it looked cool…despite the horrible disco music blaring from the speakers. A girl in a tight dress and impossibly high heels threw herself into Tino’s arms drunkenly. Tino kissed her and then walked away.

G gave Scotty a big grin.

They danced and had free food and hung out with some of the guys who slipped them liquor. Girls that they didn’t know danced with them and though Scotty didn’t particularly like the idea of a disco, this was a good time; at least until he saw Tino kissing all over his girlfriend. He hadn’t seen De-Aydra around in a while and he had assumed that she had been replaced. But he now saw that her stomach was swollen and she was very obviously pregnant. 

Scotty looked away, disturbed at the idea that his brother hadn’t gotten that girl pregnant. A few minutes later, Tino was hanging all over another girl and his tongue was half way down her throat. Scotty scanned the crowd and saw De-Aydra watching Tino with tears in her eyes. She turned away and rushed out of the building.

Scotty quickly excused himself from his dance partner and followed the girl, catching up with her as she tugged on a coat that barely covered her swollen stomach.

“De-Aydra,” he said and she looked at him and then quickly swiped the tears from her cheeks. She was beautiful, deep brown skin, big black curls that hung down to her shoulders, and golden brown eyes. “Hey, you’re leaving?”

“Hi Scotty.” She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I’m leaving. I don’t think I’m wanted here.” Her voice hitched but she tried to keep the tears from falling.

“You’re going to have a baby.”

She rolled her eyes again. “Yeah. Tino said he’d be here for me but…he never comes around anymore. Now he’s disrespecting me with other bitches. So, I guess I’m just out of the picture.” Tears slipped down her face as she buttoned her coat with shaky hands.

Scotty watched her leave. He bummed a cigarette and stood there for a while. Yeah. He didn’t want any kids, not even one. No one was taking care of the kids that were already here.

They all left the skating rink before midnight and ended up at the house party that Garry had been anticipating. Tino pushed a big-bootied black girl at him, and a light skinned beauty at G.

“Go have fun boys. Bring in the New Years with a…bang,” Tino laughed while he hugged up on a different girl.

Garry’s eyes were alight with anticipation. He leaned in to whisper to Tino. “You got any rubbers?”

“Nah little man. Don’t worry about it.” G grinned and then walked off with the girl.

Scotty’s girl began kissing all over his neck and face. He tried very hard to get into it but when she pulled him into a closet and began feeling him up, he removed her hands and said he’d drank too much and was going to puke, which wasn’t much of a lie.

He would regret it later he was sure, but Scotty decided right then in there that he didn’t want to leave any little bit of himself in any woman that he didn’t love.

Chapter 15

~Summer 1978~

Jalissa hated her—or at least she acted like she did. If Vanessa could change places with her she would. She said, “There is nothing fun about having a period.” The first two days when it happened her stomach ached and her breasts felt like someone had punched her in them.

Now she couldn’t hide the fact that she had breasts so her mother took her to get a bunch of bras and told her that she had to wear them all of the time even though they were uncomfortable. She also had to get new jeans because either her bootie or her hips had gotten bigger.

Secretly, though, Vanessa was in awe at what she saw in the mirror when she stripped off her clothes. No, she didn’t look like the nude women that she saw at the movies. But her body swelled softly in places where she had never had curves before. Her face also changed. Her chin seemed more pointed and more angular lines now replaced the roundness that she was accustomed to.

She was also continuing to grow and was nearly as tall as her mother. She wanted to ask her if her Daddy was tall but they never brought up Juan Carlos or her mother’s second job. In a sense they pretended that her mother still worked at a bar named Rockets.

Jalissa still preferred having sleepovers at Vanessa’s house, which hadn’t changed just because it was summer break. The girls put on shorts and headed down the hill to the corner store for pickles and sunflower seeds.

“Stop switching like that!” Vanessa complained. Her cousin was swinging her hips from side to side just because she had a big bootie and it was drawing too much attention. Pretty soon some of the bad boys in the neighborhood would come up on them and they would be relentless. It scared Vanessa. She liked boys but not aggression. Sometimes it wasn’t just boys that talked mass crap to them but guys that were nearly grown men!