Chapter Nineteen
Enlisting the aid of Keisha’s step-by-step directions to the secluded home in the gated community, the cab driver pulled up to the place his disheveled passenger claimed was home. Collecting a few more dollars added to the twenty-dollar deposit the early-morning rider was forced to put up, he slowly left out the circular driveway.
With her purse and the newspaper tucked under her arm, Keisha immediately noticed the house appeared dark. Moments from daybreak, her first mind told her that in all probability, her dad and Sandy were down at the hospital at her poor mother’s bedside. However, after a few more steps, she took notice of her father’s car. Then she noticed two strange vehicles inconspicuously parked around the side of the huge house, near the kitchen door.
Wow, I wonder whose cars are these, she pondered with each step. Maybe it’s some new people Father has working here to help Sandy out.
Putting that out her mind, she then concentrated on the task at hand. Keisha tried her luck, praying just on the humble that the kitchen door was left unlocked. Trying to twist the knob to the left and then the right, Keisha crapped out. It was definitely locked. Knowing good and well her father might deny her entrance, she searched over near the garden area, finding a broken half of a brick the gardener must’ve discarded.
I hope the alarm doesn’t go off. But if it does, oh well, so be it. I’m done caring about what’s right and what’s wrong.
Holding the stone tightly, she closed her eyes to avoid injury. With all her strength, Keisha smashed the lower corner of the glass-windowed door. After a second delay, the loud sounds of the alarm failed to go off.
Yes! Thank God, it isn’t on!
Sticking her hand inside, she turned the two handles from the inside, gaining entry to the house. Once inside the dark dwelling, she was like a wild lion in search of its prey. Keisha ran up the stairs two at a time to her parents’ room, calling out for her father. Bursting through the door, she quickly discovered that their bed was empty.
Dang, maybe he’s in one of the spare rooms asleep.
After checking all four of those, Keisha went into her old bedroom. Momentarily swept back in time, she remembered who she was raised to be and, tragically, who she’d become since dealing with Rico. Then and only then, for the first time since the cab she was originally riding in struck him, she wondered if Rico was dead or still alive.
Whatever! I’m home now. My father will take me back into his good graces, and the nightmare with that asshole will finally be over.
With wishful thinking, Keisha snatched one of her many stuffed animals off the bed, hugging it as she twirled around.
Now, if I can find out what hospital Mother is in, I can go to her. It’s probably just her blood pressure. Now that I’m back home, I can help Sandy take better care of her.
Not bothering to changed her ripped and torn clothes or even put on a pair of panties, Keisha straightened out the employee shirt Sam had given her after blessing his dick the best she could. Determined for information, she headed down the stairs, out the kitchen door, and toward the gatehouse that Sandy called home.
Marching past the two strange vehicles, Keisha slowed down, then paused altogether. Something strange caught her eye. She took notice of a tassel from a graduation cap dangling from one of the car’s rearview mirror. However, because it was parked in the shadow of the house, she couldn’t make out the school colors clearly. Yet, she was in a rush and had no time to spare. Stopping to get a better look inside one of the mystery cars was the last thing on her mind. Keisha was on a straight-up mission to get some information on her mother’s present whereabouts, as well as the true verified ailment that sent her away in an ambulance, making front-page news.
Seeing a light on in the bathroom, Keisha assumed the family chef and her longtime confidant, Sandy, was just getting up and would definitely be able to shed some light on what happened. Not wasting time to knock at the front of the gatehouse, Keisha knew for certain the far rear entrance near the rose bush was unlocked. Years ago, Keisha had locked herself in the gatehouse as a small child, and her father ordered that the door that was hardly used was to have no locks on it whatsoever.
“Sandy! Sandy! It’s me!” Keisha bolted through the threshold, yelling out as she passed the open bathroom door. Seeing no one was inside the candle-scented domain, excitedly she ran into Sandy’s bedroom.
“Sandy! Sandy! Wake up! It’s me, Keisha! Wake up! I need to know about my mother!” Flipping the light switch on the wall upward, Keisha froze dead in her tracks. Totally speechless, she couldn’t believe her eyes. It was as if she was in a dream or a nightmare and everything was going in slow motion.
“Keisha!” The equally stunned words rang out from Sandy’s bed. “Just what in the hell are you doing here?”
“What?” Keisha could hardly speak. The words couldn’t come out as her throat instantly grew dry. She was almost speechless.
“Have you lost your mind? Don’t what me, young lady! I said what in the hell are you doing here? And what in the hell do you have on?”
Almost in shock, Keisha didn’t know what to do or say next. It was as if someone or something was holding her.
This can’t be happening! Not now! It can’t be!
Thinking about her poor, sick mother lying in some hospital bed suddenly gave her a small bit of strength.
“Father, are you fucking serious? How can you sit there and ask me some shit like that? Look at you! How can you do this to my mother? I’m ashamed of you! This is some old crazy shit you see in the damn movies. Not for real!”
“Are you serious? This can’t be my life right now. You are ashamed of me? Isn’t that wild, all things considered. Look at you standing there. Standing in the middle of the floor, looking like something the cat drug in. And you have the nerve to cast judgments? I’m the one that’s ashamed and have been for some time. So, how dare you even take that hypercritical tone with me? You disgust me. And now that I think about it, didn’t I tell you not to bring you self back on my damn property? And here you stand.”
“Father, are you serious right now? I will take whatever fucking tone I choose in a situation like this.” Keisha refused to back down. “This right here is some straight-up bullshit! Where is my mother at? And how long this scandalous garbage been going on with these ratchet pieces of trash?”
Keisha’s father, stark buck naked, seemed to have no worldly remorse for what he was caught doing. Wedged in the middle of two sheet-covered females, he acted like what his daughter discovered was of no great importance, even when it was compared to her defying his orders to never step foot back on his property again.
“Who are you to bombard me with questions? Let alone raise your voice and curse,” he sneered as Robin grabbed at a small portion of the sheet to cover her breasts.
“And you, Robin.” Keisha pointed with contempt and malice. She was ready to attack as her anger increased. “I’ve known for a long time you wanted my father like he wasn’t married. You ain’t about shit. I should kick off into your whorish ass for my mother right damn now. Not to mention all the times you lied when I called the office trying to speak to my dad—ole devious, homewrecking bitch! I promise on everything I love, you gonna catch these hands. Watch.”
Feeling secure that her boss really loved her, even though he’d never even slightly mentioned the word, Robin giggled, acting like Keisha was a joke. She casually waved her hand, dismissing any of the high-pitched vows of violence directed at her. “Yeah, all right, girl, please. Ain’t nobody trying to hear all that married crap. If he doesn’t care, why in the hell would I? Matter of fact, instead of posting up in here, playing the role like some tough girl, go get with your long-in-the-tooth mother. Have her step her game up like your good-fucking-a-dog ass. Then maybe she can keep a man.” With no true shame in her game, Robin climbed out the bed. Naked as the day she was born, she grinned as if this entire situation was a joke.
“You dirty bitch!” Keisha balled up her fist, ready to do battle.
“Now, now pump your brakes and watch your mouth. Is that any way to speak to your soon-to-be stepmother? I don’t wanna put you on punishment or cut off your allowance. Aww, damn, I forgot. You already are cut the fuck off. My bad.”
Just as Robin was brazen enough to bend down and pick up her clothes off the floor, it all popped off. The new hood-driven-in-attitude Keisha strong-kicked the small-framed secretary dead in her face twice.
“Bitch, you got me all the way fucked up. You best watch your mouth when speaking to me, especially about my mother. If you think you’re woman enough to take her place, then try it! Sucking my father’s dick ain’t a form of transportation to the top of the food chain. Only thing you guaranteed to get is this ass-kicking. I’ll have your heart beating real fast.”
“Aww, please, Keisha. Either step up or shut up and play your position, because I’m growing weary of your little threats.”
Enraged that Robin was discounting her feelings, Keisha was soon delivering a few more kicks, followed by a combination of punches to the side. Keisha tossed Robin about like a rag doll. She never gave the bigmouth female a chance to get even one hit in. Keisha dominated Robin, then finally allowed the disorientated homewrecker to stumble to the bathroom for refuge from the well-earned beating.
Keisha frowned, watching the injured female run for her life after teaching her a life lesson. Turning her attention back to her father, who was now putting his boxers on, Keisha hissed. She then continued to grill him on his illicit actions and obvious indiscretions.
“How could you, Father? How in the hell could you do what you’ve been doing?” Her voice was piercing, bouncing against the thin walls of the gatehouse. If there ever was a time that the normally timid daughter wanted to be heard, today was that day. “I’m confused. I’m messed up in the head right now about this bullshit. Have you lost your mind? Mother being sick is all in the newspaper, and you’re here in bed with females like it’s no big deal? You just acting like your vows mean nothing. Oh my God, I can’t stomach you or this!”
“Newspaper?” Ignoring the more-than-valid questions, Commissioner Jackson, up for re-election, demanded Keisha compose herself and calm down. He kept in mind all the noise she was making in the otherwise tranquil neighborhood. Although it appeared to be quiet, he knew better. It was no telling who was up.
“Damn, okay, Keisha, you beat the poor girl up. You got the best of her. You proved your point that you could beat her up. You win, okay?” He motioned toward the bathroom, where an injured Robin was no doubt hiding. “You made your damn point. Now, please be quiet. Lower your voice right now.”
“Don’t tell me what to do, Father! My mother is in a hospital, and you’re posted up in the bed with not one, but two other women. I guess I can be thankful at least you had the common courtesy not to do this foolish bullshit in mother’s bed.” Being involved in more than her fair share of threesomes and other sexually promiscuous behavior over the past year, Keisha was the last one to pass judgment, but this was just plain wrong.
“And Sandy,” she sobbed, looking at the female cowering under the sheets in obvious shame. “How could you do this? My mother trusts you. She loves you, and I love you too. How could you do this to both of us? Oh my God, Sandy, I thought you were my friend. I’m so hurt. How long has this been going on?”
Keisha eagerly anticipated locking eyes with Sandy. She wanted to hear her explanation of the ultimate betrayal. Her entire being wanted to know how Sandy could be so black-hearted.
With uncertainty, the corner of the sheet finally lowered. What was once a secret was no more. On this day, all her father’s dirty little exploits would be exposed. It was of no big surprise what Robin’s intentions were. She’d made them disrespectfully clear since day one. But this—this unveiling—almost knocked the emotionally drained daughter off her feet.
“Keisha, I’m so very sorry. I am your friend. I swear I am. I just got caught up.”
“Oh my God! Oh my fucking God! This must be some sort of damn nightmare I’m in. I must be dreaming.” Keisha’s eyes grew twice their normal size as she shook with anger, ready to attack once more. “This can’t be real. Oh, hell naw. Kim, how could you? Of all people, how could you do this bullshit?”
Lowering her head in shame, Kim struggled to find the proper words. She prayed this day would never come. Keisha’s supposed best friend had crossed the line. Clenching the sheet couldn’t conceal the embarrassment. This offense was far worse than sleeping with Rico or a boyfriend. That code was still intact. Kim was sleeping with Keisha’s dad—her mother’s husband.
“Oh my God, Keisha, I’m so very sorry. I don’t know why. Things just happened. Shit just got outta control. I never planned for it to go this far.” Kim tried pleading her case with her childhood playmate. She knew at this point it was nothing she could say or really do to explain why she was just found in the bed with Mr. Jackson and Robin, yet she knew she had to at least try.
“Please forgive me, best friend. I’m sorry. I swear I am. Please forgive me. Please! I don’t know why I allowed myself to be involved in this. I swear I know I was wrong.”
Keisha was livid. She was seeing red. Having been through hell and back over the past year, nothing had prepared her for this shock or pain. Not Rico putting his hands on her countless times as if her life didn’t matter. Not being forced to abandon her family. Not being humiliated by the guy at the beauty supply or asked by A.J. to go down South and be one of his whores. So what everyone had seen a dog have oral sex with her, or she slept with her boss to save her job? It was way too many awful, gut-wrenching occurrences to relive as she stood in a daze.
Keisha stood motionless, taking in what she was seeing. With a lump in her throat, she wanted to throw up and almost did. The stunning disloyalty of the moment ran through her veins. She felt like someone had savagely socked her in the stomach. Her world was in a shambles. Minute after minute, more and more surprises were being revealed to her.
The young woman who once had a perfect life couldn’t catch her breath. Feeling the oncoming effects of one of her excruciating migraines, she fought to focus. Keisha turned away, not wanting to actually see what was reality. Her best friend was involved in an outrageous three-way relationship with her father, of all people.
Finally, she found her voice. “Wow, Kim, so is this why you haven’t wanted to answer any of my phone calls or respond to any of my text messages? Damn, I can’t believe this bullshit. Kim, oh my God, not you of all the females I know. Wow, really.” Unsuccessfully, Keisha tried to run her fingers through her badly tangled weave. “I’m fucked up right now. I can’t lie; this is almost the worst thing that has happened to me in my entire life. Rico was right. My life don’t matter.”
“Hold up, Keisha. Please wait. I told him about your messages just last night. I swear I did. I promise.” Kim sobbed crocodile tears while attempting to explain her terrible transgressions. “Tell her, Lorenzo. Didn’t I tell you? Please tell her. I’m not lying!”
“Damn. Wait, Lorenzo?” Keisha barked at Kim calling her father by his first name like they were equals. “Wow, really. But I guess why not, since y’all two, I mean y’all three, is fucking! I guess first names is the order of the day. Shit, while you at it, why don’t you call my father bae or boo?”
“Listen, will you please both keep your voices down? How many times do I have to tell you that? Are you both insane?” Mr. Jackson once again insisted, thinking about his Republican news reporter neighbor. “People around here don’t want to hear this mess, so stop giving them possible headlines to use against me.”
“You might need to stop talking to me, you damn rotten-ass cheater,” Keisha forcefully shouted as Robin, now fully dressed, eased the bathroom door open, peeking out. Her mouth was busted. “All three of you aren’t shit! Doing this bullshit to my mother! I swear I’m ready to kill all three of y’all!”
Wrapping herself in the sheet, Kim stood near the bed. “I know you’re pissed, Keisha, and I’m sorry. I know if it was me, I’d be heated too. I wanted to tell you that night at the Fox Theater when I was there with your father, but I didn’t get a chance.”
“The concert?” Keisha’s already scattered mind flashed back to the night of the concert. So much drama had taken place that evening it was easy to do—but painful to relive. It dawned on Keisha that that was another reason she hadn’t seen her mother that night. Obviously, it was because her father’s offensive, lying ass was there, out in public low-key with her best friend. “I can’t believe you! This shit been going on that long? Wow, y’all both some real slimeballs.”
Lowering her head in disgrace, Kim went on with her spontaneous confession. “I was going to tell you the next day, but that idiot sent that video to everybody and, well, you know the rest. It was chaotic from that point on.”
“Yeah, you right. I guess it was never the appropriate time for my best friend to announce that she was having sex with my damn father.” Keisha had heard and seen just about enough. She was drained. “Whatever. How could you, Kim? You went on vacations with us since we were kids. You spent nights over here all the damn time. My mother treated you like a daughter, just like she did Sandy. Matter of fact, where the hell is Sandy? Do she know about this circus of filth? I know she couldn’t know y’all here in her place!”
“Okay, Keisha, okay. Calm this tirade down. You’ve proven your point. And don’t worry where Sandy is. She’s not here making a spectacle out of herself like you, so let’s leave it at that.”
As Mr. Jackson tried to gain control of the explosive emotional situation and do damage control, Robin took the opportunity to dart from the safety of the bathroom. From there, she bolted out the front door. Her next stop, no doubt, the hospital to get X-rays for her possible broken ribs courtesy of Keisha.
Not wanting to get the same brutal treatment as Robin, Kim nervously held the sheet tight. Completely embarrassed, not knowing what else to say in the way of apologizing to her so-called friend, she just cried. Gathering her clothes, Kim rushed out the door, barefooted, onto the gravel. In the brisk, early-morning air, she opted to get dressed in her car, which was a short distance from the house and Keisha’s obviously well-warranted wrath.
* * *
“So, okay, my wicked-mouth offspring. You wanted some attention. You wanted to show out and let everyone know you can fight. Well, now it’s just you and me. Now is your chance.”
Keisha, who was just as loud as a person could be in that situation, now had a lump in her throat. At a loss for words, instead of a grown woman who’d been through sheer hell the past year, she felt like a small child. It was if all the years of downgrading insults were at the forefront. All of her father’s sneers and snickering at her shortcomings were present. She felt meek, not empowered.
“Yes, Father, it’s just me and you. There is no one left to put on an act for. Now, will you please tell me why you’re doing mother like this? She loves you. She’d never do something this treacherous to you. She doesn’t deserve any of this. And FYI, you’re the one who is wicked!”
Commissioner Jackson took in all of what his daughter was saying; however, he wasn’t moved, not one bit. In any normal circumstances, he would have to stand mute and accept his scarlet letter. But that humbleness was void. Instead, he flipped the script. He wanted—no, demanded—some answers himself.
“Look, before we go any further in you grilling me like some low-income, first-year prosecuting attorney, why are you dressed like this, in a Legends Coney Island shirt and a torn skirt? And what’s wrong with that face and hair of yours? You are a disgrace to this family’s name.”
“A disgrace? Family? Are you serious right now?” Keisha took a deep breath, thankfully realizing she had a right to be heard. “How fucking dare you speak to me like that! As many times as I tried reaching out to you . . .”
“Lower your damn voice I said.” Mr. Jackson’s expression was cold, as if he were talking to a stranger in the street, not his daughter. “I don’t know why you insist on being so damn disruptive—acting ghetto. You’ve been misbehaving since you were a small child.”
Keisha tried the best she could to fix herself up, yet at this point, it was what it was. “You can just go easy with the name calling. I’ve had more than enough of that this past year. And stop trying to stall your explanation. I wanna know what your problem is.”
As he stood there in his loosely hung boxers, Mr. Jackson’s snide laughter filled the room. His condescending, black-hearted stares shook his daughter’s very being, which he took delight in.
“So, Keisha, did you just meet me or something? When will you learn that I don’t like questions or those that ask them? And if you are attempting to make me feel some sort of guilt or remorse about my actions tonight or any other night, you can just forget about it.”
“But—” Keisha tried to speak but was cut off.
“But nothing. And if you’re here to find out about that drunkard, pill-popping mother of yours, then you can just go crawl back in the gutter hole you been living in with that abusive filth you call a man. Matter of fact, where is that lowlife pimp boyfriend of yours? He’s not outside in a stolen car waiting for you to beg me for some spare pocket change, is he?”
“Father!” Keisha’s feelings were hurt, and it was written all on her face. Not the fact that he’d brought up Rico, who could be in the hospital or dead in the middle of the road, but the fact that he was so mean-spirited and uncompromising on his attitude.
Dealing with the general public, Commissioner Jackson was known for taking a hard line with issues and had a zero tolerance attitude. Immediately, he saw the weakness in his child’s eyes that was hard to disguise. With no repentance, he took the opportunity to bring her down a few more notches.
“Look at you. You have the nerve to come in here passing judgment on people, and you look like something the cat dragged in—something that’s been dead underneath the porch for days.” Mr. Jackson gripped up on his manhood like some rebellious teen on the corner talking shit to his homeboys. “My daughter, Keisha Marie Jackson, the biggest hood slut in town. Ain’t that a bitch? I wasted money paying high tuitions at the best schools for nothing. Expensive dermatologist treatments, all those designers clothes and purses you wanted. What a goddamn fucking waste.” His verbal assault continued as the tiny amount of Keisha’s self-esteem Rico left her with, started to crumble.
“I’m ashamed of you. The entire family is. Why do you think your mother stayed up in that bedroom like a zombie waiting for the devil’s orders? She’d rather die than face the fact her daughter is you!”
Devastated by his words and accusations, Keisha felt her legs grow weak. What her father was saying, face to face, was far more hurtful than anything Rico had or could have said. Sure, he’d been behaving as if she hadn’t existed for months, but his words never cut so deep.
Unsteady physically as well as emotionally, Keisha leaned on the nearby dresser for support. “How can you say those awful things, Father? How can you? I wanted to come home so many times.”
“Yeah, well, the truth of the matter is you didn’t. I guess in between fucking that no-good bum and his four-legged hairy companion you forgot the way, huh?” Mr. Jackson had no shame in how he was making her feel. “And by the looks of your present state, it looks like you just went a few rounds with that animal before you showed up here!”
Totally defeated, Keisha pleaded, “Father, can you just tell me where Mother is? Please?”
“I’ll tell you what.” He tilted his head to the side and folded his arms. “I’ll tell you about that sick-in-the-head mother of yours, but the question is how bad you want to know.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“I mean, I think after all the money I’ve spent over the years on you for what seems like nothing, you owe me!”
Completely confused as to what the man she’d always respected and looked up to meant, Keisha remained perfectly silent while his spiteful intentions went on.
“Well, Daddy’s little bad, slutty girl, how bad you want to know?” Commissioner Jackson dropped his arms to his side. Once again, he then used his hand to move his now hardening dick to the side of his boxers. “And you might want to hurry up with your answer. The last I checked, your mother was damn near coughing up a lung. She’s probably taking her last breaths in a dark hospital room by herself as we speak. So, what’s it gonna be?”
No stranger to men and what that meant, Keisha was dumbfounded. What her own father, of all people, was suggesting, was uglier than any nightmare or thought she could ever think of. Pure hell. If what he was saying was indeed true, her mother could be minutes, maybe seconds, away from dying. Dealing with Rico, she’d done plenty of downright ridiculous, degrading, and scandalous things sexually to please him as well as herself, but this—her own father—sucking his dick would top them all.
“Father, you can’t be serious. Have you lost your mind altogether? I don’t know who you are anymore. Do you hear yourself? Do you even realize what you’re asking?”
“Come on now, Keisha, I know you haven’t forgotten the special times we used to have in your bedroom when your dear old mother was passed out.”
“What? What are you talking about?” Keisha started experiencing the worst migraine she’d ever had. The more she looked into her father’s dark, cold eyes, the more confusing childhood memories flashed in her already tormented mind. Fighting the pain of what incestuous actions he was eluding to, she pleaded one last time.
“Please, Father. The article in the paper didn’t say. Please. I’m begging!”
Looking at his watch, a self-righteous Mr. Jackson took his stiff dick out his boxers. “Okay now, Keisha, I already told you, your mother is probably taking her last breath right now, and you here negotiating about what you do best,” he remarked casually, as if his wife’s impending death didn’t matter one bit to him. “The best place for you to be is on your knees, pleading for my forgiveness. And guess what? If you do a good job, Daddy might let you come back home. You do wanna come back home, don’t you?”
Keisha considered her few options and the high stakes at hand. First and foremost, she’d give anything in the world to see her mother, who was once so proud of her, possibly one last time and let her know how terribly sorry she was for all the grief she’d caused her over the past year. And secondly, the harsh reality was, she was broke and fucking homeless. If that jackass Rico did survive being hit by the cab, going back to him and his overly abusive ways was completely and totally out of the question. Keisha desperately felt she had no choice. Her back was against the wall. Her father, as usual, was the winner. Sick to her stomach, Keisha’s inner soul ached as she eased over toward him, dropping to her knees.