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After Law said his goodbyes to Gema, we left out the house. The ride to town was quiet. So quiet I was starting to get uncomfortable. I knew Law wanted to say something and only refrained out of respect for me. He probably thought I would end up crying but it was actually the opposite. I felt relieved, almost like that pressure in my chest had eased up and I could breathe better. God was really on my mama side cause had I walked in and the outcome been different, I was whooping everybody assthat was in the house. Now that I had put my eyes on Gema, I could finally get a good night’s rest.
CHAPTER 27
Lawton
“Not the Plaza, huh?” Talitha joked.
“It’s got a bed and hot water. That’s all I need love,” I shared.
She had been quiet since we left from by her people house. The way she released a deep breath when we got back in the car from visiting Gema, I could tell she was relieved. I myself was scared of what I was going to walk into. The way she talked about her folks, I didn’t know if I needed to come in guns blazing or what. Speaking of guns, I’d tucked mine in the back of my joggers before we left Atlanta and now that we were inside of the hotel, I felt secure enough to put it down.
Reaching my hand under the Nikehoodie, I pulled it out and placed it on the nightstand next to my wallet and phone.
“You had that on you the whole time?” Talitha quizzed.
“Hell yeah. I don’t visit unknown places without it. Especially without Baker being by my side.”
“You lucky I didn’t know you had it. I would’ve used it to clock the shit out of my Mama.” She laughed and tossed her body down on the bed. Grabbing a pillow, she put it over her face and let out a muffle scream.
When she pulled it down, she said, “I’ve been holding that in since we got here.”
Kneeling, I untied her sneakers and tossed them to the side before pulling her socks off. “Your aunt, the one who house we just left. What’s her deal?” I asked and sat beside her on the bed. Grabbing her by the legs, I swung her around and draped her legs over my lap so I could massage her feet.
“She’s a follower. Bitch ain’t got much of a mind of her own. Stupid ass let my Mama convince her to divorce her husband and she been miserable ever since.”
“Divorce her husband?”
“Ummh...” Talitha hummed, closing her eyes she clarified. “He was the pastor at the church here in town. She found out he was sleeping with his assistant. She let Jalitha get in her head about the rumors swirling around town. Mmmm,” she moaned and bit her lip when I applied pressure to the middle of her foot.
“Finish your story.” I chuckled.
“I am. Sssss… That feels so good,” she cooed then recovered. “But yeah, Jalitha was all in her ear telling her how he wasn’t shit and she didn’t want to be the towns spectacle, so she filed for a divorce. Whole time my Mama husband a pedophile and got kids he don’t even see off in Cordele.”
“Oh really?”
“Yep. My Mama the type that don’t want nobody to have more than her. She only married Joe Lee cause he had money. It couldn’t be cause of his looks. He fat, got bad skin, and black as hell. She was in it for the money.”
“These small ass towns have the most drama.”
“Law, you ain’t seen or heard the damn worst. Just wait until you meet Betty Jo aka Jill Scott.”
“The fuck!” I chortled. “Now, why you call that lady Jill Scott?”
“Don’t get me wrong… I fuck with Betty Jo but the bitch all into that holistic shit, walking around here talking ‘bout peace, peace. Wearing them fucking crystals and shit around her neck. And I mean whatever floats your boat, but bitch be for real. You was raised in the same house I was raised in, and Gema and Papa Joe raised us to believe in theBibleand not all of that other shit.”
“I learned a long time ago you’ve gotta let people have their vices and move the way that’s most comfortable for them.”
“I hear ya’. Just know my family is something else. You are surely in for a treat.” She laughed.
“You ready to shower?”
“I am but I need to find something for us to eat.”
Her mentioning food had my ass remembering we hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast this morning. “You go shower, I’ll see what I can find.”
“It won’t be much, but I’ll eat whatever you settle on.”
“Okay.” Releasing her feet, I leaned over and sucked her bottom lip into my mouth. Talitha moaned and tried to climb into my lap. “Get yo’ ass up and go shower.”