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“Tali, I’m so sorry!”
“Mrs. Jessie, you do not have to apologize to me. I knew she was capable of pulling a stunt like this, I just didn’t think she would go to this length.”
“You know I wouldneverput my hands on Bertha.”
“I know you wouldn’t, and I would never accuse you of doing so.” Plopping down on the couch, I sighed, “Mrs. Jessie, I’m so tired,” I admitted when my tears started flowing again.
“I know you are. Your mama so vindictive… it’s a wonder how she was able to prosper this far.”
“Umph,” I snorted.
The conversation I had with Law back in New York was roaming through my mind. I told him I was ready to send her back and the shit had unintentionally happened. I swore at that time I felt like it would be easier to do but the longer I sit here, the more I realized I was getting ready to ultimately fight for my fucking life. Before it was all over with, Gema would be back home with me and Mrs. Jessie.
CHAPTER 23
Lawton
Rushing through the door, I asked, “Where is she?”
When Mrs. Jessie called my phone earlier, I was upstate visiting with Preme. I hate that I wasn’t here when the shit went down. The whole ride back to the city, I felt helpless. I knew how much Tali loved Gema just like I knew how much Mrs. Jessie loved and cared for her. For Talitha’s mother to accuse them of abuse was absurd.
When Mrs. Jessie called me to tell me what had went down, she explained that at first she thought Talitha was okay, but she shortly realized that she wasn’t and figured she needed me.
“In there.” Mrs. Jessie tipped her head toward Gema’s bedroom.
“I got her,” I let her know. “You can go ahead and head home. Ain’t nothing we can do right now.”
“Take care of her for me, Law. She really needs you.”
“I got her,” I reassured and locked up after her when she left.
Sliding off my jacket, I pulled my phone out of the pocket and powered it off. On the way over here, I let Chari know I would be out of pocket for a while. I also had her reach out to Rossi to let him know not to expect Talitha in office for a few days. Afterkicking off my shoes, I walked into the room and found my baby wrapped up in Gema’s covers sleeping peacefully.
The way her face was puffy and her eyes was swollen, I knew she had cried herself to sleep. Gently pulling back the covers, I reached under her and hoisted her up from the bed. She stirred a little bit and without opening her eyes, her arms wrapped around my neck. She was fully dressed and hadn’t even come out of the shoes she wore to work.
Carrying her bridal style of out of the room, I held onto her as I walked us upstairs to her bedroom. “Talitha.” I nudged her. “I need you to sit on the side of the bed for me.”
When she nodded against my chest, I placed her down. Kneeling, I pulled off her shoes before rising and unfastening her pants. She lifted her hips just enough for me to be able to undress her. After I got them down her legs, I reached for the sweater and pulled it over her head, leaving her in her underwear and a spaghetti strapped cami.
Pulling back her covers, I patted the bed. “Lay back for me.”
Laying back, she shifted in the bed and rolled over placing her back to me. I pulled the covers back up over her and closed the blinds in her room. “Where is your phone?”
“I don’t know,” she mumbled hoarsely.
Walking out of the room, I descended the stairs and looked around the living room for her purse. Coming up empty handed, I swiped her car keys off the table and went outside to see if she had left it in the car. After unlocking the car door, I located her purse and phone sitting on the passenger seat. I grabbed everything and went back inside.
Instead of turning her phone off, I plugged it up on the nightstand beside the bed. “Have you eaten?”
“I’m not hungry.”
“You gotta eat, baby.”
The room got quiet for a moment and the next sound that boomed through the room was loud wails emitting from Talitha’s mouth. “Please don’t cry,” I begged. Rounding the bed, I slipped in beside her and grabbed her. Sitting back on my knees, I cradled her to my chest.
“She lied on Mrs. Jessie. She’s never even raised a hand at Gema. My Mama hates me so much that she would make up lies.”
“I know baby,” I sighed and rubbed her back. “We gone get everything worked out.”