Page 6 of Always There Bayou (The BR Bayou #3)

“Aye, I ain’t gon say it again, bitch,” he barked at me, snatching me by the arm.

I shoved him away and took a step back. “Get up out of my crib! You ain’t wanted around here, so stop coming ‘round bothering my woman. Gone back over there to that bougie ass side of town with yo rich daddy. Take your ass back over there and stop coming around stressing her.”

My blood was boiling, and I wanted to kill him.

Hell, I wish my dad had done it years ago.

I wanted better for my mom, but one last look at her told me that there was no use in that.

She was never gonna come from up under this man.

She was never gonna want to get help. She was never gonna be the mom that my siblings and I needed her to be, so why was I still trying?

“Fuck it,” I grumbled, pushing past them and exiting the apartment.

Tears stung my eyes as I made it back out to my car.

I didn’t stop moving until I was in and buckled up.

I felt like my world was spinning out of control, and all I wanted was to get away from everything.

So, I backed out of the parking spot and drove until I couldn’t drive anymore.

I had no idea where I was going until I pulled up to the house where I’d spent so much time since middle school; it was like a second home for me.

I parked and hopped out of the car, furiously wiping the tears from my face as I made it to the front door.

I banged and banged until my hands turned red.

My emotions were all over the place, and I knew that there was only one person who could calm my mind.

I knew it was after 10 p.m. But this visit would be the only thing that helped. It always did.

“Cory, you better have a good reason for why you’re banging on this door like that,” Mr. Darnell greeted me when he finally answered the door.

I assumed all his staff had gone home because usually, his estate manager answered the door.

He took one look at me and his face softened. “Cory, what happened?”

“I just…is Denny here? I need to see her. I need…” My voice trails off as the tears continue to fall. I hated it when people saw me vulnerable, but Denny’s aunt and uncle were like second parents to me. They never judged me and always treated my siblings and me like family. “Please. I need her.”

“Yes, come in, sweetheart,” he says as he ushers me inside. Within seconds, his wife, Mrs. Daphne, appears at the bottom of the massive winding staircase in her robe and bonnet, trying to see what was happening. “Love, I’m going to get Denny. Can you please get Cory some water?”

“Sure,” she nods, but comes over to me, cupping my face in my hands. She wipes the tears as they fall before pulling me into a warm hug. She rubs my back as I melt into her embrace. She pulls away, searching my eyes for answers. “Cory, why are you out so late? Did something happen?”

“I saw my mom,” I say, barely above a whisper. She nods, instantly understanding.

She guided me down the hall into the kitchen, telling me to have a seat on the bench as she fixed me a glass of water.

I nodded as I sat down, sinking into the cushioned seat.

This wasn’t the first time they’d witnessed how I got after seeing my mom.

Ever since I explained my situation to them a few years ago, they had been there to comfort me the best they could, but even they knew that only one person could help me calm down completely.

“Corduroy!” I hear, and my head snaps toward the kitchen entrance. Instantly, tears well up in my eyes as she runs over to me. Within seconds, she’s by my side, pulling me into her arms. “What happened, Cory?”

“We’ll leave you two to talk,” her aunt said, and she nodded. “Cory, you’re more than welcome to stay the night.”

“Thank you,” I replied through tears.

As soon as she heard her aunt and uncle’s room door close, Denny pulled me up and guided me upstairs to her room.

She closed and locked the door behind us, and she helped me strip until I was only in my boxer briefs and sports bra.

She grabbed one of her graphic tees and handed it to me.

After changing and folding my clothes into a pile, she cut off the light and pulled me over to the bed so we could cuddle.

This wasn’t the first time this had happened.

We’d been cuddling together for years now; however, only recently had I started sleeping in my underwear.

She told me that she didn’t mind how comfortable I got around her, as long as I was.

She often slept in pajama shorts and crop tops.

So, it was pretty much the same on both of our ends.

“So, you want to tell me what happened?” she asked as I buried my face in her chest. I shook my head, the tears threatening to fall again. “No, you know the rules. When we cuddle, we talk.”

I groan, pulling back a bit to look at her.

Years ago, when we first started cuddling, it was because she sensed how comfortable and vulnerable I felt when we were close.

I hated expressing my feelings out loud, but when it was just the two of us, so close like this, I felt comforted.

I felt at peace. All my worries seemed to wash away when I was in her arms, and vice versa.

She was my comfort person. However, she made a rule that if we cuddled, I always had to talk about what was bothering me.

“I went by my mom’s place today,” I finally admit with a sigh.

As soon as the last word left my mouth, Denny pulled away and flicked on the bedside lamp. She quickly sat up, and I followed suit.

“Cory, why would you go over there by yourself?” she fusses. “You know her boyfriend can’t stand you! What if he was there?”

“He was,” I sigh, and a frightened look flashes across her face. She starts to say something, but I cut her off. “Denny, I had to! I had to try one last time before I left. I thought that she’d finally let me help her. I thought that this time would be different, but…”

I couldn’t finish my sentence, choking on my words and my tears.

Denny’s face softened as she pulled me into her arms. I cried even harder as I thought about how much I wished my mom cared enough to get better.

I needed her so much growing up, and she wasn’t there.

I loved my stepmom and dad to death, but I still wished my mom had been there. I still wish I had that.

Suddenly, my mind drifted over to how Denny was probably feeling right now, and my guilt ate me up.

Here I was complaining about my mom when hers was taken from her when she was only six.

At least mine was still alive. I mean, she was usually high out of her mind or throwing back shots like every day was her birthday, but she was still here.

“Denny, I-I’m sorry,” I say. “I wasn’t thinking. I’m always going on and on about my mom when-”

“No,” she shakes her head, cutting me off.

“Please never feel bad about wanting your mom in your life. I understand. If I could turn back the hands of time and stop my mom from stopping at that gas station, I would. So, I understand that you want to do everything possible to get your mom back, but Cory,” she pauses, searching my eyes to ensure I understand her plea, “please don’t put yourself in danger like that again.

You may be strong, but her boyfriend is a grown ass man, and we already know that he won’t hesitate to hurt you if you provoke him. ”

“Yeah, I know…”

“Look, I have faith that one day, your mom is going to come around. It may not be today or tomorrow, but one day, it’ll happen.”

“I hope so,” I sigh. I move over to sit by her side and rest my head on her shoulder. She takes my hand in hers and interlocks our fingers. “I didn’t even get to invite her to my graduation… ”

“It’s okay, Corduroy,” she assures me, once again calling me by the nickname she’d given me when we were kids. “She may not show it, but deep down, she’s proud of you. Not only are you graduating with honors, but you also got a full ride to UL. Next, you’ll be a big-time WNBA star.”

“You’re very optimistic,” I laugh, my mood slowly lifting. “There’s no telling what can happen. It’s no SEC school, so my chances of making it to the pros are even slimmer.”

“See, that’s just the anxiety talking!” she gasps, turning to face me. “Cory, you are one of the best basketball players I’ve ever seen. If you don’t make it to the pros, it would be a great loss for the league, but I’m not here for all the negativity.”

I watch in confusion as she climbs off the bed and walks over to her desk.

She pulls out a piece of paper, two markers, and a box I haven’t seen since 9th grade.

I chuckle as she sits back down with the box in her hand.

I always went along with it because she seemed to believe that it helped.

I wasn’t as optimistic as she tended to be, but I supported all her ideas wholeheartedly.

I wouldn’t be her best friend if I didn’t, you know?

“Okay, you already know what we have to do,” she says, ripping the paper in half and handing me one piece. She passed me a marker and took one for herself. “Write it down, fold it up, and stuff it in the box. Then we’ll bury it.”

“Bury it?” I questioned as I uncapped the marker. She nods. “Why? We’ve never done that before. ”

“So we can get rid of years’ worth of negativity,” she states as she begins to write. “Once it’s gone, it’s gone. Nothing but good things will come from that point on.”

I wanted to tell her that it was all nonsense, but of course, I didn’t.

Instead, I humored her, writing down all my fears and anxieties.

Once we were done, we folded them, stuffed them into the small hole at the top of the box, and made our way to the backyard to bury them as deep as we could in the farthest corner.

By the time we made it back up to her room, I felt a bit lighter. When we lay down again in each other’s arms, I felt myself relax, sleep slowly taking over me. The events of earlier slowly melted away from my memory.

“In case no one told you today, I’m proud of you,” Denny says, barely above a whisper. I could tell that she was fighting sleep. “You’re amazing, and you’re going to do great things, Cory Tate. You’re the best best friend I could ever ask for, and I love you.”

“I love you too, Denny,” I say, meaning every word. She didn’t reply, but I could hear light snoring. I smile to myself as I close my eyes.

Even if I didn’t have anyone else, I’d always have Denny to believe in me.

My best friend for now and forever.