Page 6

Tayla

I stood in the nursery doorway at A Child’s Haven, observing Angie as she gently laid one of the babies down for a nap. I was currently making my rounds. She was moving them all from their bouncers to their respective cribs.

“He’s such a good baby. He hardly ever cries,” she said, smiling and looking where I stood. I smiled in return as she placed him in his crib before moving on to the next.

“I think you may have it the easiest out of all the teachers and aides here.”

“Tsk. You say that until all six cry simultaneously, and then three or four have blowouts. Then that’s when I start gagging because explain to me how the poop got up to their necks. Just throw the whole baby away,” she jokingly said and laughed.

I smiled as I gazed into the room. Unlike the other rooms, which were filled with vibrant rainbow colors, this one was filled with light browns and tans accented with pastels.

Cute infant versions replaced the typical photo-realistic painted murals of animals.

Calming classical music came from the classroom’s speakers, adding to the room's serenity.

It was so calming that I lost myself in thought.

My mind drifted to everything I wished could be different about my current situation. There were so many things I wanted to tell Brice and Jourdan before everything went to hell.

Why did you hold on to all those secrets, Tay? They didn’t trust you, that’s why.

My plan was still on track, but it wasn’t progressing as quickly as I had hoped. There were so many moving parts that I wasn’t sure I could bring them all together. I’d go so far into my mind that I didn’t notice when a hand was placed on my shoulder. I jumped at the feel.

“I’m sorry, Tayla, I didn’t mean to startle you,” Mrs. Haven said.

“No, it’s ok. I was making my rounds and stopped here for a minute too long.” She nodded.

“Well, I want you to know that you’re doing a great job,” she said as she studied my face.

“With everything,” she continued as she nodded into the room. I wondered if she’d seen the crack in the facade I had moments before. I would have probably gone further off in my head if she hadn't interrupted, but her words were exactly what I needed to hear.

“Thank you for telling me that,” I said, giving her a genuine smile .

“I told you before, but you have us now. Accept it, Baby Girl, because we’re not going anywhere.

” Since I’d been working here, Mrs. Haven and the rest of the staff had made me feel exactly as she said they would.

They’d made me feel like family. It wasn’t the family I’d come here to find, but it was all I had, and I was clinging to it.

During the two weeks I worked here, Mrs. Haven embraced me as a mother would. She reminded me so much of Jourdan and Brice’s mother, leading me back to why I was even in North Carolina.

“I only call it like I see it,” she shrugged.

“Miss Denise, could I take thirty minutes extra on my lunch? Something came up that I need to handle.”

“Tayla, this is your center to direct. Let your staff know and handle your business.”

“I didn’t want you to think I wasn’t properly managing my responsibilities.”

“What did I just say?” She asked sternly. We were both interrupted by the loud bang of a door slamming against a wall. One of my oldest attending kids ran out the door and down the hallway, heading straight towards us.

“Drue!”

Since being here, I learned that Drue was Devin’s eldest son.

He was four, almost five, and was bad as hell.

As he ran, I could hear his teacher calling out to him, and instead of running towards his grandmother, he came straight to me.

I looked down at his chiseled little cheek structure, fresh haircut, and glasses .

Wow, he looks exactly like his father.

“Miss Tay, you’re so pretty. Can you please take me to lunch with you?

I need to get the hell out of this place for a minute.

That woman in there is trying to work me to damn death.

She tried to make me read a D-level book,” his tiny voice spoke out with conviction.

I was in shock and trying to hold in my laughter as I stared down at him.

I glanced up to see Mrs. Haven walking off.

“Miss….” I started.

“Nope, he’s your problem now,” she said, laughing as she rounded the corner out of sight. She wanted no part of her grandson’s shenanigans.

Hmm. Mommy or Daddy? This behavior has Daddy written all over it. Lil’ bad ass!

“Drue, are you supposed to be running out of your classroom?”

“No, Miss Tay. Did I tell you how pretty you were?” Then I felt his little hand grab my booty. I quickly swatted it away.

“Yes, and it won’t get you what you want. Neither will your very inappropriate hands. Now, let’s get back to class, sir.”

“My daddy grabs my mommy’s booty all the time, and then she always gives him what he wants after.

I knew it was Daddy’s behavior!

“Drue, let’s not do that anymore. We don’t touch people in no-no places, ever. Do you understand? If not, we can call your father,” I said, and his eyes widened behind his glasses .

“No, I understand, Miss Tay. I’m sorry,” he rushed out. I gave him a stern look, but I knew this was only the beginning of his antics.

“Good,” I said, ushering him back down the hall. I glanced at my watch, seeing that I needed to finish my rounds and head out to make time for what I needed to get done in the hour and thirty minutes I had.

I slowly drove to the entrance and up to the security booth.

It was a small booth and manned by one security officer.

More cars were exiting than entering because of the lunch hour.

I batted my lashes at the burly, older black gentleman working the gate.

His stomach touched the desk where he sat inside the small, dingy area.

Inside were a series of monitors and switches that controlled the gates.

He looked like he didn’t leave the booth once his shift started, as shown by the two lunch bags he had sitting at his station.

“Can I see your IDs, Ma’am?” he asked.

“Of course,” I said as I pretended to fumble around for the IDs. I undid my seatbelt and leaned over into the back seat to retrieve them, being sure to give him the perfect view of my ass as I did. There was a chance that he could also be looking at my car, but I gave him a show to add effect.

“Oh, here they are. I’m sorry about that.” Just as I’d suspected, his eyes were wandering.

I’d given him a Port Authority ID and a Transportation Worker Identification Credential. Both were fake, but they would allow me entry when run through the system. He returned the IDs to me, and I smiled and winked. If his skin had been lighter, I was sure his cheeks would have been red.

I drove into the docks and found a parking space. Now that everything was falling into place with my employment situation. It was time to see if I could put my eyes on Nina. Thus far, she’d been elusive, but her speaking on the Cypress Docks gave me a place to start.

I reached into the back and pulled my sneakers from the floorboard. I quickly replaced my flats and secured the IDs around my neck. I stepped out of the car and headed towards the trunk. Once there, I found the fluorescent yellow safety vest and white hard hat that I’d placed there and put them on.

Hmph, a clipboard could be useful.

I also threw on a pair of glasses I’d purchased to further my disguise.

In minutes, I had made my way to the warehouses where the offices were held.

Before I could make it inside, someone caught my eye.

It was a masked man headed toward the shipping containers.

It wasn’t unusual for some workers to wear ski masks on the docks during colder months or when they worked around hazardous materials.

However, the man stood six feet five inches and had the same gait as Brice. It was a long shot that it would be him. The more I studied the man and his walk, the more convinced I became that it was. I diverted my original plan and started behind him.