Chapter 18

  It took some time, a lot more time than it should have, but Chanel finally went to visit Demi at the Lakeside Behavioral Clinic. She used the excuses that she had left James and she’d been busy with the move and getting the children situated in their new school.

  Chanel had been mad at Demi for running out on her to get high, which caused their grandmother to have the emphysema episode, so she hadn’t visited. Sheba had been sharing information about what was going on with her and her recovery, and it hadn’t all been positive.

  “And I’ve just been dealing with a lot of other stuff,” Chanel said but didn’t tell Demi how the knowledge of the affair that James was having had affected her.

  Demi nodded. “Tell the truth, Chanel. You were mad at me, and that’s why you haven’t come to see me until now.”

  “You’re right. I was mad at you. Hell, I’m still mad at you.”

  “I know. And I’m sorry that I ran out on you. I hope you can forgive me.”

  Chanel looked strangely at Demi because this was different. “Okay.”

  “Don’t look at me like that. They told me that I need to start taking responsibility for my fuckups, so this is me taking responsibility,” she said without any real commitment to what she was saying.

  “Wow, I’m impressed. And yes, Demi, I forgive you.”

  “Thank you. I need to make better choices and be accountable to them.”

  What she was saying was all positive, but it was delivered in such a lackadaisical manner that, after seeing her, Chanel wished that she had come to visit sooner. After seeing Demi for herself, Chanel drove away from Lakeside believing that Demi was depressed.

  She had spoken briefly with a member of Demi’s treatment team who suggested that Demi’s symptoms of depression may be associated with withdrawal. The team member explained that feelings of hopelessness, pessimism, and overwhelming sadness can and sometimes do persist well after the withdrawal period ends.

  “Or her depression may have existed before her addiction, and she may have turned to the use of alcohol and drugs to help mask the negative effects of whatever she was dealing with.”

  Chanel was so shaken that, once she got home, she called Sheba to share her thoughts.

  “Hey, Chanel,” Sheba answered.

  “Hey, Sheba. When was the last time you visited Demi?” she wasted no time in asking.

  “Day before yesterday. Why?”

  “I just left her and—”

  “About time,” Sheba interrupted to say. “But I’m glad you finally made it out there.”

  “I am too.” Chanel chuckled. “She didn’t buy my excuse about James and the kids.”

  “Did you really think she would?”

  “I was hoping, but anyway, did she seem depressed to you?”

  “No, not really. She seemed real positive about the way the counseling was going. Did you seem that way to you?”

  “Yes, so I talked to a member of her treatment team, and they said that in her sobriety she might be realizing the consequences of how she was living.”

  “I know she told me that she feels guilty, and she is ashamed of some of the things that she was doing to get high and make that man happy, so you may be right. I’ll go see her, try to cheer her up.”

  “Where are you?”

  “At Grandma’s, watching Jerry Springer with her and Floyd.”

  “Tell them I said hey.”

  “Chanel says hey, y’all,” Sheba said, and since they were into Jerry, their response was weak.

  “Wow. Jerry must be good today.”

  “This woman got mad at her friend, so she decided to get even by sleeping with the friend’s boyfriend, but they just found out that the boyfriend is married, and his wife just came out.”

  “Drama!”

  “You coming by?”

  “No, I’m going to pick up the kids and go home. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

  “Talk to you then,” Sheba said and ended the call with Chanel.

  “What is Chanel talking about?” Floyd asked.

  “She said she just left Demi at Lakeside, and she thinks Demi is depressed about the things she used to do.”

  “Demi was out there.” Floyd nodded. “So we have no idea what she was doing.”

  “Or how it might be affecting her, my poor baby,” Miss Pearl said.

  “I told her that I might roll out there, spend time with her,” Sheba said and started to get up.

  “As soon as this is over, I’ll ride with you,” Floyd said.

  “What you all need to do is get together and come up with a schedule so somebody is going to see her every day,” Miss Pearl suggested. “I know the poor thing must get lonely out there by herself.”

  “Plenty of time to think of all the foul shi . . .” Floyd looked at Miss Pearl. “All the foul things she used to do.”

  “I don’t even want to hear about any of that,” Miss Pearl said as the commercial ended and Jerry’s brand of daily drama resumed.

  After the show went off, as promised, Floyd rode with Sheba to Lakeside to see Demi. Although she was genuinely happy about the surprise visit from her cousins, after a while, her mood changed. By the end of their visit, Sheba and Floyd agreed with Chanel. It was almost eight that evening when Sheba and Floyd said good night to Demi and left Lakeside. Sheba left knowing that she would be back at Lakeside the following day to speak with Demi’s treatment team about her family’s observations.

  “I’ve never seen Demi like that,” Floyd said as Sheba drove away.

  “You would know better than I do,” Sheba said, once again feeling guilty for not being there all those years.

  Floyd looked at Sheba. “Don’t do that.”

  “Do what?”

  “Make yourself responsible for Demi and her shit.” He reached out and took her hand. “I know you, Sheba, and I know it’s probably too late, but don’t put her addiction on your shoulders.”

  “You’re right. It’s way too late for that. I shouldn’t have stayed away so long.”

  Floyd laughed. “You probably think it’s your fault that Chanel married James.”

  “I do,” Sheba admitted. “If I had been here—”

  “You would have told her that James was a worthless waste of flesh.” Floyd laughed. “Everybody did. What makes you think she would have listened to you?”

  Sheba laughed as she remembered coming home for the wedding and everybody telling her about James and what Chanel said when Sheba shared those concerns with her. “He just needs a good woman, that’s all,” was what Chanel had told Sheba.

  “You’re right about that, too,” she conceded.

  Floyd squeezed Sheba’s hand. “You were gone a long time, living your life. You are not responsible for the choices grown-ass women make.”

  “Thanks, Floyd.”

  “No worries.” He paused before he said, “Why don’t you roll me by the spot? I’ll pick up my car from Grandma’s later.”

  “Okay. Where to?”

  “Jody never took you by there?”

  “Nope.”

  “Boy be slippin’ sometimes. You’re the reason we stepped up, and he didn’t show you the operation.” Floyd shook his head. “Unacceptable. Make a left here,” he said and directed her to the apartments where they did the bulk of their business.

  Jody was surprised when he saw Sheba’s car pull into the apartment complex until he saw Floyd in the passenger seat. When they parked, he approached the car and then bowed at the waist.

  “What’s up, Sheba the queen?”

  “What’s up, Jody?”

  “’Sup?” Floyd said and shook his brother’s hand. “I brought Sheba by to show her how we do it.”

  Jody chuckled as a car drove past them and parked. “Sit back and watch,” Jody said as the driver of the car got out and approached one of the buildings. “You say what you want and drop your money on the ground.” Sheba watched as the man dropped his money. “And go up the steps,” Jody said as another car drove up, only this time it was the passenger who got out.

  After looking long and hard at Sheba, Jody, and Floyd, she dropped her head and headed for the building, and the cycle began again.

  “On the ground at the top of the steps, you find what you paid for.”

  “Smooth,” Sheba said as she watched the man come down the back stairs and head back to his car. Having absolutely no experience in the game, Sheba didn’t really know if it was smooth. All that she knew was that it seemed to be working for them.

  For the next half hour, Sheba hung out with Jody and Floyd and watched as car after car rolled in. She was about to leave when she saw a familiar car pull into the apartment complex.

  “What’s he doing here?” Sheba asked.

  “That’s Jordan,” Floyd said when he saw Jordan’s 2002 Trans Am. He discreetly checked his weapon.

  “Y’all know Jordan?” Sheba asked as he parked and got out of the car.

  “Yeah, we know him,” Jody said and put his hand on his gun. “I didn’t know you knew him.”

  “Sheba!” Jordan said as soon as he got out of his car. “We keep running into each other, and with a different man every time.”

  Jody and Floyd looked at one another and then at Sheba.

  “They’re my cousins.”

  “Cousins.” Jordan nodded his head. “I didn’t know they were your cousins,” he said and paused. “Don’t matter. You muthafuckas need to find somewhere else to do business.”

  “Fuck that!” Floyd said. “We ain’t going nowhere.”

  “You been warned.” Jordan started to walk away but stopped and looked at Sheba. “Sheba.”

  “Yes.”

  “It was fun while it lasted,” he said and walked back to his car, got in, and drove away.

  “Fuck that shit,” Floyd said.

  “Let him come,” Jody said.

  “We can handle them,” Floyd concurred. “And what the fuck is going on with you and this nigga?”

  “That ain’t none of your fuckin’ business. But I know these niggas, and they are coming, so you need to recruit some more soldiers.”

  “You don’t need to worry about that, Sheba. We can handle Jordan and whatever he got.”

  They were caught totally off guard when seconds later two cars came roaring into the complex with bright lights on. As soon as the cars were close enough to the building, the cars came to a screeching halt, four men exited, and they opened fire. Both of Jody and Floyd’s men in front of the building were hit with multiple shots. Jordan’s men, Jamarco, Latravis, and Rashard, jumped out of the other car and fired at Sheba, Jody, and Floyd. Both men drew their weapons and opened fire blindly as they ran for better cover.

  Jody and Floyd’s men Brooks and Taylor came out of the building firing and forced their adversaries to take cover. While their men kept firing, Jody fired and hit one man with three shots to the chest. Then he laid down cover fire while Floyd fired and killed the other man. The two other men fired blindly as they tried to run, but Brooks and Taylor killed them as they ran.

  “Give me a gun!” Sheba yelled over the gunfire.

  Jody handed Sheba his 9 mm and got the AK-47 from the back seat of his car. Latravis and Rashard opened fire with AR-15s and forced Jody, Floyd, and Sheba to take cover behind the car. Sheba rose up and tried to get off a shot, but she was outgunned. She dropped back behind the car and looked over at Floyd as bullets bounced off the car and the wall behind them.

  Jody took a deep breath before he came up shooting with the AK. He fired until the AK was empty. Latravis and Rashard went down. As Jody fired away, Sheba rose up and fired, hitting one with shots to the head and chest. When she took cover to reload, Floyd fired and hit the other one with three shots. Jamarco and the remaining shooter ran for their cars. Jody fired and shot one in the back as they ran. But Jamarco made it to his car and drove away firing the AR out the window.

  “Everybody all right?” Sheba asked.

  “I’m good,” Jody replied. “You good?”

  “Yeah, I’m all right,” Floyd said. “But we gotta get outta here.”

  “Pack up!” Jody yelled to his remaining men. “Meet me at the house,” he said, and as quickly as possible, they shut down their operation and the three left the apartment complex.

  Chapter 19

  After leaving the apartment complex, Sheba drove Floyd back to their grandmother’s house to pick up his car. As he was about to leave, he stopped and took Sheba’s hand.

  “Don’t worry. Jordan ain’t nothing we can’t handle. He just caught us today, but that won’t happen again.” He shook his head. “Next time he comes at us, we’ll be ready.”

  Sheba squeezed Floyd’s hand. “You shouldn’t wait. This is war, and war is something I know about. Y’all need to take it to him. I’m talking about gearing up right now while they’re sitting back thinking about what just happened, and it’s hitting them hard. Give the ones who live something to think about. That would be my advice.”

  Floyd hugged Sheba. “I like the way you think.”

  “I think like a soldier.” Sheba turned toward the house, and then she stopped. “I can take care of myself, but you need to send some men here to make sure Grandma is protected at all times. Chanel and Demi, too.”

  “I’m on that, Sheba,” Floyd said and turned toward his car. She watched him drive away from the porch before she went inside.

  After checking on her grandmother, Sheba got her gun and a beer from the cooler she now kept stocked and went out on the back porch. It was a clear night, so she could see the stars shining brightly in the night sky, and she thought about what she had done. Even though Sheba cautioned herself against it, carefully laying out for herself all the consequences, she still felt that where her family found itself was her responsibility.

  If she hadn’t run off and joined the Marines, or at least if she’d come home more often, she’d have been watching her aunt Millicent like a hawk. Demi was 15 years old when Sheba signed up, but even then, she could see that Demi was already running with a rough crowd. Had she been there, looking out for Demi as she had all her life, she could have ridden shotgun over her and kept her straight. Sheba chuckled. “Straighter than she is now.”

  She took a swallow. And yes, despite what Floyd said, Sheba was confident that had she any more to do with it, James’s worthless lech ass would have never gotten close to Chanel.

  As far as Jody and Floyd were concerned, she had no idea that their fathers were in business together and he had been grooming them to take over what apparently had always been the family business. That may have been out of her control, but she was the one who supplied the drugs that brought them to this point. Sheba drained the bottle and went up to bed thinking that this was all her fault and she needed to do something to turn it around.

  Early the next morning, Sheba was awakened when her phone rang. She groggily picked up the phone and looked at the display. Seeing the word Lakeside on the screen brought her to complete alertness.

  “Hello.”

  “May I speak with Miss Styles?”

  “Yes, this is she speaking.”

  “Miss Styles, this is Aillen Senedra. I’m a member of Demitra Harrison’s treatment team.”

  “Yes. What can I do for you?”

  “I need to inform you that Miss Harrison left the facility last night after bed check.”

  “What?”

  “Miss Harrison left the facility and has not returned.”

  “She escaped.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Thanks for letting me know,” Sheba said and ended the call. Her first call was to Floyd. She had told him to put somebody on Demi for protection. Maybe he felt that she wasn’t safe there at all.

  He was out cold when his phone rang. “What?”

  “It’s Sheba. Is Demi with you?” Sheba asked.

  “No, she’s not with me.” And then it hit him. “She escaped from rehab. I’m not surprised.”

  “Neither am I. But we need to find her.”

  “Damn, Demi,” Floyd said as he rolled out of bed. “I’m on that.”

  “Thank you, Floyd.”

  “And I just wanted you to know that I took the advice you gave me.”

  “We’ll talk about that when I see you, so I’ll call you later.”

  Sheba ended the call and got ready to go out to Lakeside. While she was in the shower, she made the decision not to tell her grandmother about Demi just yet. If she could avoid upsetting her, that was what was going to happen.

  Sheba spent the rest of the morning at Lakeside speaking with the treatment team, and she made the decision that perhaps Lakeside wasn’t the right place for Demi.

  “What’s up, Sheba?” Floyd answered when she called.

  “Where are you?”

  “At Jody’s.”

  “I’ll be through there. I need to pick up some hardware.”

  After meeting with Jody and Floyd to pick up a couple of 9mm pistols, Sheba spent the rest of the day and night riding around to the places they’d checked the first time Demi went missing, without success. It seemed that nobody had seen her, and none of the people they sent Sheba to had seen her either.

  She was mad at herself for not asking more questions the last time that Demi escaped from Lakeside. She had gone to see a man about some dick and then used his car to try to get high once he passed out. She could have found out who this man was and where he lived, because it was a good bet that Demi was with him.

  It was early the next morning when Sheba was awakened once again by her phone ringing. She groggily picked up the phone and looked at the display. Although she didn’t recognize the number, she answered.

  “Hello.”

  “It’s Demi.”

  She was feeling down after Sheba and Floyd left her that night, and then the cravings hit her hard, and she had to get outta there. So Demi called Ervan Garland. He was the man she’d had sex with the night Floyd came and got her from Lakeside. All Demi had to do was offer him some pussy, and he was outside the facility within twenty-five minutes. Once she had fucked him real good, instead of him taking her back to the facility, Demi convinced him to take her somewhere else.

  “Are you all right?”