Total pages in book: 131
Estimated words: 122609 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 613(@200wpm)___ 490(@250wpm)___ 409(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122609 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 613(@200wpm)___ 490(@250wpm)___ 409(@300wpm)
He felt something as she spoke… something undeniable that felt familiar.
“He looked up and saw me, and immediately told the guys to get this man out of there. A woman raced to me and was really gentle… another gang member. Her name was Jay-Cee, I believe. She picked me up and held me, and told me that Daddy was just playing, and that everyone was fine. I was very young, but I knew better. I couldn’t believe that my father, Malik Antonio Brooks, would shoot and execute someone. The man I loved took out a gun, and without blinking an eye, with no hesitation, put three bullets in this man, killing him. I remember the smell of the gun smoke. I remember the blood that sprayed from the guy’s body, and how his flesh jumped from the impact of the bullets, and how his white shirt was soaked with nothing but the color red. Like tie-dye. Spilled cherry Kool-Aid. I remember the way my father looked up at me as I froze at the top of those steps. In shock. In anger. In sadness.
“Later that night, after Jay-Cee had tucked me into bed, he came into my room. I had been crying, but had finally stopped. He had my favorite cookies on a plate.”
“Oreos?”
“How’d you know that?”
He shrugged, smiling. “Just a lucky guess. They used to be mine when I was a kid, too.”
She nodded.
“He tried to offer them to me, then lean over and kiss my cheek, but I recoiled. I started crying all over again. I was sooo scared of him, Archer. I didn’t know this man! I will never forget the look on his face when he saw how frightened I was of him. He grabbed me, forced a hug, holding me tight. He said, ‘I’m sorry you had to see that. Daddy has to do these things because there are people who have hurt others, and they need to be punished. You’re too young to understand. What you saw tonight was a punishment. That wasn’t a good person. Some would say I’m not a good person, either, but it’s over now. All you need to know though, Honey, is that you and Tony are Daddy’s favorite people, and that regardless of what you saw, I’m not a monster. I’m a man. Your father. You have nothin’ to be afraid of. I love you more than anything in this world.’
“He didn’t try to make it seem like I had imagined the whole thing. He was honest. He didn’t yell at me for coming out of my room and disobeying him. He took the blame. He didn’t go into any details of why that happened, but he owned the action, the behavior. It was bizarre to me… but I remember appreciating him not trying to give me a stork story. So, when you said what you said to me tonight, I understood it, Archer. It resonated with me. I appreciate that someone like you can exist, all the parts of you, and that your words are true. You can be a contradiction and still be correct. You did answer my question of ‘Why.’ Just like my father had, within a matter of minutes. Now I can make assumptions about your childhood based on what you shared today, and just from general understanding of human nature. I could stereotype you, as I already have, and say you must’ve been mistreated, neglected, or witnessed drug abuse, and—”
“You told me that this was about you. Why are you now bringing up what you think my past consists of?”
She looked at him for a long while, then brought her knee up to her chin.
“I can’t talk about me—this—without talking about you. Us.”
As they looked at one another, he had to resist the urge to stand up and walk out. By sitting there, he was accepting what was coming next. She knew what that was, and so did he.
“Archer, from some of the things you’ve shared with me, it seems like you had some upsets during your childhood.” An upset? This wasn’t a football game. That’s an understatement. “You called your mother a pill popper. I know your father is dead, like mine. You let me know that your sister, Irish—I love that name by the way—has some struggles, and she’s currently incarcerated.”
“Yup.”
“Regardless of who’s fault it is that she got caught, she’s there for something she did. You mentioned that we have some commonalities, and I agree.” She ran her hand along her thigh, back and forth. “We both have been through a hell of a lot… I am telling you my story, which crosses over your own. Like railroad tracks. Now, we’ve not met—we’ve collided. I believe it’s for a reason. I know this conversation is probably going in a direction you didn’t expect, but I am trying to paint a picture for you. Will you allow me?”