Chapter 13
Fallon leaned her head back on the headrest and put her feet up. The BMW she got picked up in actually had reclining back seats. She thought of the fun she could have with the driver with all the space this car provided.
She chuckled a bit to herself when she thought about how she actually had too many other things to think about than having sex. She had so many phone calls to make, and too many things to get in order.
Fallon thought of all of her current clients and decided which ones she would pass to Danisha. There would be some that she would email to inform them that they needed to find a new accountant.
Money wasn’t everything and some of her current clients worked her last nerve and she refused to pass them and the headache that came with them to her daughter.
She had to call her biggest client and make sure he was alright with her daughter taking over his account. If he was alright with the switch, Danisha could just handle his account and not worry about anyone else.
Fallon just wanted Danisha to do the others to perfect her craft, but financially, Mark Jefferson Realty is all she needed to live an amazing life.
“Hello Fallon.”
“Hey Mark.” Fallon knew that Mark didn’t like small talk, so she just got right to it.
“I just got hired by Innovative Designs so I can no longer work for any other companies.”
“Ok, congratulations.”
Fallon didn’t really know how the conversation would go with Mark. She wanted to tell him thank you for taking care of she and her family for all of these years the way he had but didn’t know how that would sound in this moment. She wished she had thought things out a little better because he deserved more than what she was giving. He deserved to be asked if it was alright for her to interview with another company, but everything happened so fast. In hindsight she would have done a lot of things differently, but she was here now so she said, “Thank you. Do you have someone in mind that can take over for me?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Okay, do you mind if my daughter takes over your account?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Well okay, I’ll set everything up for her.”
“Okay, thank you.” Fallon felt happy and sad. She was smiling but she felt like crying. She was happy that he didn’t seem to mind her daughter taking over for her, but she also couldn’t help but feel like he didn’t really value her.
She pulled the phone away from her face to disconnect the call and heard her name faintly come from the phone.
“Yes sir?”
“You will be missed. I expect things to stay the same on my end being that your daughter is taking over. My wife and I haven’t worried about our money since we hired you years ago. You are the best. Congratulations again. As you know, I’m worth over 5 billion and I would drop what I got going on to work for the Fisher’s. Just be yourself and watch how high you will soar with them. I apologize for not paying you your worth. We will take care of your daughter; I don’t make the same mistakes twice.”
Fallon wanted to scream, “What the hell are you talking about??? You have always paid me way more than I was worth. You and your wife changed my life. I’m not leaving because I was unhappy in any way. I’m just expanding.” Fallon decided to say with tear-soaked eyes, “Thank you so much. You will never know the impact you and your wife have had on my life.”
Mark smiled and said, “Amen. Talk with you soon.”
Fallon held her phone in her hand and appreciated the life the Lord blessed her with. She sat in the back of the car and sent out text messages of love to the people that she loved the most. Mark had touched her deeply with his words she wanted to do the same for the people that mattered in her life.
After she texted everyone, she called her daughter. She began talking to her before Danisha answered the facetime, “I know you in class right now but I just want to talk to you baby.”
“What’s up mama? You okay?”
Fallon smiled and said, “Why you ask me that?”
“Ahhhh because you Facetiming me while I’m in class.”
“Oh, my bad.” Fallon giggled a little bit.
Danisha looked around to see if anyone was coming and said, “Oooooh you drunk. Mama, it’s 1 o’clock in the evening, I know you not driving!”
“Of course I am not! I called a driver. I gots too much to lose to be out here drinking drinking , drinking and driving.”
Danisha laughed at her mother repeating her words.
Fallon said, “I just called to let you know that I am super proud of you. I know that you will be more than I ever could possibly be. You are the best parts of me and your father. I love you more than words can express.”
Danisha had tears rolling down her face. Her mother had been drinking but when talking about her she spoke clearly and precisely.
Fallon continued, “I want you to know that no matter what happens between us, that I will always love you more than I love myself. You can come to me about anything. You are my greatest accomplishment. You will always-“
Fallon looked up from her phone at the sound of screeching tires. She looked to her right and saw a truck coming towards her and in a blink of an eye, her life ended at the same time the call ended.
Chapter 14
Danisha looked at the monitor that showed clearly her front porch and saw an officer standing there. She swung the door open slowly and smiled as she said, “Yes officer?”
Danisha listened to the nice female officer and blinked her eyes. She wondered when her mother became a police officer. She looked at her mother as she said, “It’s okay baby. I will always be with you. I need you to be strong. I love you so very much. Sorry I had to leave so soon.
There were so many more things I wanted to share with you, show you, and shower you with.” Fallon looked behind her and then looked back at her daughter and said, “There are people that will stand in my place. You will not go without baby. You can fall now.”
Danisha fainted but didn’t touch the ground. She fell right into the arms of Sabrina just as she ran up the steps.
~~
Fallon Rae’s funeral had to be moved three times. Sabrina finally found a church big enough to accommodate everyone that wanted to pay their respects.
Whole companies showed up. Bobby looked around and was amazed at the impact his friend had on the world. He didn’t even know that she had clients abroad. He leaned over to Sabrina and said, “In order for her to give all these clients up you know that Innovative Designs is on another level.”
“Absolutely.”
Sabrina looked around and felt just a little bit overwhelmed.
Bobby said, “Brina, do you realize how much money is in this church right now?”
Sabrina nodded her head slowly and said, “I worked for her, so I know exactly how much money is in this room.”
Everything was breathtaking. There were life size portraits of Fallon all over the sanctuary. The flowers that were sent in were incredible. Her casket was actually gold plated. There were so many charities there to receive amazing donations in Fallon’s honor.
They had the best singers around sing all of Fallon’s favorites. The band that was put together sounded like a symphony. The pastor seemed to host everything and kept the service light. It was truly a celebration.
~~
There was nowhere to park at all! Taj looked over at his little sister and said, “I thought you said this started at 11?”
Tanai looked at how many people were there already and there didn’t seem to be much activity as it pertains to people walking from cars and everything.
She looked at her phone and said, “Dang! We missed it.”
“This girl is black right?”
“Yes, she is black.”
“That means it didn’t start on time and I’m sure the preacher isn’t up yet.”
Tanai looked at all the people that were gathered outside of the church and knew that they weren’t letting more people inside but knew better than to point that out to her big brother.
Taj parked his car in the middle of the street. He made sure that people could go around him if needed. He didn’t care if it got towed or if he got a ticket.
Taj held his little sister’s hand as the crowd parted. He got to the door and said, “Is there any close family standing out here?”
No one raised their hand or said anything. The ushers didn’t know Taj and Tanai but they knew Taj and Tanai and simply opened the door for them.
Taj and Tanai said, “Thank you.” Taj continued and said, “Where is the sanctuary please?”
Taj guided Tanai along the side wall of the church and found a place to stand. Some women saw him and offered him their seat. Taj frowned his face up and waved his hand emphatically as to say, “No way.”
Tanai nustled up against her brother as tears trickled down her face as she thought about how she would feel if she had lost her mother. She searched the family rows and tried to figure out where Danisha was sitting. She just wanted to give her a hug.
The pastor nodded at Taj and gestured for him to come where he was to sit, but Taj quietly refused. Tanai ducked down as low as she could and walked to the front row of the family side and happened to tap Sabrina on her shoulder.
Tanai whispered, “I’m sorry. I’m here to give a little support to Fallon’s daughter, where is she sitting?”
Sabrina had just leaned over with her head still facing forward when she felt the tap. The question made her turn around. Sabrina turned and her breathing paused. Her mind jumbled, she couldn’t believe who she was talking to at this moment.
Sabrina shook her head and blinked her eyes and said, “I’m sorry, what did you say?”
Tanai smiled softly and said, “I’m sorry for bothering you, but I was asking if you could tell me where Fallon’s daughter is sitting.”
“Oh, Dani isn’t here.”
Chapter 15
Tanai stepped back and looked around. For the first time she took in all that was going on inside the church. She looked around and saw people that she had done business with in years past. She looked around and saw so many people looking at her. She saw people taking her picture.
She had so many questions. She took a few steps back and found Taj’s body and leaned her head back and said, “Her daughter isn’t here.”
Taj said, “What the hell you mean?”
Tanai elbowed her brother softly. Taj looked up and said, “My bad Lord.” He put his mouth near his sister’s ear and whispered, “I don’t understand.”
“Me either.”
Sabrina turned to see Tanai standing on the wall and knew that she was confused. She shifted her dress to stand up and explain.
~~
If it weren’t for the little Africa shaped birth mark on her mother’s leg, there would have been no way that she wouldn’t have been able to identify her mother’s body. Her mother no longer had the small gap in her teeth that everyone loved. Her almond shaped eyes looked like walnuts. Her coffee with cream complexion was void of the cream now.
Danisha eyes hurt, her tear ducts were dry heaving. They had no more to give so her eyes burned as if they were literally on fire.
She walked outside and tried to find the wind so she could face it and hopefully it would blow out the burning candles that seemed to be sitting on her eyeballs.
Danisha locked herself in her room. Bobby and Sabrina tried to give her space. She hadn’t eaten, nor had she checked her blood sugar for over 12 hours.
Bobby knocked on the door softly, then a little harder. He ended up banging before he just kicked it in to find her passed out, moments from a diabetic coma.
Danisha opened her eyes in the hospital and heard the doctor say, “Were you trying to kill yourself baby?”
Danisha turned her head towards the doctor and said flatly, “Yes.”
~~
Tanai looked in Sabrina’s eyes as they watered and said, “So she is in the hospital?”
Sabrina lowered her head and said, “No ma’am. She isn’t.”
Chapter 16
Danisha slowly lifted the lid of the dumpster she jumped inside and saw the dogs slowly walking away. Her heart was jumping just like she had done to get away from the dogs that chased her into the dark alley.
Once she thought the coast was clear, she pushed the lid up and it slammed up against the brick wall the dumpster sat beside. She moved her foot to find a sturdy push off point and her foot sunk into something that released an odor that made her vomit.
She fell back on the trash and cried. Danisha was beyond frustrated. She was about to hyperventilate. She smelled horrible, she was hungry, and she was lost.
She sat in the dumpster and couldn’t help but think about how she ended up there, in a dumpster, laying in her own vomit.
~~
Danisha opened her eyes and was in a familiar place. The hospital was cold, much colder than it had ever been. Her mind raced, the realization that her mother was gone hit her when she saw Bobby and Sabrina sleep in her room.
Her monitors went crazy. Bobby remained sleep while Sabrina popped up and said, “You okay baby?” At the same time a nurse walked quickly into the room and pressed buttons on the machine Danisha was connected to.
The machine seemed to calm down as Danisha laid in Sabrina’s embrace. “I know baby, I know baby. We will be alright I promise.”
“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT! YOUR MAMA AIN’T DEAD SO IT AIN’T NO DAMN WE!” Is what Danisha screamed in her head. She actually didn’t say anything, her tears just fell harder from her eyes.
After a couple more hours the charge nurse came into the room and told them that they would be free to leave shortly.
Sabrina looked at Bobby after he got both of them in the car comfortably and said, “We can just go to my house and we will figure out what we gonna do tomorrow. Sabrina turned around to look into the backseat and said, “Have you thought about if you want to stay in your house Dani or would you like to stay with me, or-“
Dani just shook her head and looked out of the window.
Sabrina said, “I’m sorry baby, I know it’s a lot to think about. We will talk about it when you ready.”
Danisha had never felt the way that she was feeling. She imagined that the way she was feeling was how people felt that ended up being crazy. Nothing made sense to her. Everything people asked her seemed ridiculous. She wanted to ask everyone, “Why should she care about what they were asking her about?”
The thought of answering more questions made her so angry. She wanted to go somewhere where there would be no more questions. For some reason she saw her mother’s funeral and got really angry and made up in her mind that there was absolutely no way she would go to that and be bombarded by all the dumb questions.
Bobby and Sabrina asked her if she wanted something from out of the store. “HELL NAH!” Instead of saying what popped in her mind she just shook her head no and looked out of the window.
Sabrina said, “We just gonna get a few items in case you want some snacks or something. There is nothing in my house but wine.” Danisha could clearly see a time in her mind when she would have laughed at what her God mother said, but she didn’t even have the strength to smile.
Sabrina’s smile dissipated when she saw that Danisha wasn’t amused and said, “Umm okay, we will be right back baby.”
Danisha thought to herself, “Another damn question.”
The little old man had stepped out of his truck and walked away from it speaking loudly into his flip phone as if the person would be able to hear him better the further he was away from the truck.
Danisha opened the door to the Porsche truck and hopped in the back bed of the little rusty truck and covered herself with a dirty blanket.
The little old man walked back to his truck. Closed the door after two attempts, lit his cigarette, and pulled off.
Chapter 17
Bobby and Sabrina ran around the grocery store after they walked it looking for Danisha. They thought that maybe she had gone inside while they were walking out. At first they didn’t feel like she had been taken or anything because Bobby thought they would have taken the truck as well.
Sabrina understood his point and he wasn’t locked in on that he was just trying to be positive. Sabrina said, “But they could have just grabbed her in put her in the back of one of those vans.”
Bobby nodded his head and said, “Yeah, taking the truck would make them to easy to find maybe.”
Sabrina tried her best to talk calmly into the phone, “I’ve always heard this, and until I was in the situation it kinda made sense that you all would need for the child to be missing for 24 hours before you could do something. This does not feel right! You know what could happen to a child in 24 hours?”
Bobby said, “We can track her phone right?”
“We can try after 24 hours because she hadn’t shared her location with me. I hope she has it, because she isn’t answering it.”
Bobby looked in the back seat again and found the phone wedged in between the seats. He grabbed the phone and said, “There goes that idea.”
Bobby slid his finger across her phone and saw a note.
“Mr. Bobby, sorry for leaving your car running, but I had to go. I’ll contact ya’ll when I’m ready. Please make sure my momma funeral is nice.”
~~
Danisha had no idea how long she was sleep in the back of the little pickup truck. She didn’t know if she had been riding for 30 mins or 3 hours. She pulled the sheet from over her head slowly and looked around.
She didn’t recognize anything. She heard someone whistling coming her way so she put the sheet back over her head and laid back down.
All of a sudden she felt the blanket fly off of her and she heard the little black man say, “You coming in or not?”
Chapter 18
Danisha opened her eyes and looked at the man. She thought he was a cute little man with white stubble hair on his face. He was missing two teeth directly in the front of his mouth but his smile was beautiful.
He stood there for a few more seconds and then said, “I ain’t into begging no women so I’ll leave the front door open if you decide to come inside. Bye.”
Danisha remained laying down for a few more minutes as if she was still hiding and finally sat up. She looked around and decided that going inside the man’s house wasn’t a good idea.
She jumped out of the truck and began walking down the street. Her hands began to shake so she knew that her blood sugar was getting low. The lights she saw ahead made her feel like there were stores ahead. She needed to find a gas station or something.
Danisha walked for a little while longer and saw a store after all. She prayed that the store would be open, because she had no idea what time it was right now.
The neon orange sign never shined so brightly. She walked inside and saw the older Hispanic lady behind the counter. She looked up at the clock and saw that it was 1a.m. Danisha began to wonder how far away from home she was at this moment. She didn’t recognize the store or anything around.
She smiled a little at how many places she and her mother used to ride around to see. They used to drive for hours just talking and dreaming. Danisha felt sad thinking about the fact that she was the only dreamer left.
Danisha reached into her pocket and remembered that she didn’t have any money. She had virtual cards on her phone, but she didn’t have her phone. She felt herself getting more and more weak and was scared that she was going to pass out.
Danisha walked up to the lady that hadn’t taken her eyes off of her and said, “Ma’am, I’m a diabetic and my blood sugar is low. May I have some candy or something.”
The lady resonded flatly, “What do you want to buy?”
Danisha said, “That’s my problem, I don’t have any money.”
The lady raised her eyebrows and shrugged her shoulders and said, “Me either.”
Danisha put her head down and her breathing became heavy. She shook her head and didn’t know what to do because stealing was not an option for her.
She heard the ladies chair shuffling on the floor. Danisha lifted her head up to see the woman turning her chair to put her back to her. Danisha stepped back from the counter and stared at the woman’s back. She looked around and realized what the woman was doing for her.
Danisha just grabbed some laffy taffy and walked to the back of the store and got a small bottle of orange juice.
She walked back to the front of the store and said as she walked out of the store, “Gracias.”
Danisha walked as she chewed a few pieces of Laffy Taffy and downed the rest of her orange juice when all of a sudden she heard some barking. She turned to hear the barking getting louder which meant whatever was barking was getting closer. She began to trot a little still not knowing what was actually going on until she saw them.
There were three dogs running towards her as if she were dinner and they hadn’t eaten in months. She turned down an alley and ran until she saw a dumpster. She jumped inside and felt the force of the dogs as they jumped on top of the lid she was able to pull down just in time.
She sat still as the dogs barked and barked. She wondered why they were so upset.
Danisha slowly lifted the lid of the dumpster she jumped inside and saw the dogs slowly walking away. Her heart was jumping just like she had done to get away from the dogs that chased her into the dark alley.
Once she thought the coast was clear, she pushed the lid up and it slammed up against the brick wall the dumpster sat beside. She moved her foot to find a sturdy push off point and her foot sunk into something that released an odor that made her vomit.
She fell back on the trash and cried. Danisha was beyond frustrated. She was about to hyperventilate. She smelled horrible, she was hungry, and she was lost.
Well kinda lost. She knew how to get back to the little old man’s house. As she tried to get out of the dumpster, she stepped into something that smelled so horrible that it made her vomit all over herself.
She laid back in the dumpster and felt like crying herself to sleep.
Danisha jumped out of the dumpster and decided that if the dogs came back she wouldn’t run this time. She decided if they wanted to kill her that she needed to die.
She walked back towards the old man’s house and all of a sudden she was blinded by headlights.
The little old man pulled up beside Danisha and smiled. “You want a ride?”
~~
Tanai looked at Sabrina and said, “So ya’ll don’t know where she is?”
Sabrina said, “No we don’t. We can’t put out the amber alert until 6 tonight.”
Tanai turned her head and said, “Taj-“
Taj typed into his phone and said, “I’m on it sis.”