Every Bitch Has A Secret (8 page)

“GET BACK HERE!” She yelled at the bottle, grabbing it by its side. She looked up and the corner took her by surprise and the car broke through the rail, plunging over the cliff causing several contents of her car fly out the window.

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It was four thirty when Josefina came knocking at Ty’s door. He opened right away.

“Mrs. Parks what are you doing here?”

“Madison called to tell me she was coming over here to talk to you and promised to call me right after. I haven’t heard from her in hours. Did she come by?”

“She did but she wasn’t in the best shape.”

“What do you mean?” Her phone rang. “Hold on...Hello?...WHAT?!...What do you mean accident? What kind? ...Oh my god I’m coming.” Ty felt sick to his stomach as she hung up. “Madison been in an accident. I have to go.”

“I’ll come with you.”  They raced back to her car and she made several calls on her way to their destination. Josefina climbed out of the car when she pulled up to the site of the accident. There were police and ambulance everyone.

“Where is she? Where’s my daughter?! Where’s Madison?” She yelled, running with Ty behind her. They ran over to the crowd standing by the rail. They pushed their way through and a cop grabbed Josefina as the obvious was made clear. The yellow tape blocked off the gaping hole of the rail and several teams were below working through the charred mess of a car. “OH MY GOD NOOOOOO!!!!” She fell to the ground. Her screams and her tears could be heard for miles. Tammy then Nick appeared, stopping short of the hole.

“How do they know?” Tammy asked. Another cop held up scattered pieces of her belongings.

“They found these along the hillside of the cliff. Her wallet and cell ma’am.”

“NOO. NOO.” Tammy cried, turning to Ty to cry on. Nick grabbed his heart and staggered. Ty stood there, stunned. He couldn’t move. It was his fault. All his fault. He shouldn’t have never told her to leave when he knew she shouldn’t been driving. The burnt smell in the air hurt his lung. She was gone.  Forever…The same cop who broke the news began explaining things. She died on impact and the fire burned what was left. She died was what he was stuck on. It was his fault. Madison would never come back to him. Tammy’s sobs shook his body and he stood there lost.

Chapter 10

Ty woke up and checked his clock.
That was a horrible ass nightmare,
he thought. He reached over and grabbed his phone to check on Madison. The dream was so vivid and it bugged him. Sam slept next to him. He slid out of bed and went to his living room. His dialed her number.

“Sorry the number you’ve dialed is no longer in service.” He hung up and called again, getting the same message. His heart started to beat faster. He called Tammy. She sounded half-asleep.

“Tammy.”

“Ty what’s wrong?”

“Madison’s phone is off. How can I get ahold of her?”

“Nigga is you on drugs?!”

“Hell naw.”
             

“Then why you doin’ this?”

“Doin’ what?”

“Ty she’s dead. Don’t play on my phone like this. You were there like everyone else. She was drunk and drove herself off the cliff. Goodbye.” The line went dead in his ear. He threw it into the couch and put his head in his hands.

“Ty you ok?” Sam appeared next to him.

“I think I lost my damn mind. Yo ma be straight with me. Is she really gone?”

“Yes.” She whispered. “We went to her services already. You’ve been walking around in shock the past few days. The doctor said you would come back and realize eventually.”

“Aight.”

“Come back to bed.”

“I will.” She nodded and went back in the room. Ty started crying in the middle of the room. It’s been years since he cried and he knew he needed to. He had a nervous breakdown and would have to accept the fact that she was gone. It killed him they never made up and she left the world hating him. He should have never told her to leave the house while she was drunk. If he stopped her, she would be alive today. If only he stopped her…

**************************

Tammy pressed the send button on the fax machine. The folders in her arms were heavy but she dare not dropped them. She had a million thoughts in her head and had to focus on what she was doing in front of her. She made the walk up the winding stairs to her boss’ office to deliver this morning transcripts from his meetings. Working at a law firm that represented celebrities during their troubles had its ups and downs. This was a down moment. These past three weeks have been the hardest. This job, the death of her friend, and her noisy new neighbors. She knocked twice then walked in.

“Dean here. You wanted these.” She set down the folders.

“Thanks Tammy. I been meaning to ask. How are you doing with your loss?”

“I’m managing…Dean. Thanks for asking.”

“If you need any time off just ask. I didn’t expect you to come back to work right away but you did.”

“If I took off, how would you get anything done without me?” She questioned with her hands on her hips.

“That’s very true.” He laughed. “But you’re wellbeing is more important. So whenever you need it ask. I mean it Tamela.”

“Oh real names. You are serious. Okay Dean. I’ll put in for some days.” She walked out the office. Some days off would do her good. Today was the day that they would pack up Madison’s place and sell it. She had been dreading this day. It would really mean admitting that she was gone. It was obvious Ty was having a hard time, calling her like that his morning bugging out. The new girlfriend said he had a breakdown and not to contact him until he got better. Tammy felt she was being funny. Josefina, Ty and herself were each other support throughout this and for her to take him from the equation was wrong. Tammy returned back to her mini office. In the corner on her desk stood a picture of Madison and her on her twenty-first birthday. A picture she would forever cherish now. She got drunk and passed out. It was a fun night and her friend stayed by her side all night even though she had an early call in the morning.

“Tammy, I’m going to Starbucks. Want something?” Gloria asked from her doorway.

“No thanks. Watching my intake.”

“Okay.” Tammy glanced at the clock and saw that it was near noon. She gathered up her bag and endured the thirty minute drive to the townhouse. The door was already opened and Josefina with Ty were loading things into the truck in the driveway.

“Glad you’re here. I need the extra hands.” Josefina said.

“Where you need me?”

“Her room please. Ty help her.” They walked up to the room. Quietly, they took things off the shelves and stuffed them in the boxes. Tammy came across a framed picture from the Oscars. They were so happy. The smiles full of life yet the frame was so cold. The tears were forming in her eyes.

“We were so happy. Where in the hell did we go wrong?” Ty came over and took the frame from her.

“Tammy, I don’t know. Everything happened so fast.” He took her in his arms to comfort her.

“She was my best friend. I miss her.”

“I miss her too.” She looked up in his face.

“Are you doing any better?”

“Yeah. I am now. You’re warm and comfortin’.” She laughed.

“Weirdo.” The frame slipped from his hand and shattered when it hit the floor. They didn’t notice the crash because they were embracing and kissing fiercely. Everything was happening so fast. She freaked and pushed him away. “Yo what are we doin?”

“My bad. I’m trippin’ I’ve been trippin’ fo’ a while now.” He apologized.

“We both miss her Ty but it’s not a good idea to look to each other in that way. It wouldn’t be right and you got a girlfriend. Let’s just finish up here.” They went about the room, packing whatever they could then load to the boxes downstairs to find Josefina, sitting on the couch in tears. “Josefina! Que pasa?”

“Tammy..I can’t do it. I can’t be here.” She whispered. Tammy set down the box she had.

“Ok that’s fine. I’ll put an order in for some movers. Come on. Let’s get you to your car.” Tammy helped her up and took her to the car. Josefina got in. “Just go home. We’ll finish up here and I’ll call the movers.”

“Gracias Tamela.” Tammy tapped the hood and Josefina drove away. She smiled sadly after her then went back to the house to face Ty. She found him, sitting in the same spot Josefina just left.

“How are you doin?”

“I’m here.”

“Samantha said you had a breakdown and you were outta it for a few days. Is that why you called earlier?

“Yeah. Guess I didn’t want to believe. I still don’t actually but Sam told me now I have to accept it. I’m dealin’ wit it bad cause it was my fault.” He admitted.

“What you mean?!” Her temper flared a bit.

“Um...she came to me drunk, tryna fix things. I don’t know we didn’t get far. I said sorry, we kissed, and then I noticed she was drunk. I told her to leave. You know how we felt about her seeing stupid drunk.” Tammy nodded slowly. “I was pissed that she did the shit. She left screaming at me. I wish I could go back every time. She didn’t have no business drivin’ and I had no business tellin’ her to leave fucked up as she was. I don’t even have the balls to tell Josefina I played a part in her daughter’s death after breakin’ her heart. I can’t. Tammy I should have stopped her.” He confessed with his head down. Tammy sucked in so much air that her chest hurt. Yes she knew Madison drunk herself stupid at times. She did know that her and Ty wasn’t together anymore for reasons unknown. She felt bad but she didn’t blame him. Walking over she touched his arm.

“When have we been able to stop Madison from doin’ what she wanted, huh? I told her to quit messin’ with dude numerous times. She didn’t until it blew up in her face. How many times you told her to quit binge drinkin’? We all play a part. Yes you should have tried to stop her but knowin’ her she would have stormed off anyways.” She kneeled down in front of him, lifting up his head. “Don’t beat yourself too much, ok? All we have is each other during this.” She gave him a smile the same smile Madison flashed at him weeks ago in the theater. He wanted to leave.

“Yeah okay. I gotta go.” He stood and left in a hurry. Tammy stood up and looked around.

“Well that was interestin.’” As she went about locking up, she called the in order in like she promised and headed toward the door. A small book on the floor next to an half packed box caught her eye. She grabbed it, flipping through it realizing it was her friend’s journal. She smiled at the thought. She thought journal writing was long gone. Tucking it under her arm, she locked the house and went back to work. She didn’t look at the journal until she got home that night. What was inside she wasn’t ready to see. The earliest entry started when Madison was thirteen.

September 15

                            I was a good child. I try to behave my best and listen to mommy and daddy. I don’t know what I did to make daddy mad. He hurt with “his thing”. He lied to me saying him and mommy had a fight. He got in my bed and hurt me. I cried when he put his “his thing” in me. It hurt sooo bad. He was drunk. He smelt funny. What did I do wrong?

December 4

                            The baby is gone. I’m not stupid I knew I was pregnant before I passed out but now nothing but bleeding. I missed periods and went online behind mommy’s back at her store. All I remember was telling dad that he made a baby and he hit me. Then I wake up in this funny smelling place. It was cold and I was in pain. A nurse gave me pills told me to swallow and not to be a naughty girl again. I wanted to kick her and tell her I didn’t do anything wrong. It was all dad.

Tammy looked up from the journal, shaking. All this time she known Madison but didn’t know her. Why didn’t she tell anyone? Why keep it to herself? Her friend’s problems suddenly made sense.

December 29

                            He tried to kill me. I swear to god. I woke up tied to my bed. I was scared out my mind. I couldn’t scream the fear made me lose my voice. He had a knife to my throat. I waited for him to kill me but he didn’t.

Tammy finished the entry and place the book down. “Oh Madison. Honey I know your pain now. I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you.”

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Ty sat there silently watching the movie. Samantha sat beside him, slowly eating popcorn. This was her idea to keep him busy. He glanced over at her. She was so focused on the movie. The more he stared at her, the more he got angry at her. If it wasn’t for her, Madison and him would have still been together and she still would be alive. Why the fuck did he even fucked her? She ruined everything and he would not forgive her.

              “Ty? Ty the movie is over.” He looked up and she was standing over him.

“My bad” he stood up, “You want me to drop you off at your place?” He offered, ready to get rid of her.

“Yeah. Come.” He pulled up to her place forty minutes later and cut the engine. “Come inside for a bit. There’s something I want to ask you and talk to you about.”

“Not tonight Sam.”

“It will only take a minute.” She was already out the car. He let out a sigh and climbed out after her. He followed her into the house and she closed the door behind them. “Have a seat.” He sat down on her couch. She came back balancing two glasses of wine with the bottle under her arm. This told him that she had plan on him staying for a while. He took the glass from her and set it on the table in front of him. “I had a good time last night.” She took a big drink. His eyes clocked the move. Wasn’t she supposed to be pregnant?

“Do you think you need to be drinkin’? Ain’t you pregnant? How far along now?”

“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. Well I’m not so I know you’re glad for that.” Well he was. “Also I want you to meet my family. We having a BBQ and they want to meet you. Will you come?”

“You know. I’m not up for big crowds and meetin’ people.” He started.

“Well I already told everyone you were coming. So please?” She made a pouty face. He wanted to choke her ass. She was sneaky. Ty told himself to watch her more closely.