The Bryson Blood Wars (22 page)

              “Baby it’s going to be okay,” Sharp said and planted a kiss on Clover’s forehead.

              “Shit! Shit! Shit!” Clover remembered she had three important events coming up soon. She was supposed to cater the Busty Adult Entertainment Awards. The swinging married couple, Murray and Krystal Polk were hosting one of the biggest swinging weekend events in the country. Plus, there was the Erotic Bake-Off competition Clover enters every year. Earlier when she was getting started Clover entered all sorts of erotic baking competitions. The prize money she won was used to buy the house and start up
Bare-licious Goodies
.

              “What the fuck am I going to do?” Clover asked as she continued to sob. “My employees are out of their jobs and I have three important events coming up. I’m ruined.”

              “No you’re not,” Laliyka said. “You’re a strong and resourceful woman. You’ll bounce back swinging. I’m sure Opal....”

              “I don’t ever want to hear that bitch’s name again!” Clover’s violent scornful outburst made Laliyka and Sharp jump off of the bed in fear. They had never seen Clover act like this. Not even with the kids when they misbehave or did something wrong. Hell, Laliyka never even acted this bad with Ray. “As far as I’m concerned that dumb ass bitch is dead to me.”

              “Baby calm down,” Sharp tried to diffuse Clover’s temper.

              “Fuck that, Sharp!” Clover yelled. “If she’s so fucking hung up on that nigga to the point she’ll throw her own fucking blood under the bus, she can have that nigga. I don’t give two fucks. In fact, they deserve each other with their slimy asses!”

              “Clover, I understand you’re highly upset and pissed and you have every right to be, but please calm down. You don’t know what you’re saying. You don’t really mean that.” Laliyka tried to reason with Clover. Sharp found it strange seeing Laliyka being the calm, sensible and reasonable one and Clover being the crazy, overreacting and overemotional hothead. It was like they switched brains or something.

              “Like hell!” Clover yelled. “I hate that bitch! She threw me away over a no good fuck ass nigga once. She’s not getting a pass for it again! Fuck that bitch straight to hell!”

              Clover continued to cry uncontrollably. Laliyka laid next to Clover on one side and Sharp laid on the other side. They both held Clover and let her get all of the hurt and anger out until she tired herself out enough to sleep.

How the fuck did I get here?
Opal repeatedly asked herself as she rode to the police station and to her jail cell. She thought she went through it all. The moment she had her mugshot and fingerprints taken was the worst and most humiliating experience of her life and she’s had her fair share of those.

              Alone in her jail cell she wondered what the hell went wrong. She couldn’t believe the insurance policy turned out to be fake and now Clover’s bakery is in ashes with no compensation. It all seemed like a terrible dream.

              “Mrs. Brown?” The female guard called out.

              “Yes,” Opal responded.

              “It’s time for your phone call,” The female guard said.

              “Thanks,” Opal said with gratitude.

              The guard opened up the cell and led Opal to the room to use the phone. “Let me know when you’re done,” The female guard instructed.

              “Okay,” Opal said. When she was left alone in the room it dawned on her that she didn’t have anybody to call. After all the hateful things Clover said to her, Opal didn’t dare to even think about calling her. She was too ashamed to call her mother. She didn’t know who else to call, except Wallace. Even though they haven’t been on speaking terms since the party; she hoped he’d answer. Opal didn’t care what she had to do to get Wallace to come down here to bail her out. If it meant begging for forgiveness and enduring hateful cruel name calling, so be it. Besides the nigga had some explaining to do and compared to Clover, Wallace’s words would sound like beautiful poetry according to Opal.

              Opal dialed the number and heard something horrifying. “We’re sorry. You have reached a number that is no longer in ser....” She slammed the phone down when the recording played. Opal walked over to the door and knocked twice for the guard to open the door.

              “I’m finished,” Opal said.

              “Alright, let’s go,” the female guard said and led Opal back to her cell.

              When Opal was left alone in her cell it all came to her.
He tricked me! That nigga motherfucking tricked me!
“He planned this whole fucking thing and wanted me to get locked up!” Opal cursed to herself. “How could I been so stupid? Clover has every right to hate me!”

              Opal started reflecting on every tragic and humiliating event that occurred throughout her lifetime. Her prom night. Her marriage to Kayson. Finding out about Alex and Jacori. Clover’s rape. The incident with Alex and Jacori after Kayson’s murder. Her relationship with Wallace and how he left her stranded at Clover and Sharp’s party and popped up three years later like nothing happened. Putting up with his shit, duping her into this insurance fraud and tricking her into sabotaging her own sister’s business. Now Wallace has officially left her holding the shitty ass bag.

              Opal kicked herself at how she let herself get tricked like this. All because she wanted to be loved. She went along with this plan to avoid jail time and ended up behind bars anyway. How fucking ironic. How motherfucking ironic.

              Opal felt like her life was over. She lost her job, her sister, her so-called fiancée wasn’t shit and now she’s lost her freedom. Opal found a piece of paper and a pen at the table. She wrote a message on the paper and folded it up in half and wrote something else on the paper. She left the note on the table with tears in her eyes.

              “There’s only one way out,” Opal said with a sniffle as she pulled the chair to the middle of her cell.

A well-dressed, beautiful, perfect-sized ten woman with peanut skin tone, light brown eyes and her long naturally curly medium brown hair in a bun, entered the Fulton County Police Department. She walked to the front desk and was greeted by the female office. “May I help you miss?”

              The woman began to speak, “Yes, my name is Dr. Glory Atkinson. I’m an advocate for abused women and I’m here to bail out a woman who needs my help.”

              “What’s her name?” The female officer asked and started typing on the computer.

              “Opal Reese-Brown,” Glory answered.

              The female officer typed in the name. “Her bail is fifty thousand dollars,” She informed.

              “Okay,” Glory reached into her handbag to pull out her checkbook. She wrote a check for the exact amount and gave it to the officer. “Here’s the check.”

              The female officer processed the payment and gave Glory a form to sign. “On this form, I need you to sign here and here,” Glory signed at the designated spots as instructed and gave the form back to the officer. “Everything is all squared away and she’s free to go.”

              “Thank you so much,” Glory said with gratitude.

              “Have a seat and we’ll be right with you,” The officer instructed.

              Glory was about to take her seat when a handsome, sexy-built, short man brushed past her almost knocking her down and rushed to the front desk and said. “I’m Dennis Xames. I’m here to bail out my friend, Opal Reese-Brown.”

              Dennis mentioning Opal’s name got Glory’s immediate attention. She walked over to Dennis and said. “Excuse me. You’re here for Opal?”

              “Yes! I saw the news and came straight over!” Dennis replied in a panic.

              “Oh, I just paid her bail. I’m about to get her now.” Glory informed.

              “For real?” Dennis asked.

              “Yes, I did. There’s no time to explain, but we have to stop Wallace before it’s to late.” Glory warned.

              “I knew that nigga was behind this!” Dennis said with hatred. He turned to Glory and added. “Look, I don’t know who you are, but thanks.”

              “No problem and the name is Glory.” Glory introduced herself and shook Dennis’ hand.

              “Dennis.”

              Another female officer walked towards Glory and Dennis and made herself known. “Dr. Atkinson.”

              “Yes,” Glory spoke.

              “This way.”

              “Thanks,” Glory said politely. She followed the officer with Dennis in tow. When they arrived at Opal’s cell, the trio’s faces turned to horror.

              “No!” Dennis screamed bloody murder when he saw the woman he loved hanging from a noose shaking like crazy.

              “Oh shit!” Glory shrieked.

              The officer barged in the cell to get Opal down and laid her gently on the bed. She pulled out her walkie-talkie to call for assistance. “I need an ambulance at Cell 147 stat!”

              Dennis ran over to Opal in tears and put his arms around her. “Why, Opal, why?” Dennis screamed. “Why didn’t you tell me what was going on? You could’ve told me! I could’ve helped you! Don’t die on me! Don’t leave me! Baby, please don’t leave me! You can’t leave me! I love you baby girl!”

“How is she doctor?” Wallace asked Dr. Walker while they were in the living room at his late nephew’s mother’s house.

              “She’s doing okay for the most part,” Dr. Walker answered. “She’s still continuing to fight despite....”

              “She’s not going to die!” Wallace interrupted with pain and denial. “I don’t want to hear that shit!”

              “All you can do is keep her comfortable,” Dr. Walker said.

              “Okay,” Wallace said in defeat.

              “Her next chemo treatment is next month,” Dr. Walker informed.

              “Thanks,” Wallace said. “I’ll make sure she’s taken excellent care of.”

              After the doctor let himself out, Wallace went into his nephew’s bedroom and found his mother sitting on the bed looking through the photo album. Her bald head was covered with her black head scarf. She was wearing gray sweatpants and an oversized black t-shirt. Her youthful beautiful face and size eight figure hides her condition very well.

              “Hey Alex,” Wallace greeted with a charming smile.

              “Wallace, baby. How are you doing?” Alex greeted Wallace with a big hug. Wallace sat down next to Alex and pointed at a handsome young man in the picture. “Look at my baby Jacori. Handsome just like your brother,” She said proudly with a smile.

              “Yes, little man was,” Wallace agreed.

              “Kayson really loved Jacori and vice versa,” Alex said. Jacori grew up to be a drug dealer. He was paying both sides of the drug game. He was highly suspected of disloyalty but there was no proof. Jacori sealed his fate by raping his boss’ daughter’s best friend. He was found murdered and castrated in the driver’s seat of his gold colored Rolls-Royce. “Wallace, I was a good momma, wasn’t I?” She asked.

              Wallace put his arm around Alex and said. “You were the best. You loved Jacori and he loved you. That’s all that matters.”

              “It wasn’t easy raising him alone,” Alex said. “He didn’t touch that little nasty stank ass hoe, did he?” Wallace shook his head. “That little bitch got my baby killed. Bitches! Bitches! Bitches! Bitches are the reason I’m all alone. That fat bitch Opal and her little lying hot in the ass sister had Kayson locked up and killed. My man didn’t deserve to die like that. If Kayson was here, Jacori wouldn’t have been sucked into that life. Kayson and Jacori would still be here with me if it wasn’t for those bitches!” She yelled in bitterness.