Page 38 of Hellcat Barbies: Imani
“Asleep in the room. He ran himself silly and is knocked out. Come in,” her grandmother says.
Makenna creeps in and I’m right behind her. “Is all his stuff here?” I ask as I walk towards the bedroom. The hotel room is a small studio suite with a kitchenette, a small living room area, and a bedroom. There’s an open suitcase on the table in the living room area and a few toy trucks and a small basketball in the corner.
“Yes, but hold up,” her grandmother insists so out of respect I stop walking. “What are you about to do?”
“Take him with me,” I declare.
“You can’t just do this like that. We are all DJ knows,” she pleads.
“That’s because of your granddaughter,” I spit.
“I know,” her grandmother sighs. “Lord knows, I know. But can we please sit down and talk for five minutes at least. Myleg is killing me and I don’t like looking up at you. My neck is starting to hurt,” she says with pleading eyes and a smile, trying to loosen the tight ass tension in here.
“Okay. Five minutes,” I concede. I’ve lost too much time already.
Her grandmother ambles to the sofa and gingerly sits on it. When she’s seated, she taps on the cushion next to her then motions for me to sit. Makenna walks to the small kitchenette and stands away from us.
“I raised that baby,” she begins. “Makenna tried but she got caught up in Houston and got on that mess. I didn’t know at first because she was still working. I thought she was just tired so I would keep DJ. Of course, I didn’t mind. He’s my grand baby and I love him. But Makenna started dropping him off and would be gone for weeks.”
“Maw Maw, he doesn’t need to know all of that.”
“Yes, he does because all of that is why one of the reasons DJ doesn’t like to sleep in the dark and hates being left alone. His daddy needs to know that if he’s gonna be taking care of DJ. He has a right to know everything,” her grandmother snaps.
“Is he okay?” I ask.
“He never saw me use,” Makenna utters.
Without even acknowledging Makenna’s declaration, her grandmother answers me, “He’s perfect. He just doesn’t like the dark or being left alone. He’s supposed to start first grade this year so you’re gonna have to get him in school. I don’t know when it started here.”
Shit, I don’t know either. I’ll figure this shit out though. I’ll figure all of this out for him.
“I packed an envelope with his birth certificate, Social Security card, shot records, and records from his kindergarten school, Campbell Elementary. He’s a smart little boy. He already knows how to write his name and count to one hundred, to ten in Spanish,” she gushes. “My number is in there too, and I got one of those phones so he can call me on Time and I can see his face.”
“FaceTime, Maw Maw.”
“Well, he knows what I’m talking about. Call me. I’m gonna miss my little grand baby and he’s gonna miss me too.”
Her eyes gloss up with tears and my anger softens and so does my tone. This woman obviously has been taken care of my child and she loves him.
“He will definitely call you,” I assure her. “Thank you for taking care of him.”
“You can thank me by taking care of him. He deserves a parent that will put him first.”
“Maw Maw,” Makenna whines.
“Hush I said what I said. I’m praying that you get it right this time cause that boy needs his mama too.” Her grandmother turns to me then place her hand on my leg. “Now, I’m gonna wake him up. Then, we’re gonna all go to dinner together so we can make sure he’s comfortable with this and then you can take him. Alright?”
“Yes, ma’am,” I agree.
While I have every intention of taking my son with me, it’s clear that his grandma loves him, has taken care of him, and knows what’s best for him. Clearly, Makenna has been on that shit for a minute so I’m grateful for his grandmother. She definitely could have had help from my auntie and cousins and financial help from me while I was locked but I’m going to make sure that’s his grandma is straight from now on. I owe her that.
She reaches for her cane and positions it between her legs. When she holds onto it tightly and tries to stand, I hop up and help her. I offer my arm for support and she accepts it.
“Maybe, I should go in there with you,” I suggest.
“Come on,” she says while nodding.
“I’ll stay here,” Makenna says but neither me or her grandmother acknowledges her. At this point, for me, she’s a non-factor. Not only did she keep my son from me but she hasn’t even been taking care of him.
