Christin

Big holes. Multiple holes in Jen and T’s bedroom.

They kept the door to their room closed all the time. But one day I caught a glimpse inside of it. There were holes on every wall. What was I missing? Yeah I knew T had a temper but to what extent I didn’t know. He was really careful when I was around. I would hear them arguing on occasion but I never saw him lay a hand on her. I never heard him punch holes in the wall. I saw the control he had over her and I swear I tried to talk to her.

Maybe I didn’t do enough. Maybe there was something more I could’ve done. That will probably haunt me for the rest of my life. I tried to tell her to leave him and that he was bad news. But even when he was in jail for a short stint for warrants, she was still under his control and manipulation.

“Do you want to go with me to Kent to visit T?” My first thought was “hell no, I hope he rots in there”, but being a good friend, I agreed to go. I had never been to a jail before. It was gritty and scary. The paint was falling off the walls and the bars slamming shut is a sound that will forever stay with me. I waited in the lobby while Jen went back to visit T. As I’m sitting there I am surrounded by people that look like they themselves should be behind bars. I felt vulnerable and out of place.

There was a creepy guy sitting next to me that kept trying to engage in conversation with me. “So, who are you here to see?” he asked. “Nobody. My friend is here to see someone.” I told him. No eye contact of course. He kept trying to ask me questions. “Do you stay around here?” “Do you have a man?” I sure don’t. But I’m pretty sure a jail lobby is the last place on earth I would go looking for a man. My standards weren’t extremely high but even I had my limits. Eventually, I had to move seats. This guy was persistent and probably a serial killer. I kept watching the clock, every minute felt like an hour. Finally, she came out. I had never felt so relieved.

“I have to put money on his books” Once again my first thought was “let him live on bread and water”, but I kept my thoughts to myself. Again. We stopped at the front where she put money on his books so he could have the “extras”. I had never been so happy to leave a place. That would be the first and last time I would ever see the inside of a jail. Where was Alphonso when I needed some back-up? Oh, that’s right. He was playing house with Pat.

Jen and Alphonso kept in contact. Me, not so much. Jen would keep me updated on the “Alphonso and Pat” saga. Alphonso was cooking dinners and being a housewife. I never once saw Alphonso cook anything but in the microwave. So this was all interesting news to hear. They were having their issues as couples sometimes do. But from what I heard, Alphonso was happy and that’s all that mattered. So when Jen told me she needed to talk, I was caught completely off-guard.

“Alphonso wants to move back” “Move back where? Here?” I asked. Still in shock. “DUH, where else would he go?” She replied. The truth was there was tension in the house. T didn’t like me and I didn’t like T. We tolerated each other and that was it. I didn’t like who Jen had become with T, therefore I began to feel a strain on our friendship. And now Alphonso coming back to the apartment. Alphonso, the person who had champagne taste on a beer budget. He loved his Prada, Gucci and MAC make-up, forgetting about rent and utilities. Someone had to pick up the slack, and that someone was mostly me because Jen had a baby to take care of now.

I was ready to leave.

I was at my breaking point.

I didn’t know when or how but I needed to leave soon.

Jennifer

“No one knows what its like
To be mistreated, to be defeated
Behind brown eyes
No one knows how to say
That they’re sorry and don’t worry
I’m not telling lies”

After Alphonso moved to Yakima, to live with Pat, everything slowly started to change.

I went through separation issues. You have got to understand, as soon as Alphonso and I met, we were inseparable. I became hugely dependent on him. For everything.

He would always do my makeup for me, spending hours teaching me his makeup tricks, and in the end, was never quite satisfied by my own results. He would pluck my eye brows and call me a “pussy” when I would tell him “IT HURTS!”

Whether I was going out or going to work, Alphonso would  help me with my outfit. On the occasion or two when I would pick my own outfit out, all it would take was one look from him and I knew I was not quite getting it. He claimed I was stuck in the 80’s.

We would watch our favorite movie together, Titanic. “You jump I jump” became our saying, our cath phrase to eachother when things were not-so-good. It was our own way of letting the other know, I got you!

When he moved, Alphonso and I quickly found ourselves in a new routine. We would call each other daily, multiple times. He took on his new role of being a housewife, and even though it was so not him, he seemed to enjoy it. Pat would leave for work in the early morning hours, and Alphonso would stay home, clean the house, call me to gossip and always made sure to have dinner on the table for when Pat got home from work.

This was an Alphonso I was not quite used to. I mean his idea of dinner was a cocktail and smoke.

Christin was branching off more, doing her own thing. We still hung out, just not quite as often. I knew things were changing, and it was only a matter of time before I knew what would happen. She would leave too.

One night after I hung up with Alphonso, T had one of his fits.

“Who were you talking to?”

“Alphonso”

“How do I know you were talking to Alphonso?”

“Because I am telling you that is who I was talking to.”

BOOM!

He pulled the phone out of the wall and threw it across the room. It hit the other wall, and left a nice size hole.

“You want to fuck him don’t you? Have you fucked him before? Why are you always talking to him?”

I knew I had one of two options on how to handle this latest outburst. I can sit there and not say anything at all, waiting it out until it passes, or I can stand up for myself for once.

Was I prepared for the consequences? It would not be good, Could  I sit there and let him go on about Alphonso and I sleeping together? That pissed me off. I missed my friend, and I just wanted to have support. T could not even give it to me. All he did was accuse me of sleeping with my best friend, who is gay!

I took the pony-tail holder I had off my wrist and slowly pulled my hair back. Time had taught me in the past that if T goes crazy when my hair is down, that is the first thing he goes for. I did a quick survey of the room, trying to locate any more open objects that he may throw at me,  I discreetly took off my dangling earrings, as that would be the second thing he would go for.

“I am not going to dignify your questions with a reply, if you think so little of me, why are you….”

That’s all it took. He rushed over to me, his face inches away from mine, yelling at me as loud as he could.

“What did you say Bitch? I can kill you right now, get that straight.”

I was shaking both inwardly and outwardly, I was letting my fear be shown and he knew it.

“Don’t you ever disrespect me like that again. You fucken whore.”

He spat in my face, and left, slamming the door so hard, that the few pictures we had hanging up fell off the wall.

I quickly got up, locked the door, washed my face, and called Alphonso.

“What do you want, I am cooking dinner!”

I could not say a word, I was crying, and he knew it.

“What happened? Talk to me, remember , you jump I jump.”

 

Christin

There are times in your life when you wish you could be anywhere but where you are at. This was one of those times.

I saw Scotty walk in the door. With tears falling down his face, he came over to me. I stood up. I didn’t know what to do. I was thinking of things I could say. “Sorry for your loss” (Lame) “Are you okay?” (Duh, his best friend and brother-in-law just died, how the hell do you think he’s feeling) I just wanted to say something helpful. Instead, he grabbed me and hugged me. He really hugged me. Here I am holding the man that had lied to me for months and had lead me on. He was a mess. He was crying, his body shaking and expecting me to comfort him. And guess what…I did. That is what a “fixer” does.

The next few days were spent helping Shawn, Scotty and the family. I spent some nights with Shawn because she didn’t want to be alone in her big, new house that her and husband had just bought. She needed someone there with her and that was me.

Scotty wanted me to help him put together picture collages of his beloved brother-in-law. I did everything he needed. I did it because I wanted to but also because there was a small glimmer of hope that maybe we could work things out. I had seen another side of him; a side I wanted to see more of.

Soon after the memorial, Scotty called me. He wanted to talk. I knew from the tone of his voice this wouldn’t be a “good” talk. But I obliged anyways and met him at the Starbucks down the street. He was sitting at the table in the corner. I sat down across from him. He grabbed my hands. I remember looking down at my nails and thinking “it’s a good thing I just got my nails done”. Welcome to my random and sometimes ridiculous thoughts.

“I’m really sorry about everything” I felt my guard go up. I wasn’t going to let him see any emotion. “It’s ok” I said, void of any feeling. “I know I’ve been a real asshole. You are a really great girl. Maybe in the future we can see what happens, but not now. I am trying to get my shit together.” I wanted to scream” WHY NOT NOW? WHY NOT ME?” But I didn’t. Instead I mumbled something about understanding where he is coming from and I hope he finds what he is looking for. “I’m moving to Tennessee” And that was that. We hugged and said goodbye. We parted ways and that would be the last time I ever saw him.

I will always be somewhat grateful for the lessons that Scotty taught me when I was 21. He put me in situations that I will never witness again in my lifetime. He also made me realize that just because people have potential to be something better, this does not always guarantee that will happen. Lesson learned. Maybe. “Life’s about changing, nothing ever stays the same” Those lyrics from one of my all-time favorite songs couldn’t be truer.

Alphonso told us he was leaving. He told us he was going to live with Pat. What did I miss? I am always the last to know everything! All I really heard was “ride” “Yakima” “Pat” “relationship” Once again, I guess that was that.

Jen was emotional when saying good-bye to Alphonso. That’s an understatement. She was balling her eyes out, holding on to him for dear life. I held it together a little bit better. It would just be me and Alphonso making the trip to Yakima. We would deal with the emotions later. After ripping Jen off of Alphonso, we were off.

Alphonso was pretty quiet. I was too. Memories of all the adventures Alphonso and I had begun to flood my thoughts. Like the time we were at Barnes and Noble at 10pm on a Saturday night a couple years ago. “Chrissy, let’s go to Hollywood” “Hollywood?! “ “Yeah let’s go now.” “Ok, lets go. “ Talk about spontaneous. 15 minutes later and a tank full of gas we were on the highway headed south. We drove all night and in the morning as the sun came up, we hit Santa Monica Blvd. We went to the Santa Monica Pier and walked on the beach. We went and saw the stars on the Hollywood walk of fame. But the highlight of the trip was seeing The Beverly Wilshire Hotel where the movie “Pretty Woman” was filmed. My life was complete seeing this.

Alphonso and I definitely had the same taste in adventures. Alphonso was with me when I went to a club for the first time. The music was so loud. I remember thinking to myself “is it possible for ears to bleed” because it felt like they were. Definitely not my kind of club. Alphonso and I got matching tattoos by a world renowned tattoo artist named “Pinky” Unfortunately by the time we got our tattoos by Pinky, he was 90 years old and blind. But that’s okay. I loved our matching Chinese writing tattoos we got on the seedy side of San Francisco. Most importantly, Alphonso had been there when no one else was.

We pulled up to the grey mobile home in the middle of nowhere. “Is this it” I asked. “This is it” Alphonso replied. I sensed some hesitation in his voice. We got out and I helped him get his stuff out of the car. “You can call me anytime and I will come get you” I had to put that out there. “Ok” he said with some sadness in his eyes. He was trying to hide it but I saw a glimpse. We hugged and said our goodbyes.

I knew that wouldn’t the last of Alphonso. I knew that we would see him again. I just didn’t know when.

 

Jennifer

Believe it or not, things were, dare I say normal at the apartment. I mean of course T and I had our share of issues, but there was no physical abuse in front of the baby.

I do not really know what exactly it was about T that kept me from kicking him out. Other than being afraid for my safety. A part of me felt so loyal to him, because he was such a big part in getting the baby back. Then, in his own way, he loved me. At least I thought he did, and I just wanted to be loved. My brokenness and all. I over looked a lot when it came to him, and just went on with life with a baby.

Christin was hanging out more with her work friends. It was a nice change for her. We still had our time. We still lived together, and on occasion she would attempt to cook us all dinner. It got to the point where once we knew she was cooking, one of us had to discretely disable the smoke detector, because, it was that bad.

Alphonso and I were closer than ever. We still worked the same shift, we still had our lunch and breaks together, he still gave me crap on my fashion choices,and I still gave him crap on everything else. After work, we would come home, put the baby to bed, and then play cards and have a cocktail.

T always made his feelings known for Alphonso. He did not like Alphonso and was jealous I spent so much time with him. I made it know in the very beginning of T and I, that Alphonso and I were a packaged deal. You take one, you take both of us. There was always some sort of tension going on between those two, yet, they made it work for the most part.

Because of me.

There was a good mix between us all. Different, but good.

Then there was the night that changed everything.

Christin was in the kitchen cooking dinner. T dismantled the smoke detector, while I was putting the baby to bed. Alphonso was on his way home and already gave us all the “heads up” that he needed to have a “Roommate Meeting.” We all figured he would be short on rent, and needed one of us to cover him. It was a pattern that we all (except T) happily adapted to.

An hour after Christin’s concoction of “chicken” was consumed, Alphonso came home. As soon as he walked into the door, I knew something was up. He did not look like he needed money. When he needed money, he was more hesitant, and for once in his life would beat around the bush, this time was different.

T came over to sit by me on the sofa, and Christin made her way, leftover chicken and all, to the love-seat. Alphonso kind of took his place in the center of the room and asked Christin “Hey, can I catch a ride with you tomorrow to Yakima?”

This was nothing new. Christin would go visit her family about once a month in Yakima. Alphonso knew her family. A time or two he would go with her to Yakima. Christin agreed, and that was that. The good news was T and I would have the apartment to ourselves this weekend, and the bad news was T and I would have the apartment to ourselves this weekend.

Alphonso made his way to the kitchen to make himself a Cosmo, and me a rum and coke. I did not ask for it, he just knew. As he hands me my drink, and orders me to “drink up!” He told us all. “Also, I am moving to Yakima and will not be coming back.”

I was caught so off guard I spat out the little bit of rum and coke that was in my mouth, Christin looked at me, and of course T looked like he had just heard the best news ever. After that, everything happened so fast.

“What do you mean you are moving there and not coming back? Are you messing with me?”

“Nope! It is time for a change, I am moving in with Pat, we are in a relationship, God, you are so blind at times.”

Back the hell up? Did I just hear that right? Alphonso is moving to Yakima to live with Pat? The same Pat who was our roommate? The same pat who tried to get into the pants of both Christin and I? What?

Christin and I needed answers, while T was pretty much patting himself on the back, as if he saw this coming a mile a way.

T did not see it coming. No one saw it coming.

“I mean there is not much to tell. We have corresponded since he left, and we decided to give it a shot.”

I was speechless. I did not know what was happening and Christin could read it on my face. My eyes told her she needed to take over, because although I was in shock, I was also on the verge of tears.

“But Pat is not gay!”

Alphonso took a sip of his Cosmo while looking at me, then looking at Christin. He avoided  the  Cheshire grin on T’s face.

“Well maybe you bitches turned him gay.”

I had had enough. I needed answers. I needed to know something more than Alphonso’s sarcastic replies to Christins questions.

And then it happened. The flashbacks.

Pat would walk Alphonso to work.

Pat would bring Alphonso lunch to work.

Pat and Alphonso had a lot of late night talks.

The look on Alphonso’s face when he thought I had slept with Pat.

The look on Alphonso’s face when Christin and I were fighting over Pat.

It was all starting to make sense. Right in front of our eyes, yet we were too blind to see it. Alphonso was falling hard for Pat. (No pun intended.)

And then just what I always do, when my emotions get the best of me, I cried. I cried the big kind of ugly cry and I broke down. I begged and pleaded with him to stay. I needed him. Alphonso was not only a great friend, he was family. He was my wing man, and he knew how to fix me when I was broken.

As I am in tears, letting it all out, Christin and T are looking at me as if I had lost what was left of my mind. After everything, it cannot end this way.

I cannot lose my friend.

“For the first time in a long time
Everyone was ready
No one said a word and that simply said it all”

 

Christin

Living with a baby was interesting to say the least. Vinnie was a good baby though. Sure he woke up at all hours of the night, tried to eat anything that was in reach and stunk up the apartment on occasion but overtime he really grew on me. I was never a “kid person”. Yeah they were cute just as long as they weren’t mine. Vinnie was different. He wasn’t mine but I did feel some kind of responsibility for him. His little bald head and toothy smile made me want to make sure he was never in harm’s way.

Life changed at the apartment for everyone. You could say we toned it down a lot. A lot less craziness, a lot more quiet nights and weekends. Alphonso began to spend more time sketching his dresses. If he wasn’t at home drawing, you could most definitely find him down one of the aisles at Barnes and Noble looking through fashion books. Jen and T were wrapped up in the baby. Their schedules were based around feeding, changing and making sure Vinnie was taken care of. I never realized taking care of baby was so hard until I saw it first-hand.

I knew that I was not ready to be a parent at that time nor did I want to be one anytime soon. As for me, I began spending more time with other friends. I really enjoyed spending time with Shawn and her husband. Even though they were older than me, we always had a lot of fun hanging out together. Until I got a call one evening.

“Chris, my husband died last night” I laughed. I thought Shawn was joking.

“I am not joking. He was hit by a car.”

Oh my God.

“I’m so sorry, do you want me to come over?”

“Yeah, I’m over at my dad’s”

“I will be there in 10”

I have never been good at comforting emotional people. I feel so awkward in situations where people are crying, so I had no business going to her dad’s house. But she was a good friend. And her husband had been too. I had to be there for her in her time of need. She needed me.

Ten minutes later I arrived. I saw Shawn, her eyes were puffy and red. She was a mess. I couldn’t blame her. The love of her life had died in a freak accident. He was her everything. I gave her a hug. I wanted to take all of her pain away. As I am sitting next to her asking more details of what had happened, the front door opens.

It’s Scotty. And he’s walking right towards me.

Jennifer

I always knew I would get the baby back. Actually, both of my sons. I always knew I would get them back. However, I did not expect to get the baby back as fast as I did. Which basically means, there was no preparation what-so-ever.

You are basically dealing with four idiots, three of them who have no experience with kids, yet, we are trying our best to raise one. Like some ghetto/white trash version of Friends. Then, there is me. One would think I had my act together, but this is me we are talking about. I was a good mom. I mean the past six months was not a good indicator of that, but even then, it is not as if you would find me pole dancing my way into adult hood. Not yet anyway.

This was my life now. I would spend my mornings arguing on the phone with child suport that I do indeed have the baby in my custody, and there is no way I am paying 200.00 a month for my own child, that I have IN MY CUSTODY. I mean what did I have to do, take a selfie with the baby and I so they would believe me?

Then, there was our new day to day routine. Talk about comedy gold. Alphonso. Poor Alphonso. He never needed much. Just a couple of sofa cushions on the living room floor to sleep on, along with his Vougue magazines and fancy face cream. Well, Vinnie put a quick end to that when he decided to use the magazines as a toy and the fancy face cream as milk. Alphonso held that over me for at least a year. I had to promise to buy him his first round of botox just to shut him up.

Christin probably adjusted the easisest. I mean once she learned how to feed the baby, and the art of burping the baby, and once she got used to the fact that babies cry in the middle of the night, and they wake up at the crack of dawn and do not care if you had a late night or not, she was golden! She really took to Vinnie, after we went through the “learning curve.”

T. I’ll give him credit where credit is due. For a hot minute, he would wake up with me in the early morning hours when Vinnie would wake up needle to be change and fed. He would make the bottle as I was changing the baby. Of course I had to secretly remake the bottle because he would use coffee creamer thinking it was milk. I know what you are thinking. I sure know how to pick them!

Then your’s truly over here. I knew that above anything else, Vinnie needed to be loved. I knew that even though I was not in the most ideal situation, one day I would do something right to where he would be proud of me, his mom. I had to just get through this period. I was doing the best I could with the cards I was dealt….or the hand I was lost, whichever way you chose to look at it.

The one thing that was bugging me. The elephanst in the room that we all saw but no one wanted to address is things were changing. We as a whole were on our “Act 2” and we did not know how it was going to end.

One of my all time favorite songs is “Touched By An Angel” by the wonderful Stevie Nicks. There is a powerful line in the song that has always stayed with me.

“Everything was the same except that everything was different.”

That was our life now. Life with a baby. Everything was the same, except everything was different.

And Alphonso would be the first one of us to experience the “different.”

Christin

Now there was a baby in the apartment.

Alphonso, T, Jen and I stood in the kitchen looking down at the baby in the baby seat. Three out of the four of us had no experience with kids, let alone a baby. We were way out of our league on this one. Then we realized, we didn’t have one thing for the baby. This was a bachelor pad for 20-somethings, not a place for a baby. Not one bottle (only vodka), not one diaper, not one baby “thing” was in that apartment. Now what. So as the four of us stood in the kitchen with a BABY, we realized someone was going to have to go the store as soon as possible.

We (Jen) made a list for the baby.
1. Bottles
2. Diapers
3. Formula
4. Couple changes of clothes
5. Pacifier

Somehow, Alphonso and I got roped into doing the shopping. Alphonso, the make-up artist that knows everything about concealers and eyebrows but not a damn thing about babies. Me, the self-proclaimed “never going to have kids” girl that can tell you more about football and cars than I can about kids. We found ourselves at…yeah, I bet you can guess—Wal-Mart. The Wal-Mart where the ex had been earlier that day. The Wal-Mart where everybody knew us. What were Alphonso and Christin doing shopping in the Infants department? That is what everyone was thinking, I’m sure.

With our list in hand, we entered the land of babies and baby things. It was more like the twilight zone. So many gidgets and gadgets that babies needed. Who knew babies needed so many things? I sure didn’t. “What’s this for? Does the baby need this?” Alphonso held up a box. Upon closer inspections, I assured him the baby didn’t need a breast pump and Jen didn’t either. Bottles were #1 on the list. But what kind of bottles do we need. Round nipple. Flat nipple. Bottles with those plastic inserts or bottles with no plastic inserts. A little of each. That works. “Alphonso, what size diapers do we get.” “How am I supposed to know?” “Size 3 is for 3 year olds right? Vinnie’s not 3” “Get size 2 then” Alphonso says in between telling me he needs to go the make-up aisle to get some cotton balls.

Down the formula aisle we go. What kind of formula do we need? Soy free, lactose free, whole milk, cow’s milk? Who would have known that milk came in so many varieties? This was getting to be like putting together a puzzle when you are blind. IMPOSSIBLE.

While we were shopping, it donned on me that the crazy ex might come to Wal-Mart looking for one of us. He saw us at Denny’s and knew what we looked like. “Alphonso, make sure you keep an eye out for the ex” Who was I kidding? The only thing Alphonso was going to protect me from was wrinkles and bad eyebrows. Not the big, fat, psycho ex. We should’ve went to Target across the street instead. Too late now.

After what felt like forever, we made our way up to the register. “That will be $89.67.” What?! Babies were expensive! (Note to self: Don’t have kids ever) Alphonso and I split the bill since Jen spent her last dime paying the ex to see Vinnie. After listening to Alphonso complain for 10 minutes about how he would not be able to afford the MAC face powder this week because he spent his money on baby stuff, we carried 6 bags full of stuff up to the apartment. We walked in and the reality of a baby in the apartment was much too real.

So, our new normal had begun.
Three friends and a baby.
Oh yeah, and T too.

Jennifer

The plan was to meet The Ex at Denny’s at 6:00. I would give him some money, and he would allow me to see the baby. At this point I was willing to do whatever it took to see my baby. The legal system turned out to be a great disappointment. I did not have much of a choice but to play by his rules.

The four of us were sitting at a booth/table combo. Christin, Alphonso, T and I were sitting in the booth side by side. Each one of us had our eye on the door, not knowing who would enter next.

I was so nervous. How much time was The Ex going to give me with my baby? Was he going to stay and monitor everything or would he leave? Did I have enough money? Would he ask for more?

Christin, Alphonso and T were trying to distract me in their own way. I could not concentrate. My mind was consumed with the “what ifs.” It was one of those moments were I would rather be anywhere else, yet there was no other place I rather be.

About five minutes before the agreed upon time, Christin, Alphonso and T thought it be best if T leaves the table, but watches from a safe distance. They did not want The Ex to be intimidated in any way, and in turn I would lose my chance to see my baby, whom I had not seen in about two months.

Someone decided it be best if T were to hide in the restroom. It was close to the entrance, yet he would not be able to be seen by anyone who did not know he was there.

I know they were all worried for me. In these moments, we all came together as one. There was no tension, there was no abuse, there was no judgement. The four of us were on the same side, with the same goal in mind. My victory would be theirs.

The Ex was late. We figured he either saw T or he just decided to not come. A part of me knew better. I knew he needed money and nothing was going to stop him from getting the money.

I was sitting there biting my nails, playing with my hair, a habit that I always had when I am nervous or overwhelmed.

And then it happened.

The Ex came in with a woman. Someone who I recognized as his cousin. I saw him before he saw us. I felt like I was going to throw up. I just needed my baby. The Ex did not care anything about him. I went through the pregnancy alone. I was alone in the hospital when I had him. I took care of him, fed him, changed his diapers and loved him all on my own. This was just a power ploy The Ex was doing. He wanted the Welfare benefits. Plain and simple.

As he spotted me, I made my way over to him while digging 100.00 cash out of my jacket. It was all I had. Six days before pay-day and I was giving him everything I had just to have a moment with my son.

“I am running to Walmart for a six-pack, you have thirty minutes.”

The Ex handed me the baby carrier, diaper bag, and left.

I started to cry.

Christin and Alphonso helped make room on the table so I could put the baby carrier on top. T made his way back to the table and there we were. A white as can be bald hair baby and three misfits.

Vinnie, at four months old, was looking at each one of us. His big brown eyes were taking it all in. I immediately picked him up and hugged my baby for the first time in months. He was skinny. Too skinny.

Everyone wanted to hold him, yet everyone was very cautious as to not overwhelm him.

And then, everything changed.

“Jen, we need to leave.”

“This is your moment”

“You don’t have much time.”

“Take him, what’s going to happen? Turn the tables on him.”

“We will help you.”

“We can do this.”

“If we don’t do this, you may never see Vinnie again.”

Those are the words I needed to hear. I am doing this. We are doing this.

Just like that, the plan was set into motion.

Christin and Alphonso left first. They were going to make sure none of us were being followed.

T and I made a dash to the car. I sat in the back seat with the baby, and he drove as if he was being followed and was trying to lose someone.

Our apartment was only five minutes up the road, yet the drive seemed as if it went on for hours.

I had my son back. I was sitting next to him in the back seat of an old 1974 Camero.

Such of rush of feelings. I had my baby. I need to call work and tell them I am not going to be in tomorrow. I have to call Red, he wanted an update. I have to buy things. Bottles, formula, diapers, clothes.

Did I seriously just kidnap my own baby back?

Hell yeah I did!

Christin, Alphonso, T and I all got back to the apartment around the same time.

And then, just like we were all expecting, the phone call came.

“You Bitch, you took him. You fucking Bitch, I will get you for this.”

 

 

Christin

5:40pm—There we were. The four of us waiting at the table in Denny’s. Jen was a nervous wreck. She was fidgeting as she does when she is out of her comfort zone. She kept digging in her purse, looking for what, I don’t know. I don’t think she even knew. Then she was rearranging the silverware on the table. Even with Alphonso, T and I there for support, she still looked like she wanted to run out of there and never come back. Had it not been for the fact that she would finally be able to see her baby boy, I think that she would rather be anywhere, but there.

5:45pm—I tried to bring up the subject of work hoping it would take her mind of the clock and her eyes off the door. “So how do you like working in infants department rather than the front end?” She wasn’t biting. Nothing was going to distract her. Not me, not Alphonso and definitely not T.

5:50pm—Alphonso tried his best too. “Jen, you need to stop biting your nails. They look disgusting.” Still nothing from Jen. She just gave him that look. The “Not Now” look. I give him credit, at least he tried.

5:55pm—T even had his own attempt at comforting Jen. “It’s going to be fine. I’m here and he isn’t going to mess with you.” But that brought up a different issue. What if the ex saw T and decided not to let Jen see the baby? He was a jealous, controlling monster that kidnapped the baby in the first place, so if he knew Jen had a new boyfriend and was moving on, maybe he wouldn’t let her see Vinnie and maybe he would take the baby away forever. We couldn’t take that chance. It was a consensus amongst the four of us that T would wait in the bathroom.

6:00pm—It was just the three of us. All eyes were on the front door. Nobody said anything.

6:05pm—The doors opened to the restaurant. We all held our breath. Was it him? No, it was a couple with their kids.

6:08pm—Maybe he wasn’t coming. Maybe he decided he wasn’t going to let Jen see the baby. She would be crushed. More than crushed, she would be devastated. She hadn’t seen him in months and all she wanted to do was to hold her child. Her sweet little baby.

6:11pm—The door opened again. I wasn’t sure if it was him or not. A man was with a woman, carrying a baby in a baby seat. Was this the monster that I had been hearing about? Jen got up. It was him. Alphonso and I stayed seated. Jen pulled out some money from her coat pocket and handed it to the ex. “I have to run up to Wal-Mart real quick. I will be back in a few minutes” He handed Jen the baby in the baby seat and they left.

6:15pm—The first time I saw Vinnie, he was a quiet little baby with no hair. He had big brown eyes and chubby little cheeks. He was just a sweet, innocent baby.

6:20pm—T came out of the bathroom once the ex had left. Jen was making sure Vinnie was okay. Giving him the once over “mom look”. I can’t remember who suggested it first. Maybe it was all of us at once but we all had the same thought. We needed to leave. Jen had her baby and if we didn’t leave the abusive bastard would be back to get the baby. The sweet, little innocent baby. Jen’s baby. “Jen, we need to leave now” She hesitated. She was scared of what the ex what do. He knew where she worked. “You have the baby, we should go” Still, Jen looked like a deer caught in headlights. “Jen, if we don’t go with the baby, you may never see him again” That’s what did it. The thought of never seeing her child again.

6:28pm—Alphonso and I went out the door first. We wanted to make sure the ex was really gone and not playing games. No sight of the ex. “It clear. Let’s go”

6:30pm–We all ran out of Denny’s like we just robbed a bank. Jen with the baby in hand. Jen and T jumped in T’s car. Alphonso and I jumped in my car. We didn’t know if he was behind us. What if he was following us to the apartment? What would he do when he found out we left with the baby?

We would find out soon enough.

Jennifer

7 Hours Before the meet-up at Denny’s

I was in the middle of my shift. Working the freight in the infant department. A fellow co-worker and very good  friend, was also working with me, Red. Red and I had a pretty good history together. We were friends long before T came into the picture. Red was a pivotal part in helping me escape from my ex. And, as it goes, he would be a pivotal part in my future.

T was also at the store. Not working, but keeping an eye on me. Making sure I was not talking to Red. Red knew if he talked to me, I would get it later that night. Red hated the way T treated me, but he knew there was a line that could not be crossed at my expense.

Before I knew what was happening, I saw The Ex walking down the aisle towards me. I froze. I gasped. Where was the baby? My baby?

T and Red magically appeared, each by my side.

“That’s The Ex, there is no baby.”

T informed me that he was going to go hide behind the diaper wall, just in case he had his moment to kick his ass, and Red informed me that he was going to stay by my side as a witness to anything.

For once, these two agreed on something.

The Ex approached me, all three hundred pounds of him, with evil lurking in his eyes.

“I need money”

I should have known.

“Where is Vinnie?”

“Give me money, and I will let you see him.”

I pulled my wallet out of my bright blue Walmart vest, knelt on the floor and went through every secret compartment I had. I took out the only cash I had on hand. Ten dollars.

“This is all I have.”

“That’s not enough.”

I hated this person. If it were not for the fact that I had no idea where the baby was, I would have killed him with my own bare hands right there in the middle of the infant department at Walmart.

“Let me see him and I will get you more.”

It is very hard to sound strong, when all I wanted to do was fall apart.

Red was angry. You could see it in his eyes.

“You need to leave the store now, or I am calling the police.”

The Ex left, but not before telling me

“Meet me at the Denny’s up the road, be there at 6:00 with money, and I will have the baby.”

Seven Hours Later..

Check Mate.