Shavonda and I stared at the two women glaring at us from the couch. They were a study in opposites, each wearing the same expression. Althea was an older version of Shavonda. She had the same dark complexion, almond shaped eyes, wide nose and full lips. She had the same build with a couple extra pounds. The same wide hips and narrow waist. Barbara couldn't look more different. She was a short, stout woman with pale white skin and long blonde hair streaked with gray. But both were madder than hornets. This wasn't going to be good.
"Kids, go play in your room. The grown ups need to talk," I sent the kids scampering off, oblivious to what was about to happen.
"Rose told me everything," Barbara started, staring at Shavonda, who looked wide eyed like she'd seen a ghost. Barbara turned her gaze to me. "Every thing," she repeated, looking me dead in the eye.
"Shavonda Jenkins, how could you?" Althea said in utter contempt. "We raised you better than that. And you, Jason. I'm truly disappointed in you. You two had no right to hurt Rose like that. What would possess you to do something like that? We've lost so many in this family to the streets. I never thought you'd be one of them."
"I'm so sorry, Ms. Barbara," Shavonda said, voice cracking on the verge of tears. "I snapped."
"Rose told you everything?" I asked Barbara. "Or did she only tell you her version? I bet she left this part out." I reached in my coat pocket and pulled out the certified letter. The one from Family Court detailing Rose's attempt to terminate my parental rights, based in part on allegations of Shavonda being a prostitute. I handed it to Barbara who read it and passed it to Althea. "I'm not saying what we did was right, but at least know the whole story before you judge us."
Althea read the letter and gasped. "Shavonda, when did you get arrested for prostitution?" she asked. "Why didn't you tell us?"
"She wasn't arrested." I answered for Shavonda. "We were set up coming home from our engagement party. Somebody called the cops, gave them Shavonda's description, right down to the clothes she wore. They also gave my license plate number and said they saw the 'prostitute' get into my car. The cop followed us, and took Shavonda for questioning. Funny thing. She was never arrested. There was never any evidence. Another funny thing, only the person who'd called police would have known what they were questioning her for. But they wouldn't have known she wasn't arrested."
"It gets better," I continued. "The "arresting" officer decided that since Shavonda was a "prostitute" she wouldn't mind giving a freebie in exchange for her freedom. He was about to assault her, cuffed in the backseat of the patrol car, but luckily got called to the stationhouse before he could do anything. A couple of days later we get this letter, telling us they want to terminate our parental rights over that fake phone call. Funny thing, that call. We had stopped at the gas station on the way home, and Rose saw us in the store. When we came out, she was on a payphone talking to somebody. Rose has, or had, a cellphone. Why would she need to use a payphone?"
"Mrs. Jenkins, the reason we didn't tell you about the incident on Valentine's Day was we didn't want you and your husband taking matters into your own hands. We know people down in Zone 3. They are investigating the whole incident," I explained.
The ladies' expressions had softened. "Don't think I'm not still mad at you two," Barbara said sternly. "But now I understand better. That letter explains a lot. I told Rose to let me handle it. I'm not going to have you two arrested, THIS time. But this isn't going to happen again, is it?"
"No ma'am," I said, Shavonda repeated. "Not ever."
"Because if anything like this EVER happens to my daughter again, not only will you face charges for that incident, but this one as well. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, ma'am," we replied.
"Honey, I know she's put you through hell," Barbara said to Shavonda. "I don't agree with what she's done. Especially not this." Barbara waved the letter. "But she'll have her day in court. I've tried to tell her to stop. Lord knows I didn't raise her like that. And this thing with family court? I'd have probably kicked her ass myself. You sure put the fear of God into her. She's afraid every time she hears your name. I told her, 'leave that girl alone or next time she'll kill you.'"
"You should have told us," Althea shook her head sadly.
"And what? Have your husband try to hurt the cop that tried to molest his daughter? A black man against a cop? We all know how that'd turn out. You can't tell him about that, ever. You'll lose him," I reasoned with Althea. I turned to Shavonda. "I talked to Ziggy today. He told me some things, off the record. I can't tell you what I know, Ziggy would lose his job. But heads will roll over this."
I turned to Barbara. "How is Rose doing?" I asked.
"She came home from the hospital. They don't want her doing anything for a week. Thursday, she has an appointment with the doctor. He'll determine then if she can go back to work," Barbara told me. "I've known you for ten years now, Jason. I don't know Shavonda well, but she seems like a good girl. I know you two are happy together. I know neither of you would do something like this normally. That is the ONLY reason I've shown mercy. If I thought for one minute you'd be beating my daughter I'd be the first one to call the law."
Althea looked at us, wagging her finger. "Y'all ain't getting off that easy. You're going to pay for a new cell phone for Rose. A good one, as good or better than what you destroyed. You are also going to pick up any costs on her medical care. And you're going to pay to fix her window. You're also going to pay her lost wages until she can get back to work."
"Fair enough," I said.
"Also, I want both of you to apologize to Rose," she said.
Shavonda scowled. "Like HELL I will! She's afraid now. She'll think twice before she tries anything else. If I apologize she'll think I am weak. I ain't no fool!"
"She's right," Barbara agreed. "As long as Rose is afraid maybe she'll act sensibly. Rose wasn't concerned when all she got were court cases. Now that she's gotten hurt maybe she'll think before she acts out."
"Shavonda, baby," Althea questioned, changing the subject. "It's 35 degrees outside. Why were you wearing slippers? You'll catch cold."
I had brought one of the plastic chairs in from the kitchen so Shavonda could get off her feet. She sat down and took her slippers off. The women stared at her slowly healing soles.
"What happened to you?" Barbara asked.
"I took my heels off for the fight. I stepped in the broken glass from the car window. Jason spent a lot of time picking all the glass out of my feet, and he's been pampering me ever since. That first night, until he could get me these slippers, he picked me up and carried me everywhere, even to the bathroom. Just so I wouldn't have to walk on my feet," Shavonda explained. "We haven't been out partying like nothing has happened. We had a rough weekend trying to deal with what we did. Don't think it's been easy for us."
"Honey," Barbara asked Shavonda, "Rose told me you said I was family now. Is that true? Is that how you see me?"
"Yes, ma'am. You ARE family now," Shavonda replied. "Since Jason's kids are my family now, and you're their grandma, that makes you family too. And Rose would be family as well if she wasn't calling me out my name every chance she gets. That's how we are. We embrace people like that. Mama did it with Jason the first day she met him."
"That I did," Althea affirmed. "I was about to cuss that boy out and he hands me his camera and asks me to take their picture. Who does that?"
The women were calmed down now, and we carried on a friendly conversation. Soon they got up to leave. "One more thing, Barbara," I said. "Our hearing for custody is on Friday. I want you to know that no matter how it goes, you'll have access to the kids. You want to see them, just call us. You're welcome anytime."
The rest of the week went fast. Friday morning, we met our attorney before the hearing in Family Court. As attorney of record, he'd gotten served with a copy of the termination papers. Since the court date was so close, the hearing would determine not only the validity of Rose's charges against us, but also determine the permanent custody arrangement. He'd done a good job with researching the added developments in the case on short notice, and had copies of the relevant police reports, and the report from child welfare.
"Rose didn't hurt Ethan physically, according to the report. Wait until the hearing and you'll see what really happened," he told us. "And the prostitution arrest? There is no public record of it, so you're clear there."
Because of the severity of the charges made against us, our case went directly before a judge in a courtroom, instead of a hearing officer in a cubicle. We were assigned to a Judge Suber, who turned out to be a heavyset black woman. Rose had looked uneasy in the waiting room before the hearing, staring at Shavonda nervously the whole time. There was no yelling like she would have done before the fight. Barbara had told us Rose was afraid. Now we saw it with our own eyes. When we entered the courtroom, Rose was visibly shaken. We were all sworn in and testimony began.
Rose represented herself. She had no corroborating evidence of the arrest, because there was none. And she had failed to get a copy of the Child Welfare report as well. The judge was ready to scold Rose, but our attorney provided a copy of the report. He handed it to the judge. She read it, she looked pissed.
"Mrs. Waite," Judge Suber said sternly. "Do you mean to tell me you're going to say Mr. Waite abused your son based on THIS report?" She read out loud from the report. "Anna Butchko, a preschool teacher, told the investigator that Ethan Waite had been told to help the other children pick up the toys in the classroom. Ethan responded by throwing a temper tantrum. When Ms. Butchko tried to hold him to calm him down, Ethan broke free and threw himself against a free-standing toy shelf placed against the wall. His impact rocked the shelf, and it fell over on top of him. There were numerous toys on the shelf when it toppled, and Ethan was pinned under the shelf and toys until help could arrive. "
"Ms. Butchko immediately notified the school nurse via intercom, who notified the mother, Rose Waite. Both arrived soon afterward, and the nurse helped Ms. Butchko lift the heavy shelf from Ethan. During this time, Mrs. Waite loudly berated Ethan, calling him stupid and generally hindering the rescue effort. She had to be escorted from the room and calmed down by security."
"The nurse examined Ethan for injuries and determined that bruises and possible fractures to his legs were severe enough to require emergency care. Mrs. Waite insisted on transport Ethan to the hospital, against the wishes of staff, who wanted an ambulance."
