Chapter 15

Esined

I was asleep in my bed and I heard a lot of noise that woke me up. I sat up and rubbed my eyes.

"Just calm down!"

"My brother was shot and you think I'm going to calm down?!"

The yelling continued and I slowly got out of bed.

I followed the shouting and it led me to my dad and mama.

"What's going on?" I frowned.

They both became silent and looked at me.

"Your uncle Don is in the hospital," my dad spoke. "He got shot,"

"Is he okay?"

"We don't know. I'm going over to the hospital now,"

"Can I go?"

"No. It's late. I'll tell y'all how he's doing later,"

"But-"

He looked at me and I shut my mouth.

Mama stepped closer to me and put her arm around me.

They stared at each other and that's when I knew that my mama was losing her fear of him. She wasn't afraid of him anymore. She'd always break eye contact with him and drop her head in shame like I just had, but not this time.

He grabbed his keys from the coffee table.

"How long will you be out?" Mama asked.

"I should be back by morning, why?"

"I was just asking,"

He put on his jacket and left after looking at us once more.

I started to move, but she held me close to her. "Ma-"

"Shh," she hushed me.

I stared up at her. I tried to listen to what she was hearing. I heard the engine of Lauren start and dad pulled off.

"One... Two... Three," she continued until she got to ten. "Come on," she said.

"What are we doing?"

"We're leaving tonight,"

"How?"

"We get our bags and walk to the bus stop. We need to hurry,"

We went to our rooms and packed quickly. Once we had everything together, we got ready to leave. I made sure I had everything that I needed while mama was on the phone.

"No, tonight. He left and he said he won't be back until morning. We're ready now. We're about to walk to the bus stop now," she spoke into the phone. "Mhm. I have them," she searched in her purse for something.

She put the phone to her chest. "Make yourself something to eat, baby. We'll be on that ride for a little while," she informed me.

I went and made myself a sandwich and she continued to speak on the phone. I made her one while I was at it.

Eiram (Esined's mom)

"Come on, Essy," I said, after I hung up the phone.

Finally, was all I could think. I could be the mother and give Esined all of the love she deserves without her father being in the way. My baby being happy and safe was all I cared about.

I had finally contacted my mother after eighteen years and she was more than willing to help me. Her number was the number I found one night when Eric had beat me so badly. That night I decided it was beyond enough. I was willing to get in contact with anyone who could help me. She happened to answer the phone.

I snapped out of my thoughts and sniffed. "Oh, come on, Essy. We're leaving now," I said, rubbing my belly before she entered the room.

She came to me and I kissed her forehead before smiling.

"We're gettin' out of here,"

We had our bags and went to the door. I opened it and Eric stood there.

A confused look played on his face.

The fear that I didn't have in him minutes before he left had came back. I was afraid of him once again and I knew things would not turn out pretty.

"Where do y'all think y'all going?"

"We're leaving," I pretended that I wasn't afraid of him. I felt the need to look strong for Esined.

He started laughing. "Y'all ain't going nowhere,"

"Yes, we are. We're not staying here anymore,"

"Where are you gonna go, Eiram?" He stepped closer to me and I cleared my throat. His tall frame towered over me. "You don't have any family, remember? I'm all you have,"

I clenched my jaw as he spoke down on me.

"Am I upsetting you?"

I remained silent and he grabbed my arm roughly.

"Answer me!"

I flinched from the bass in his voice.

"You tryna leave me?" He shook me.

"Stop," Esined said.

"Shut up!" He yelled at her.

"It's okay, baby," I told her as I continued to stare at him.

"I own both of y'all. Y'all can't leave me," he laughed. "No one else loves y'all. No one knows who y'all are. Do you know how easy it'd be to bury y'all? No one would know,"

I stared at him. "You don't own us. We aren't your property. We don't have much, but her and I have each other. You don't love us. You love hitting us. You love having power and control over us. You don't have that anymore. We're leaving, so get out of our way!" I shook out of his grasp. I held Esined's hand and stood closer to her.

"Alright, Eiram," he said and moved out of the doorway. "Go ahead. You can leave,"

I began to leave with Esined and I felt her being pulled back. "Eric, let her go," I tried to pull her back to me.

"You never listened after all of these years being with me. I told you to leave, not Esined. Bye Eiram,"

"No. You're not keeping Esined,"

"And you're not taking my daughter from me,"

"You don't even claim her! Just like you don't claim-" I stopped myself and breathed. "Let her go,"

"No. You can't have her,"

"Eric, this isn't fair. Just let us go. You're holding on for nothing. You don't care about us," I tried to refrain from crying.

"Leave," he told me.

"No. I'm not leaving without my baby,"

"Why don't you tell your little baby about how you tried to put her up for adoption?"

I looked at him speechless as he held onto Esined.

She looked down and tears fell down her cheeks.

"That's right. She didn't want you," he fed her lies.

"It's not true, Essy. Don't listen to him," I cried. "I love you with all of my heart. I always wanted you," I tried to comfort her and he pushed me back. "Essy look at me,"

She kept her head down.

"Look at me, Esined. The way he's saying it is wrong. My intentions were never to get rid of you," I cried. "I promise,"

I could feel my heart shattering. I just wanted her to look up and believe me.

"Leave, Eiram,"

"Not without her,"

"Leave," he said again.

I shook my head. "Not without my daughter,"

I didn't come this far to leave without her. I would be more of a horrible mother than I already am if I left her here. I wasn't leaving her without a fight.

"Get out,"

"No. Come on, Esined," I reached for her and he pushed her back from my grasp.

"Mama!" She cried as she hit the floor.

Eric choked me up against the corner of the door. "Get out,"

I pushed at his hands. "Let me go," I coughed.

He dropped me to the floor. "Get up and leave,"

"I'm not leaving without her!"

"You aren't leaving with her either!"

"Eric," I wiped my tears. "Please,"

"Get out!"

I reached for Esined once more and he pulled out a gun, aiming it at her.

"Leave or else," he aimed for her head.

I covered her.

"Get away from her and leave,"

"Mama, just go," Esined said with tears running down her cheeks. "I'll be okay,"

I sobbed into my hands. "Can I just hug her?"

"Hurry up," he said.

"I love you," I hugged Esined and whispered to her I'm coming back for you before Eric yanked me away from her.

He pushed me to the door.

The look I saw Esined's face was not one that I wanted to see. I hated myself for leaving, but I meant it, I was going to come back for her and get him in jail.

I put my bag on all of the way and made the thirty minute walk to the bus stop. The bus took me to the greyhound station. I got on the greyhound when my ticket was called. I found a seat and stared out of the window as the greyhound drove to Michigan.

-Mama got a pov.

Y'all should have known that Esined wasn't going to Detroit lmao.

The white man that August shot was Uncle Don.

Lmao, y'all thought it was Eric. Eric don't care about them. Y'all think he'd rob people for them?

Did y'all catch any hints I dropped throughout the chapter? Yes or no?

Also... Did y'all enjoy this chapter?

Comments &a votes are appreciated.

Much love, Shia. Xoxo.