All I Want Is Forever (13 page)

“Yes.”

Talia stared outside. The glass storm door was closed, but allowed light in. An occasional car zipped past on the blacktop road outside. Karl seemed content to let her gather her thoughts.

“What do you want to know?” Karl said at last. “Bet you got a lot of questions.”

“Not really.” Talia rested her head on the sofa cushion.

“Sure you do. Don't think you got all the answers about who Monette is, Talia.” Karl clasped his large hands together against his stomach.

“I don't know what I'm going to say to her. That's the truth.” Talia picked up a small stuffed bird Rashida had left behind.

“Been a long time,” Karl said in a quiet voice.

“Real long.” Talia turned to her older brother. “Just when I think I got that woman all figured out, she pulls something new.”

“That's Monette up and down.” Karl wore a faint smile.

“Most of the time it's an unpleasant surprise, too,” Talia retorted.

“She's got her way, that's no lie.” Karl chuckled.

“Remember that time they caught her with phony checks? I went to court with her. She sweet-talked her way into paying restitution.” Talia shook her head with a laugh. “Hollywood actresses can't match Monette when she's in her game.”

Karl laughed with her. “Our mama can charm the robes off a judge on her worst day.”

“Why are we laughing? Monette is trouble with a big ‘T.'” Yet she couldn't stop laughing.

Karl wiped his eyes. His expression serious again, he studied Talia. “Now really, what are you gonna say? Might be a good idea to think about it some.”

“Once we get past the small talk of ‘How are you?' and ‘I'm fine, and you?,' the visit might be over,” she replied.

“You ain't foolin' nobody but yourself,” Karl tossed back.

“Right.” Talia sighed. Her throat tightened. “I want to know why she couldn't pull her act together and be our mama.”

“I know,” he said simply.

They sat in silence for a long time. Childish voices floated down the hallway. LaTrice clanged together pots and silverware in the kitchen. Karl got up and turned on the table lamps. He sat back down again.

“She's coming up for parole. Winn Barron is planning to fight it,” Talia said.

“The attorney general?” Karl scratched his jaw. “I follow the news pretty close these days. He's from around here I believe.”

“He was the district attorney who got her convicted.” Talia crossed her arms.

“Oh.” Karl pursed his lips for a few seconds. “I was in a group home back then. They took me to the prison to visit her a few times.”

Talia realized there was so much they didn't know about each other's lives. For once, though, Talia didn't feel anger at the thought of Monette's lifestyle then.

“Even though I was mad as hell at her, I hated seeing her shackled,” Talia said softly. A long-suppressed memory popped back into her head. “The district attorney convinced the court she was an escape risk. They had her in leg irons and a leather waist restraint with handcuffs attached.”

Karl nodded. “I remember one visit, I think it was the last one I went to, she had on this orange prison jumpsuit. I had an attitude. I was mad at her and the world.”

Talia listened as LaTrice called to Karl Jr. to take out the garbage. Outside crickets set up a chorus of chirping. Talia and Karl were quiet, wrapped in thoughts of sad days gone by. Sounds of the present served as a background noise to memories. Karl cleared his throat. When Talia looked at him, his expression was less troubled. He seemed to have pushed the past back again.

“Monette has been a lot of things, but she wasn't no drug-smugglin' queen,” Karl said in a firm voice. “What's this guy got against her?”

“Barron wants to run for governor in the next election. Her parole hearing is next month, and he wants to prove he's tough on crime.” Talia grimaced at that argument. Somehow it didn't add up.

“He sent lots of folks to prison that did worse. Mur
derers for instance.” Karl hit on Talia's thoughts exactly. “Why Monette and why now? The election is two years off.”

“Derrick said something about him being U.S. Attorney in the meantime. I don't know.” Talia shrugged. “He's a politician.”

“Right.” Karl nodded slowly. “They start thinkin' ahead long before the election. Buildin' up stuff he can brag on during the campaign.”

“Yeah,” Talia agreed with a sour expression. “Anyway, he's going to use Monette as an example of why mandatory sentencing is a good thing.”

“It's great you helpin' fight that law,” Karl said. “Mama Rose told me what you're doin'.”

Talia blushed. “I didn't volunteer. And I wasn't thinking of Monette either.”

“You could have said no.” Karl made his simple pronouncement and gazed at her steadily.

“Well, he's my boss,” Talia stammered, and looked away.

“Uh-huh.” Karl continued to study her. “The point is you're back home workin' on somethin' that's gonna help Monette. You knew that goin' in.”

“I came because Mama Rose got sick.” Talia plucked at the throw pillow.

“Uh-huh.”

“Will you stop grunting like that?” Talia slapped at the long black tassel on the pillow, causing it to bounce.

Karl held up one palm. “Okay, okay. So Monette is going up for parole, and this guy is fightin' it.”

“Yes.”

“And you don't like that.”

“You'd think he's got better things to do. Like you said, Monette wasn't some big-time gangster.” Talia looked at her older brother.

“She's got that Tulane law professor on her side. They got some other people out of prison,” Karl said. “I been readin' 'bout them.”

“Maybe that will help.” Talia doubted it, given Barron's influence in the state.

“Kinda like in the Bible, David and Goliath. Don't seem right.” Karl raised his thick eyebrows.

“I wouldn't exactly compare Monette to an innocent shepherd boy in the Bible, Karl. I mean she
was
with those men.”

“Yeah,” Karl rubbed his chin. “Maybe more like the woman surrounded by accusers about to be stoned to death. She'd done wrong but didn't deserve the punishment.”

Talia smiled at her brother, the old-fashioned church deacon. “Sure, something like that.”

“I'm real happy you're goin' to see her. She's gonna need our support.”

“I don't know how I feel,” Talia admitted.

“A lot of bad between y'all.” Karl turned in his easy chair to face Talia. “But you got to heal that wound, Talia.”

“What did you talk to her about?” Talia tucked her legs under her.

“It wasn't easy. First I went off on her. She didn't say nothin', just listened. Then 'fore I knew it we was both cryin'.” His voice shook, and he stopped talking for several minutes.

“Y'all want some ice cream?” LaTrice stood in the door that led from the hallway.

Karl wiped a hand over his face. When he looked at his wife, he was smiling. “Yeah, baby. You know what I like.”

“Vanilla fudge.” She grinned back at him. “What about you, sugar?”

“That vanilla fudge sounds good to me, too.” Talia smiled at her.

“Comin' up.” LaTrice bounded off with energy. “Me, I'm havin' strawberry.”

“The good life, Talia. Supper with my family and ice cream for dessert,” Karl murmured. “I'm grateful every day.”

“You've got reason to be proud of yourself,” Talia replied.

“I didn't have one reason to be proud for years.” Karl let out a sigh of satisfaction. He looked at Talia again. “You're successful, got a good life up there in D.C. I'm thinkin' you can afford to forgive Monette now.”

“Here we go.” LaTrice came in with two bowls on a tray. She handed one to Karl and the other to Talia.

“Thanks,” Talia said. She spooned up a tiny scoop and ate it. “Hmm, good stuff.”

“Blue Bell, best ice cream around.” LaTrice glanced over her shoulder when a childish shout came down the hall. “Let me go get these wild children.” She strode off, calling ahead that they'd better behave.

Karl swallowed a generous helping of the frozen treat before he spoke. “You goin' to see her soon?”

“Thursday.” Talia felt a flicker of apprehension at how quickly that day was approaching.

“Monette used to talk to me a lot about them days,” Karl said. “It was like she was wakin'up from a dream. She told me all kinds of stuff.”

“Excuses I'll bet,” Talia said.

“No, just tellin' me like it was. Our daddy got her on drugs. Well, he offered it, and she took some. Made all her troubles go away. At least that's what it seemed like.”

She glanced at him sharply. “She told you about our
daddy? I never heard much about him. What I did hear was bad.”

“He's up in Detroit. Monette said he did us a favor runnin' off.” Karl smiled sadly. “Actually I found him once. He's got a family and ain't into street life no more. But he didn't want reminders of his past.

“We got a real pair of winners in the parent department, didn't we?” Talia said with disgust. “They made us and then went on about their business.”

“God made us, Talia. He put them in charge of takin' care of us on this earth. Now they didn't do right, but if he can forgive 'em, so can we.”

She looked at Karl for a long moment. Coming from anyone else she'd have found those words sanctimonious and naive. But Karl had suffered a lot of pain because of their parents.

“I was seriously thinking of not seeing Monette. It's too hard.” Talia clenched her teeth to deal with the pain.

He sat forward suddenly. “Look, I ain't tellin' you what to do. But I believe Monette got set up by folks still around here.” Karl spoke in a lower tone.

His shift in mood gave Talia the shivers. “Cut it out, Karl. You act like Dracula is about to show up.” Talia tried to laugh, but his deepened frown cut it short.

“She ain't just pullin' some scam this time. Monette told me there was some funny business goin' down in the DA's Office. But she wouldn't say anything else. You know I was on the street back in the day.” Karl clasped his rough hands together.

“Right.” Talia lowered her voice in response to the change of atmosphere. “You were on drugs, running with a gang.”

“Yeah. Well, before I got sent off to the juvenile center and then the group home, I heard stuff.” Karl
twisted his hands together. “I was even stupid enough to brag Monette was my mama.”

“What kind of stuff?” Talia hugged herself as if to warm away a chill.

“Monette was runnin' with this real bad dude named…” Karl blinked rapidly for a few moments. “Can't remember his name, but you might. They was livin' together. You was with her then, right?”

Talia swallowed hard. “In and out of foster care mostly. Besides, Monette went through men like a hot knife through butter.”

Karl nodded once. “You right about that. I'll think of it probably. He was always gettin' arrested. The word was him and Monette had a hookup with the sheriff's office or somethin' like that. All of a sudden he wasn't gettin' arrested no more.”

“And?” Talia's fear was now overcome with intense interest.

“Monette was livin' real high, like she wasn't afraid of nothin' either.” Karl sat back. “I remember her ridin' around in a fancy Buick Regal for a while. Long about that time this dude takes off. Nobody hears from him again.”

“Those guys came and went fast. They lived like that. You know about that lifestyle.” Talia's heart raced even though she kept an even tone.

“Sure. But it's funny how
nobody
knew where he went. Usually your partners on the street know somethin'.” Karl gazed at her with a wide-eyed expression.

“So what were the theories on the street?” Talia asked.

“Lots of 'em. But only two made sense. Dudes was sayin' he got on the wrong side of this bad cop and had to run.” Karl spoke barely above a whisper now. “I also heard maybe he went into that witness protection program.”

Talia felt a finger of fear jab her ribs. She cleared her tight throat so she could speak. “What do you think?”

“This guy disappears, and next thing ya know Monette goin' to prison for a long time. Some coincidence if you ask me.” Karl sat back with a grim expression.

“You think he rolled on her, and they gave him a new identity.”

“I'll bet somethin' he did or said helped put Monette in prison. I think he's dead,” he said bluntly.

“Let's change the subject.” Her chest rose and fell as she tried to catch her breath.

Karl got up and sat next to her on the sofa. “I'm sorry, little sis. You had your bad times with Monette, but you wasn't exposed to that kinda dangerous thug life like me. I gotta learn to watch my mouth.”

“I'm okay, I'm okay.” Talia fought to bring her panic under control.

“Of course this ain't nothin' but street gossip.”

“He's probably in some other town causing trouble.”

“I got a feelin' Monette 'bout to uncover somethin' real bad, Talia.”

LaTrice walked in. “I got more ice cream with y'all names on it.” Her smile faded when she looked at them. “Karl?”

Karl stood. “Ain't nothin' wrong, baby. You got me spoiled, and now you spoilin' Talia.”

Talia caught the message in his eyes and took his lead. “If getting more ice cream means being spoiled, then bring it on.”

They both put on a cheerful face for LaTrice and the children. Karl was soon laughing with true warmth, surrounded by giggling children and a loving wife. LaTrice and Karl made her feel part of their family. The children called her Aunt Talia as though they'd known her all their young lives. After another hour she left and started the drive home. Other cars passed her on
the lonely highway. Yet the night surrounded her car like a black blanket. Her thoughts went back to Monette, and Earl. Talia gripped the steering wheel and decided to take charge of her fear for once. She would find the truth before anyone else did.