Chapter Two: Whatever Happens
The rambunctious puppy trailed behind the three-year old slowly, picking up whatever pieces of food she left behind.
"You put my pretty dwess." Tatiyana licked the remainder of her chips from her fingers.
"Yes Tati. I did." Celeste said as she reached for some undershirts and underwear.
"We come back for chwistmas?"
Celeste stopped and turned to her sister; she didn't want to tell her that they would never be coming back. Not even for Christmas. "Tati…" She paused to put down the bag and get on her knees so she was somewhat eye-to-eye with the three-year old.
"We are not coming back." Celeste spoke slowly, hoping that she would not upset her sister.
Tatiyana frowned and Celeste believed that she saw the start of tears brewing, ready to erupt at any moment. But that's when she nodded her head slowly as if she understood why they were never returning. "Frank make we leave." It was more a statement than a question.
Celeste couldn't find her voice to speak because she knew that her sister's feelings were hurt so she just nodded.
"We leave something for mommy?" Tatiyana pulled on the strand of her hair as she rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet.
As if on cue Sherrie Morgan entered the room quietly, "Girls I need to speak with you." She shut the door behind her making sure it didn't make any noise as it closed behind her.
Celeste examined her mother's change in behavior; she seemed a little apprehensive all of a sudden. And she'd noticed a trace of tears graced her smooth features. Why had she been crying? Celeste wondered, but she had a feeling the answer was down stairs rotting on his ass.
Sherrie sat down on the bed, sighed and began to explain the reason for entering the room, "Celeste, I've made the decision that we cannot stay here. We have to leave. Frank is not what he use to be and it's not good for Tati to be around. I don't like the way he treats you and…" She released a silent breath afterwards, no longer able to continue.
"…and I don't like the way he talks about Ray…" Tears streamed down her face again. Sherrie shook her head trying to build up all the courage she could muster to say, "We will leave tonight, and I want you and Tati ready by midnight. Frank will be asleep by then so we will have enough time to leave before he wakes up."
"We ready." Tatiyana blurted out, pointing to her now packed bag that lay at the edge of the bed.
Sherrie turned towards the bag; she looked back at Celeste questioningly.
Celeste saw the question her mother desperately wanted an answer for but didn't want to ask, "Yes Mom I was going to leave. I only came back to get Tati. I didn't want her to stay here so I was going to take her with me…" She explained it the best way she could.
Sherrie nodded understandingly. Celeste had every reason to want to leave and take her sister with her. And Sherrie instantly regretted why she hadn't done this sooner.
She wiped the tears away and stood up, "Okay well I'll go stall Frank while you go pack my stuff. Don't forget Tati's medicine on my dresser and Jinx's chew toy, it's on the floor under my bed. You know he would never shut up without it." Sherrie released a small chuckle and left the room.
"Mommy come too now." Tatiyana smiled brightly.
"Yeah Tati. You are absolutely right." Celeste couldn't help the smile that creased her previous somber features. Maybe her life was turning around, it took a long time, but it had to start somewhere.
~*~*~*~
Justin walked briskly through the doors into the cold night's air. The wind beat roughly against his skin as he attempted to keep himself warm. He blew air into his cupped hands covered by a pair of bare fingerless gloves.
Patting the back pocket of his jeans, he checked to make sure that the large wad of money he received for winning the fight was still there. With that confirmation in mind, he took off down the road in the destination of his house.
Justin stopped suddenly, three blocks away from the warehouse, not missing the fact that the light-treading footsteps that were attempting to walk carefully without making a sound. A familiar scent caught his nose; he didn't even have to turn around to know who it was.
"What do you want Brenda?" He asked gruffly, not even bothering to turn around and face the blonde young woman.
"You know what I want Justin. Or should I say Timberwolve?" She purred that last bit rather seductively.
Justin snorted, "No I don't. Look Brenda why don't you just get lost? I don't have time for your fucking games tonight." He hissed sharply. "Street Hoe" Brenda always knew the perfect time to pop up; when he just won a fight.
"Ooh Justin…why you have to act so hostile? I thought we were friends after what happened between us."
Justin turned around, rage in his gaze, "Damnit Brenda ain't shit happen between us okay? All you did was give me a fuckin' blow job! That's it. And I didn't even enjoy it. Here's a dollar, get the fuck out of here." He tossed the dollar at her and turned on his heel to continue home. That bitch really knows how to piss me off.
Justin turned the corner; he occasionally glanced back to see if Brenda had followed him. Good. Hopefully, she got it through that small brain of hers. He despised how loose girls had flocked around him only because he had just won it big. They were never there any other time. Of course Justin on a few occasions had sex with them, but it was just that, meaningless sex. It never meant anything. It was just a way for him to release the pint up energy that threatened to burst from his loins after every fight. He would see them that one time and then never see them again. Sometimes in the alley, sometimes in a vacant warehouse, but never in his house.
Nothing in his life had any meaning. It was as if he woke up everyday for no reason at all, but to prowl the streets or go to work, if it could be called that. Most people would not exactly call what he did a standard nine to five. He didn't have a wife and family to provide for. And he couldn't remember the last time he had a girlfriend or a decent meal.
Justin and relationships didn't really fit together well anyway, he was the oil and they were the water. His relationships lasted no longer than the time it took someone to go to work and come back. Not to mention he never could manage to meet a decent female where he lived, but it's not like he was actually looking for one. And he certainly didn't have too many people he could call friends.
Anybody he ever called a friend ended up stabbing him the back. His only and always will be friend is fighting. Fighting never betrayed him or let him down. Fighting gave him a place to sleep, eat, and live. Although fighting provided him with the necessities needed to survive in this cold-hearted world, he still constantly wished for a different lifestyle. A lifestyle where he didn't have to fight to stay alive or a lifestyle where he could wake up everyday knowing what the rest of the day would bring.
"Hey Justin!" A voice called loudly from behind him.
Justin turned around it was his neighbor Kyle, "Yeah Kyle."
"I just wanted to let you know that you were passing your house." He chuckled.
Justin looked around; he hadn't even realized that he almost passed his house. "Oh damn." He ran a hand through his unruly curls, "Thanks man."
"No prob." Kyle leaned against his own doorframe as Justin made it to his stoop. "How'd your fight go?"
"It was solid." He grinned, haughtily, "TKO."
Kyle chuckled. "That's wut's up. So how much did they pay you this time?"
"Humph…It's enough to pay this month's rent."
"Good. I'd hate for Ms. Tate to come harassing you again." Kyle snickered and Justin laughed with him as he began imitating their landlord, "Mista Timber-lake, you besta had that money for me tomorrow, ya hear?"
"Yes ma'am Ms. Tate." Justin replied as if he was really speaking to the old woman.
Kyle continued laughing, "that ole biddy is something else."
Meanwhile a few blocks away from Justin, Celeste, along with her mother and sister, had just escaped from their house. They had been walking for a little over an hour.
Before fleeing out the back door, while Frank slept the night away, the three of them had packed as much things as they could; simple snacks, small juices, and a few sandwiches. If they were lucky, it would last them no more than a week or two.
However, they had more problems to worry about than what they would eat. For starters, they had no idea where they were going to live. Sherrie hadn't arranged any residential plans because she didn't plan on leaving her husband on such a short notice. She'd only realized that she had to just a few hours ago.
And poor Tatiyana. She was only three-years old. She had no clue of the hardships that were to come. In fact, as long as she had her puppy Jinx, she had no worries at all.
Celeste tightly gripped her sister's hand as a sickening thought clouded her mind. What if they didn't make it? What if Frank knew they had left and was following them all along? What if he made them go back?
Celeste dreaded the last thought. She didn't want to go back, especially since she didn't want to be there in the first place.
Of course, she adored her house when it was she, her father, her mother, and Tati, but not long after, Frank had invaded her home. She then realized it wasn't home anymore and it wouldn't be for a long time.
"Celeste, you and Tati gotta keep up with me now." Her mother's calm voice disrupted her labored thoughts and grabbed her full attention. "We gonna stop in a minute, but just want to get as far away from here as possi-"
"Sherrie! Sherrie, where the hell are you!"
"Oh no." Sherrie cried to herself, unable to move, she was too scared.
"Ma what are we gonna do?" Celeste asked, her voice trembling with tears as well.
"Um…" She stopped for a moment and glanced behind them. "Take your sister and-"
"Mom, we're not leaving you."
"Grab your sister Celeste." She demanded continuously, "Put her in your arms."
Celeste bent her knees, which were ready to collapse from under her, and lifted her sister into her embrace. "What now?" She cried, choking on the pool of tears falling from her eyes.
"Damnit where are you Sherri! I won't let you leave me." He was getting angrier and if he found them…
"I'll stall Frank." She managed to get out.
"Mommy not go?" Tatiyana cried.
Sherrie reached up and cupped her daughter's cheek. She kissed her on the forehead, and proceeded to do the same to Celeste. "Now hurry."
"Mom, why ya gotta go back to him, he's a bastard! He doesn't want us there. If it's about the house let him have it! Daddy wouldn't want us to be there if he knew what we were going through." Celeste pleaded.
Sherrie hung her head, "I know sweetheart." She paused, listening to Frank's shouting. He was getting closer and they were losing time. "Frank won't stop until he has me, and that's okay." She sadly admitted, "…but I won't let him get you and Tati too." What could she say to make her understand that this was how it had to be?
"Sherrie where the hell do you think y'all going?" Frank chuckled bitterly.
"Run!" Her mother's voice screamed loudly into the air.
On instinct, Celeste took off down the street. She had no idea where she was going or why, all she knew was that her mother's screams were becoming more distant with every step. Oh god! Help! Celeste hadn't realized that she was screaming to the top of her lungs or that Tatiyana was crying her little eyes out with fear.
"Man you hear that?" Justin asked. He stepped off the porch onto the sidewalk, looking down the dark street. It was impossible to see anyone, but he was sure he heard a faint voice calling for help.
Her feet would not stop, he throat was dry and her voice was slowly fading away. That's when suddenly her mother's screams had become completely inaudible; they could no longer be heard. Celeste stopped in her tracks; her mind was running wild What happened to her? Why can't I hear her screaming?
Sherrie paused, her heart had just launched into her throat cutting of her scream. Through her clouded vision, she vaguely remembered seeing a familiar tall figure dressed in a heavy black coat just before everything went black.
Run Celeste run! The words replayed over and over in her mind, left her with no choice than to obey it. Celeste regained the courage to pry her feet off the ground and continue running. The tears that poured from her eyes made it almost impossible for her to see, not to mention there was not a single hint of illumination on the whole block.
Celeste's worries were blocked off when she connected with a broad chest.