Unbelievable

22

Antonio held me the entire time I cried. He asked no questions. I needed that silence when we were in the car. The only sound was the soft music from the radio.

"I don't want to go home," I said.

He nodded his head and turned down a road away from my neighborhood. I didn't tell him where to go. We drove around until he parked at a walking trail. This was the perfect place to walk. Antonio fell into step beside me. It was more silence until we sat down at a bench.

"How did I allow myself to get tricked again?" I asked. "I should have known. He didn't care. Tony was only nice because he expected something in return."

I smacked my forehead. "I'm so stupid."

"No, you're not," Antonio said.

"I am. I got too caught up in Devin and Tony. They have some of the same traits."

"You didn't know."

"But he was friends with the enemy."

"It's okay, Miesha. The only thing you can do now is move forward. Since you know their true intentions."

"What about Ranea? I don't want anything to happen to her."

"You cannot help someone who wants to be around Devin. It's her choice. She has to learn for herself. It's not worth it if it comes down to fighting. Just walk away."

"I'm not ready."

"I know but if you've tried to do everything. It's time to give up, move on, go in another direction."

"My dad too?" I asked.

These were two people I cared about the most. They put themselves in a relationship where they were hurt. Now, my dad and Ranea let Bridget and Devin affect their actions and who they were. They were foreign to me.

"What happened with your dad?"

"We got into an argument. The worse one. He chose to get back with Bridget. She hasn't even been at home for six months. The woman has no money or job. She is using my dad because she has nothing."

"It's hard to be alone, Miesha. You won't be living there forever. Maybe your dad gave her a second chance cause he loves her and gave her the opportunity to prove herself."

"It's too soon."

"If he can forgive her, you can do. She wants the relationship. You will never heal if you don't face it. Your mom was gone for ten years. It's time to enjoy her and cherish every moment now."

I saw it again. Those thoughts coming into his mind. He's remembering something.

I held his hand. "It's okay. Go ahead. You can trust me," I said.

"My mother died when I was 13. My father beat her to death. Literally," Antonio revealed. "He was abusive toward us. It was hard to fight my dad off. He was much bigger than me. I'd rather get the beat down than my mom.

"He was a drunk and always smoked. He never worked. He would steal my mother's money and spend it on alcohol and cigarettes. And we didn't have much. Barely had food and clothes. My mother struggled to keep the lights on.

"That's when I became friends with Devin. He was trouble. His father was like mines. He didn't have much either. I was frustrated. I got tired of living that life. I wanted things to get better. So me and Devin decided to start stealing stuff. We stole clothes and food. We covered our faces and stuffed bags and our pockets. We did it at night cause most stores only had one person working, so it made it easier. One of us distracts. The other stuff his pockets and the bags. Then we switched. My mom never asked how I got all that stuff. She was happy. I got us clothes, food, and any other necessities."

I sat back and listened to his story. His glossy eyes gazed into the distance.

"Since my dad left her with no money, she began to work two jobs and slowly started saving money," he continued.

"He didn't know of her other job, so he only took one of her checks. She said once she get enough money she was going to get us out of there. That's what I wanted was for my mom to be happy. And for us to have a better life. I was never at home, and neither was my mom. I couldn't be there with my dad alone. But I never let my mom be home alone with him. I was there with her. But one day I thought she left out for work. So I left out. I was gone all day. I was all over the city trying to get stuff for us. But I was supposed to come back when she got off until she gets ready for her other job. But I lost track of time. I was getting so much stuff I forgot. So once I realized it, I rushed home. But when I got there..."

I squeezed his hand as a way of comfort. I could tell that he was about to cry.

"When I got there,  he was beating on her. I mean there was blood everywhere. He did have an anger problem. He was furious. I witnessed him beating on my mom. Even though her body was lifeless, he was still hitting her. I lost my temper attempted to fight him. But he was too strong. He gave me a brutal beating. It was the worst one. I was bleeding. I thought I would die too. But the police came and got him off me. He was arrested.

Before the ambulance took me, I glanced at my mom's bloody body. She wasn't moving or breathing. They pronounced her as dead."

When he cried, I instantly came around the table to hug him.

"It wouldn't have happened if I came back on time," he cried.  

"Don't say that," I said.

"She would still be here, and I wouldn't have to live in an adoption agency with no family until I turned 18."

"You were a child, Antonio. You shouldn't have that type of burden on you. None of this is your fault. Your dad is a monster," I consoled him.  

"I hate him. All that my mom put up with. No woman should go through that." His tone switched to anger.

"Then, people who knew my dad told me I would end up like him because of my anger. I would never become an abusive killer," he roared.

It was clear now. He was protective of Malesha, Melina, and I because of his past. Antonio beat Devin up because he implied that he was his dad when Devin was more like him.

I was afraid. Antonio's anger reached its peak again. I wanted him to relax.

"It's me. He is gone."

Antonio rubbed my arms as he calmed himself. "Miesha, I would never hurt you." And I believed him.