I sat outside in front of the funeral parlor for all of 15 minutes. These damn kids was working my nerves. Every 5 minute I heard "Can we go in yet Paw-Paw?" I let go of an angry sigh before I said "Come on, get out," it was a beautiful day out and I was ready to give everybody a surprise of a life time. The girls flanked me on each side as we walked up the steps to Brewbakers Funeral parlor.
I heard Fishbone clear as day as he announced the next speaker but became stuck when there was no name present. I thought to myself "Perfect timing," The girls pushed the doors open and everyone turned in their seats to see who had blatantly showed up late. I smiled my most award winning smile and began my journey down the center aisle. Everybody in attendance looked at me as if I was a celebrity. I must admit I did look like the late Red Foxx in his younger days. I stood at 5 feet 11 inches and I wasn't as in shape as I was back in the day. I had developed a small but noticeable beer belly. My hair was starting to grey but you could still see the red specks that was still ever present. My skin was wrinkle free and still smooth to touch. I had a slight limp due to them gunshots that riddled my house and killed my Martha.
I looked at the sea of faces and noticed a few from my past and some I had no idea of who they were. The girls stopped mid stride and waved to a older lady in the front pew. I adjusted my glasses on my face and zoomed I'm on her beauty, I couldn't believe my eyes. She was still just as beautiful as she was some 30 years ago. She looked over her shoulder finally and noticed me. Her eyes went from being squinted close to the size of fifty cent pieces. She turned around and leaned into the ear of some man and whispered something in his ear. He simply nodded his head as she grabbed her purse and stood up. She started down the aisle with her head down. When she was close enuff I leaned in and I grabbed her wrist gently "I advice you to go sit back down before I make a scene," she looked up at me and snatched her hand away and continued down the aisle.
I walked up to the podium and made it just in time before she pushed the doors open "Quiana?" she stopped in her tracks and glared over her shoulder at me. I made a jester towards Jeremiah's punk ass as he stared at me in total disbelief. She sucked her teeth in anger and started back towards the front. Once she was seated I noticed the girls was smiling up at me giving me the go ahead. I cleared my throat and I began my story;
"Ahem," I cleared my throat "Garret Haynes," I laughed "Some of you may know this slime as the infamous Detroit Hustle," I heard gasp and murmurs as I continued "I'm not here to tell you that I'm going to miss the man because in all honesty I can't stand the bastard," I stretched my fingers across the podium as Quilla looked at me in awe. "Detroit Hustle was a snake and I'm glad somebody or shall I say someone burned his ass alive," I saw some lady stand to her feet and walk out the funeral parlor. "I'm only here to make sure the slime ball is dead," I then laughed. I looked out into a sea of faces that was either hurt or flabbergasted at my blatant remarks.
I grabbed my cane and stood erect. "Detroit Hustle, I hope you can hear me wherever your rotten corpse may rest. May your soul rot in shit," I turned to walk away when Quilla stood to her feet "Bishop Reynolds, now you know it's wrong to speak I'll of the dead, what is wrong with you?" the girls helped me down the stairs and I walked over to her and smiled. I looked from her to Jeremiah and said "Quiana, I have a question?" she placed her hands on her hips "Now you know I hate to be called Quiana," I placed my hand over my heart "Please forgive me Quilla," I said as if I had a bad taste in my mouth "But I do have a question," she placed all her weight on her right leg causing her leg to bow "What do you wanna know Bishop?" I smiled "Call me Mississippi Red," the crowd gasped and there was more mumbling. Quilla smacked her lips "What nigga?" I laughed at how cute she looked when she was angry "Did you ever have the baby?" Quilla's body began to sway, Jeremiah looked perplexed and I laughed and proceeded to walk off. The girls turned and said "Bye Momma Quilla," the look on her face was priceless.
Quilla:
I sat out there holding on to Shade and Jeremiah's hand like I was knee deep in quicksand. Everything he said about Garret was heart wrenching but why would he do this here. Shade leaned into me and whispered "Granny who is that man up there bad mouthing my grandpa," I looked at her and couldn't find the words. This was bad, all bad if you ask me. Yet again I sat here praying for a miracle. A prayer that Bishop wouldn't say a damn thing to me especially after the fact me and Jeremy been arguing for the past few days. I loved my husband but there was some things he didn't know about my past. There were things I did for him that he had no clue at all what those things were. I was so busy trying to keep my family afloat that I didn't think about the consequences.
I was young, naïve and Jeremy was my first to a many things. I remember thinking I wanted to experience new things, new adventures and all that came true one nite when Jeremy came home drunk owing Mississippi Red twenty five hundred dollars. I was upset and I was down right mean. I called him all types of bastards. I left that night and didn't return for about a week and shortly after I returned I found out I was pregnant with Erica and Erin. I never told Jeremy of the possibility of me being pregnant by somebody else and now here stood Mississippi Red. The man that made my body his temple. I had never experienced love the way he offered it. The way he said my name at times made my nipples harden. I felt Jeremiah tug atcmy hand and I snapped out of my walk down memory lane "What in the hell is going on Quilla?" I couldn't even answer my husband for fear of saying the wrong thing I just shrug my shoulders like a teenager. Jeremy huffed and let my hand go.
I was floored when Bishop stood up there and wished shit on a rotting corpse. I stood to my feet "Bishop Reynolds!" he turned to me and signaled Rayne and René to helped him down the stairs. He stopped in from me "Quiana," he said my name as if it dripped with excrement. I responded harshly and from there the ball rolled into one hell of a stone. Bishop looked at me in anger and asked the question of the century "Did you ever have the baby?" my knees buckled and I found myself sitting between Shade and Jeremy.
Bishop walked off in laughter and I couldn't breathe. Jeremy looked at me in anger. I was quick to stand and get out of there. I kissed Shade as I witness the confrontation between Blue, Veronica, and Bishop and I stormed outta there. I pushed the doors open as I fished for my car keys. I pressed the remote start as I ran across the street to avoid traffic. I pulled open the door as the double doors swung open and Jeremy stepped out. "Quiana!" he yelled and waved his hands frantically. I went got in my car and locked the doors. Jeremy was trying to cross the street while yelling my name over and over. I put my car in drive and dashed out in traffic. I heard a horn blaring loudly as it missed me by mere inches. I drove for a few minutes in a blurred vision because of the tears that wouldn't stop. I merged right to get on the highway so I could go home and relax. I put on my turning signal to merge into traffic when I heard a horn blaring and a loud crash. The last thing I remember seeing was Shade and Jeremy waving at me before it all went dark ...
