Page 36 of Dima
I turned around and walked back out of the door. I didn’t care if I never saw that motherfucker again in my life. My father had done nothing but bring me hurt and pain all these years. If I hadn’t already cut his ass out of my life, it was definitely over with now.
When I brought this case to a close, it would be my name on it, not his. I wouldn’t even acknowledge him in any of it, but I had to do it the right way. I couldn’t let Bishop and Maeve be affected by something that my father had set in motion.
I didn’t know what the beef was that my father had with Bishop, but it honestly didn’t have shit to do with me. The facts were clear to me. Bishop committed a lot of crimes in this city, and if I could build a case off that alone, I would. However, I couldn’t in good conscience use any of the shit my father had pulled to take him down. Bishop didn’t deserve that, and that wasn’t the kind of man I wanted to be.
I would do this the right way, or I wasn’t going to do it at all.
School had been a drag all day. I coasted through every class and didn’t grasp a thing that was taught. I sat quietly in each class, pretended to take notes, and submitted anything I needed to submit, but I was out of it.
Once my last class of the day ended, I headed toward the parking lot. I didn’t even stop to talk to Liyah in the courtyard, because after dinner last night, I didn’t know where my head was at. On one hand, I wanted my father’s freedom to be my main focus, but the thought of not having Dima in my life had taken front and center stage.
My Jeep was parked in its normal park, so I walked over and hopped inside. I made the quick drive to the place that always brought me peace: my grandparents’ house.
I needed to see my grandmother or at least talk to my papa to feel a little bit better about what was going on in my life. My father may have seen Dima coming, but I didn’t. I also didn’t know how any of this would play out. I could possibly lose him forever. I could lose both of them.
I pulled up to my grandma’s house, and my pawpaw’s truck was gone. I knew I wouldn’t be seeing him today, but at least I could still get one of my grandma’s hugs. Even my steps were heavy as I dragged myself to their front door.
“Hey, pretty girl. What brings you by today?”
My grandmother met me at the door as she always did. She had her recliner in the perfect place to give her a full view of her driveway and front porch. She saw me coming before I even put the car in park.
“I just needed to see you, Ma. How you feeling today?”
I pulled her into a hug before she got the chance to. I smiled inside when her soft arms wrapped around me. I laid my head against her shoulder, and she patted my back.
“Oh, sweet girl. Is everything okay?”
“Not really.”
I let my posture slouch and my shoulders drop. I was tired of trying to push through this day. I just wanted to be babied by my grandma.”
“Well, come on in and let’s see if I can help. You hungry?”
“I just ate at the cafeteria.”
“You know that food they serve at that school ain’t nothing compared to mine.”
“I know, but I don’t want to overeat.”
“Okay, baby.”
She patted my back before leading me into the house. I followed my grandmother into the living room. Instead of sitting in her recliner where I knew she wanted to be, my grandmother sat on the sofa and patted the spot next to her for me to join her.
“Is everything okay with Bishop?”
“Honestly, that’s why I’m here. I think he’s in trouble, and I don’t know if he’s going to be able to get out of it this time.”
“I’m not surprised. You know your father. He’s been getting in trouble most of his life. If it wasn’t for my daughter, he never would have been able to stay out of it.”
She laughed, and I couldn’t help but laugh with her. My grandma always told me how much my mama changed Bishop’s life. I loved to hear every story, and I wished she was here now.
“Yes, ma’am, but I don’t know if he’s going to get out of it this time, Grandma. I’m scared for him.”
“Don’t be, child. One thing I know about your father is they not going to take him down easily. So, whatever it is, put it out of your mind. I’m sure he got it under control.”
“I hope so because I cannot afford to lose him, Grandma. I don’t know what I would do if he went to prison or something happened to him.”
“Oh, child, you hush that. Don’t you worry about that. Ain’t nothing going to happen to his old stubborn behind. Trust me, he will be fine.”
