Page 137 of Collateral Love
Xavier sat off to the side, leaned back against the wall, arms crossed, hood up. He looked bored if you didn’t know him. Channy sat two seats down from me, jaw tight, eyes too bright. As much as I hated the bitch, Channy actually had good moments with mom, and she was heartbroken to learn of her betrayal.
Zayden stood in the corner, more shadow than man, saying nothing.
The recorder sat on the table between us. We’d tested it three times. Two visible mics, one buried in the fluorescent fixture above us, backup on X’s watch, and audio mirrored through Zay’s phone.
The door opened.
My mother walked in like she was doing us a favor by showing up.
She wore a cream church dress and a soft cardigan, like she was on her way to some women’s Bible study instead of a reckoning. Her hair was pressed, curls tucked under her shoulders. Her lipstick was the same deep berry it had been my whole life. Her perfume hit the air first—strong, floral, and familiar in a way that still irritated my lungs. The smell reminded me of all the whoopings I received for raising my tone when I would defend myself from my mom calling me names.
“You dragged me all the way here,” she said, tightening her purse strap over her shoulder. “You couldn’t come to the house?”
“Thanks for coming, Mom,” Channy said softly.
I didn’t say a thing.
Her eyes skipped over me on purpose, like I was a stranger at somebody else’s family meeting.
Good.
I was done begging her to see me as her daughter.
“Sit down, Sharon,” Zayden said quietly.
She bristled at the way he said her name. My mother had always hated it when men used it without a “Mrs.” attached.
“What is this?” she demanded, but she sat anyway. “I’m not in the mood for any ghetto dramatics. I’ve had a long week.”
“You’ve had a long life,” Xavier murmured.
Her eyes flicked to him. “I didn’t ask you anything.”
“And yet,” X replied, “here we are.”
I reached forward and clicked the recorder on.
My mom’s gaze dropped to it.
Her lips curled.
“Oh,” she said. “So we’re doing — what is this? Interrogations now? Y’all think you're the DA?”
“Nah,” Zayden said. They’re sloppy. We clean.”
She rolled her eyes. “I am not talking about anything illegal with that little thing running.”
“You already did,” I said quietly. “You just didn’t know it.”
Her head snapped toward me so fast I heard something crack in her neck.
“What did you say?”
I met her eyes.
I didn’t look away. Didn’t fold. Didn’t shrink.
“You’ve been talking your whole life, Ma,” I said. “This is the first time we decided to listen correctly.”
