“Ask her…” I said, looking at my grandmother. “Ask her…Why did she do it?”
“She was under the contractual spell work of a witch,” Himora said. “Her emotions and feelings have been manipulated and toyed with for years. It is why your mother was forcibly conceived through hatred. It’s why you were given up as a form of repayment for something your grandmother had no control over.”
“When you know better you do better.” Wiping my face, I stared at my mother. “You can’t wait to get to know me? Bitch, you better stay the fuck away from me and my sister or I will kill you.”
“Killwho?” Trevor asked as he cut me a look before looking around. “Who is he talking to? Can’t be me or mine.”
“Everybody in this fucking room. I will lose my shit and kill everyone,” I threatened.
“Turn the emo bullshit down a notch, bruh,” Trevor said. “You’re not killing anyone.”
“Wh–where is…my–my granddaughter?”
The quiet voice caused everyone to look back at Poette Davis and her trembling head as she looked at her daughter.
“Where is our Maggie?”
“Mama? Do…you remember having kids? Twins? Remember…a little girl and boy? Do you remember having a son?”
Poette looked around, seeing her take a deep swallow before becoming quiet and refusing to speak.
“Mama, I don’t remember anything mentioned about a son…”
“She had a boy, and a girl named Adrias and Raven…names favored by Marvin before they were born. It was the names he wanted his first boy and girl to be named after previous First Family members,” Himora said.
“Which is why my middle name is Adrias,” I said, realizing the correlation. “I was the second chance baby I suppose since my mother didn’t want me.”
“Your grandfather took you away from your mother because he believed Ms. Poette Davis hid his children away from him.” Himora corrected as if anybody even fucking asked.
I could see my mother close her eyes tight, refusing to acknowledge me before opening them as she focused on her own mother.
“Mama, do you remember the stories you would tell Maggie? Hmmm?” She smoothed back a silver strand from her mother’s face before gently patting her hair down. “Huh mama? Do you remember? The vampires, witches, angels, and demons all in the little white church? Do you remember the Underground?”
Poette said nothing as she looked at me, eyes hardening just like that motherfucker Marvin. Maybe they both were playing the entire family and this was all planned. Maybe she knew and didn’t care or want to acknowledge it.
“Long…ago,” she started, voice trembling. “I would see people walking at night…every night in the same direction…They would all go to this small little white…church…Mary didn’t believe me at first…but…” Her voice became smaller with each word as if life was slowly leaving her behind. “Men with sharp teeth…eyes and hair white like the moon…”
“Yes, Mama… Yessss… You remember.” Mother exclaimed as she held her hand. “Why is she acting like this? What did you give her? She was just fine before you all barged into my damn house!” She glared at Vanessa who threw her hand on her hip with an attitude.
“Ma’am, respectfully… My work is good. She’s just old as hell.”
“Ness?” Trevor cut in with a warning tone. She raised her hands in the air and backed up with a shrug.
“Mama.” Ms. Norwood whispered. “You remember having children before me?”
Poette looked at her daughter as her eyes began to swell with tears.
“That man raped me…Gloria…” She slowly cried. “He forced his way on me–––”
“Ms. Davis?” Himora called out as she stepped in front of her. “You and Marvin are victims of a terrible curse, and a bad root placed on you, and your womb. You have a son named Adrias…a little baby boy that you held in your arms. You were young when you gave birth.”
Poette Davis said nothing. She kept her eyes on her daughter before slowly leaning back in the chair as her eyes became completely still with guilt and remorse. She was remembering everything but refused to acknowledge her wrongdoing. I could tell by the way she stared at me. She knew she fucked up and thiswas enough for me to see. That tiny glint of guilt she had for me said it all.
“I…I’m sorry…” She murmured. She suddenly gasped with her eyes slowly rolling upwards until they were blinding white as her body stiffened. Her throat tightened as if someone had their hand around it and everyone jumped into action. My mother cried out to her as something dark trickled out of her mouth like smoke. I froze, unsure of what was just said. She didn’t acknowledge the children she had before my mother. She didn’t acknowledge anything about Marvin but me…She…
“Aye!?” Namir shouted, grabbing my arm. “We gotta go–––”
“MAMA PLEASE?!” My mother cried. “Somebody please!”
