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“That’s not it,” Elite interrupted. “We bounced around to a few temporary homes until we moved in with Debra. She was a saint to our social worker, and she told us we would be in great hands. But you know what Debra did with those hands, Greg? She beat Supreme and molested me. She starved us and said if we didn’t work, we didn’t eat, so Preme was working as soon as he turned thirteen making runs for corner boys. The money they gave him wasn’t really shit, but we were young, so we didn’t know. Ten dollars a run was enough for us to eat that night, so we were good. He did that shit until he was seventeen, but Julius fired him because he said once he turned eighteen he’d be tried as an adult and would be a risk. So Supreme dropped out of school to deal for himself in an attempt to make sure we both would be straight.” Elite chuckled. “But it’s good to hear that life is good for you, Pops.”
“You think it was always this way?” Greg asked. “I tried to kill myself more times than I could count while I was locked up. You know how much guilt plagued me knowing your mother died because of me? Five years didn’t feel like a long enough sentence, so I was dead set on suffering after I was released from prison. Your mother’s side of the family wanted nothing to do with me, and I was too embarrassed to go around mine, so I lived on the streets. It didn’t take long before I was using any kind of drugs I could get my hands on.” He looked at Cassie, taking her hand in his. “But then… God smiled on me. I was searching for food in a garbage can and a young man gave me some cash. He told me they were doing a food drive at a church a few blocks up, so he drove me there. That’s where I met Cassie. I learned that they were doing assisted housing, but in order to get a room, you had to have a recommendation. I didn’t know anyone there, so they were about to turn me away… but Cassie stepped up and recommended me. She didn’t know anything about me, but God placed it on her heart to help me. I started living there, I got saved, and found work. It’s taken twenty years to get where I am today, but I’m proud to say things are finally good for me. And it’s not because of anything I’ve done or deserve, it’s because of the grace of God.”
Elite released a shaky breath, face remaining expressionless.
“Well, I’m glad you were covered by the grace of God,” he said before chuckling as he stood to leave.
“Elite, wait,” Greg called. “I didn’t say that to downplay what you and your brother have gone through. I just… wanted you to see that it hasn’t been easy for me. I never forgot about your mother or you.”
Greg’s hand went to his back, and that was almost enough to break the dam.
“I’m sorry, son. There’s no amount of times or ways I can say that that will truly express just how sorry I am. What happened to your mother… I think about that every day of my life. If I could take it back and die in her place, I would with no hesitation.” Greg’s voice shook as he said, “I didn’t deserve you, and I convinced myself you were better off without me.” He cleared his throat. “I’m sorry to hear that wasn’t the case, and that’s yet another thing I’ll carry with me to my grave. But I want you to know that I’m truly, truly sorry, Elite.”
Greg made his way in front of Elite just as his tears began to fall. When his father pulled him into his arms, Elite didn’t resist. As they held each other and cried, Elite waited for the moment his heart would harden again, but it didn’t. He kept telling himself that his mother deserved better, but in that moment, Elite was just glad to have a parent. To have his father. He didn’t know how long the feeling would last, so he held on to his father until he was all cried out. When he was, Elite pulled away and turned to the side to wipe his face.
“I, uh… need to get up outta here,” Elite announced, just as Denali was making her way down the stairs.
“You sure you don’t want to stay for dinner?” Cassie offered, wiping her own tears. “It’ll be ready in about thirty or forty-five minutes.”
His head shook as he headed for the door. “Nah, I’m good. But thank you.”
He looked back at his father briefly, finding Greg already looking at him.
“See you tomorrow, and I’m here if you need me before that,” Denali said before giving Cassie and Greg a hug.
Elite left the home, taking in a deep breath as soon as he stepped outside. He felt weak, literally, to the point where he couldn’t even move. The door opened and closed behind him, and Elite willed himself to move, but his feet wouldn’t listen.
“Are you okay?” Denali checked.
Sniffling, Elite looked away so she wouldn’t see his face. “I will be.”
Instead of walking away, she stood next to him—so close their arms touched.
“I didn’t know Greg had any more children.”
“Yeah. He has two. I guess you could say we were his trial run.”
Though he laughed, it was a bitter one.
“I’m not going to try to pretend I know what that was about,” Denali said, stepping directly in front of him, but Elite continued to look away. “What I can say is that I’m a mother myself, and the only thing that would have kept me from my children was something beyond my control or something that made me believe they were better off without me.” She paused, and when he didn’t look at her, Denali gently cupped his cheek and turned his head in her direction. Her smile was soft and sweet as she looked at him. “I can’t speak to his character from years ago, but I can tell you Greg has a good soul now. You’re here for a reason. Give him a chance. No one is perfect.”
“I’m pretty sure you are.”
Denali smiled as her head tilted. “It was good to see you, Elite.”
His eyes remained on her as she walked to the Camaro that was in the driveway.
“You too,” he replied, surprised by her words and desire to not just cheer him up, but put in a good word for Greg.
He didn’t know this woman, but there was something familiar about her. Maybe familiar wasn’t the right word. Maybe it was comfortable. Whatever it was, Elite wanted more of it as he watched her drive away.
??????
“I still can’t believe yo’ ass drove out here last night,” Supreme said with a chuckle.
“I don’t know why not. It ain’t like I had shit else going,” Elite replied as he headed out to his pickup truck.
After his meeting with Greg, he found himself headed to Atlanta to see his brother instead of going home. They ended up talking and drinking the night away before falling asleep in the living room. Once the sun came up, Elite headed back to Memphis. He’d been home long enough to get in a power nap and take care of his hygiene before he was heading back out. He wanted to go and see Denali before grabbing something to eat.
