Meredith put the turkey in the sink and ran hot water over it to begin thawing it out for dinner the next day. “Well, we have to talk while I’m cooking. It’s getting late and I still have to rinse my greens and get them on, cut up the potatoes for my salad tomorrow, and bake a couple of pumpkin pies.”
“Good grief! You act like we’re feeding an army!”
Meredith snickered. “Hell, Henry, you know how my family eats.”
Henry cleared his throat and pulled his chair up closer to the table so he could rest his elbows. “Meredith, we need to have a serious talk about Jonquinette.”
Meredith paused and stood still before facing him, leaning her hips against the sink. “What about her?”
“We can’t keep ignoring her behavior. All these years, we’ve made excuses for her actions but something has to be done immediately before it gets out of hand. I don’t even know what I’m saying. Things have already gotten out of hand and you’re not helping matters any.”
Meredith said, “Jonquinette’s just fine. She’s the typical teenage girl. Her hormones are raging and she’s going through major changes.”
Henry shook his head. He stood up and grabbed Meredith by the shoulders. “Jonquinette’s anything but typical, Meredith. You and I both know it.”
Meredith yanked herself free in anger. “I refuse to stand here and listen to this nonsense.”
Henry got a glass out of the cabinet, turned on the faucet, and filled it with cool water. He took a sip and contemplated his next move. “Meredith, I wanted to believe Jonquinette was normal just as much as you. Hell, even more. But we’ve got to get her some help.”
“Help? What kind of help?”
“She needs to see a specialist. A psychiatrist.”
“You’ve lost your damn mind,” Meredith said. “Jonquinette isn’t crazy; you are.”
“Now, Meredith, I’m not saying the girl is crazy. I’m saying, at the very least, she’s extremely confused.” Henry started pacing the floor. “There’s just something that doesn’t sit right about all of this.”
“The only thing Jonquinette needs is a decent boyfriend. She’s at the age where she should start dating.” Meredith turned on the oven and then sat down at the table. “If you really want to do something for Jonquinette, spend more time with her. She still has to log another thirty hours of driving with her learner’s permit before she can get her license in January. She also needs to improve her computer science grade and being that you’re a programmer, I would think you could help her out with that.”
Henry didn’t appreciate the sarcasm lingering in Meredith’s voice. “This isn’t about driving or some damn computer. This is about doing something before Jonquinette seriously hurts herself or someone else.”
“Where is this all coming from?” Meredith asked apprehensively. “Granted, she’s had episodes in the past but nothing lately.”
Henry lowered his eyes to the floor.
“Henry, nothing lately, right?”
“I guess not,” he replied. “I just have this gut feeling that this is the calm before the storm.”
Meredith got up and touched his hand. “Henry Pierce, you and I have been through hell together over the past two decades and we’ve always survived. We’ll survive this, too, whatever it is.”
Henry hugged Meredith snugly. “I love both of you so much. I just want us to have a happy family.”
“We do have a happy family, Henry.”
“If you say so, but—”
Meredith pulled away from his embrace and glared at him. “But what?”
“I still plan to call someone on Monday. Just to see what they say.”
“Someone like who?”
Henry shrugged. “I guess I’ll start with the Health and Human Services Department. They should be able to recommend someone.”
Meredith rolled her eyes and slammed a pot down on the stove. She didn’t say another word.
Jonquinette tiptoed back upstairs without either one of them knowing she’d heard the entire conversation.
18
Thanksgiving Day, 1994
Three A.M.
Jude had waited until both Henry and Meredith were fast asleep before sneaking out of bed. She threw on a pair of jeans, a tee shirt, and a pair of raggedy sneakers and then eased her way out of the house into the garage. She winced when she pushed the button for the door to rise. It was a dicey move because there was a noisy vibration. Her room was directly over the garage and she always heard it but wasn’t sure whether it was audible in the master bedroom.
She waited for a minute to see if she heard any movement. There was nothing, so she unlocked Henry’s Lincoln Town Car and eased behind the wheel. She was elated that he always kept an extra set of keys in the kitchen drawer. It made things so much easier for her.
She put the car in reverse without starting the engine and coasted out the driveway onto the street where she turned it over. She grinned as she headed off into the darkness. “I’ll fix your ass but good,” she whispered.
Jude knew exactly where to go: a strip downtown that was heavily populated with strip clubs and prostitutes lining the sidewalk. She had two hundred dollars and some change; Jonquinette’s life savings. She hoped it would be enough.
• • •
One P.M.
Jude stayed up in the bedroom for most of the morning, pretending Jonquinette was studying computer science. But Jude didn’t give a fuck about computer science. She did like going into chat rooms, though; particularly those where people talked about sex and nothing but sex. One such room was called “Freaky Black People.” It was her personal favorite.
She’d had cyber sex with countless men, most of whom thought she was a twenty-five-year-old nurse from Raleigh, North Carolina, instead of a fifteen-year-old high school student. Stupid idiots, as far as she was concerned.
Even Jude was shocked that so many freaks were online Thanksgiving Day. She assumed they all had family plans but their addiction to chat rooms must have superseded them.
Jude was just bored stiff and waiting for the fireworks to initiate later that day. She still had a few hours before the festivities so she started teasing around with one of the men in the chat room who had the screen name “Slanging Dick.” His profile boasted that he could lick a woman’s belly button from the inside. Nasty bastard, Jude thought. Just my type of man.
Jude had yet to have actual intercourse but it was only a matter of time, as far as she was concerned. Jonquinette led such a lackluster life that there wasn’t a single boy she spent time around that interested her. The boys at school were all revolting. Plus they were just that: boys. Jude yearned for a man.
A few of the men online had tried to coax her into offline meetings. One of them almost had her, a smooth talker who went by “DreamLvr4U.” She was all ready to meet up with him until she found out he wanted to rendezvous at a raunchy hotel instead of one of the fancy ones he always talked about doing the nasty with her in. She also found out, from another woman in the chat room who had actually met him and had sex with him offline, that he had the dick of an eight-year-old. She wasn’t sure if “BombAzz-Puddy” was lying or not, but she wasn’t taking any chances or wasting her time. Besides, Bomb also informed her that Dream looked nothing like the photo he was emailing to women in the room. She said the photo must’ve been more than a decade old and that he was really closer to forty instead of the thirty-year-old he claimed to be.
Jude, whose screen name was Hot CUMmodity sent Slanging Dick an invitation to a private chat so she could cyber him. What the hell, she thought. Practice makes perfect. Even if the practice isn’t real.
They entered a private room and it was on:
Hot CUMmodity: What’s up, love?
Slanging Dick: Nothing much. Just waiting to see what you’re working with. Do you cyber much?
Hot CUMmodity: A little here and a little there but nothing beats the real thing.
Slanging Dick: Amen to that. Cyber sex i
s cool, though. At least it’s safer.
Hot CUMmodity: Yeah, it’s safer than phone sex.
Slanging Dick: Phone sex?
Hot CUMmodity: Yeah, you should always wear a condom when you have phone sex so you don’t catch hearing aids.
Slanging Dick: LOL—you’re a wild girl.
Hot CUMmodity: So your profile said you can lick a woman’s belly button from the inside.
Slanging Dick: All night long and my dick’s so long you can feel it in your throat.
Hot CUMmodity: Damn, how big is it?
Slanging Dick: How big do you want it to be?
Hot CUMmodity: Big enough to satisfy me in all three holes.
Slanging Dick: Damn! So you like it in the ass, huh?
Hot CUMmodity: Ooh, yeah! I love it in the ass. In fact, let me show you my ass right now. I’m lying here naked on top of my bed fingering myself as you come into the room.
Slanging Dick: Umm, yeah, I can see you. Describe yourself.
Hot CUMmodity: I’m five-ten, caramel, I have long flowing dark hair and large bedroom eyes, and a body that screams, “Cum fuck me!”
Slanging Dick: Oh, my!
Hot CUMmodity: Describe yourself to me.
Slanging Dick: I’m six-eight, light-skinned, bowlegged and I wear my hair low, I’m clean-shaven, and I have a big-ass dick.
Hot CUMmodity: Yummy, I just love tall men. Let me turn over and prop my ass up on a pillow so you can get a better look at it. Can you see my anus now?
Slanging Dick: Yeah, I see it. Lick your finger and run it up and down your crack. Get that ass ripe for me.
Hot CUMmodity: I’m licking my finger. Now I’m running it up and down the middle of my ass. Oh, my bad, I accidentally slipped it in. It feels so good but your dick would feel better.
Slanging Dick: Well, get ready for it because here it CUMS!
Hot CUMmodity: Um, yeah, that’s it, baby. Slide it right up in there, slowly so I can get used to it.
Slanging Dick: I’m pushing my dick into your ass inch by muthafuckin’ inch. How does that feel?
Hot CUMmodity: Awesome. Give it all to me. Fuck it. I can’t wait anymore.
Slanging Dick: I’m shoving it all the way in. Take this shit, raw dog, you whore.
Hot CUMmodity: I like it when a man talks dirty to me. Talk dirty to me some more.
Slanging Dick: Okay, bitch! Take all this dick up that black hole of yours!
Hot CUMmodity: Uh, yeah, you’re ripping it up now. I can feel your balls slapping up against the back of my thighs.
Slanging Dick: Ooh, I’m yanking your head back by your hair, forcing your ass further onto my dick. Take this pain, bitch!
Hot CUMmodity: I’m fingering myself and feeding my pussy to you. How do I taste?
Slanging Dick: Like chicken.
Hot CUMmodity: Cum for me, baby!
Slanging Dick: I’m not ready to cum yet. I’m yanking my dick out your ass and ramming it into your pussy. I’m gonna fuck you doggy-style.
Hot CUMmodity: That’s my fav!
Slanging Dick: Uh, yeah, mine too. Work this dick over, whore!
Hot CUMmodity: Mammacita’s working it, Boo!
Slanging Dick: I want you to cum all over this dick.
Hot CUMmodity: Grab my ass cheeks and dig your nails into them.
Slanging Dick: Oh, yeah! How’s that?
Hot CUMmodity: That’s it, Poppi! I’m cumming already. I can feel it trickling down the inside of my thighs onto the sheets.
Slanging Dick: I’m fingering your ass. Does that make it better for you?
Hot CUMmodity: Yeah, but stick three fingers inside me instead of just one.
Slanging Dick: I wanna taste you, bitch!
Hot CUMmodity: Only if I can taste you, too!
Slanging Dick: I’m pulling my dick out your pussy and laying down on the bed. Climb on my face. Lay that sweet pussy right on my hungry mouth.
Hot CUMmodity: I’m lowering myself onto you. My pussy’s so sticky with my cum.
Slanging Dick: We 69ing?
Hot CUMmodity: Absolutely. I’m taking your dick into my mouth at the same time I’m sitting on your face.
Slanging Dick: Umm, your pussy is so sweet.
Hot CUMmodity: I’m licking my pussy juice off your dick. You’re right. It is sweet.
Slanging Dick: Umm, damn skippy!
Hot CUMmodity: I deep throat you and I feel you cumming in my mouth.
Slanging Dick: Is it good to you, baby?
Hot CUMmodity: The best! I cum in your mouth and then climb off your face.
Slanging Dick: Oh, shit! @@@@ That was some bomb pussy.
Hot CUMmodity: I have to go now. Thanks for the dick, Boo. Kisses all over your body.
• • •
Four P.M.
The house was packed with relatives, all of whom Jude hated. She’d put on a plaid wool skirt and long-sleeved sweater; just the variety of boring outfit Jonquinette would’ve selected.
Meredith was in her element, showing off for her family and pretending like she was the shit. When she asked Jonquinette to help her set the table, Jude plastered on a bogus smile and complied. She wanted to stay downstairs because she didn’t want to jeopardize missing the action once the doorbell rang.
By four-thirty, when they all actually sat down to eat, Jude was getting edgy. “The bitch” was late.
Benjamin, Jonquinette’s twelve-year-old cousin, was making Jude queasy by chewing with his mouth open. Jude wanted to reach across the table and slap him. Instead, she just grinned at him and redirected her eyes elsewhere. When he let out a loud belch, Jude cleared her throat. That sorry motherfucker has no home training whatsoever, she thought. Then again, she shouldn’t have been surprised considering his mother, Meredith’s sister Elaine, had no home training her damn self.
By five, Jude was absolutely enraged. She was ready to go scour the streets for “the bitch” and strangle her with her bare hands.
At five-fifteen, the doorbell finally rang. Jude jumped up and said, “I’ll get it. You all finish your dessert.”
Meredith called after her as she headed out into the foyer. “I wonder who it could be. Everyone’s already here.”
Jude yanked the front door open and glared angrily at “the bitch.” She whispered, “Don’t you own a watch?”
“The bitch” came back at her. “Yeah, but I had three dudes come by in a van and they were loaded with cash. Shit, you only gave me two hundred. Don’t get to tripping on me or I’ll turn right back around.”
Jude decided to swallow the words in her throat. At the moment, other things were more important.
Meredith decided to come out of the dining room to investigate. She was shocked when she saw the slut standing in her doorway. The woman gave the impression of being a streetwalker. She had on a taut spandex skirt that was so undersized you could see the crotch of her red lace underwear, a pair of stilettos and a halter top in the middle of November.
“Who the hell are you?” Meredith demanded to know.
Jude winked at “the bitch,” letting her know it was time to get the show on the road.
“Um, I’m looking for Henry,” she said. “Henry Pierce. Does he live here?”
Meredith came closer to the door. “Henry’s my husband. Who are you?”
“The bitch” grimaced and then laughed in Meredith’s face. “I’m Henry’s mistress.”
“Momma . . . ” Jude cried, starting the performance she’d planned all along. “Daddy has a mistress?”
Meredith coughed, trying to prevent herself from choking on her own saliva. “Of course, he doesn’t. This woman is obviously mistaken.” She eyed the hooker and said, “You’ve apparently got the wrong house.”
“The bitch” asked, “Is this 12709 Spring Valley Lane?”
“Yes, it is,” Jude quickly responded. When she noticed no one else was coming out of the dining room, she got louder so they could hear the commotion. “You did say you were looking for Henry
Pierce, didn’t you?” she yelled.
Henry obviously heard that because he appeared around the corner less than ten seconds later asking, “Who’s at the door?”
“The bitch” eyed Jude, trying to make sure he was the right person because she’d never seen him.
Jude decided to confirm it by running up to Henry and throwing her arms around his neck. “Daddy, say it isn’t so! Say she’s lying!”
“Who’s lying?” Henry asked.
Meredith glowered at Henry and said, “Your mistress is at the door.”
“My what?” Henry bellowed.
It gradually became Noah’s Ark up in the Pierce household as their guests came into the living room in pairs. No one wanted to be considered nosy but, at the same time, no one wanted to miss a single word of what was about to go down.
“The bitch” came farther into the house uninvited and threw herself down at Henry’s feet, grabbing onto one of his calves. “Henry, please come be with me.”
“What? What the fuck are you talking about?” Henry was panic-stricken. “I don’t know you.”
“The bitch” got up and placed her hands on her hips in anger. “Oh, so you’re just going to play me like that, huh?” She turned to Meredith. “My name’s Mahagony and I’m carrying your husband’s child.”
Meredith threw her hands up in the air in alarm and looked at Henry. “Damn, Henry, she’s pregnant too?” Meredith was totally embarrassed. She couldn’t believe all of this was happening in front of her family members. She switched her attention to Mahagony. “It’s Thanksgiving. Couldn’t you have had the decency to at least wait until tomorrow? We have guests.”
Mahagony said, “I don’t give a damn about your guests. Your husband paid me for sex, at first. Then it became more than that. I started being with him for free and we fell in love. Why should I have to spend my holidays alone? I belong here just as much as you do. Even more, probably, because I’m the one satisfying his needs.”
Henry seized Mahagony and started pushing her toward the door. “I don’t know what kind of game you’re running but you need to get the hell out of this house right now.”