Amber POV-
"Everybody just leave me alone! Leave me alone!" Cali screamed, went in her room and slammed the door.
"Cali." Stac got up to go to her door, but she had locked it.
"Cali Marie Labranch you open this door right now." Stac said.
"Stac just let her be." I told her.
"We need to get this info so we can put his ass underneath the jail."
She said getting worked up.
"I know. We'll get it. She just feels like everybody is ganging up on her." I tried to calm her down.
Callie was upset with everybody because she preferred to be silent as opposed to go forth. But evil prevails when good people remain silent and we were not allowing evil to prevail. We were going to not only speak but yell if we have too.
"I'm just so upset Amb. I could ahhhhhh...." She screamed. "He violated my baby. He violated my baby." She broke down. I got up and hugged her.
"I wanna kill him so bad. So bad." She said on my chest as she wiped her eyes.
"I know and trust me I do too. But I am going to do, everything. Every single thing I can do to make sure he gets under the jail."
The doorbell rang. I went to go get it. It was Quincy. Stac sat on the couch. Since Callie was being reluctant to answer Quincy could give me the info to get the ball rolling until
She was ready to open up.
"How y'all doing?" He said as I invited him in.
"Doing." I sighed. As I closed the door behind him.
"Well I want y'all to know I'm sorry about what happened to Cals and anything I can do, I'm there. That's why I'm here."
"We appreciate it baby. So have a seat so I can ask you some questions." I pointed to the couch.
"Here are the clothes." He handed me
The bag. "Sorry I didn't know you weren't supposed to wash them."
"It's okay. We'll figure it. I understand in situations like this most people don't know what to do." He sat on the couch next to Stac.
I sat in the chair facing them.
"So I need you to answer as honestly as possible and be as descriptive as possible." I told him.
"Yeah whatever you need." He said.
"About what time did Callie call you?"
He looked in his phone. "Uhh....2:17."
I took notes.
"And what did she say?"
"She was hysterical and was just like come get her."
"From where?"
"Walmart on Trenton. She told me she was in the bathroom."
"Okay so you went to pick her up?"
"yeah. I went to pick her up."
"And what did you see once you went?"
"Well I went in and her clothes were ripped. Blood was down her legs. It was just sad. My heart broke seeing her like that."
"I can't." Stac got up crying and walked outside.
It was too much hearing this happened to her daughter.
"Should I..." Quincy said.
"No, I need this info. Give her a moment. So after you got her from the Walmart you took her where?"
"Back to my crib. She was adamant about not wanting to go to the hospital. And she was already like distressed ya know, so I just took her to my house."
"Hopefully nothing like this ever happens again, but for future reference you take a rape victim to the hospital
For a rape kit."
"I ain't know. I'm sorry. If I would've known that would've been the first thing I did." He said sincerely.
"I know. They don't really educate boys on this protocol. They barely tell girls, but they definitely don't let boys know. They need to be just as educated. So anyway, you took her home."
"Yeah. Fixed her a bath."
"Did she say anything about the assault?"
"Nah. Except he took what was sacred to her." He sighed.
"Did you know this professor?"
"not personally. But there had been rumors."
"About?"
"He would get the hottest girls to be his interns and bag them. Some of them even bragged about it. But one girl said he raped her last year. The administration didn't believe it when he said she came on to him. And they ended up expelling her."
"You know her name?"
"Tameka Shaw."
"You have her contact info?"
"Nah but I know some people that do and I'll get it for you."
"Great. And thank you for everything."
"Fasho. Can I see Callie?"
"She's mad at everyone. You can try." I said.
"Yeah I know. She was super upset at me when she saw your sons at the door last night. But I told her it was the right thing to do."
"She'll appreciate it in the long run."
He got up and went to the door. He knocked.
"Cals. Open up."
There was no answer.
"Just come back later Quincy." I told him.
"Yeah. I'll do that. If y'all need something else let me know."
"We will."
I hugged him and he left.
I had my work cut out for me. Seeing as there was no rape kit and her clothes were washed. But I had a feeling, Callie and the young lady Quincy had mentioned weren't the only victims and that would be so important. One thing I learned is that when a victim comes forward it gives others the strength too. My task now, would be to get Callie and the other victims to Come Forward to speak about this crime. But first I would talk to the administration tomorrow to alert them that I would be going forth with criminal charges and that we demand he be fired from
The institution.
The door opened. Miri walked through.
"Hey baby." I said taking some notes. I hAdnt seen him since I'd got here. He was at school.
"Hi." He said dryly and taking off his shoes. He went to his room and closed the door. I sighed and went to his room. I closed the door behind me.
"What's wrong?"
"I'm good." He said putting his book bag down and sitting on his bed. He looked this phone.
"Amiri." I folded my arms.
"What?" He looked at me annoyed.
"Callie knows you love her and would stop at nothing to protect her."
"I don't feel like talking about this Ma." He laid on his bed looking at his phone.
Auggie had told me that Amiri had been virtually quiet. No jokes. No smiles. No laughs. Just quiet since they picked Callie up last night. He didn't even go in. Auggie said to get her. Nor did he say anything to her.
And I know a big part about it was he felt like he failed her.
"You didn't fail her baby." I told him, knowing the reason behind his silence.
He started shaking his head and tears fell.
I sat on his bed and brought him into his chest.
"I can't even look at her." He confessed. "I felt something was wrong and I just...ahhhh...." He couldn't get the words out.
"I know baby." I kissed his forehead. "You better believe his ass is going to get everything, and I do mean everything he deserves. Mark my words. But for now, you need to just be there Callie. Face her. Trust me
If she needs anybody right now. It's you. Okay?" I looked at him.
He shook his head and wiped his eyes.
"Go see about her. Maybe she'll open the door for you."
He got himself together and went to see about Callie.
Amiri POV-
"Cals." I knocked on the door.
I didn't get a response. I got a knife and opened the door. She was in the bed under the covers crying. I closed the door. I sat in the bed next to her.
"You got a flat pancake booty." I jiggled her butt.
"Stop Amiri." She sniffed and hit my hand.
I laughed. "I brought you something." I handed her some dandelions I got from out back. "Ain't that what that nigga Quincy gave you?"
"No he gave me sunflowers."
"Right he got some dandelions from
Out back and said that shit was sunflowers and you all... Oh thank you." I mimicked her.
"Whatever." She rolled her eyes.
I laughed. There was an awkward moment of silence.
"I know I failed you and I want to say I'm sorry. I don't think I love anybody more than you and I wasn't there." Tears fell and I quickly wiped them. "I'm sorry. I just wished you called me."
Cals grabbed my hand. "I know. And the only reason I didn't call you was because I know how you react. And I didn't want you to ruin your college career. I love you too much." She started back crying.
I grabbed her head into my chest. "
"Promise to never not call me again."
"I promise." She said.
"Love you."
"Love you more." She said.
I kissed her forehead.
"We'll get through it. Pancake booty and all." I said.
She stale faced me. I laughed. Yes we would get through it.
