Family Bond

Family Bond(Nik) Family Bond

It all started in the year of 1999. My husband and I had just celebrated our 10 year anniversary and our restaurant, "Soul for You" had just expanded to three different states. I thought things couldn’t get any better than this. On May 14th 1999, I heard a knock at the door. I got up angrily because I hate being disturbed during my soaps, All My Children. “How can I help you,” I asked the man. “Good evening Ma’am, I am looking for John Harris.” “And what is this regarding,” I asked? John came down stairs. He was upstairs working out his sexy body. As John approached the door, the young man handed him papers and said, “You have been served.” John opened the envelope and had a confused look on his face. I walked back in the den to continue watching my girl, Erica Kane. “Honey we need to talk,” John said. “Turn the TV off Saleen.” he said. I could hear the seriousness in his voice so I hit the power button.

“Jaleen has papers against me for child support for twin boys.” As I heard those words, all the oxygen in my head seemed to stop flowing. I saw my husband lips moving but I heard nothing. I could not believe that my trifling sister would have anything else to do with our lives, since I cut her ass off. My sister has been jealous of me as far as I can remember. She wanted all that I had. My dad said as a baby he believed that she shitted all over him because he showed me more attention. Jaleen and I never got along. But in 97’, I wanted to put all that nonsense behind us. So I asked my identical sister to move down to Arkansas and offered her a job in the restaurant. We had a big enough place for her to stay until she got her own place.

During this time, we became real close. She became my best friend. Until I came home from work one day and found her and my husband in the den butt-naked. My husband’s eyes were red like he was drunk. When I came in, I heard him say, “Oh Saleen.” I screamed his name and he jumped and looked at the both of us. He yelled, “She tricked me baby, I would never! She had to put something in my drink. Baby you got to believe me!” “I do,” I said as tears ran down my face. I looked at the heifer that looked scared for her life and screamed, “Get out of my house!” That was the last time I saw her!

“Baby did you hear me?” John asked. “Baby it is possible that these boys could be my boys?” John looked puzzled. He had been trying to get me pregnant for years, only to discover that I could not conceive any children. The one person that I hated the most had possibly given my husband what I could not give him. “Baby we are going to get through this,” John said. Two weeks later we were in court. Prior to going in the court room, my sister came up to me and asked, “Saleen did you get the letter?” I yelled, “Get out of my face you lying tramp! You are nothing to me!” “Please listen,” she said and I just walked away.

The judge got the results from the officer and she stated “In the case of Jaleen Martin vs. John Harris in the matter of paternity of Hakeem Martin, Mr. Harris you are 99.9% chance of being the father.” My heart dropped. “In the matter of paternity of Raheem Martin, you are 99.9% chance of being the father.” My husband grabbed me. “Your Honor, I would like to see my boys!” John yelled. “Quiet!” the judge yelled. “Mr. Harris you are ordered to pay $3000 a month based on your income.” “But Your Honor I never knew,” John said. “You do now and you will pay as of now and back pay. You are dismissed,” said the Judge. My husband walked over to Jaleen and asked to see his boys. She angrily said, “You will never see my boys.” “How are you going to try to keep him from his kids?” I yelled. “Saleen you don’t understand,” is what she said to me. “I understand that you are still stupid and we will fight you for custody,” I said. Tears ran down her face as she ran out of the building. “You are right, we will,” said my husband as we walked out of the courthouse.

Months later, the boys were watching TV with their dad. It was his weekend with the boys, when got a call from my mom. She told me that I needed to get to the hospital because my sister was admitted. I asked my mom, “Am I supposed to care?” My mom started crying and said, “Please come now!” I knew something was wrong from the tone of her voice. So I called John and told him that I was going to the hospital.

I got to the hospital and my dad was crying. I looked down at Jaleen and she looked so pale. She said, “Saleen, I’m dying from cancer.” I began crying. I could not believe this. She continued, “Mom and dad could you leave us alone?” She took my hand and said weakly, “Saleen please just listen.”

“I love you and I am very proud of you. I am sorry for the foolish things that I did when I was younger. I only wanted to be as good as you. But I did not deceive you with your husband.” “Please let’s not discuss this now,” I said. “Listen please,” she said. “John always wanted children bad. He came home one day drunk. As I was watching TV, he was angrily talking to himself saying that dogs can’t replace children. I told him that you guys love can conquer all. He grabbed me by the neck and said what the hell you know about love. He raped me. He must have heard your car beep and that is why he said your name on purpose. I sent you many letters but I guess he got them first. My boys, she paused, you must take good care of them.”

“I’m so sorry,” I said as tears were flowing down my face. I love you were her last words. The next day John had arrived with the boys. They were his pride and joy. I asked my mother to take the boys for a walk. When they left, I turned to John and asked him, “Where are the letters?” He stuttered, “What letters?” I pulled out my pistol and said, “The ones my sister sent about you raping her you! I want you out of me and my nephew’s lives. My sister left me as guardian,” I said. “What are you talking about, those are my boys!” John yelled. “Do you want to die?” I ask him. “No, do you?” John said as he grabbed me to the floor with the gun. We both wrestled to get the gun off the floor. He got it first and pointed it at me. “I cannot believe that you would try to keep my boys from me! You couldn’t even give them to me. And Jaleen was just a slut. So here is what happened. You couldn’t stand to live without your sister, so you shot yourself. Saleen, I live for my boys, they mean more to me than you and now you must die.” Pow! My life blinked before my eyes and I saw Jaleen smiling at me. Bam! John hit the floor. My father, with so much anger in his eyes said, “I won’t let you hurt another one of my girls you devil!”

We buried my sister at the same cemetery as my grandparents. I threw John’s ashes in a dirty lake because I knew his soul will be in a lake of fire. I later asked my dad how he knew everything. He put a tape in the VCR. It was my sister.

“Saleen, if you watching this then it means I’m gone home. I want to start off by telling you that I love you. I am very proud of you and the time that we grew close meant the world to me. My dear sister, at first I would rather you hate me than to be hurt by the truth. So I stayed quiet. When I became sick, I tried to reach out to you. After trying to write and call, I decided that going to court was the only way to reach you. I always admired you hun. I am sorry for your pain. But as long as you got family by your side, that bond can outdo any challenges. Please take good care of my boys, treat them as your own. I will see later alligator, love ya!” The tape stopped. My dad grabbed me in his arms and said “We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.”

Later that day, Mom came in the room with a guy and said, “Honey, this is Curtis and he will be helping you move your things,” When Curtis looked at me, I could see the hurt in his eyes because of my resemblance to Jaleen. “I saw you at the funeral, were you and my sister dating?” “No, she was my best friend. I was not her type,” he said. I asked, “Why not?” “Your sister was gay.” My mouth dropped. I was stunned. “What are you talking about? She used to date this guy name Chris.” “Chris was short for Crystal who was the young lady who lost control at the funeral,” he said. “I don’t believe this. Why did she never tell me,” I asked. “She never wanted to disappoint you. She said that you would disapprove.” “Man, if she was here today, I would tell her that I would love her no matter what but now it is too late.” I started crying. Curtis hugged me and said, “The Lord will never put more on us than we can bear. I loved your sister like family; therefore we have this Family Bond.”




Epilogue (At Jaleen’s grave site)

“Curtis and I are happily married. We see so much of you in both boys. Mom and Dad spoil them rotten but they are good kids. They call you their guardian angel and they know you will keep us safe. Curtis is so good to me. I felt bad because I thought that I could not give him his own kids. I thank God for his Faith. I got to go home and give him the good news of the Bun in the oven. See you later alligator!”