Read Online Nobody's Son by Zaria Garrison - Free Book Online Page A

her home after church on Sunday.
    â€œAuntie Ellen, can I watch it again?” Aaliyah asked.
    Ellen looked up from her magazine and suddenly noticed that the DVD had ended.
    â€œAre you sure you don’t want to watch something else?” she asked. “You’ve watched this one all day.”
    â€œ Shrek is my favorite. Please can I watch it one more time?”
    No matter how hard she tried, Ellen could not resist her niece’s beautiful brown eyes when they were peering up at her, pleading. “Of course, you can, honey. I’m going to fix dinner so that it will be ready when your mom wakes up from her nap.”
    â€œSketti, sketti,” Aaliyah squealed.
    Ellen laughed. “No, we had spaghetti last night. How about we have chicken fingers and broccoli with lots of cheese sauce?”
    â€œYay,” Aaliyah cheered happily.
    Ellen started the DVD once again for her niece, then went into the kitchen to cook dinner. She took the chicken fingers from the refrigerator and after washing them thoroughly, she seasoned and battered them before placing them on a pan that she put into the oven to cook. Next, she boiled some water on the stove and placed the basket full of broccoli over it to steam. She went back to the living room to check on Aaliyah; then she grabbed her magazine and returned to the kitchen. She was sitting at the table waiting for the food to get done when she heard the sound of a key in the front-door lock.
    â€œDaddy!” she heard Aaliyah say.
    â€œHey, baby girl, where’s your mommy? Is she cooking dinner? Something sure smells good in here.” Reggie walked into the kitchen and was surprised to see Ellen scowling at him with her arms folded across her chest. “Oh, it’s you. What are you doing here, Ellen?”
    â€œI picked your wife up from the hospital last week, and the doctor said that she couldn’t be alone. I’ve been here all week. Where have you been?”
    Reggie turned his back to her and walked toward the bedroom. “None of your business,” he yelled over his shoulder.
    â€œReggie, wait a minute. I need to talk to you.”
    â€œCan’t it wait? I want to see if my wife is okay.”
    Ellen walked into the living room behind him. “No, it can’t wait. I need to talk to you about something important before you see her.”
    â€œWhat is it now, Ellen?” he asked with an annoyed tone.
    Glancing down at Aaliyah who was engrossed in the television, Ellen turned toward the kitchen. “Can we talk in there?” she asked.
    Reluctantly, Reggie followed her back into the kitchen. He pulled out a chair and slumped down into it. “Make it quick,” he ordered.
    Ellen sat down across from him and carefully chose her words. “Look, I know that you will not admit it, but you are the reason my sister is lying back there with a mild concussion.”
    Reggie opened his mouth to protest, but Ellen interrupted him and held up her hand.
    â€œLike I said, I know you won’t admit it, and I really don’t care if you do or not. I know what I know. The reason I’m talking to you is because regardless of how you treat her, for whatever reason, my sister loves you.”
    A smug smile spread across Reggie’s face. “Yeah, she does,” he said.
    â€œIf you love her too, then I’m asking you. No, I’m pleading with you to please stop using her for a punching bag. My sister is a beautiful woman, and no matter what you are going through with your music career, she does not deserve your wrath.” Ellen turned and reached into her purse. She pulled out a piece of paper and unfolded it. “My church has a domestic violence class. It’s for couples like you and Jenise. They teach you how to control your anger and turn to God when you are stressed out rather than lashing out at each other. I know that you believe in God; you sing about Him. All I’m asking is that you