Wednesday, March 21st, 2018

Cocoa's POV

"I said I want to see Wendy. I'm sure they are bringing her back to Maryland to be charged. So, I want to visit her. She will see the hurt and pain she caused me. I spent two months in the hospital. I won't even get to finish the school year because of what she did to me. And I won't get to graduate. That's not fair at all."

"You're right. It's not fair at all. Honey, as long as you are sure, I will support you."

"Thanks, mom. Right now, I'm hungry and tired."

*******

"Ouch!" Oh my goodness! My ankle is hurting like crazy!

I heard a thundering herd of buffalo coming to my room. It was Cam, Michail, Val, and mom.

"Are you okay?" Mom asked me.

"I need my pain meds. My right ankle is throbbing like crazy. I left my bag downstairs. I want to go downstairs now."

"Child, you scared us. Cocoa, you can stay in the bedroom downstairs. We'll get what you need from your room."

"Okay."

I struggled to stand up, but my knight in shining armor came to my rescue.

"Wrap your arm around my neck. I'll carry you downstairs."

"Thanks. I sure won't complain."

After wrapping my arm around Cam's neck, he lifted me and carried me downstairs to the living room. Cam lifted my leg and propped it on a pillow lying on the coffee table. Myshea sat next to me on the couch.

"Michail, when are you all flying back to New York?"

"We're going home on Saturday."

"Okay. Thank you for coming."

"You're welcome, Cocoa. That's what big brothers are for. And we wanted to spend time with the family. You'll be moving to Florida soon."

"I can't wait. Once Spring Break is here, we're going down to Miami for a visit. We'll be staying with Aunt Monica and Uncle Elias."

"You'll love Miami. I went there once to a business conference for work. It's a popular place to live, and the beaches are amazing. If you like going to clubs and eating at restaurants, you will not be disappointed. The food was awesome."

"I'm going to miss you even more, Aunt Cocoa."

"Me too, Shea. But when you come down to Miami, we'll have more fun. Plus, we can take you and Leigh to Disney World. I'm hungry."

"I can't wait, Aunt Cocoa."

"We have plenty of food, so I'll fix you a plate and get some water for your pain meds."

"Thanks, bro."

About 5 minutes later, mom brought me a glass of water to take my pills.

"Thanks, mom."

"You're welcome, Cocoa. Michail will be in shortly with a plate of food. Where do you want to eat?"

"Right here in the living room."

"Okay. I'll grab a tray for you."

While drinking the water for my pills, Michail brought me a plate of food, and mom got me a tray.

"Thank you."

There was BBQ chicken, mac & cheese, collard greens, and a piece of cornbread. I'm going to fall asleep after eating this meal.

**********

Thursday, March 29th, 2018

It has been one week since I came home from the hospital. It stinks that I can't go to University. Being at home is the pits. At least my mom can work from home for a few weeks.

Spring Break is around the corner, so I'm looking forward to our trip to Miami for house hunting.

Wendy is being extradited to Maryland this coming Friday. I want to be the first face she sees.

As usual, I'm sitting on the couch, watching television.

"Cocoa, honey, I'm taking a break from work. Do you want anything? It's almost lunchtime."

"Some lunch would be nice."

"Okay. What would you like?"

"Something from Five Guys - a bacon cheeseburger, fries, and a milkshake. I want lettuce, tomato, fried onions, pickles, and barbecue sauce on the burger."

"Hmm, I haven't had Five Guys in a while. Will you be okay by yourself?"

"I'll be okay, mom. It's not like I can go anywhere without help."

"Okay. I'll be home as soon as possible."

Mom grabbed her bag and keys then she left the house.

About 5 minutes later, my cell phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Cocoa, this is Papa Phil."

"Papa Phil, it is so good to hear your voice. How are you?"

"I'm fine, Cocoa. How are you? We heard about the accident and wanted to check on you."

"I'm glad to be home from the hospital. I've been home for about a week. It sucks because I won't be able to graduate from University until next year. This accident messed up my plans. But I will still be able to get married in August. I'm engaged, Papa Phil."

"I know that's a bummer. Congratulations, Cocoa. Keep working towards your wedding."

"Yeah, it is. I will. I'm looking forward to my wedding. Thank you for calling."

"You're welcome, Cocoa. There is another reason for my call. Landry is the one who gave the police a tip to capture Wendy. We're coming to Maryland for a visit. I didn't want you to be surprised or out of the loop. Your stepdad, Val, is paying for the trip and accommodations."

I immediately started choking on my spit. Thankfully, I had a glass of water nearby.

"Thank you for the heads-up, Papa Phil. I'm grateful to you and Landry for your support."

"You're welcome, Cocoa. You were always like a daughter to me. That never changed."

"That's so sweet, Papa Phil. I want to see you so I can thank you both. When are you coming?"

"We're coming tomorrow afternoon to your stepdad's house."

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow. Thanks again for calling."

Oh boy, wait until they hear this news. Maybe Papa Phil called Val this morning. I heard my mom opening the door. She came into the living room.

"Here's your lunch, Cocoa. And, wait until you hear this bit of news."

"Thanks for lunch. I have a feeling your news is the same news that I just found out. I just got a call from Papa Phil. Landry was the one who came forward about Wendy. They are coming tomorrow to collect the reward."

"Yup, that's the same news I was just about to tell you. Val called me while I was waiting for our food."

"I want to go so I can say thank you."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I want to go. Besides, I'm with Cam now. I'll be fine."

"Okay. I'll take you with me. Also, since Wendy is being brought back tomorrow, we plan to take you on Monday to see her."

"Monday is fine. Now, it's time to eat our lunch."

************

Friday, March 30th, 2018

Mom and I are on our way to Val's house. It's been almost a year since I saw Landry. Will he still not want to see me?

As we pulled into Val's driveway, I noticed he had a wheelchair ramp built on the house. I also saw a vehicle with Virginia tags on it.

Mom parked, then she got out to open my door.

"I'll grab your crutches, Cocoa."

Val came out of the front door as soon as mom got my crutches out of the trunk.

"Need help getting out of the truck?"

"Yes, please."

"Okay. Twist towards me."

I twisted my legs towards Val, and he lifted me out of the seat. "Thanks."

"You're welcome." Once I felt comfortable with my crutches, we went inside the house.

Mom and I followed Val to the living room. We saw Papa Phil, Landry, and another guy with him.

"Cocoa, it's good to see you. Sitting next to Landry is his therapist, Michael."

"It's good to see you too. It's nice to meet you, Michael." Papa Phil hugged me before I sat down. Mom held my crutches then I sat on the couch.

"How are you doing, Cocoa?" Landry asked with a smile on his face.

"Thank you for coming forward. I'm a mixture of emotions at the moment - upset and happy. I'm upset because of the accident. I won't be able to graduate this year with my friends. I'm happy to be alive and out of the hospital. I told my mom I wanted to see Wendy, so we are going Monday morning. I want to be the first face she sees. I've never done anything to her. I'm still scratching my head as to why she did this to me."

"Being in a wheelchair will not stop me from doing the right thing. People like Wendy don't need a reason to hurt others. Just look at Josh. Neither he nor his teammates cared about the cheap shot that happened to me. Don't worry about Wendy. Wendy is paying heavily and will be right where she belongs - behind bars. Focus on your future, which will be bright. I hear congratulations are in order. When is the wedding?"

"We'll let you guys talk privately." Mom, Val, Papa Phil, and Michael left the room.

"Cam and I are getting married in Maui in August. We waited until after Cam graduated, and my mom is getting married in June. We're also moving to Miami. I can't take any more traumatic experiences in my home state. Plus, my mom and family are moving with us. Well, not my brother. They are staying in New York. Maryland will always be my home, but a change of scenery will be nice."

"What made you choose Miami?"

"My aunt and her family live there. Cam's grandparents live in Key West. I have always loved visiting my aunt. Now, we'll be closer. She's excited about us moving. "

"I can understand that. Being around family is important. I miss being in Maryland too, but living in Virginia is nice. We live in Charlottesville. Our house is huge, so it's enough room for me to move around and not be too dependent on my father. Some of my family will move to Virginia to help us."

"That will be a boost for you and your dad. How long are you guys staying during your visit?"

"We're leaving on Sunday. Currently, I'm taking online classes at the University of Virginia. I have two classes on Monday. I'll be going on campus beginning the Fall semester. Your stepdad offered his house so that we could have a party tomorrow. Your family is welcome to come. The crew will be back together again. I'm sorry about the way I left things between us. I really am. I felt ashamed, scared, and embarrassed at the same time because of what happened. I didn't want to feel like everyone was helping me out of pity. It took me some time to get over that and to see that people were genuinely concerned and wanted to help me. I'm working on being myself again."

"That's great news. Lalita and I will be attending the University of Miami in the fall. Landry, you didn't have to feel that way. The crew and I care about you a lot. I always wondered how you were doing after we broke up. I'll always care about you. I will always cherish the time we spent together. We were friends before dating, and we still are today. That's never going to change. We're friends forever. Thank you for the gifts too. I have a display case for the necklace with your ring."

"You're welcome, Cocoa."

"Lunch is ready. Would you guys like to eat here or in the dining room?" Mom asked.

"The dining room. Thank you for coming, Mrs. Alyshea. I really appreciate it."

"You're welcome, Landry."

The three of us then made our way into the dining room.

**********

Monday, April 3rd, 2018

We had a great time Saturday at Landry's party. The whole crew was able to make it. I let Cam take the lead in inviting Landry to the wedding. He said he would love to come, so we added Landry, Papa Phil, and Michael to our guest list.

Spring Break started today. After I finish visiting with Wendy, we are flying to Miami. I'm super excited about the trip.

Mom, Cam, and Val are accompanying me to the courthouse this morning for my chat with Wendy.

Val parked his SUV in a spot right in front of the courthouse. Cam helped me out of the truck, and we walked inside the building.

We walked over to the receptionist's desk in the lobby.

"Hi, how can I help you?" The receptionist asked.

"My name is Cocoa Baker. My family is here with me. I'm here to see Wendy Adams. She was extradited from Virginia on Friday."

The receptionist checked her computer, then said, "Ms. Baker, your escort is on their way to the lobby. Her name is Mrs. Kelley Lawrence. Security will escort you and your family to a private waiting room."

"Thank you." The receptionist waved a guard over, and we followed him down a hallway into a private waiting room.

As soon as we sat down, a woman entered the room. "Hello, everyone. My name is Mrs. Kelley Lawrence."

"Hi, Mrs. Lawrence. I'm Cocoa Baker."

"Ms. Baker, I'll be your escort around the court today. You will be permitted to take a family member to help you. I don't want you to be alarmed, but Ms. Adams will be handcuffed."

Good. Wendy better be handcuffed. "Thank you. My mom is coming with me."

"Okay. Ladies, follow me."

Mom and I followed Mrs. Lawrence down three hallways until we stopped.

"I will be standing in a separate room with a security guard. There will also be a guard inside the room. We will be able to see you as well. If Ms. Adams tries anything, the guard will subdue her. When you're ready, you may go inside the room."

Mrs. Lawrence went through a separate door. I was ready, so mom and I entered the room. Wendy saw me and looked away.

I had to take several breaths before I sat down because I was beyond angry. Once I was calm enough, I started talking.

"You know what, Wendy? You have a lot of nerve looking away from me after what you have done. Look at me when I'm talking to you because I have a lot to say!"

Wendy didn't look up at first, but the guard made her.

"I have NEVER done anything to you. But yet, you and Channing dated behind my back. I wasn't upset at that because I had my doubts about him. You saved me from dating him further than I did. But this accident is BEYOND ridiculous! I could have died! What is wrong with you?! Don't say EVEN one word or shed a tear! I don't hate you because my mom taught us always to be respectful to others. I pity you. You're lower than pathetic for having someone purposely hit and almost killed. I was in a coma, needed therapy, and I still need therapy for my leg. I won't even get to graduate from University with Cam and my friends, thanks to you!"

"I wasn't planning on shedding any tears." This heifer just rolled her eyes. Let me get out of here before I punch Wendy in her mouth.

"Enjoy your new home because you'll be here for a long time. Mom, let's go before I do some regret."

Mom and I left the room. "It's definitely time to leave for Miami."

************