Hood Ornaments

Tori had no idea what was going on. She was woken up for what see assumed was breakfast, but the CO told her to quickly get freshen up or she was going to be late for transport.

Transport?

She began to tremble as she washed up and brushed her teeth. She took a quick look in the reflective plastic mirror and ran her hand through her hair. Although she was holding her own, the bags under her eyes told a different story.

The officer opened the door and waited for Tori.

“Go down to the end of this hall and make a left. Give the clerk your last name, and she will tell you what to do from there.”

“Wait. You said transport. Where am being transported to? Should I call my attorney?”

The nervousness was apparent in Tori’s voice.

The officer looked down at her clipboard, “According to your paperwork, your attorney is the one who arranged for your transport. And it says here you are going back to your place of residence.”

She didn’t care about anything else at that point.

She didn’t know how.

Or why.

But she was goin home.

She started to jog down the hallway, but stopped so abruptly that the officer almost bumped into her. Tori whipped around and awkwardly hugged the officer.

At a decibel only she could hear, the officer said, “You’re welcome, kid. Good luck.”

Another guard was waiting for her at the end of the hall. She was then escorted to medical.

Again.

A full physical including blood work was given.

Again.

Sign there.

There.

And initial at the x-es.

After Tori did what she was told, she had her belongings returned. She went to get dressed, but hesitated.

How the hell was she getting home?

She was escorted to the gate with that question burning in her mind. She was about to ask the CO when she saw a man holding makeshift sign with her name on it. The gate was opened and she cautiously approached the man. She pointed to the sign.

“Um, I am Victoria Watts.”

The man had a stern expression on his face which made Tori feel momentarily uncomfortable.

“Ms. Watts, I am Benny.” He opened the door for her.

“Mr. Chambers advised me to drive you to the airport.”

Tori got inside the cab.

“On the seat in the envelope is everything you need to get home.”

Tori opened the envelope and took a peek inside. There was a letter from Reginald explaining that he chartered a private plane to take her home. He even provided money to tip both cabbies. The rest of the contents were legal documents that she would look at later.

“Okay. Thank you Benny.”

“My pleasure Ms. Watts.”

Tori had only seen things like this in the movies.

It seemed impossible, and she was afraid that she would wake up from a dream.

But then she remembered whenever she became discouraged, Trudy would say that all things were possible.

They must have been getting closer to the airport because she noticed the planes were closer to the ground as they were taking off and landing.

Behind them the sunrise looked as if it airbrushed yellow beams across the most beautiful lavender sky.

The rest of the trip went exceptionally fast and without incident. Tori heard horror stories about long lines in the airport, so she expected the worst.

But flying in a private jet had its privileges.

No wait

No fuss

No muss.

When she boarded, she walked to the back where an attendant was standing.

“Welcome aboard.”

Tori thanked her and sat down on the comfy looking bench behind her.

“Can I get you anything?”

“Not that I can think of.”

“A pillow perhaps?”

“Actually that would be perfect.”

Tori fell asleep instantly.

And she slept sound.

So sound the attendant waited an hour after they landed to wake her.

Her cab was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs of the jet bridge. Her excitement was increasing as she thought about home.

Trudy.

Dell.

Malik.

Tony.

And even Sticks.

She was unsure if it was her imagination, but as the cab took her home everything seemed so much smaller than when she left. The street she grew up on didn’t seem as wide as before, and the houses looked like doll houses. There was no one in front of the corner store.

There was no one outside at all.

She did notice that the women were opening their curtains as they normally did every morning.

But there was nothing normal about this morning.

And Tori wanted for her days to go back to normal.

She pointed down the street and the cabbie parked behind, what she assumed was, Dell’s truck. Her heart was pounding out of her chest, and her eyes welled up with tears. All she really wanted was to be held.

By him.

And at that moment, she thought about Michael.

The tears fell.

She found it hard to swallow.

Then, as if she knew Tori needed comfort, Trudy came out of the house.

Dishtowel still in hand.

And love in her eyes.

After the commotion between tipping the cabbie and the hugging stopped, Trudy led her granddaughter into the house. She stood in front of her and wiped the tears from Tori’s face.

“Let me look atcha. You look well fed. That’s good I was worried.”

She patted Tori’s growing locs.

“Oh honey, I never pictured your hair this way. But it looks good though, brings out your eyes.”

She couldn’t stop kissing and hugging her granddaughter who was eyeing up the house.

“Um, Grandma not to be rude, but where’s Dell an em?”

“Dell is up in your room sleep.”

Trudy pointed to the living room with her head.

“Your uncle over in the armchair passed out.”

“Leek not here?”

“I saved you a plate, baby. You eat on your trip back? You hungry?”

Trudy was intentionally loud because she wanted Sticks to wake up and help answer the questions she knew Tori was going to ask.”

“Sure Grandma,” Tori answered with a confused expression on her face, “Why are you yelling?”

“Am I Tori, I’m sorry. I’m just so happy you are home.”

“We all are.” On cue, Sticks entered the kitchen and hugged his goddaughter, “Go eat. I’ll go wake up that nephew of mine.”

Tori felt her stomach drop in anticipation as Sticks hurried out the kitchen and up to the attic. The creaking ceiling made Tori smile.

“Is there orange juice Grandma?”

“Of course. And let me put on another pot of coffee. Y’all have a lot of catching up to do.”