A Seat On The Couch: Mike's Story

By Tiana Beard

Three months into his release from state prison, Mike Rhomes struggles to find his footing in society. In his quest to change his life for the betterment of him and his loved ones, his past littered with broken relationships, betrayal, and violence is heavy on his heels.

He finds himself questioning what his purpose in life is,

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tiana Beard, LMFT
• Release date: Dec 19, 2022
• ISBN: 9798888950739

Book preview

A Seat On the Couch Mike's Story

Written By: Tiana Beard

Copyright © 2022, Tiana Beard

Publisher’s Note

Printed and bound in the United States of America. All rights reserved. No part of this book maybe reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system except by a review who may quote brief passages in a review to be printed in a magazine, newspaper, or on the Web without permission in writing from Tiana Beard. Although the author and publisher have made every effort to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information contained in this book, we assume no responsibility for errors, inaccuracies, omissions, or any inconsistency herein. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for damages arising from

here.

Dedication

To my dad, who has been the epitome of adaptability by making the best of even the darkest moments. Thank you for your continuous support and undying love.

Table of Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter One

Mike!! Wake up and turn that TV down!

M

ike, startled, jumped up from his slumber to oblige to the barking order of his sister.

Damn Tasha, why did you scream my name like that? He passionately yells down the short hall of his sister’s one bedroom apartment.

That loud ass infomercial woke up my baby! Matter of fact, turn the TV off! You’re not helping pay that bill anyways; just be happy I let you sleep on my couch!

Yeah, alright, Mike commented snarkily as he powered off the TV and threw the remote onto the couch. Three months after his release, Mike found himself unwanted and wearing out his welcome at his sister’s house. When he was first released, he was sure he’d be employed by now but hasn’t had much luck with finding many opportunities for felons.

Mike could feel his emotions bubbling up in his soul. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to cry or break something. He threw himself back onto the couch and covered his face with the thin flannel throw. His body trembled as he tightly clenched his jaw, doing his best to keep his cool. He laid still for hours, until he heard his sister’s alarm clock go off. He sighed, as it was time for him to push his emotions to the side and be as productive as he could be. He then fluffed his pillows and folded his blanket.

After putting them away in the hall closet, he knelt in front of the door and prayed. Dear God, thank you for life. Thank you for sparing my life. I don’t know my purpose, but the fact that I’m still here shows that you aren’t done with me yet. Lead my ways, and keep me from myself. In Jesus’ name. Amen.Soon after his Amen, Mike felt the little hands of his niece, Avery, grab onto his arms.

Good morning Undle! How are you? Avery was overjoyed to have her uncle to play with day and night.

Hey princess! ‘Undle’ is fine, and so much better after seeing your pretty face! How are you doing? Mike adored Avery. No matter how deep in his head he was about his current position in life, hearing Avery call him undle brought a huge genuine smile across his face.

I good undle. Can you spin me around really fast!?

Ohhh, little one. I’ll spin you around three times and then we have to get ready for school, ok?

Ok undle.

It’s time for her to be getting dressed, not playing Mike. Tasha said as she came out of her room, dressed in her uniform, and rolling her eyes.

Tash chill. We do this all the time and we still make it out of the house on time right? Chill out. You’re just like mom. Mike stated matter of factly.

Mike and Tasha were close. Born just 10 months apart, they were inseparable as small children. Tasha being the oldest was always put in charge by her mother when she and her brother were out without their mom. Tasha and Mike were latchkey kids like many of the school aged children in their neighborhood. Many of the kids on their block practically raised themselves because their parents had to leave before dawn to commute to work and would arrive in the still of the night due to the typical overtime and double shifts they picked up to earn enough money to make ends meet.

Since their school age, the dynamic has been the same; Tasha yelled her expectations and pointed out what needed to be done, just as her mother did when they were young and expected Mike to follow along. When they were younger, this was something that Mike grew tired of frequently. In his efforts to break away from being bossed around, he spent less time at home and started hanging out with other boys on the block. The influence of the boys in the neighborhood began to lead him to spend more time on the streets than in the classroom or at home with his mother and sister. He began to form a sense of belonging and brotherhood in the group of friends he made on the block. From shooting hoops, sharing the chips and candy they could squander from the corner store, or helping each other hop the fences and run away from the houses they broke windows out of while throwing rocks. He found comradery and support; the kind he didn’t feel at home with his mother and sister. Like Mike and many of the boys on the block, sports became their saving grace. Sports became that motivation to keep them in school and in structured activities.

Mike was known for his swift hand as he pitched for the local baseball teams and he earned the title of MVP nearly every season he played. Even though he was an academically excelling student, he found himself pressured to hide that part of himself from his friend group. Having only found a level of belonging with the boys, he didn't want his stellar grades to be the thing that got him exiled from the group. He learned to hide the things that made him unique because that made other people uncomfortable just to earn a place in the in crowd.

When it came to his academic performance, he teetered on the lines of academic probation, however anytime he was close to losing his ability to play on the team, he over performed and did the work to get the passing grades. He left many of his teachers boggled at his evident and unapplied potential to excel academically. The notes on many of his report cards dating back to grade school read, Great kid with a wealth of potential. He’d excel if he applied himself.

Having had a subpar relationship with school, Mike’s mother did not push him when it came to his grades, however she was elated once he started to show interest in sports. She knew the streets had the potential to swallow him whole, and since she wasn’t able to keep close watch of him she was hopeful that baseball would be the thing that kept him in check. She’d find ways to make extra money to cover the cost of the uniforms, equipment and registration fees for both him and Tash who was also into Track and field, dance and cheer. Mike’s mom rarely made it to any games but she was eager to tell him to do his best in everything he did daily. For Mike, the baseball team was an addition to the family he created in the streets. The team was another place he felt a sense of importance and belonging. No matter how much he strived to dumb down his excellence, it shined through and he soon learned of the consequence.

The consequence of out-shining his brothers lived with him everyday; there was no moment that he’d stand in front of a mirror and not be reminded of what jealousy and insecurity looked like. The scars across his hairline, eyebrow, nose bridge and chin, the metal plates in his jaw and the screws and rods he had in his collarbone and left wrist told the story of being jumped and beaten with aluminum bats in the locker room by his dawgs, his ride or die brothers the day before spring break during his sophomore year. If it wasn’t for the janitor, Mr. Miles, it’s unknown that Mike would’ve lived to see another day. Mike would’ve never thought that his closest friend, Kareem who was also his neighbor, classmate and team member on the same Little League team growing up, would be his first