If They Didn't Talk to Daddy

By Markia Marlene

If They Didn't Talk To Daddy is the story of Lanell, Victoria, Adrianna and O Kyle, the victims of their father's warped and brutal misogyny. Although outwardly happy and prosperous, with a stable home life, behind closed doors, the Kyles were a family plagued by abusive marriages and imbalanced power dynamics between husband and wife.

It all began when O was sixteen. Adrianna, the snoop of the family and the novel's narrator, notices her father started disappearing with O for long stretches of

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Feb 7, 2014
• ISBN: 9781628381702

Book preview

Prologue

Adrianna’s Testimony

My name is Adrianna Melissa Kyle-Rivas, aka Adrianna Melissa Kyle. I grew up in Brooklyn, New York with my two sisters, Lanell Renee and Victoria Ann, and our older brother, Owen Tyler Kyle Jr. We called him O.

Daddy was the best. We never seen him mad or upset. We lived with both parents, which nowadays is very rare. My mother, Karen Lynn, and my father, I don’t think I have to say his name being that O is a junior, always gave us what we needed. We weren’t rich, but we weren’t poor. We didn’t want for anything.

My father was very secretive at times when it came to certain things with my mother. We didn’t understand, but it was a way of life, so it seemed normal. My brother at a certain age seemed to know more about Daddy then any of us. Daddy would always take O out to different places. It started when he was maybe 16 years old. At least that’s when I noticed Daddy and O spending a lot of time together. At that time Lanell, who we called Nell, was 13, Victoria, who we called Torie, was 10, and I was 8. We just thought it was their father and son time together. I mean, Daddy took us all out at times, but this was something new with Daddy and O being secretive.

Chapter One

Owen came in from work. He was 21 at this time. He worked with a local construction company. Mama and I were in the kitchen, starting dinner. I set the table and got milk from the fridge and put it on the cabinet.

Thanks, boo, said Mama.

I set the dishes on the table, while O hung his reflector vest on the coat rack on the wall by the front door. He said, Hey, everybody. He walked over to Mama and kissed her on the cheek. Then he walked over to me and put both hands on my shoulders and shook me. Hey little mamma.

How was your day, O? said mamma.

But before he could answer, I said, holding my nose, It smells like he had a real good one.

Everybody laughed but O. Mama said, You wanna take a shower before dinner? I’ll put your food in the microwave until you finish.

Okay, Ma, said O. He walked over to the cabinet and took a glass out. He poured himself some orange juice from the refrigerator, took a sip and said, You can’t listen to her, she’s too young to know what real funk smells like.

I said, You mean it gets worse than that?

O got ready to chase me. I ran towards Mama, and Mama blocked me from him. O tried to grab at me but Mama stopped him. Okay, O, go on and wash up, she said. Turning towards me, she continued, You, little one, continue to set the table, okay? And stop messing with people. And O, that smell just means that you put your all into your work. That’s all and your sister’s nose says that you work real hard. Mama looked at me and winked.

Lanell came in with her best friend, Kim. Hello everybody! Hey Ma, she said, kissing Mama on the cheek and pulling my pony tail. What’s up, little mamma? she said.

I’m fine, Kim. How are you? said Mama.

I’m fine. She bent down in front of me and said, Hey sweetie, and gave me a hug. How are you? I love seeing that face.

I’m fine, Kim. You gonna stay for dinner? I made those brownies you like.

Kim said, You know you don’t have to ask me twice, but how did you know I would be here for those brownies?

I looked up in the air, trying to think of an answer. Well, I just knew you would be here, I mean there’s food here, I mean where else has free food, in other words where else would you go?

We all laughed.

Kim walked over to Mama and put her arm around her shoulder. Now mamma, you know that’s not how I feel. You know I like coming over here because I love it here. This is like my second home. I mean you do know that, don’t you?

Mamma looked at Kim with smirk on her face and didn’t say a word. Kim took her arm from around mamma and threw her arms up in the air, saying, I can’t believe this! Everybody thinks I’m a freeloader. She put her hands on her hips. Is that correct?

Everybody said yes, and mamma added, It’s okay, Kim, this way I don’t have to worry about any leftovers.

I said, Yeah, I mean I never knew what a freeloader was until I met you and I might say it is quite a change, I wouldn’t say refreshing, but a change.

Okay, said Kim, that’s it, I will never come over here again, I’ll just take me a plate to go and you will never see me again. She reached for a plate and a fork. I’m sure y’all will miss me, my smile, she said, piling chicken on her plate and going for the corn and then the mashed potatoes. Y’all will never see this face again.

She took a soda from the fridge, turned her back and started going upstairs.

Just then, Daddy came in the front door. He hung his jacket on the coat rack, saying, Hey everybody!

Kim walked past him. Hey Kim, he said, how are you today?

Kim looked at Mr. Kyle sadly and said, I’ve just been insulted by the whole family and I’m not going to take it anymore. I’m just not.

Well, what’s the problem? I know it’s not lack of food, he said, looking down at her plate. What’s the big deal?

Oh, no! Not you too, Mr. Kyle? Kim started walking up the stairs, yelling, That’s it! I’m never coming over here again! Forget my face, my number. She raised her hand in the air. Just forget about me, I mean it, I do!

Daddy said, Ahh, but Kim, we won’t be able to forget about you.

Kim turned around with a smile on her face.

From now on, once we sit down to dinner with full plates staring us in the face, we’ll put you in our prayers for the great meal we are about to receive. Everybody laughed. Kim made a mean face. She sighed and threw her head in the air, then turned around and went upstairs.

Daddy went over to mamma and kissed her, saying, Hey babe. How are You?

Hey hon, I’m fine, how was your day?

It was pretty good. How is my little mamma? he said, coming over to me and kissing my forehead.

I’m fine, Daddy.

Hey Nell, Daddy said, how you doing? And before you answer, just remember who you have upstairs having a fit. She’s making sure she eats first but she’s still having a fit.

Ahh Dad, you know Kim’s my girl and she’s cool, just a little hungry sometimes.

Everybody looked at Nell with shocked looks on their faces and said at the same time, A little?

Everybody laughed. Mamma put the chicken on the table. I took the pitcher of juice from the fridge and put it on the table. Nell got the corn and put it in a bowl and set it on the table.

Dad asked, Where’s O?

Mamma said, O had to go upstairs immediately.

Why, is he alright? Daddy asked.

Oh he’s fine, I said, but our noses weren’t.

Oh come on Adrianna, said Daddy, it couldn’t have been that bad!

Mamma looked at Dad and squinched up her nose and shook her head up and down.

Daddy said, Well, that just means he’s a hard worker, and that’s a good thing! Yeah, my boy Is doing good.

Everybody sat down for dinner.

We always had good times like that. Just being with each other gave us all good feelings. We never felt any negative energy or uncomfortableness around each other. We were family. We shouldn’t have felt any other way but comfortable.

Finally O came down smelling nice and clean, and boy were we glad.

Then Daddy says, Hey O, heard you worked hard today.

O turned on the timer to the microwave. Oh you heard, huh? Looking at me and making a face, he said, And how did, Adrianna say I did?

Daddy held his nose and said, She said you did really good hard work today. I mean really good.

We all laughed.

O said, Look, Dad, you and I both know what hard work Is all about. The bell rang on the microwave. O got his food out and took a soda out of the fridge. Sitting down, he said, How else can I keep my girl happy?

Mamma said, And how is Debbie? She is such a nice girl.

She’s doing fine. As a matter of fact, she’ll be over later. We both would like to talk to y’all about something.

Oh, said Daddy. And what could this be about?

We’ll tell you about it later, Dad.

Then Mama says, Yeah, I can imagine.

I’m sure you’ll be happy with the outcome, I know Dad will be.

What time is she coming over? I said.

She’ll be here about 7, miss nosey, is that alright with you?

Can you make it 7:30, my show will be off then. I started smiling.

Well, miss nosey, you can just come down at 7:30.

I said, okay.

Then O said, Good. Always want to keep the little people happy.

The news that O had for the family was that he wanted to marry Debbie. Dad thought it was the best news in the world. He was so happy that O could finally know what a real relationship was all about. Once he got married, in Dad’s eyes, this meant that things would be better for O. O would have the same relationship with Debbie that Dad had with mamma.

Only we didn’t know the full details. Mamma thought it was too soon. I think mamma really didn’t want O to get married because she knew what the marriage would bring, at least for Debbie. But now Debbie would know also. She would truly find out soon enough.

Chapter Two

Owen and Debbie soon got married. It was a beautiful wedding. Dad was standing next to O and Debbie getting ready to make the toast. Everybody got quiet and Daddy began.

"To my son, Jr., and my new daughter in law, who I feel is like a daughter to me. I know that, looking at O, you will care and provide everything for