Mother In Prison, Mother Can't See

I wanted Savannah to do something fun so I got tickets to Nysic, a group of young boys singing hip hop or pop music. They were having a concert in Memphis and I got two tickets, one for Savannah and one for Angie, my brother Lin’s wife. I figured Savannah would enjoy it most with her. Tickets were $30 each, I sent money for gas, about $20, money for food, About $20, and$50 spending money for Savannah to buy a T-shirt at the concert and other things. They had money for film and I asked for pictures both before and after they went. Drew did not want to go and asked for the money just to spend himself so I sent him $50 I think. It was about $300 total, a months wages at the time ‘cause I was working lots of overtime at Tenn Care. They never took pictures. I got nothing. Savannah told me of her trip next time I saw her. I still wanted pictures. My photo album is all I have. I don’t get to see the kids doing things and growing up.

Deion, visitation 2004

SEX IN THE NIGHT

Deion was 15. It was June of 1986 and she had just completed the 10th grade. She and Lynette. went on a trip to Arkansas with Lynette’s uncle,(brother of her mom) Gary. He was married, about 31 and dealt in some drugs. On the way over he bought the girls wine coolers to drink as they drove. They stopped in Arkansas at Lynette’s mother’s sister’s house, then went on to a small town where they stayed with Gary’s mom and his two brothers. They stayed in this small town for some time, a week maybe. Lynette knew a lot of people in this town, being from here. Each night the girls would party, drink and smoke pot. Sometimes just the two of them. Sometimes girls and boys/men. Lynette’s uncle Gary had gone on to visit other relatives and after a few days came back, stopping for just one night in Arlene’s sister’s where the girls were also.
In the middle of the night Gary came in the dark to Deion who was asleep on the front room couch. She awoke as he silently pulled down her pj bottoms and forced himself in her. She didn't move and he said nothing. No kissing, no tenderness, just unwanted sex. In the morning no one said a word. Deion felt sick likely from post rape trauma. They drove home and she was in the back of the crew cab silent and feeling terrible. Someone asked what was wrong and she just said she didn't feel good. Ever after that Deion felt guilty around his wife whom she saw frequently. Deion thinks her girlfriend knew what happened. The parents of the house didn't seem to know. Deion knew and liked Gary’s wife but ever after this felt guilty around her. Guilty for having sex with her husband.
Fifteen years later Deion would bring this up when I questioned her how often she had been raped. Initially she answered “once,” then “twice.” In answer to the question “How often was there unwanted sex,” this story, and many others emerged.
“Why didn’t you fight him off or cry out” I asked. Deion looked mystified and only said, “I wasn’t taught to.”
“How did you endure the sex?”
“You just do, you wait until it’s over.”