Please excuse ANY errors.

December 28, 1998

~Dalvin's P.O.V~

After coming from a long day out with the family and extended family, we all just decided to chill in the basement. I have no fucking idea where DeVanté is because this nigga ain't been answering his phone for nobody. Being out all day tired out all of the kids, so they're all taking a nap. Thank God, because those kids are bad as hell! Them being a part isn't that big of a deal, but all of them together and them being close in age, phew!

The older people are upstairs doing whatever they're doing, while Yasir, Ashari, Derek, Maria, and I are all downstairs. Oh, and Yasir's girl is in here as well. Throughout the whole day, I noticed Yasir throwing me odd looks like some weird ass nigga. Something is wrong with that nigga for sure. Throughout Yasir and Derek's game of pool, he kept throwing me those same looks. Right now, Yasir and I are playing some air hockey, and this nigga is aggressive as hell.

"Nigga, you okay?" I asked him once our round was over.

"Why I gotta be a nigga?" Yasir shrugged like he was irritated.

"A'ight. My bad, man. You good?" I questioned. "You been mean muggin' me all damn day and for what?" My eyebrows furrowed for a split second.

His jaw clenched, with that same ugly-ass mean mug. He looked over at Ashari and I know that because she is behind me, sitting down in a chair that was pretty far from where I'm standing and she was the only one on that side. Plus, he's been doing the same damn thing with her two.

"So you fuckin' THIS lame ass nigga!?" Yasir motioned towards Ashari, raising his voice.

"What the hell is talkin' about?" Derek said confused.

Looking behind myself and I glanced at Ashari.

"Excuse me? Are you talking to me?" Ashari said with a hand on her chest

I looked back at Yasir and backed up so I won't be snapping my neck to look at who was currently speaking. Yasir threw his air hockey puck down onto the table.

"You break it, you buy that shit, but you probably didn't get them because you showed up late and..." I trailed off. "Uninvited I'm guessing that last part based on things I have witnessed."

"Nigga, I WAS invited here just like the rest of y'all!" Yasir yelled.

"You aggressive for no fuckin' reason. Chill the fuck out," I laughed it off, lightening the mood.

"Nigga, you don't tell me how the fuck to act when you smilin' in my fuckin face, but fuckin' my ex! I thought you was cool, but apparently not!" Yasir said raising his voice even more.

Ashari stood up and she was clearly upset. "If we are fuckin', so? What the fuck do that gotta do with YOU!? It ain't none of yo gotdamn business" Ashari stood up. "Nigga, you don't run shit over here. Last time I checked, you was in a relationship. So why the hell the topic of discussion is me and who I'm doin'?" She pointed at herself.

"Right, you just disrespectin' the girl you with for someone who's supposed to be your past. Someone you claim you can't stand and have been actin' cold towards." I replied to him, then glanced at Bianca. "But you ain't got no respect for yourself to tell this nigga about himself," I told Bianca.

"Nigga, don't put me in shit!" Bianca snapped at me.

"Bitch, you put yourself in automatically!" Ashari shit back. "I'm tired of the both of y'all fat ass mouths, startin' and dippin' into shit just to be fuckin' messy or YOU to cosign HIS bullshit!" Ashari gestured towards Bianca.

"Fat ass mouth? BITCH, Don't get MAD at ME because you a HOE! Fuckin' everybody in sight!" Bianca screamed out. "If he don't want to hoe ass, then so be it! He moved on sweetie, you should too instead of tryin' to make my nigga jealous by fuckin' everybody."

"If I was fuckin' everybody in sight, that means I would probably be fuckin' Yasir or YOU, and we ALL know I don't wanna do no bullshit like that!" Ashari guffawed, leaning over. "Don't nobody want YOUR- excuse me, everybody's man! Especially with what he did to me and tryna do with my KIDS! Hoe, you got me ALL the way fucked up!"

"Who gives a fuck!? You fuckin' this nigga and havin' him tryna befriend me and shit! That's fucked up!" Yasir shrugged like he was ready to fight. "And you don't make shit no better!"

"A'ight, sit the fuck down. You outnumbered and it's me and my brother against you- not that he would need me, but I'm here just in case." Derek spoke, standing up. "I'm not finna let shit happen to him or no woman because your feelings are hurt." Derek walked towards us.

Yasir chuckled, "and you think I'm supposed to be scared of yo lil ass? I'm not scared of your brother- either of them even though the oldest seems to think so and you the smallest." He laughed, looking down at Derek.

Derek took offense to that, "size don't mean shit-"

"Just what a little muthafucka like you would say." Yasir chuckled. "Size is everything, pipsqueak."

Derek and De- how De used to be anyway, both have or had a short temper. Derek lifted his hand to punch Yasir, but I quickly grabbed it. "Let's just go and leave this fuckin' idiot alone." I laughed, pointing to Yasir with my thumb.

"You right," Derek nodded in agreement and I pushed him in the opposite direction, away from Yasir.

Yasir gave a menacing chuckle that started underneath his breath, then out loud. "You wasn't gon' do shit no way. All y'all brothers got somethin' in common and that's being scared."

"Something is definitely wrong with yo ass! Why the fuck are you even here!?" Ashari yelled. "You said in support of your sister, who you HATE, your damn sure not here for no damn DeVanté, and you damn sure ain't know I was here with the kids! If you have a big problem with everyone, why don't you do us ALL a fuckin' favor, take your little cockroach, and LEAVE!" She fumed. "The only reason you even allowed to stay is because of yo mama who seems to ALWAYS be on your fuckin' side."

"ROACH!? BITCH, I KNOW YO JEALOUS BLACK ASS AIN'T JUST CALL ME NO FUCKIN ROACH!? DON'T BE MAD AT ME BECAUSE I GOT YO MAN!" Bianca screamed at Ashari.

I looked at Bianca. Yeah, this bitch is fucking nuts!

Yasir chuckled for the umpteenth time, "You really think I didn't know you were here with my kids? Well... You're right, at first, I didn't until I was informed."

Ashari muttered. "By your mother, I'm sure."

"You damn right! You tryna keep my kids away from me because you bitter as fuck and that ain't right!" Yasir stepped closer to her which is closer to her, but not quite. He was closer to Derek than anything. "And now you fuckin' this ugly ass nigga." Yasir motioned over to me.

All of a sudden, Derek swung at Yasir, but missed I stood in place in complete shock at what he did and the fact he missed! I know he got a temper, but I thought Derek let it go. It seemed like it when I walked his ass away.

"That's what your fat ass gets! Almost got hit. Why would I want MY kids around some crazy mothafucka!?" Ashari yelled. "Don't nobody witness the crazy shit you do, but ME. Crazy as hell!" Ashari said walking away and Bianca grabbed her by her hair, pulling her back taking us all by surprise because I didn't think she had the guts.

Ashari pulled out a switchblade from God knows where because it happened so fast and Ashari reached behind her and slashed anywhere she could reach. The place she was able to reach just happened to be Bianca's upper arm, near her face. She is lucky that it wasn't her face. I stayed back because I'm not trying to get my ass cut the fuck up on accident. Bianca automatically let go of Ashari screaming.

"Always quick to pull out a fuckin' knife. Scary ass heifer!" Yasir said laughing.

What the fuck is so funny to this nigga? Who in the hell laughs at somebody, specifically their woman getting cut by their ex that they seem to despise? Then there was a bunch of extra yelling happening between the two women.

"BITCH!" Bianca huffed. "I KNOW YO BLACK ASS AIN'T JUST CUT ME!?" Her reaction was delayed but still held anger.

"Yeah, touch me again, bitch." Ashari nodded with a smile. "I WANT you to touch me, pull my fuckin' hair again and I can show you better than I can tell you ass."

"She ain't gon' do shit," Yasir said cuffing his mouth to sound louder. "She can't even fuckin' fight!" He said laughing as if it were the funniest thing in the world.

"I may not be able to fight, but I will cut a mothafucka up. Try me." Ashari replied with a tilted head.

"I wouldn't say shit if I was you. She don't like you AND she holding a knife. Shit... A weapon rules anything. Her ass might can throw." Derek told Yasir with a frown.

"She not gon' kill the father of her kids." Yasir shook his head.

Meanwhile, I'm just trying to find a way to leave, but they blocking the exit. I don't have my phone or anything and blood is dripping from Bianca's cut. It's a lot going on. Daryl walked inside the room with a worried expression.

"What the hell is goin' on down here?" Daryl asked us all. "All I hear is yelling."

He looked directly at Yasir like he knew that he was somehow a part of the problem. Ashari got distracted and Bianca snatched the knife from Ashari's hand.

"Shari, watch yo back!" I yelled to her and she quickly jumped back as Bianca swung it.

Bianca swung it all weirdly, but that weird ass swing could have definitely left a mark on Ashari and it did leave one on Daryl. Daryl was sliced across his stomach, leaving him stunned. See? That's exactly why I didn't do shit! In the blink of an eye, Daryl quickly, but safely disarmed the knife from her.

"I know you ain't just cut me with the SAME thing you got cut with? HELL NAWL! Somebody take me to the hospital and you gotta get the hell up outta here!" Daryl pointed at Bianca, then ran out of the room with the knife. "Crazy ass mothafucka! I don't know what the fuck she got! Over here cutting me wi-" He was panicking and his voice faded the further he got away.

Ashari walked out of the room backward until she was no longer visible. I looked at Bianca and then Yasir.

"One of y'all gon' have to pay for this carpet if you can't clean this shit up," I told them.

"You heard him. Get to cleanin' this shit up. This yo mess, not mines. I'm not paying for shit." Yasir shrugged, putting the pool stick down.

Bianca ran off and Yasir walked up to me. Too fucking close for my comfort, but I was ready and looked him straight in the eyes with a tense body. I'm ready for this nigga to do some shit, so he can get laid the fuck out. It's going to be his mess next that needs to be cleaned.

"But you? You lucky. You can have that hoe and whatever she gives to you. I'm done with her." He chuckled after his little statement and I pushed him away because his fat blubber belly touched my abs.

Derek stepped up, putting his hand between us, and pushed Yasir back before I had the chance to. Without another word, Yasir walked off and we watched him leave the room.

Derek scooted the looked at me. "A bunch of psycho mothafuckas, huh?"

"That family is all the way fucked up." I chuckled.

Bianca came back in with a bucket, towel, and a scrubbing brush.

"And he wanna marry into that family? Waitin' on sex for that?" I raised my eyebrows. "I'm kinda with pops on this."

"He ain't marrying the family though, just someone part of the family," Derek replied.

"That's a whole ass package deal that I DAMN sure wouldn't want to deal with THIS bullshit. Shit, Tia got it in her too by the way she fucked ol' girl face up that one time." I shook my head.

Derek laughed. "That shit was hilarious though!"

"She deserved it." Maria chimed in. "I would react the same damn way! Imma go and see what's up with everybody." She said leaving the room, leaving Derek, Bianca and I in the room.

"See... And you the one to speak about a crazy ass family." I mumbled to only where Derek could hear.

"I'm not married though and ain't getting married." He shrugged.

"Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?" I laughed patting his back.

Derek busted out laughing. "Funny, but true. I love my life the way it is and so does she. I mean, I don't hear her complainin'."

"But she talked about marriage before, did she not?" I questioned.

"Yeah, but that was a long time ago. We ain't spoke about it in a long time now." He shrugged. "She good, I'm good and we both love the way we are; comfortable."

I shook my head at him. "Aye DJ, cue Janet Jackson: Got 'til It's Gone!"

"Nigga, you the one to talk?" Derek said laughing even more.

"I wasn't in love though. I don't even know how that shit feels, but I know I lost something close to a good thing. Close because she was crazy as hell and I was fuckin' around. I wanna know how that shit feels and Tionne was just a test run. Nothin' too special and I accept that."

"No love?" Derek said shocked. "Damn, brother, you cold!"

"It's the truth though. We met when we- I was a kid and- you know?"

"Yeah. You right though, you was young as hell and still are. You got a long way to go and a hell of a lot of experience. You ain't gon' find it by jumping into every open hole, wearing a skirt though."

"Nigga, every hole?" I gave him a look. "I ain't gay nor do I sleep with every woman."

"You the only one who steered that way, knowing DAMN well what the hell I meant." He laughed.

"I'm finna call De ass and he better answers that shit too," I told him jogging away, hopping over the bucket.

Derek followed not too far behind. "Don't leave me in there with her!" He shouted out of breath.

"Ain't you followin' me?" I questioned him.

"Yeah-"

"Then you ain't alone, scary ass scared of a woman." I laughed.

"Just because she a woman don't mean shit!" He replied. "And you got me confused. I'm not scared, I just don't wanna be alone with her crazy ass. That nigga controllin' her whole identity. You got to be careful with those types of people."

I smirked. "Whatever you say." Once I made it all the way up to my room, I noticed that Derek was no longer behind me. "Slow ass." I looked all over my room for my phone.

It took me a while to find it, but it was under my pillow. Grabbing it, I plopped down on the bed in a sitting position, immediately dialing my brother's number. This nigga better answer because I don't want their folks up in here and neither does DeVanté. He didn't answer the phone, so I called again, but to no avail. I called his ass three times. I called again, but this time I called Tia's phone and the phone was immediately answered.

"Nigga, what the fuck you want? If you ain't got my money or bud, I'm smokin' both you fools." DeVanté immediately laughed after saying that. "No, but for real, what the hell you want, nigga? Blowing up phones and shit. What?!" DeVanté answered.

"Don't get mad at me because you are so-called abstinent!" I told him. "On a serious note, y'all need to get back. Somethin' is definitely wrong with Tia's brother and that girl he's with."

"Oh, man... What his ass do NOW?" DeVanté huffed out, already irritated.

"What?" Tia's voice was heard in the background.

"Your brother is on some type of bullshit. What's new?" He replied to her. "What's up, Dalvin? What'd he do?" DeVanté asked me.

"So he started EVERYTHING and it turned scary- NOT me scared of that nigga, Yasir!" I clarified.

"Get to the fuckin' point and stop beatin' around the bush!" DeVanté said frustrated.

"He started it off with bein' mad at me, accusing me of sleepin' with Ashari-"

"You are, but continue." DeVanté chuckled.

"Like I was fuckin' sayin' before a rude bitch interrupted me," I said irritated, "then he started with Ashari and you know that Bianca chick jumped in it too. Then the two women got into it. Bianca pulled Ashari's hair when Ashari was just trying to walk away and Ashari pulled out a switchblade and cut Bianca up. Daryl came downstairs confused about all the noise, even though he had a clue that it was Yasir. I could tell because of the way he looked at him when he came downstairs." Derek finally made it into the room, but I continued to speak.

"Ashari got distracted, giving Bianca the opportunity to snatch the switchblade and she TRIED to cut Ashari, but I yelled out to her making her miss Ashari and cut Daryl instead across his chest and stomach. Daryl is probably going to see a doctor because he don't know what the fuck she got! That girl's blood was still on the knife when he got cut, so he went to the doctor- hospital or some shit." I paused hearing DeVanté explain the bits that Tia didn't hear. "Um, so... I need Tia to get home and put her family in check because me because if not, me and that nigga gon' end up fightin'!" I told him.

"You want a woman to put a grown ass, big ass, hard-headed, so-called man in check?" Derek asked me.

"Yeah! I mean, it's her people! I'm sure she expects De to do the same damn thing!" I shrugged.

"But De a man dealing with men! That's a woman. I'm just sayin' that you can't expect a woman to put any man in place especially THAT big ass nigga. He looks like he don't care about shit, not even his damn self!" Derek explained to me.

"But don't women get their men in check when they step out of line? Maria do it to you and I'm sure Tia do that to DeVanté!" I exclaimed.

"That's different! Did you not just hear me?" Derek questioned.

"Aye, y'all over there arguing about me and mines, but I asked you a whole question," DeVanté said into the phone.

"What!? What you wanna know that I ain't already told yo ass?" I raised my eyebrows, shrugging, irritated. "Who the fuck even goes on a family vacation, then sneaks off and leaves their family for a couples vacation, then got the nerve to not answer the fuckin' phone?"

"Are you my woman, mother, or my LITTLE brother? Now-"

"Is daddy okay?" Tia said into the phone that I'm sure she grabbed from DeVanté.

"You already know being that he sitting next to you." I laughed.

"Dalvin... I'm serious. Is my dad okay?" She questioned again.

"He good or he should be..." I replied. "Why?"

"Why!? Nig-"

Derek cut her off. "He left to get his blood checked. He panicked after everything went down."

"I told De he was good," I said to Tia. "Ion know why he getting checked now, it doesn't happen like that. You gotta wait until that shit marinates."

"Marinate? What we talkin' about chicken or Jeffery Dahmer?" Derek spoke through laughter.

"We was planning on coming home anyways tonight," DeVanté told us calmly.

"Home? Don't tell me you leavin' us in France?" I frowned.

"Nigga, you know what the fuck I meant!" DeVanté said laughing. "And I heard the there was blood involved... I know everybody that matters is okay but did anything spill anywhere? If it did, I hope somebody cleaned it and it was able to get out."

"That's the only semi-good deed Yasir did. He made Bianca clean it up. She is probably still down there now cleaning." I replied.

"No respect." Derek shook his head.

"Either of them for each other or themselves." I agreed.

"A'ight, BYE!" DeVanté hung up without another word.

"Hung up in my damn face too. Alright, I got you." I nodded.

Derek have me a look. "Ion know... I think Yasir scared you crazy because yo ass over here talkin' to the phone with nobody on the other end."

I just squinted at him. "Muscles beat fat any day," I replied.

"He ain't just fat though, he got muscles and shit too," Derek replied. "Don't let that belly fool you."

"All I have is muscles. You don't see a fat bone in my body. He falls, he will be there for a while, and me? I'm gon' hop my ass right back up and keep goin'. His swings even gon' be slower than mines." I explained. "Don't play me like I'm not that nigga that will beat some ass. Pause. I may be the peacekeeper, but I will beat your ass. I could take down you and De, but I don't because I'm not tryna hurt y'all."

"Wait, you getting a little too cocky for my likin'." Derek chuckled. "You may be more muscular than us, but you can't take us down together."

"I probably can't with y'all asses together, but one on one? I definitely can do that shit without question." I shrugged.

"Wanna test that theory?" Derek asked me and I smiled at him.

"I wouldn't do that to you."

~De'Vanté's P.O.V~

Tia's back arched off of the bed and more onto my face for the third time, as she pushed me away by the top of my head. She then let go of me, relaxing her body with her eyes closed and head against the pillow. For a few seconds, I just looked at her flushed face and heaving chest with my head peeking from underneath the sheet. I removed my hand from underneath her shirt.

Looking away, I glanced at her second pair of lips puckering just a few millimeters from mine. Bringing my face closer and looking up at her face to see her reaction, I planted a kiss right in the center. Her back immediately arched again and she quickly pushed me away again.

"Babe!?" She said chortling, then covering her face. "God."

Laughing, I pushed the sheet off the both of us completely, and sat up on my knees, looking down at her. "You know I had to end with my signature."

She removed her arm from her eyes. "You be on your Mortal Kombat-ish."

"Finish her!" I replied, cracking the hell up.

"Hell no! I'm done." She exhaled, closing her legs as much as her sensitivity would allow.

"You know all about my finishing move, so don't even pretend," I replied.

"I wasn't even expecting you to wake me up like that TODAY because it would be more expected from me even though I didn't. Know what I'm sayin'?"

"What the hell did you just say?" I said, giving her a confused look, then replayed what she said in my head. "You are petty as hell!" I told her cracking up. "Tryna confuse me then ended it off with what I say. After repeating that in my head, I see what you sayin', but I had to do it today being that we goin' back home today and I know you don't want me to do nothing at the house because of my brother, the kids, and all the people there. You are pretty loud."

"The cat is calling the kettle black." She raised her eyebrow.

I rolled my eyes. "I am aware of that now."

"Mhm. Okay."

"Dalvin ass gon' come at me talkin' about some "what was you doin'," type shit, bein' nosy. That was just the other day." I then laid down beside her.

"I hate to say I told you so, but I told you so." She replied.

"You did and I should've listened because that shit is embarrassing as fuck." I eyed her.

"That's exactly why." She said turning on her side.

"I'm right with you. We can chill on that until we get back to the states." I told her.

Her head jerked back, "what!?" She said shocked. "Is this Mr. Up and Stuck sayin' what I think he don't want to be nasty?"

"And let you stand alone? Yeah... NO. If I can't be nas- freaky with you then..." I shrugged. "I don't want to either."

Her eyes widened then changed into rapid blinking. "I'm appalled. I'm not really. Being in Paris is just the second time it went down."

"YOU went down," I replied.

"I went down," she nodded, "right." She then got up. "I feel... Yucky in this underwear and don't want to start baking no bread in a couple of days."

"Take 'em off," I suggested.

"I don't wanna mess up the bed. We are not at home and in control of washing the sheets."

"They gotta change these sheets anyways and you made me mess up that chair back at the rental."

"It's weird somebody cleaning up after the mess I made and THIS kind is embarrassing. We're usually the ones to clean it up." She replied.

"I'm sure they've seen worse and you already fucked up the bed. Do you not see what you did or feel it? Look at it." I pointed out.

She rolled onto her back. "Wher-" She stopped speaking once she rolled onto her back, landing her thigh right into it. "Oh, shit. That's nasty." She looked at me, moving her leg.

"No, it wasn't. Believe me." I replied.

She turned away from me, "you know what..." She wagged a finger at me.

"What do I know?"

"You may be right." She turned to me smiling and so did I because I wasn't expecting her to say that.

Don't get me wrong, she can be nasty when she wants to be, but that's mostly when we are doing some nasty shit or joking around. She's usually bashful by things of this nature though.

She squinted at me with a devious smile. "Now turn your head." She twirled her finger around at me as a gesture.

"For?" I gave her a confused ass look. but turned my head without another word.

"So I can take them off." She spoke in an obvious tone as I turned my head.

She laughed out loud, grabbing my face. "Babe, I'm just playing! You done seen everything already. That's stupid. Awwww," she cooed.

"You know, I was thinkin' the same damn thing, but if that made you feel comfortable..." I shrugged. "I ain't have no problem doing it."

"I know." She chuckled sitting up all the way, moving closer to me to avoid a certain part of the bed. "This bed is huge and I love it."

I sat up, "yeah, because the one back at that house is full size. I know you enjoyed it too because you were all sprawled out on the bed and just now getting up at ten. It's the latest you slept in a while, ain't it?"

"Yep," she paused. "Best sleep I've had since I've been here too. All that space..." She sighed. "One of the best ways to be awakened as well."

"I can tell because you were sprawled all across the bed like you were making a damn snow angel. I couldn't even cuddle up with you." I replied. "And the fact that you're just now asking up at almost one in the afternoon."

"It was kinda hot and we went to sleep at like seven in the morning."

"But you slept with a sheet on with the heat turned down. I wanted to cuddle because I was a little cold." I replied. "The way you pushed me away at first hurt my damn feelings too."

She gasped. "I didn't, did I?"

"Hell yeah. Like you was fighting demons or some shit, but it was me."

"Felt like hell." She replied. "The temperature, I mean. I was unaware and I'm sorry for doing that." She apologized.

"Apology accepted." I nodded. "Babe, you think you going through early menopause?"

"I don't know, Donald. Ask the bed if I'm goin' through menopause or your face."

I guffawed. "You funny!" I said finally wiping my face with my beater.

"Oh my goodness, I can't get over how big this is. So comfortable and so much space. I missed this." She sighed. "Sorry to leave you, but I gotta get in the shower. I'm talkin' to the bed by the way." She joked.

"You act like we two fat ass, couch-sized mothafuckas and can't fit on them beds. Don't even need all that damn space." I replied.

"Speak for yourself. I NEED that space. Grant it that I'm used to sleeping in king-sized and California king-sized beds since I have been living in Georgia. I need space to move around and I get hot, so sometimes I need to roll to another part of the bed for coolness."

"I know, but I'm sayin' even with me in that full-sized bed, you still got space to roll over, babe." I squinted.

"No..." She shook her head. "You don't understand."

"I'm tryin'!" I laughed.

"Not enough rollover space. Nothing I'm used to, anyway. I can adapt to many situations, but a bed ain't one." She raised an eyebrow.

"You done slept in many beds over the years. You slept at my house plenty of times, hotels, etcetera..."

She smiled with fluttering eyelashes, "because I'm such a slut." She busted out laughing, fucking around.

"You know I ain't mean it like that and I can't take you seriously AT ALL."

"Talking about etcetera. Ain't no etcet- wait..." She trailed off, sitting up and placing her hand on her chin.

"Wait? What you mean, wait?" I questioned.

"I have an ex, Donald." She looked at me. "A few prostitutes here and there... A few one-night stands... Ménage à troi-"

Laughing, I cut her off, "I'm gon' stop you right there because you play too much!" I said cracking the fuck up with my hand on my forehead. "You say some outrageous stuff!"

She silently laughed so hard, turning red with tears coming from her eyes, until she started coughing, causing me to laugh even more, patting her back.

"I'm goin' to get dressed so we can be gone when you get dressed."

"Where are we going?" She asked me with her head tilted to the side.

I stared at her silently.

"Hello?" She snapped her fingers.

"I heard you. We goin' to pick up a few prostitutes so we can both-"

She raised an eyebrow, turning her head to its normal position.

"To take them to my pops, so he can pray over them," I replied with quickness. "Splash a little Holy water."

"DeVanté." She laughed. "That ain't what you were about to say."

"Babe, how you gon' tell me? You a mind reader?" I questioned. "Okay, I was goin' to say something else, but realized it would be more disrespectful than a joke, so I didn't say it," I admitted. " What you thought I was gon' say? You know what? I don't even wanna know because you're going to say some more outrageous stuff and don't worry 'bout it, sweetheart. Just know that we leaving." I nodded with a smile. "Now go ahead and get dressed."

"Am I able to wear a dress or do I have to wear pants?" She questioned shimmying out of her underwear, standing up in the bed, then jumping off. "I wanna wear a dress today."

"Whatever you decide will be fine, love. Just bring some gym shoes. Now..." I motioned to the door. "Why would you wanna wear anything other than pants? It's cold as hell out there."

"Ain't Hell supposed to be hot or I'm trippin'?" She squinted, tilting her head to the side.

"For you? Yeah... I think so." I nodded. "Especially if you think it's hot here!"

"It's a turtleneck dress by the way, so it's appropriate for the season."

After briefly thinking about it I spoke up, "ACTUALLY, no... You need some pants, babe."

She left the room, little by little just smiling creepily. It took her a long ass time to get dressed and didn't take me long at all. You know, the usual! Jax was even here before my love was ready to go. Knowing her for this many years, I already know. Plenty of times I've told her to make sure she's ready by a certain time because we were riding together and her response would be she was almost ready. My house isn't too far from her and she would take forever to come out and I would sometimes come in and be in her house for eons.

"You sure you got everything you wanna take with you?" I raised my eyebrows at her.

"You know what, you're right." She said going to the bedroom again.

I looked at Jax and he started laughing. "You should be used to this," I told him.

"I am. I worked for her for a long time now. You've know her longer than I have. The real question is if you're used to this. Because you should be." Jax replied.

"I am." I sighed.

I took her- well, I guess you could say Jax took us to the gun range and I just didn't drive, but it was my idea the other day. Plus it's on my dime. I'm trying to have some damn fun because we're on vacation, not being around nagging motherfuckers all damn day. Damn, I sound repetitive, but it's true!

"I wanna switch to a big one. I've done a few, but never anything this big." Tia told me.

"I don't think you know how to handle nothin' that big. You might hurt yourself." I told her.

"I agree. You might hurt yourself." Jax told her.

"I might, but never know until you find you. It may hurt the first time or even the first few, but as long as I try again. Right?" She asked.

"Mm, I guess," I said making sure the safety was on the gun she had.

"It's on Donald." She replied. "I can handle this little mess. I just wanna try something bigger, you know?"

"I hear you, but imma stand right behind you," I replied. "Just in case because it's definitely going to jerk back and ion know if you can handle it."

"Bae, I've shot a shotgun before with daddy. Just nothing like this." She told me. Jax handed me the gun.

"This ain't the same though. Like I said, this is more powerful and there needs to be a little more pressure applied." I responded by positioning it with her with the safety still on.

"Okay."

I explained everything to her and ended off with, "you know what I'm saying?" I looked back at her to see her staring at me lovingly. "I don't feel like you were listening."

"I was." She replied.

"What I say?"

"You said twist the- the thingy and hit the-"

"I ain't said none of that. Babe, pay attention." I told her and Jax laughed from beside me. "This is serious. I need you to pay attention. I don't want you to hurt yourself or nothing."

She deeply inhaled then exhaled. "Okay, I'm listening, Donald."

I explained and demonstrated everything all over again and glanced at her every once in a while to make sure she was paying attention and she is. I had her repeat and demonstrate for me.

"You got all that other stuff right, but your positioning is way off, Tia. Remember that this can send you flying." I shook my head positioning. "But that's okay and easy to fix." I said repositioning it. "Alright, you ready?"

"Yeah, I'm excited." She cheesed placing her finger on the trigger and I placed mines on hers.

"Inhale, exhale..." We squeezed and Tia winced as it recoiled against her shoulder.

"Ahh, shit!" She said squeezing her eyes shut, letting go of the gun, ducking, and moving from in front of me.

I placed the gun down after turning on the safety and turned to see her hopping around while shaking her arms.

"You good?" I questioned.

"Mm-mm." She said almost unable to speak. "That shit hurt." She grabbed her shoulder.

"We can go," I recommended.

"No, no, no. We can stay, but I'll just downgrade for the day. Nothing that big." Tia said rotating her shoulder. "Get your money's worth. We've only been here for like two seconds and got about forty-five minutes left."

"You sure?" I questioned.

"Is that what you want?" She questioned.

"It's up to you," I told her. "Money's worth it is, I guess. You need to calm your little ass down thinkin' you can do everything."

"You know me so well," she cheesed. "Ow!"

"You sure you don't need nobody?" I questioned.

"You. Come on, let's continue. Competition?" She questioned.

"Alright, back to competition." I headed the gun back to Jax. "Glock 19?"

"Yes." She nodded.

"What do I get?" I questioned.

"Head pat."

"What do you want?" I questioned thinking she was going to say something else.

"Shoulder pat, I don't want my hair more messed up than it is." She responded.

"Mm, I thought you was gon' say somethin' else." I squinted.

"Like what?" She questioned walking to my stall because I'm in hers.

"Nothin'," I shrugged.

"Let's load it." She told me. "Jax, are you playing too?"

"For a head pat? Hell yeah!" He replied.

"This nigga stupid," I said laughing.

"Alright!" Tia laughed. "We aiming for the head and chest."

"God, lady," I looked behind the divider. "You sound sick as fuck. Trying to kill somebody."

"Boy, bye. Kill the paper? Because ain't nobody on the other side." She laughed.

The person who ended up winning was Jax because that nigga trained. He had the most hits. We did six rounds and targets.

"You got us, you got us, but you trained nigga. A whole bodyguard." I told him. "But I ain't rubbin' yo head."

"It was a pat, Donald," Tia said patting his head as best as she could due to the height difference. She petted him like a dog. "That's a good boy." She joked making us laugh. "I'm just playing."

I patted his head. "Fair is fair." I patted his head. Jax is a little shorter than I am so it was easy for me. "Ready to eat?" I asked Tia. Time is damn near up."

"Yeah, let's eat. I'm starving." She nodded. "I wanna EAT."

After turning the guns in we headed out. My phone started blowing the fuck up, but I didn't answer because I don't want to, but then Tia's phone rang.

"It's Dalvin. Something's wrong." Tia said grabbing her phone.

"Ain't nothin' wrong." I shook my head at her. "Want me to answer?"

She pushed the phone into my hand.

"Nigga, what the fuck you want? Blowing up phones and shit. What?!" I answered, irritated, but amused.

He explained everything to me and Jax took the next exit.

"You were right," Tia said after a while of silence.

"Right about what?" I asked.

"About letting them stay." She replied.

"We discussed this last night," I replied. "There's no need-"

"Maybe I should've left right then, last night and this shit wouldn't have happened. Damn... This is ridiculous. Like, what the fuck is wrong with them? Mad for what? If they do fight, I hope Dalvin beat his fat ass!" Tia said fuming and I howled with laughter.

"AMEN!" I shouted. "Lord knows..." I trailed off. "That's cold."

"And now I KNOW I'm finna hear my mother's mouth. She always got some shit to say and I'm tired of her too, equally."

"The fact that it's gon' take a long ass time for us to get it is crazy. If they do end up fighting, ain't nobody gon' be able to stop it until they want to because Derek gon' cheer him on. Pops? Ain't no tellin' if he gon' cheer or the opposite." I told her.

"Let me call my daddy." She said and I gave her back her phone.

She called him twice, and the second time is when he answered.

"I heard what happened back at the house. Are you okay?" Tia asked him.

"I don't even know why that Yasir is there, especially with that-" Daryl paused, "woman. Why was this nigga even allowed to stay? I'm so fuckin' pissed off right now that it don't make no fuckin sense." He rambled.

I can hear him clear as day because he's speaking very loud, but his voice is raised even more during some words and sentences.

"You both are just excusing his fuckin' behavior and I'm so fuckin' tired of everybody at this fuckin' point. Everybody in that fuckin' house. Ashari told me that it was you that wanted him to stay. It was all up to you. I don't understand why the fuck you let his fat and funky ass stay there. Then got the nerve to bring some stranger. Your mama makes excuses for Yasir, but I make them for you ALL the damn time."

He continued, "why am I making excuses for someone who is repetitive knowing the outcome is almost ALWAYS bad when it comes to that Yasir? I'm sayin' this right now. Don't come to me for shit and imma tell yo mama not to come tellin' me shit about y'all because I AM DONE with the both of y'all kids- excuse me, ADULTS. Very capable adults. Need somebody to talk to? Talk to your fuckin' therapist!" Daryl screamed into the phone.

"Nahh, hang up." I told Tia.

"Don't come to me for a gotdamned thing! I don't care how deep or how much it's eatin' you up, because I ain't the one to come running to. You gotta stop thinkin' about yourself and take others into consideration. Fuck Feelin', I'm being honest for now own. You are fucked up and I'm no longer goin' to be pulled into it. Tia, I am NOT playing! If I got somethin'..." Daryl trailed off and hung up not finishing his statement.

Damn... Okay... I never thought Daryl would talk to Tia like that and I would have intervened more, but she doesn't disrespect my parents, so my doing that wouldn't be completely right to do. Even if she did, which I can't allow, it still wouldn't be right. It's so surprising because that's his baby. I looked into her eyes to see they were watered, but she blinked then away.

"I'm sure he ain't mean that," I told her. "He's just pissed off about all that shit that happened."

"Truth hurts." That is all she said before getting up to turn on the radio. "No, I'm not trying to tune you out. You didn't do anything." She reassured me, scooting closer. "It's mine." She said as I wrapped my arm around her.

"What you tryna eat when everything is handled?" I asked, changing the subject. "What you in the mood for?"

"I'm not even in the mood for anything now." She shook her head.

"You ain't ate nothing though," I told her. "I knew we should've at least stopped somewhere to get something before heading to the gun range."

"I wanted to wait." She reminded me. "You're fine. I'm fine, Donald." She chuckled.

"I got a banana." Jax offered.

"No, thanks," Tia told him. "I'm good."

I looked down at her again, placing my right thumb on her chin to move her mouth as if she spoke.

"I AM hungry, but... I'm lying because my mood is ruined," I mocked Tia.

She swatted my hand away. "I'm not. I'm literally just not hungry. Honestly."

"Jax, we stopping to get something to eat and drink before we go home," I told him.

Tia grabbed her canister. "I'm good." She drank some of her water. "Keep heading to the rental. Thanks."

"I work for her..." Jax glanced at me as we waited at a red light.

"You know, it's okay not to be okay. Your feelings are hurt and it's okay to display your emotion. You ain't gotta keep everything in." I told her.

"I know." She whispered.

After that, I just shut my mouth because I'm sure she was not in the mood to speak. In fact, I know, so at this point, it feels as if I'm forcing it. When she's ready, she's ready. I can't fix anything. One thing for sure and two things for certain, she is going to eat. I don't care what she says. I ate because I was up when breakfast was served. I did grab her some things when I got mines, but that shit was sitting out for some hours because I ended up falling back to sleep after eating. That shit got cold and nasty and I'm sure the hotel people trashed it while cleaning it. When we made it back to the rental and entered the house, I was met by my brothers. DJ grabbed my pants leg and I picked him up. Tia walked straight past.

"What's up?" I hugged him.

"I have no friends." He frowned.

"Where's Masir?"

"He gone. Masir gone with his mama," he replied.

"You have us! That's not fair." Dery said angrily.

"You got me," I told him.

"You too old, Junior." He frowned.

"Where did Ashari go?" I asked Dalvin.

"Didn't even know she left."

"She left with Derek and took the kids with her," Derek replied. I'm guessin'."

"Oh." I nodded feeling bad because I didn't even keep my promise. I said that I was going to be there to make sure she and her kids were good, but that shit ain't happen. I'm glad the kids are good, but she was in the mix of all that bullshit. We were gone for a day and a half and all this bullshit happens.

I put DJ down to look for Tia. I went straight downstairs because that's most likely where Yasir is. I looked around and got to his room to see it was just Tia in there throwing things into suitcases.

"Where yo brother?" I questioned.

"No clue, but I'm packing his things, so when he does come back he or that girl won't have an excuse to stay longer." She replied, still packing.

"Oh." I nodded watching her from the doorway.

"For the most part, they're packed, so not too much to do." She said to check the drawers and closets for any other belongings of theirs. "I don't know why they didn't take their shit with them when they left."

"Because he figured that you being you, you'd allow him to stay regardless of what was to occur in the future," I told her. "That's why."

"God-" I heard her mutter some more things that I'm unable to understand.

"What was that?" I questioned.

"It was to myself, not you," she replied, shaking her head. Tia then laid her head back against the headrest, staring at the ceiling. "This whole thing is a fail. I know I said this yesterday, but it was. I'll compensate you for what you spent on all of this. God, I'm- that was just stupid of me. Repetitive."

"You not. I mean, everybody does stupid things, but it doesn't make you stupid like you were about to say, just human. It was a stupid move, but," I shrugged, passing, "I have done and still do dumb shit all the time, everybody does. Compensate me for what? It was a gift and I don't take gifts back to no woman that I'm in a relationship with."

"Repeating stupid actions equates to stupidity and that you haven't learned your lesson. That's what this shit is."

"I'm no therapist, the black community has a problem and that is making someone the villain though they are the victim. This means that the victims are made to pretend like everything is okay and communicate with the villain, even though they keep making you the victim until you can't take anymore and eventually become the villain." I explained. "In this case-" I walked completely into the room.

"What are you doing?" Mrs. Toussaint entered the room. "What are you putting into my daughter's head?" She questioned.

I looked at her then looked away not saying a damn thing. I'm not the one putting shit into her head, she is and refuses to see that. It is very possible to do that to an adult, especially one that you've raised because you've been doing it this far. Tia didn't even acknowledge her a bit. She didn't look at her or anything. Instead, Tia grabbed the bags, placed them on the floor, and walked right past her mother and I followed, grabbing the suitcases to walk up the stairs.

Her mother kept talking, following behind us. "Why are you packing his things? Where are you takin' them? I know you are not about to kick him out? Your brother? But letting his stay? Because I don't see no other bags out there. Where is he going to go, Tia?" She questioned.

I sat the bags by the front door, Tia grabbed them and dragged them outside and sat on the stoops, stone railing that's just as thick as the stairs. I would've taken them outside if I knew that's what she wanted.

"Thank you." She said just waiting while her mother rambled on.

"We're in another country. Tia, where is he gonna go? You don't treat family like that. You know that, right? You should because that's what I taught you. No matter what somebody does, holding a grudge ain't gon' fix nothin'. It will just make things worse. People outside the family? Okay, because blood is thicker than water. I don't understand why you kickin' him out, but HIS people get to stay. You automatically believe them over your brother. I'm sure you didn't even get his side of things. Then you gon' kick him out when his kids here? You gon' take that away from him too? Them kids deserve a daddy and you and Ashari trying to do the opposite." She rambled.

Tia just remained silent, ignoring her, pulling her knees to her chest, lowly humming. This doesn't make any type of sense. It's like she's being pulled back into childhood or something. This is fucked up! This ain't no healthy environment. Tia leaned her head against the wall of the house, looking up at the sky.

"You not gon' do nothin'?" Her mother turned to me and I just looked at her silently.

What the fuck am I supposed to do? Her mama is one of the problems. Mrs. Toussaint eventually took the silent treatment of us both as a hint and walked away. I stood there just watching her, looking up at the sky, and humming in her same position. I leaned against the door, looking up at the gloomy sky with the breeze brushing past my face. It wasn't like this before, but the sky seems to match the mood. After a while, I heard a muffled commotion in the house. I opened the door to see what it was and heard Yasir's voice loud and clear.

"Babe, your brother is here." I tapped her. "He must've come in through the back or basement door. I need to check those more often, them mostly since they are here."

She looked at me, nodded, stood up, and turned to me. "Calm down. I know- I just know that you're going to follow me and I need you to calm down. I got this." She kissed me on the cheek. "Please, because I know how you can get." She grabbed my hands stood on her toes and pecked my lips.

"It'll try, but the sight of him gets me riled up."

Tia made her way into the house. I nodded at Apollo and Jax to follow me and followed behind her. Yasir is in the kitchen and I stood right at the door with it cracked open with Apollo and Jax.

Word Count: 8,945

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