Please excuse ANY errors.

December 28, 1998

~Daryl's P.O.V~

I definitely went to the doctor, but I can't get any results. The only thing they were able to do is to stitch me up. Results take a long ass time, but I'm taking some more tests when we land back in the states. I can't even touch my wife. Luckily, I was able to communicate in the language so I could speak to the workers there. I requested someone who speaks English though. I went outside to see Ashari, Creed, and my grandkids across the street. I walked across the street to the McDonald's and took a seat across from Ashari.

"Masir, get your behind back over this way," I ordered and he followed directions. "Don't go back over there. You can play, but don't go past that pole."

"You wanted somethin' out of there?" Ashari asked me.

I frowned. "That greasy ass shit? Hell nah, I'm good. Got to watch my cholesterol. Thanks."

"So... Everything good?" Ashari raised her eyebrows.

"No clue. I can't find nothin' out for a couple of weeks." I shrugged.

"I think you're fine." Ashari shook her head. "But better safe than sorry. Also, I don't think it happens to where they can tell right away."

"I don't know how this shit work. I ain't ever have to get tested for no shit like this. This y'all generation bringin' on new shit." I told her.

"My generation?" She questioned. "How come all people of all ages are gettin' it then? Bullets ain't got no name, and neither do these diseases, mainly when protection or just carelessness happens. My point is some kids born in the 80s and up were born with it or contracted it in some kind of way. People in your generation were and still are havin' kids. Not to mention sharin' needles. And some people just have way too much trust in their partners." She raised an eyebrow.

"Okay... But it was introduced in your generation." I pointed out.

"I was born in the sixties, not eighties." She smiled. "Next!"

I shrugged. "Right. My mistake."

Ashari cleared her throat. "You know... I don't appreciate you mentionin' my name when you spoke on the phone. I told you that out of confidence and it's not her fault that he and that girl acted a fool. Just the fact that they were allowed to stay there."

"If they weren't allowed to stay there, none of this would have occurred," I stated.

"True, but... She knows how Yasir is, yet, she allowed him to stay. You said it yourself, DeVanté even asked her if she wanted to stay a couple of times and she still said yes. Yes, he invited him, but before everything occurred between him and you, then her and him." I replied. "I'm tired of givin' her excuses. She's a grown woman."

"Yeah, but your delivery was off. And if you wanna blame someone, blame your wife for tellin' him where we were even though Tia stated that she didn't want anything to do with him because he's so damn disrespectful." She shrugged.

I frowned. "You blame my wife? Why do you think it was her?"

"WHO ELSE speaks to Yasir? Nobody but her. She ALWAYS takes up for him no matter the situation. He could say he would kill Tia and I believe she STILL would take up for him and make excuses. HELL, even if he kills her." She emphasized some of her words, boldly. "She would definitely take the stand and state: Oh... It wasn't on purpose. Everybody makes mistakes, Your Honor. Let him be free! That's my SON!"

"You are goin' too far. My wife may be irrational at times-"

"ALL if it includes Yasir doin' wrong and especially if it's Tia on the receivin' end of his wrongdoings." She explained.

"Why are we on Tia? Tia wasn't even here today. Ain't nobody seen her since the day before yesterday. She just up and left." I frowned. "This is about today and today Yasir and Beyoncé or whatever the fuck her name is."

"Tia is mentioned because it all leads up to it. You know she gon' do anything for your wife. ANYTHING to please her over her own feelings, even jeopardizing her happiness and peace. Tia knows and I know that if there ain't no Yasir, there will be an ear full comin' from your wife. You know it too and if you need proof, take the plane as an example." She explained. "It's like a man shootin' somebody and the police bein' blamed for it because of police brutality. Blame the person who pulled the trigger."

"Listen, I'm tellin' you that I know that she knows how her brother is. She should've followed what she wanted to do, nobody else's." My eyebrows furrowed as I spoke.

"Ooh, you been around your wife too long. Want to blame someone? Blame us all because everybody played a part in what led up happened today. Yasir got mad as hell, talkin' about me and Dalvin slept together. I spoke up for myself and he got his obedient dog to attack me. It was my knife. I'm the one who pulled it out to get her to defend myself because I don't know if you know this or not, but I can't fight. I cut her ass, and when you came down there, I got distracted and let down my guard. She aimed for me and got you instead." She revealed everything.

She continued to speak. "I apologize for that. You can choose to not speak to me and it's whatever. I don't care because I'm not an Atlanta resident as of January 1st. I'm takin' my ass back home to my family. Your anger is misplaced and you speakin' from hurt and the possible outcome of your blood results."

I nodded. "No, I'm not gon' do that. You're okay. What you don't understand is that this is ALL repetitive. Yasir does something and Tia- Tia is Tia." I told her.

"What I do understand is that she is sweet and she holds her mother's words about family to high standards. That's the reason she kept all that shit to herself for so long and then you be one of the first people she tells and tell her not to come to you for shit is fucked. I'm pretty sure she's hiding more shit because of this family shit, but you or nobody else will ever know."

"Yasir has been trying to villainize Tia before any of you or anyone else was well aware. I fell for it for a while, then later realized that I was wrong. Something is wrong with Yasir. He ain't the same man that I met and I'm sure he ain't the same one that you met." She leaned in. "Let me tell the truth about what really happened that day he went to jail. The portion that I know because WHY the fuck am I protectin' him when he's putting everyone else in harm's way?"

"I already know," I told her.

"No, you don't because I haven't really told anyone. You only heard his side which I'm sure was a lie. What happened was he said he wanted to leave me and I was okay with it because I picked up on a few things throughout the year. I was just afraid to let go, but once he said he was done, I knew I was ready so I basically shrugged it off, saying I don't care. He got mad that I was able to let the relationship as easy as he did. He wanted me to beg him to stay, even though it was time to go."

Ashari continued to speak. "WAY overdue. He had been cheatin'. We argued and he choked me in front of Masir. I told you that I don't know how to fight, so I reached for the kitchen knife and sliced his ass. My baby witnessed all of this and stood there scared, but know what the hell to do. Not to mention he was woken up out of his sleep with everything happenin'. He stormed out and later came back bangin' in the door, screamin' and cryin' like a puppy in need of shelter. That shit that leads him in jail must've happened between him leavin' my house."

She shakily exhaled. "Then when we started co-parenting. Things were going no better than okay, but I needed him to keep the kids while I worked. I should've followed my first mind when he said he wanted me to come inside, rather than bring them out like the usual."

My heart sped all the way up because I hope this isn't leading to where I thought it was leading. Yasir is a horrible person, but... Let me just listen.

"I went in and he had candles lit, the whole mood set, but I moved on. I was solely focused on my healin' and my children. Was he tryin' to get me back or just seduce me?" She shrugged. "I turned down his advances with upset him.

"I rejected him and things went haywire. He got upset because of my rejection. Talkin' about his damn feelings, but disregarding mines. He was so aggressive physically and verbally and I was so fuckin' scared. He dented my car out of anger. I'm happy it was my car and not me. Thankfully, I was able to get out safely, but after that, I never went back. It's better for my children and me. That nigga is crazy. If you were there..." She trails off, sitting up again.

I exhaled once she said she got out safely because I didn't know where the fuck this was heading. "Oh... That's horrible."

What I really wanted to say was it's not as bad as I thought, but that would definitely be invalidating her feelings and experience.

"He doesn't even discipline the kids when he is around, Masir specifically. We all know that he is bad as hell." Ashari whispered.

"Amen!" I laughed.

"I'm ready to go now. You ready?" She questioned. "I'm a bit exhausted."

I shrugged. "Let's get to goin', I guess." I stood up. "Come on over here Masir."

Masir ran over to me, "what?"

"We about to go," Ashari told him. "You lost some blood, I'm surprised you ain't a little dizzy."

"And don't answer your mama with what, say yes." I told Masir, then started back speaking to Ashari, "I ain't lose that much because it wasn't that deep and I drank plenty of water in Urgent Care," I replied, grabbing Masir's hand and walking to the car. We made it home and it was silent, besides the kids which were in the basement. "Wanna go play with the other kids?" I asked Masir.

"Duh!" He said taking off.

"I'm gonna put her to sleep," Ashari told me walking up the stairs with Creed.

"Wait!" I said jogging up to him to see him walking his small self and taking his sweet time walking down the stairs.

"No, y'all not gon' keep runnin' all over the house and messin' up the house, puttin' all of these toys!" I heard Derek raise his voice at the kids.

When we made it downstairs, Masir took off running again and I followed. "Slow down because you don't wanna fall on your face in this basement."

Halting, he turned to me and said, "I'm NOT," with so much emphasis.

"You are running," I replied.

"NO, I'm not gon' FALL, grampaw." Masir corrected me and then continued running.

Upon entrance, I saw most of the adults in this big ass room, playing various games.

DeVanté winded his arm in a circle before slamming his Domino on the table."Domino!" He cackled. "I may not be able to play Spades, but I got Dominoes down pack! Gon' 'head and wash the dishes, Mr. Dalvin!"

I kissed my wife's cheek, "hey."

"Hey, you okay?" She asked me.

"I guess." I shrugged. "At the moment. We'll speak a little later though."

"Yeah, of course." She nodded.

"Hey, y'all!" I greeted everyone else.

My wife was on the phone with me while at the Urgent Care Center for much of the time trying to make sure that I'm alright, but had to hang up for some reason. I'm positive that it was about her adult kids and whatnot. It's crazy and if she doesn't stop, she will end up getting sick from all the worrying she does. As I said, they're adults that should know how to handle their own situation.

"You ONLY won because the kids distracted me," Derek told DeVanté.

"Excuses. You lost because you lost, don't blame them, kids." Dalvin told him.

"FTK!"

"The hell does that mean?" I spoke up.

"You lost too," Derek said laughing.

"No excuses from me though. Right?" Dalvin laughed. "How 'bout we skip washin' these dishes for the next round and we bust outta the Spades?"

"No, I'm not playin' that." DeVanté shook his head.

"Why not?" Derek asked him, then lowered his voice. "And you know yo ass ain't gon' be on my team, right?" He whispered to DeVanté.

"Damn straight because I ain't playin'." DeVanté shrugged.

"Why? Because you gon' lose?" Dalvin asked laughing. "Everybody loses! Just get used to it."

"I don't care about losin', it just that y'all gon' just complain about me not knowin' how to play, but not teach me." DeVanté replied.

"We TRIED!" Dalvin said laughing.

"Nahh, I'm not playin' though. I don't mind watchin' somebody else loses though and y'all KNOW how to play." DeVanté pointed to them.

"I'll take his spot since they over there full," I told the boys.

"Aye man, you good?" Dalvin asked me and DeVanté just looked at me quietly and stood up with his hands tucked into his pockets.

"I'm good as far as I know. Just a little slash. Thanks for askin'." I took a good look at Dalvin and Derek. "Y'all good Y'all lookin' a little busted. Somebody got in a fight?'

"We got in a fight with your son," Derek replied like it was nothing, removing the frozen bag of peas from his eye.

"Or we can play Monopoly," Dalvin suggested.

"I ain't got time to argue. That game always leads up to arguing. Y'all just love to cheat." DeVanté told them. "No way. When it's Poker or Black Jack time, I'm all in. I'm ready for that." He said standing to the side.

"For money? If not, then I'm not playin' none of them games." Dalvin questioned.

"Oh, course," DeVanté nodded.

"I know y'all not gon' sit here and gamble? Then in front of me?" Senior questioned.

"That was all Dalvin, pops," Derek spoke up.

Dalvin took up for himself. "It was De who suggested it."

"I said play, but I ain't mention no money," DeVanté told him.

"A'ight, Dalvin. Don't get fucked up." Senior told them.

"Talk about a sin, but you just sinned by cursin' at me." Dalvin's voice hitched, making it known.

Senior looked at him. "We all sin."

"Let me sin in peace," DeVanté told him. "Not my words. I'm just sayin' what Dalvin was thinkin'. I'm a mind reader."

Senior squinted at DeVanté. "You was saying what you was thinking, don't lie. That's a sin, son." He said laughing. "I know y'all gamble. I'm not an idiot."

DeVanté looked at Dalvin then Senior. "You sure?" DeVanté asked, raising his eyebrows. "Dalvin's words, not mine!"

"You gon' get fucked up, Junior." He pointed at him laughing.

"Up where?" Derek asked.

DeVanté gave him a look. "Aye, now... Too far. Don't be suspect." Devanté told him.

"But don't you be gamblin'?" Dalvin asked Senior.

"Right!" Derek slammed his hand down on the table. "Let's put him in the hot seat as he does us. Sinners callin' other sinners out." He smiled.

"Everybody knows what I do. It's not an ongoin' thing though." Senior replied. "So?"

"It ain't ongoing with us either. I don't like to lose money." DeVanté placed his fingertips against his chest.

"You go more than us." Derek leaned his cheek into the palm of his hand like he wanted to laugh. "Than me anyways. Them on the other hand... Ion know. Probably about what and what." He shrugged.

"Mind y'all business!" Senior told them.

Derek, Dalvin, and DeVanté burst out laughing. "Exactly how we feel!" DeVanté spoke through his laughter. "I mean, that's exactly how Dalvin feels." He corrected.

"Stay in the child's place." Senior told him.

"Oooooh! You right pops! Where's the bill money?" Derek asked him. "That's the best part of bein' a child. NO bills! I take cash and credit."

"We all do, pops." DeVanté cosigned.

"Y'all made y'all point. Y'all adults and should be able to do what you want, just don't come to me for nothin' that adults should be able to handle." He pointed at them laughing.

"That's what I be sayin'," I agreed with Senior.

"Mmm." DeVanté wagged his hand with his index finger pointing at me. "Right..." He trailed off and then leaned down to his brothers. "Tomorrow, be ready for them pockets to lose weight." He then stood back up.

"Amen!" Senior said laughing in reply to me. "Who turn is it?"

"Take your turn!" Mrs. DeGrate told him. "We all waitin' on you." She said laughing. "Y'all are a mess."

"I'm about to pack a few things and head back out," DeVanté said dapping up his brothers and giving them each a hug, before doing the same to his father. "Bye, mama." He kissed her cheek.

"Where are you going?" Mrs. DeGrate asked him.

"Back to my hotel room. Bye!" DeVanté said about to walk away.

"Why not just stay here? That's dumb." Dalvin frowned at him, with an irritated shrug. "You rented this place, just to rent a hotel?"

"Because I want to. I rented a hotel because everybody was gettin' on my nerves. Being around everybody like this just ain't the same. Ain't really been since we grew up." DeVanté replied.

"What you mean? We was all just cool a few seconds ago." Derek told him.

"We still are, but too many adults under one roof is too much. Ain't been a good thing." DeVanté gestured to everybody. "Especially when it's family who knows a lot about you and throws stuff back in your face." His eyes scanned over to me. "People want to control other adults and know that certain people will listen. The disrespect is reckless. So, yeah."

"I can stay down here in the basement if that's what you need. Ain't nobody else down here, so..." Dalvin suggested.

"Where's Yasir?" I questioned.

"You don't know?" Derek asked me.

"No, it's why I'm asking," I told him.

"Tia kicked him out." My wife answered.

Shocked, I replied, "surprisingly."

"Dalvin, trust me, you goo- as a matter-" DeVanté looked up. "I forgot. Yeah, you're good, Dalvin. You can stay where you are. It's cool with me. It's not a problem. I just need time away. That's all."

"How much time? You been gone for some days and this the first time in a while that we stayed under one roof." Senior told him. "If it's time alone, how come you with Tia?"

"I said time away, pops. And we takin' as much as we need. Too much has happened throughout these past days, nothin' short of a disaster." DeVanté shrugged. "Y'all done grillin' me, now?" He laughed.

Derek shrugged and Dalvin replied, "I guess. It's whatever, man." Dalvin waved him off.

"Dalvin, I know you not sittin' there mad?" DeVanté asked him. "Yes, it's a family vacation, and I spent a lot of time with everybody, but let's not pretend we don't know why we're actually here, why I ACTUALLY planned this trip in the first place."

"So you still doin' it after all of this?" Senior asked.

"YES," DeVanté emphasized, "why would what happens with everybody else affect how we feel towards each other?"

"So it doesn't? It don't effect either one of y'all at all?" Mrs. DeGrate asked her oldest son.

"It affects us, yes, but not the way we feel about each other. Y'all had issues with each other's families, but that didn't affect the way y'all feel about each other, did it?" DeVanté asked his parents. "You discuss it and keep it pushin'. At least that's what we do."

"Why are you upset? It's a simple question." Senior raised his voice.

"I mean..." Derek trailed off. "Y'all- pops, and Dalvin is comin' at him a little crazy, energy matches energy." He defended his oldest brother.

"It was a simple question that I asked, son. I didn't say you shouldn't do it," Mrs. DeGrate replied.

"You're right, I'm sorry." DeVanté nodded. "Bye." He said before hastily leaving the room.

Derek looked at his father, "see, that's exactly why he wants to leave. Exactly what he just explained. Y'all comin' at people sideways. Then Dalvin over here sayin' things as if when she here you don't act all buddy-buddy with her."

"I don't necessarily have a problem with her as a whole. Although, she does seem a little toxic and it's the way I feel." Dalvin shrugged. "He spends way more time with her than he does with any of us."

"And you wonder why?" Derek asked him. "This happens. It ain't like he cut you off or anything, he simply don't do the things that you choose to do to have fun. You're still out here wildin'. You don't think I felt some type of way when y'all left North Carolina? I did, but it was somethin' I had to accept. I know it seems like y'all don't hang out as much. It seems like it because it's true, but y'all hung out a lot because y'all worked together a lot, then y'all lived together for years. Y'all hung out together at some of the same places. That's twenty-four-seven around each other. We all grown with our own lives, goals, families and growin' families." Derek explained to Dalvin. "You still a lot of the same things and De changed for the better while you still out here wildin'."

"Dalvin, your brother is in high demand. Many people are working or waiting to work with him. He barely has time for anything else. Now, he's in love... And sometimes that very person that you try to tell them about is usually the person they end up with. Leave it alone, Donald." Mrs. DeGrate told him.

"What are you trying to say?" My wife squinted, looking at Dalvin.

"The common denominator of EVERYTHING that has occurred on this trip is Tia, your daughter," Dalvin admitted. "I'm all busted up because of her."

"She wasn't even here when that Yasir stuff happened." Derek defended, "and I did hit him first."

Dalvin sat up, "he's HER brother that she allowed staying."

"That sounds dumb." Mr. DeGrate chuckled. "There is where I agree with Derek. Unless she was the center of what started the argument, what does that have to do with her?"

"Okay, there's no need to discuss someone who isn't even here, right?" Maria spoke up. "The whole situation is messed up. Live in the moment please."

"We are livin' in the moment. At this moment, DeVanté ain't even here." Dalvin told her. "We sittin' here like what happened today ain't just happen."

"Keep up with this type of attitude and you just gon' push him even further away than you THINK he is," Maria told Dalvin. "This is all on Yasir. He's the only one to blame. He's in control of HIS actions. Not nobody else, just HIM. Period."

"Y'all sitting here defendin' their behavior for what though?" Dalvin asked his brother and Maria. "You got slammed to the floor."

"Ain't nobody else doin' it. Not even the parents." Derek looked at my wife and I.

"And that speaks volumes. Let's you know who's in the wrong," Dalvin shrugged.

"Oh, wow... Okay." I nodded at him.

I didn't say anything because I'm still pissed the fuck off. Also, it lets me know who's real and for fake. Just allows the true faces to be revealed. I'm tired of arguing and defending the same thing and a person who doesn't even bother to defend themselves. Want to throw it out there that you're an adult? Then be one.

"Y'all okay, right?" Senior asked his kids.

"I'm cool, pops," Derek nodded. "My back is a little sore and I may have been leakin', but I'm cool."

Dalvin smacked his lips, "man, I'm NOT okay. I'm mad as ever! My stomach hurt and I got a knot on my forehead."

"So does the one who did it to y'all," Maria replied. "He looks worse."

My wife perked up, "what?" My wife rushed out of the room.

I'm surprised that she didn't intervene when they were saying all that other stuff about her son.

"Why'd you hit him first?" Mrs. DeGrate asked Derek.

"Mama, I was provoked. He's been talkin' reckless about everybody," Derek sighed aloud.

"Those are WORDS!" Mrs. DeGrate raised her voice. "You don't go just swinging on people because they said something to you. I could understand if he hit you first, but he didn't."

"Yeah, but-"

"I ain't teach y'all that," she pointed at both of her kids.

Dalvin looked at her confused, "the only reason I fought him is to protect Derek. Why would you hit somebody that's above your stature?" Dalvin asked Derek.

"You the one who called me scared. I just got mad, alright?" Derek sat up.

"Me too and at you and De. De ain't even jump in. All he did was hold him back. He definitely could've done more than hold that big dude back," Dalvin said pissed off.

"That's what you should have done, Dalvin!" Mrs. DeGrate replied. "I don't want my kids fighting each other or nobody else!"

"It's a man thing, Mary," Senior told his wife. "You can't just let another man talk to you any kind of way and get away with it. Multiple times."

"EXACTLY!" Dalvin defended. His mother gave him a look at him raising his voice. "I'm sorry, but I agree with pops, mama."

"Ego, my foot. Y'all don't need to be doing this. How many men die from ego alone? Let. It. GO." Mrs. DeGrate spoke slowly. "I don't want to hear about none of y'all fighting because of y'all ego."

"Yes ma'am," Derek and Dalvin spoke simultaneously.

"Alright, let me cut up a potato for that eye because it's turning dark," Mrs. DeGrate left the room.

December 28 & 29, 1998

~DeVanté's P.O.V~

"Babe, you sure you want to continue this relationship?" Tia questioned. "I mean with everything going on... This is a lot on you and your family. My family is causing turmoil in your family. This is causing us to argue and fight. Nobody seems to want us together either."

"What?" I frowned. "When you get here? Plus me and you haven't fought even once. What are you talking about? Where is this coming from?" My face scrunched up in disbelief. "You ready to let things go because people don't want us together and our family is fighting? What does that have to do with us? Again, when did we fight? When do we ever TRULY fight? Never! I'm confused."

"We're doing it now!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. "We argued right before making it to the rental. Why are you actin' delusional!? Acting brand-spankin' new."

I rubbed my hand down my face in pure frustration. "I feel like that's what you REALLY want since you mentioned it."

"Are you back on that stuff again?" I suddenly saw my pops instead of Tia.

Looking around confused, I had to ask the question. "Where she go? Why did she just disappear on me in a middle of a conversation like that?"

"She left you! Did you not just see her leave? Drugs got you fucked up." My pops told me. "Nothing but a junkie. She don't love you, boy. Nobody likes a junkie."

"I keep tellin' you, I ain't doin' nothin'!" I held my arms out at my side and drugs fell from my sleeve. "What the fuck?" I spoke lowly to myself. "What do you want from me?" I asked my pops.

"I want you to be in your right mind," My pops replied. "It's clear that you aren't." He pointed down at the floor.

Then I saw my mother. "I'm highly disappointed in you, son."

Looking down at my hands was a pill bottle and I dropped it, making the pills spill onto the floor. What the fuck?

"Family gon' always be there for you no matter what," Dalvin told me. "Fuck bitches, get money."

"What?" I said confused. My heart sped up so quickly. "I need to sit down."

"Fuck you nigga. Choose a bitch over family?" Dalvin asked me. "I see how it is."

Derek appeared. "Don't even listen to his ass. He still got that teenage mentality. Don't wanna grow up for shit. You gon' fuck around and end up alone, Dalvin. Alone and miserable."

"He's dead!" My grandmother screamed.

"Who?" My voice heavily shook.

"Grampa is dead," Grandma told me, crying.

"No... He not..." I said taking deep breaths, but my heart sped up.

"Come on in the bedroom with us, nigga!" Puffy said waving me over, dressed in a cheerleader outfit.

"You out yo fuckin' mind!" I pointed at him. "Hell nahh... This shit ain't real! Ain't no fuckin' way..." My heart began to beat faster, so I took a drink out of my cup.

Immediately, I started feeling dizzy.

"Nigga, don't drink nothin' at these types of functions. They drug you and you won't know until it's too late." Tupac told me. Then I saw black.

I opened my eyes to a pitch-black room and an arm wrapped around me and they had their hand on my chest. Jolting up, I pushed them off of me and scrambled to look for the nearest light, knocking things over in the process. My chest beat fast upon anticipation. I found the light and flicked it on to see Tia standing on the bed with her first balled up in a fighting position, swinging into the air.

"Donald, what the hell?" Tia looked at me like I was crazy.

"What are you doing?" I asked her.

Her eyes widened. "I'm trying to figure out the same dang thing. Like... I thought somebody was in here. You scared the fuck out of me. Woke me up out of my sleep in a frantic state." She chuckled, plopping down on the bed. "Are you okay?" She eyed me. "You're sweating profusely. Sit down."

"I had a dream," I said to myself in realization. Only thing is that I said it out loud.

"Okay, Doctor Martin Luther King Junior. We all have dreams." She joked. "What's wrong?"

"Where are we? I was drugged... My grandpa died!" I put my hand on my head. "Puffy... I was drugged!" I told her.

"When!?" She jumped up looking around, looking scared. "Who?"

"In- in my dream," I told her. "I'm good." I sat down on the bed.

"Oh." She nodded then opened the window, sat next to me, then got up again. "Drink some water. Don't scare me like that again."

I grabbed it, downing it. "When did you get here?" I asked her.

"It was around... Six I believe." She told me. "When I got here, you were calling hogs, so I left you alone. After a while, I got bored, so I joined you about-" she looked at the clock, "an hour ago. You okay?"

"I'm good. Just a bad dream." I told her.

"You don't look too good right now. You're wet, I don't know how I didn't wake up from that alone," she stated, feeling my forehead. "Everybody and everything is okay, Donald. Calm down." Tia reassured me.

"Damn, I had so much on my mind before going to bed. It was like all of my fears in one dream- a nightmare. My chest hurts." I told her.

"I'm going to call a doctor." She stood up about to leave the room.

"No, you can sit down." I grabbed her hand, pulling her near me.

"Are you out of breath? Nauseous?" She asked me.

"Tia, I'm okay. As I said, it was just a nightmare. It felt weird and the sequences didn't make no sense, people were turning into other people and disappearing, so I should've known." I chuckled. "Stupid." I laughed even louder.

"You're laughing hard as heck. Any other time I'd laugh too, but I'm honestly concerned for you. What's up?"

"The ending of my dream..." I told her. "Puffy invited me into his room dressed in a cheerleading outfit. I got riled up and felt my heart palpitating, then a drink appeared in my hand and I saw black. Babe, I thought I was drugged. Then when I woke up, the room was pitch black, so I got scared as fuck. I was finna fuck SOMEBODY up because I wasn't goin' out like that." I shook my head.

"You're okay." She rubbed my shoulders. "A cheerleading outfit though?" She busted out laughing.

"It was a metaphor because that's how I feel about that nigga. Not to mention him takin' and givin' ass." I told her. "I was scared as fuck. I wanted to beat his ass, but my chest felt heavy and started beating fast. I almost fell out."

She placed her hand on my chest. "And you're still calming down."

"I'm cool," I shrugged. "But I do need to get my sweaty ass back in the shower." I looked up at her, hovering over my shoulder. "Answer me this?"

Her eyebrows raised in curiosity. "Yeah?"

"Why were you standin' on the bed swingin' into the air? You had a Rocky dream or some shit?" I asked her.

She exhaled deeply with a smile. "I said I thought somebody was in here, but it was you knocking things over. Scared the mess out of me. I had no actual weapons, so I was going to use my hands."

"You were quiet though." I reminded her.

"I didn't want them to know I was in here if the lights were off, but if they came close, I was definitely going to defend myself," Tia smirked.

"Oh, so you wasn't goin' out like that either?" I questioned. "Luckily I DID turn on the lights because we would've probably been fightin' each other and shit."

"Oh, I wasn't gon' stay quiet when they found me, so you would've known." She told me. "Just until they did find me."

"I heard you swingin' at the air though. Sound like a whipping noise. You were goin' fast as fuck too. Where did you think I went since you knew you slept with me?" I questioned.

"Hiding somewhere in this hotel or maybe they had you already!" She laughed.

"YOU think I would hide?" I questioned.

"YEAH!" She laughed. "I sure in the hell would if I ain't know how many people there were or their whereabouts."

"Oh, okay. Are you okay?"

Tia gave me a goofy look. "Yes, Donald."

"I mean after all this went down with your family. Are you okay?" I asked again.

"I'm fine, Donald. Are YOU okay after everything?" She raised her eyebrows. "It was your family who was hurt the most and was caught in the crossfire."

"I'm cool. My pops is a little upset, but Dalvin is too. Dalvin is mad at me. He thinks I'm tryin' to push him away, but I'm not. That dude doesn't understand. It's not good for me to take up the type of space he takes up. He knows that I'm not too fond of the club scene already, but I don't really like these house parties either. Too much shit goes on. I got self-control, but I'm still in recovery. Slippin' back into that lifestyle with probably slip me into my old habits." I explained to her carefully. "I already work a lot. My headaches weren't the only reason I was poppin' pills, it was the stress of everybody needing me to be in all these damn places at once. It was my way of coping and makin' it to all those places when I was needed," I told her. "Many of us self-medicate to keep up."

"Maybe- Then maybe you should slow down a little bit." She suggested, sitting beside me again. "Old habits can always be new again. I know from experience because I have relapsed myself."

"YOU tellin' ME to slow down?" I raised my eyebrows. "You the same way; a workaholic."

"But I didn't have the same habit as you did. Working IS my coping method." She told me. "It's one of the ways I deal with everything. Escapism in a way, but I enjoy working and learning things. Always have."

"So you do have the same habit, but yours just isn't as bad or has much of a stigma. That's an addiction, babe." I told her.

"But it benefits me in more ways than one."

"Like most addictions, it eases the mind, but it's hard on the body." I chuckled. "Sometimes even neglectful to yourself. Drug addicts don't eat because they're focused on other."

"I'm not trying to be broke again. I grew up broke and going back isn't an option and in order to keep it that way, I need to work." She shrugged.

"At what cost?"

"This ain't the same and I'm not gon' sit here and argue with you about it. Agree to disagree?"

"I know, I'm messin' with you!" I laughed tapping on her. "You couldn't tell this time, huh? You should hire me for your next movie!" I said laughing. "Drugs and work AIN'T the same AT ALL. One loses money and the other just loses time. However, you ARE a workaholic." I nodded at her.

"If I am, then we both are," she replied. "That's all we both do all the time."

"I am," I agreed. "Definitely, but I work hard for the money. Without it, we wouldn't be able to live comfortably. I get it though. Bein' broke will definitely have you scared of goin' back to bein' that way."

"I don't want my kids to have to work as hard and I don't give a damn who looks down on nepotism."

"Right!" I agreed. "That's how them other ethnic groups get theirs. Someone from a different generation works hard to build wealth, so the next generations only have to work hard to keep it. Nepotism doesn't mean they still ain't workin', just not as hard. They shouldn't have to either. Now that I'm working and JUST working in the studio, I'm stayin' out of trouble and bullshit. Other than this family shit..." I chuckled. "They just gon' have to accept it and move the hell on. It's my fuckin' life. As long as I'm not doin', nothin' I'm not supposed to do, I don't see why they so worried."

"Sometimes family has your best interest at heart, but just..." She trailed off not knowing exactly what to say, I can tell.

"I know, but I don't need help. At this point, it's just jealousy and their wanting control over my life. I'm in control now." I told her. "I mean I was in control when I was abusing prescriptions, just not in a positive manner."

"I see it that way, being that mines have the same problem." She nodded. "Presented in different ways, of course. My New Year's resolution is to not give a fuck and live my life for me. In the words of Janet, to take CONTROL!" She said hopping up and trying to do the dance.

"Stop, you dance like a tangled yoyo." I shook my head.

"Aht! No, you didn't!" She laughed jumping on the bed, tackling my torso onto the bed, then straddling my stomach with my arms locked between her legs and thighs, basically at the bend of her knees.

"I'm just sayin'... I know you can do better than that, so I heard." I laughed. "DAMN, strong ass legs." I moved her forward with my forearms that are loose. She fell forward and then arched her back, dancing. "That's what you get for tackling me. Coochie all in my face." I laughed. "You ain't even got no panties on. What's goin' on today?"

"I don't know what you're talking about because these are your underwear."

"No, the heck they ain't. I beg to differ. I know how mine look and them ain't it," I told her.

"These are underwear, girl boxers, babe, and you know that." She said getting scooting off of me, laughing. "You like? I went to the store and they were on sale because of its Christmas theme and Christmas is OVER." She said spinning.

"I figured it was a sale after you said you brought yourself something," I said laughing.

Tia guffawed, "true, but who doesn't love a good sale?" She raised her eyebrows. "I was determined to wear them today. I hand-washed them and used a blow dryer like back in the days." She straddled my waist.

"A blow dryer? To dry yo panties?" I frowned with raised eyebrows.

"Yup, that's that ghetto living. Had to make do with what we had." She shrugged. "It comes in handy too."

"I see."

"You'll probably get to see my moves one day," I know that she's referring to marriage, "but AGAIN, I cannot dance. I got hip and waist control, but I CAN NOT, I repeat, CAN NOT dance." She held up her hand, wiggling her fingers, then got off of me. "I also went to the market and bought some of the ingredients for a seafood boil. I have been craving some for a while now. I'm gonna go start on it while you shower."

"You ain't eat did you? I know how you can get when you are in one of those moods."

"I did. I ended up eating a banana." She replied.

"No, the heck you didn't. You don't even like the texture." I shook my head. "Was it the one Jax offered earlier?"

"I did eat some of a banana. It tastes SO good, but when chewed, it's like boogers soaked in snot. I gagged and stopped." She gagged thinking about it. "Especially because it was the banana that Jax had sitting in the car, so it got softer, but I was feeling sick."

"So you gag and just give up?" I asked her. "Sounds about ri-"

"DeVanté..." She trailed off.

"Alright!" I laughed, "Imma stop."

"Is Daryl alright?" She asked me. "I'm sure he got back before you left."

I gave her a weird ass look because... Daryl? For a second I didn't know who she meant. "Um..." I cleared my throat. "As far as I saw. But you know that them types of tests don't come back for a couple of weeks."

"Good that he's okay so far," she nodded. "I'm gon' get started."

"You callin' him Daryl now?" I asked her.

Tia turned back around. "Yep, that's his name or am I missing something?" She chuckled with a nod. "And I know you're going to ask why and my response is fuck him."

"What?" I raised my eyebrows in surprise.

"Yes, I don't care that he's not taking my side. It's the fact that he threw that shit in my face after HE was the one to ASK me what was going on with me. I opened up. I did and that's one of the reasons that I have a hard time opening up as is. Shit just keeps being thrown back in my face, so yeah... Fuck him
Fuck THEM."

"Not saying he cut off or anything, but our relationship just isn't going to be the same. He acted as if I just magically opened up to him about things. When have I ever just told him anything? I ONLY came to him for one thing and he ASKED me what was eating me up and that was about me being molested. I was a kid at the time. I'm keeping my distance from them all. They no longer live on my property, so out of sight, out of mind. He- no THEY all think I'm selfish? Imma show they ass selfish." She loudly exhaled, "fool me once, shame on them, but I was fooled and played the fool too many fucking times," she finished her rant.

"Are you speakin' out of anger or you really gon' follow through?" I tilted my head forward with risen eyebrows.

"Frustration and truth," Tia answered my question.

"Okay! I just hope you stick to your words and you usually do except when it comes to your family," I told her. "Can't have people talkin' to you sideways."

"You will." She rolled her eyes at me in a playful manner. "You want, right?"

"Want what?"

"A seafood boil?" She placed her hand on her hip, leaning on one leg. "A doy!"

"Yeah, I want some!" I told her.

"Sausage?"

"What?" I gave her that same look I did before.

"Do you want sausage with yours? Andouille?" She asked me.

"Definitely!" I responded and then watched her leave the room, before getting up myself.

After taking a shower, and getting dressed in the bedroom, I checked the time to see it was 11:13 pm. I definitely have to keep tabs on the time for... Something... I was in the shower for a good thirty minutes or maybe more. Then I walked into the kitchen to see Tia hamming to her music. She waltzed her way to me, singing. This woman has got to have her music!

"This time we got something special. This time we're gonna do it, do it, put our minds to it until we get it right." She grabbed my hand, raising it, slowly spinning and moving her hips.

"This time we got a good love." I sang with Johnny Taylor and Tia as she spun back around to face me.

She wrapped her hands around my neck and I grabbed her moving hips. "You and I got a special love." She sang.

"You and I got a special loOOVE." I sang.

"Oooh, okay!" She said cheese. "Harmony, I see you!"

I placed my forehead on hers, smiling, but laughing silently because she was saying as if I wasn't in a quartet that harmonized all the time. "My specialty," I responded, attempting to move my body around to where it looked right. She kept rolling forward on me, making my torso move back. "If you move forward anymore and expect me to too, just expect to fall because that's what you gon' make me do."

"My bad." She stood up and the song changed the Tonight's the night by Betty Wright. "Oops, tonight is definitely NOT the night." Tia backed up, changing the song, laughing.

"This a burned CD?" I asked her.

"You know it. I put all the goodies together." She flipped through her CD case.

"That's why your bags be so heavy. Fat ass CD case." I pointed.

"Can't go without. What you wanna listen to?" She turned to me. "What are you in the mood for?"

"To be honest?" I raised my eyebrows.

"Nope, just to be untruthful, Donald." She smiled, tilting her head at a thirty-degree angle.

"I'm hungry. That's what I'm in the mood for. The food done?" I questioned. "I mean, I ate, but I'm hungry again. I brought you some food back too because I didn't know that you were craving other food." I said walking over to her.

"Thanks, babe!" She chirped. "I did see it when I put up the groceries for dinner."

"You don't even like the food here, so I just played it safe with chicken."I shrugged walking up to her.

"That's why every time I come here, I come packed with seasonings and make my own food. The food here is too bland." She continued flipping through the CD pages.

"You ain't even know you were comin' here though."

"Yeah, I didn't know WHERE you were taking me, but I always carry my spices and hot sauce." She turned to me. "A lot of places just got bland food. Take California for example. Most of their food is disgusting and bland too."

"The stands is where it's at in Cali. That's where imma take you next time we're there."

"Most of them are unsanitary. That's why I don't really eat at carnivals. Nasty behinds give me food poisoning and yeah, the food is almost done. The prep is what took all dang long. Just put the potatoes in before you walked in here." She put the CD in the player. "Tony Toni Tone it is!" She twisted on her heels with a smile.

"I don't even smell sausage."

"I made the stinky stuff first, so the good stuff can take over." She nodded.

"Seafood? You are crazy as I don't know what if you think raw seafood smells better than sausage! Seses all the way messed up!"

"Well, then... I am crazy and who said anything about RAW seafood?" She shrugged with a smirk. "Cooked seafood."

"Your senses are out of wack. I can tell you that much."

"Battle me. Dance off." She challenged.

"But I thought you can't dance? And you KNOW I can't." I told her.

"It doesn't but to try." She shrugged, then pressed play for the music, then looked at me with a straight face.

I lifted my head up, looking at her from the bottom, and slight opening of my eyes once I heard the music. "I thought you said Tony Toni Tone? You done put on some damn Beethoven. What am I supposed to do with this?"

Tia placed one hand on her stomach while her forearm raised into the air and her waist moved from side to side like a fucking snake.

"You know what? Fuck it! The dance battle is on." I did the snake with my arms. It didn't match the beat, but it's something.

"That's how you feel?" She got on the floor, doing the worm. "Uhhhn!" She got back up, "now what?" She held her arms out like she just did something.

"Aye, nahh!" I said leaning over the counter and laughing. "Cause what the fuck? I ca- I can't BELIEVE you just did that!"

"Dance battle. Come on!" She popped her body on me, dancing with a stank/serious face, still not matching the beat.

"I'm- NO- I'm not finna play with you. No... Not right now, I'm not." I said still laughing.

Tia stopped and laughed. "Okay, I give up- no, actually, I just won." She held up her index finger.

"No the hell you didn't. Don't tell that lie. If ANYBODY witnessed this shit, they'd throw tomatoes at you and give me ALL ten points."

"Uhn uhn... That's a lie and a half. Ain't NO way, Donald!" She chuckled. "You were the first to get off best. The snake? Lame ol' dance, THEN you did it alone. There are usually at LEAST two people doing the snake. That judge and all the other judges would give you a negative ten, leaving you with a negative theory to fifty points."

"Where are these numbers comin' from, love?" I questioned. "I'll tell you where the deepest crack of yo ass." I pointed at her.

"There are ALWAYS three to five judges. NEGATIVE TEN!" She said cuffing her hands around her mouth. "That's the sound of all FIVE judges."

"What? WOW, that's how you feel?" I raised my eyebrows at her in complete disbelief. "I've been in a quartet? Babe, I was dancin' in front of billions of people throughout the years."

"True, but those billions of people didn't have the guts," she patted my stomach with the back of her hand, "to tell you that you suck at dancing. Babe, the BEST you did was the two-step." She crossed her arms. "Rated at a three and a half."

"A three!?" I exclaimed. "Nahh, nahh, nahh! See-"

"And a half." She added.

"Say it was a three in a half, my score would be a 17.5 over your negative- what?" I looked up. "Negative 52.5."

"Look at you, pulling numbers from the deepest crevice of your behind. That's cheating!" Her mouth widened. "You can't go over or under a negative ten, however way you wanna look at it. Plus, you didn't even do the dance. That's an extra negative one hundred points for that."

"What? You added your rules, so imma add some too. They can take off however many points they want if that person- who just happens to be YOU is that damn bad. You earned giggles and tomatoes from the crowd. Plus, give me my credit. I'm a professional. You? You're an amateur because you just started with this, youngin'. Call me when you make it to the Big Leagues." I pointed at her.

"I'm already there, oldin'." She stepped closer. "I need my prize." She did the gimme gesture.

"No, because you lost."

"I did more dances, so I won."

I exhaled. "Mmkay." I patted the top of her hand. "Good job, buddy."

"You are SO petty!" She leaned her forehead on my chest.

"You come up with your own rules and I come up with my own prize." I rested my chin on the top of her head.

Tia looked up at me, then snapped her head around. "Let me turn this food off." She spoke, rushing to the stove.

I cut the music off because I don't want to hear this shit right now, then flipped the CD case pages. I heard what sounds like a pot drop to the floor and liquid.

"Oops! I just wasted ALL of your food!" She spoke very loudly.

I turned around to see Tia at the sink with a cup that looks like it previously held water, then I looked down at the floor to see nothing but an empty, dry pot. "Just petty." I shook my head at her.

"Mr. Petty meets Mrs. Petty. Our food is in the oven, it's just the potatoes cooking." She shrugged like she was the sweetest person in the world. Well, she is in mine. She grabbed the foil pans, full of food out of the oven. "I'm SO glad that I did remember it because them potatoes would've dissolved if I left them in there too long."

"What's in the other pot?" I questioned.

"The sauce. I did it separately this time. I'm just going to pour it on top." She turned the sauce off.

"I'm surprised it ain't burnt," I frowned.

"It was on the lowest setting. Can tell you don't know your way around a kitchen. And burnt? Oooh, babe, that sounds like somethin' you'd do. In fact, it is something you have done."

"I don't know my way around a kitchen, Tia? This here is the stove." I walked to the sink. "I present to you, the SINK." Then I jumped up and down a couple of times. "The kitchen floor. Oooh!" I walked to the fridge. "How could I forget!? The GRAND fridge." I said then walked over to her. "How was that?" I leaned onto the counter with one elbow, closest to her.

Tia clapped her hands, "well, I'll be damned." The sound of her clapping increased. "I can't with you, Donald!" She did a closed-mouthed smile.

"The feeling is mutual, dear," I sang.

Tia walked closer. "One of the many reasons I love you."

"And what's that?" I looked down at her, standing up straight.

"You're entertaining."

"I am an entertainer- well, was anyway." I shrugged sheepishly. "I guess I am pretty funny, huh?" I asked her. "Maybe I should sell my business and just be a stand-up comedian."

She busted out laughing. "And the crowd goes BOOOOO!" She cuffed her mouth as she said that.

"Haha, very funny. Don't rain on my parade."

"Okay, I'm sorry to the funniest man in the world." She smiled up at me.

"Thank you." I pulled her chin up, pulling her into a deep, passionate kiss.

After a while, she pulled away with a sigh with her hands in mine. "Now... Where that man Richard Pryor at?" She said turning away from me, and looking around the room with her hands in her hips. "Or Eddie?"

I grabbed her from behind, lifting her up and tickling her.

"Okay! Okay! I'm done!" She yelled through her laughter, putting her thighs up to her chest to try to stop me.

"Say somethin' else!" I muffled against her neck. "Say it!"

"IT! IT! IT!" She repeated.

"Say it!"

"Uncle!" She called a truce, but that ain't what I want her to say, so I kept tickling her.

"Say it!" I repeated.

"Wh- wha- what!?" She struggled to speak through her laughter. "S- say wha- what!?"

"I said say IT!"

"Wh-WHAT?" She whined but still continued to laugh.

Moving my head over to the other side of hers, I replied, "my name!"

"DeVanté!" She squealed out like a pig.

"I said, say it!" I told her.

"Do- damn!" She laughed getting tired of laughing. Tia grabbed my dick and I put her down, still holding onto her. "I will pull the trigger. Try me! Let me go."

"Why do you have to turn it sexual?" I asked her, still holding onto her.

"I wasn't, but it was the only way to stop you. It was starting to hurt."

I grabbed her coochie. "I got a quick trigger finger too. Pull it." I whispered.

"Same time?" She raised her eyebrows, asking if I'd let go with her.

"Okay. On three." I said pressing my middle against her, putting pressure.

"One, t- three." She counted and didn't even do it right.

I pulled the trigger and she squeezed my hand between her thighs. "What? I said pull the trigger and you said at three. You missed a whole number."

"You're hardening, so you're enjoying this." Tia squinted, finally let me go and so did I.

"After all these damn times of you pulling my trigger, I'm surprised you don't know the amount of pressure to apply pain and pleasure." I raised my eyebrows, swiping my nose.

"I didn't really want to hurt you because I WANT my kids." She pointed down at me. "I just needed you to stop tickling me. It started to hurt."

"I'm sorry. You could have pinched me or even but the fuck out of me, but you grabbed my dick?"

"Touché." She winked, exhaling. "Shall we eat?"

"We shall." I went to pick up the pot from the floor and placed it in the sink.

As we ate, Tia cleared her throat. "You keep checking the time like you're waiting for something to happen. What's up?"

"Nothin'." I said glancing at the clock again, then looked at her. "You gotta sleep on the other side of the bed with you eatin' them boiled eggs," I chuckled.

"Mhm," she mumbled against the rim of her cup, then sat it down. "I was saying that I'm glad we got this big bed because... Between the both of us, that room finna be cuttin'."

"And I'm not holding back." I made with known. "You finna get all this."

Tia yawned, covering her mouth, "my bad. You're not boring, I'm just full. I'm going to put the rest of mine in the fridge."

"You sleepy?" I asked her still eating my food.

"A little, but I'm fine."

"Don't you think you should get some sleep then?" I questioned.

"Nope, I need to at least start taking down my hair. I don't know what I'm going to do to it, but I know that I want to take it out. My scalp is itchy and a wash is long overdue. I kept those braids in for like three weeks and that's too long for me. Then I twisted my natural hair up for a few days so I won't have to touch it too much."

"Oh, let me help."

"Okay," she agreed.

"Right after I finish my food right quick. Not too much left." I told her.

"Okay." She went and sat on the living room couch.

As a man of my word, I helped her as soon as I finished eating and cleaned my hands. I was going to help her anyways, but four hands are better than one. The faster this gets done, the faster she goes to sleep because my plans have drastically changed and I had everything planned to the T. That's okay though! It's OKAY! Sometimes shit happens. When we finished, I glanced at the clock again and it reads 1:43 am.

"I don't even feel like washing my hair." Tia yawned, turning to me. "I'm tired as heck. I'm going to just comb my hair and do all this later on. Plus, I'm scared about the results because they didn't have what I use at the store."

"Okay." I nodded sitting back. "I'm just gonna go wash the dishes and chill until I get tired," I told her. "I've already been to sleep. I slept for a while too, until my dream went sour"

She stood up, shaking, stretching, and yawning. "Oooooh, that feels so good. My booty is so sore from this hard floor. Thank you." She planted a kiss on my lips. "I love you and goodnight for me."

"I love you too," I said watching her walk away. "And goodnight," I yelled out.

I stayed on the couch until she left the bathroom and went into the bedroom. Of course, she gave me an awkward ass look. The minute I finished washing and drying the dishes, my phone rang. I quickly picked up.

"We just made it to the hotel," Jax told me.

"I'll be down there in a little bit," I said, then hung up the phone. "All my shit is in the room," I mumbled with a sigh.

I quietly made my way into the bedroom and then the closet. My jacket is too far, so I settled for the robe that hung right in front of me and grabbed our furry claw house slippers, just in case she does see me and get even more suspicious. I didn't put it on because I want to leave out of there as fast as I can. When I shut the closet door and turned around, I saw Tia sitting up in bed, scaring me and I fell back and let out a scream.

"GOD!" I said standing up straight.

"No, it's just me. My apologies if I scared you. I was just wondering why you crept in here like a thief in the night?"

"I got cold and decided to grab my robe and I know you needed some sleep since I woke you up the way I did earlier. So, yeah..." I trailed off, scratching my head.

"Okay, I'm going to go to sleep now." She said rolling over to her stomach and adjusting herself underneath the covers.

"Goodnight," I said leaving the room and leaving the door cracked open. Before, it was completely open.

I sat on the couch for a bit, just in case she decides to come out of the bedroom. I have to put on my house shoes anyways, then I rushed out of our hotel door, making sure to grab my key. I earned some awkward looks from the people that passed me by. It could've been one of two things, the way I'm dressed or who I am, but I'm leaning toward the first one. I saw Jax standing outside of the elevator.

"What the hell you got on?" Jax looked down at my feet, pressing the elevator button.

"House shoes nigga. You better get yourself some."

Jax chuckled shaking his head at me. "Nahh, I'm good."

These were actually Tia's, but she doesn't wear them because she said the fur looks too much like the fur of mice. She's paranoid that one day she may stick her feet in them there may be a mouse or rat in them and she won't know the difference until it moves or bites her. These are unisex and big enough to fit my long-ass feet.

"JoJo and K-Ci here too?" I asked him.

"Oh my God, that nigga K-CI is just loud as hell this early in the morning and so is Elijah. The two have been goin' back and forth. JoJo is just grouchy as hell. Ion know if he is tired or what. Courtney is just Courtney." He shrugged.

"Damn, here we go. This is why I'm glad I changed my mind on lettin' them stay in the rental. That's all imma say because there's a camera in here." I told him and we stepped off of the elevator. I knocked on the door and Elijah opened it.

"Where my girl at?" He didn't open it all the way.

"When you start likin' women?" I questioned.

He smiled, sarcastically. "The moment you turned into one." He shot back and I pushed the door open.

"Move out my way." I got past him to see everybody chill which is the opposite of what Jax described. "Hey, y'all. My apologies because I did say that y'all could stay in the house, but things changed. Even my plans for the New Year changed because so much shit has happened over the past few days."

"Nigga, I wasn't stayin' in there with your people. I can't even listen to my jams or sing what I want with your parents there. I'm good." K-Ci shrugged. "I'm just glad you booked the rooms, so I wouldn't have to wait."

"Yeah... I wasn't goin' for that. Plus, there are some nice French girls here." Joel gave me a look.

"Slut." Elijah responded to Joel, sitting next to his boyfriend.

"We all know why he said yo ass can't stay," K-Ci said referring to Elijah.

"I was gonna go back on my statement anyways." Elijah shrugged. "I ain't wanna stay there with no highly religious people who ain't gon' like me. I don't like to walk on eggshells around people as a grown adult. That's not me because I got a slick mouth."

"I didn't mind because I ain't got no beau or any of whatever else THESE bozos got goin' on," Courtney spoke up. "Why couldn't any of us stay though?" Courtney questioned.

"I'm surprised Tia didn't say anything to y'all," I said shocked. "Too much shit has been going on and that's why we're staying here at the hotel."

"Oh... No, she didn't. Somethin' with Yasir, yes?" Elijah asked me with a knowing tone.

I just looked at him without saying a word and he nodded in understanding. "It's not just one person or one thing, it's a plethora."

"Dalvin told me." K-Ci nodded. "So I already know."

"And WE heard some of that over the phone." Joel reminded me.

"Well, Dalvin don't know everything. A'ight?" I looked at K-Ci. "Tia is sleeping and I'm sure y'all are probably tired as hell too. I wanna surprise her later. She don't know it yet, but she's getting her hair done too later. OR-" I held up my finger. "The four of us could plan and y'all can see her after she gets her hair done."

"I don't know... I REALLY miss my girl," Courtney frowned.

"She probably will call us if you not there anyways. She don't like sittin' in no chair all day doin' nothin'."

"True," I nodded. "But knowin' her, she probably gon' be workin' on her computer- nahh, you right. She don't want nobody knowin' her business."

"Who is four?" K-Ci spoke up.

"Eej, Court, Jojo, and me. That's it that's all." I replied.

"I know how to plan weddings too," K-Ci spoke up.

"Nigga, ain't NOBODY plannin' a fuckin' weddin'." Elijah squinted. "What's wrong with your friend?" He pointed at him, looking at me.

"He... He got a tapeworm eatin' away at his brain." I nodded. "That's gotta be it." I snapped my fingers.

"He just talks five times as much as he listens," JoJo replied.

"And you eat five times as much as you speak," K-Ci replied back to Jojo.

Word Count: 11,515

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