Please excuse ANY errors.

December 29, 1998

~DeVanté's P.O.V~

Pulling up to the rental, we all leaned forward, surprised to see a bunch of paparazzi in front of the house, on the lawn, and everything.

"What in the hell?" I leaned forward, squinting.

"They never came here before?" Joel asked me.

"Man, hell nah. All the time we have been here, they ain't never showed up. I took steps to ensure that shit ain't happen. We've been good. What changed?" I mostly asked myself. "What now?"

They began beating on the car asking a bunch of questions.

"Call the police," I told them.

"For what, man?" K-Ci asked. "That shit doesn't help. They just gon' get on the sidewalk when they come."

"Hello, I'm at- what's the address?" JoJo asked me, on the phone with the police.

"Laws here are different. They gon' get a rude ass awakening," I responded to K-Ci.

I told him the address, then called our security outside. Our security immediately came out, clearing out a pathway because I don't want a lawsuit. What lawsuit? Because if one of these people does some shit, I won't remain cool. K-Ci and Jojo won't either. These people can get aggressive as fuck.

We all got out of the car on the same side, luckily K-Ci sat on the passenger side, so it's easier for him to climb over the console. Jax isn't with us because he's with the ladies and Elijah. Elijah has his security too, so they should be good if anything occurs. When I got out of the car, I noticed that these are MOSTLY American reporters because of their clear English.

"Are you really proposing?" One asked me.

"Why are you trying to hide your relationship? No one thought you were in a relationship."

Hiding? That was never the case. Tia and I have gone out plenty of times together. Actually, ALL the fucking time.

"Are the molestation allegations true?" One asked.

"What molestation allegations?" Joel said confused.

"Tia, it's said that she was molested as a child and hasn't dealt with things. How is she coping?"

"There a lot of anger built up inside her. Word has it that she's abusive. Verbally, physically... All of the above. How does that work for you?"

"Why do you ALLOW yourself to be abused?" A man asked me.

"Why does she take it out on everyone else?" Another asked.

"Why are you still proposing to a woman like herself?" Another man asked. "Personally, I couldn't do it."

"How often does she hit you?"

"She doesn't hit me and she ain't abusive," I replied to them. "I won't tolerate that type of behavior. Clearly, we are still together."

"When and where will you be proposing?" Another asked. "The Eiffel Tower?"

"Why is she so abusive to her family when they're supportive of her? I mean, we've seen them show her countless support at her premieres, fashion shows, etc."

"It's the other way around," I said before we made it to the door of the house.

"Was it her stepfather?" Another asked. "Was it her stepfather that she sexually abused her?"

"You're not a marrying type of guy. Are you marrying her because she's pregnant?"

"Did you groom her?"

"Nigga, what?" K-Ci asked. "They both grown as hell."

"Her step pops ain't no sick person," I replied to another question.

"Is she REALLY crazy?"

"Why doesn't she help her family financially?"

We made it inside and closed the door behind us.

"I mean, I thought it was normal at first, but... This isn't even about us." K-Ci told me. "Mostly about Tia and you. That's some fucked up shit they askin'."

"I was confused as fuck about that molestation question. I ain't know who the hell they were speakin' to or nothin'. Shit, me and K-Ci are at a height in our careers and that shit." JoJo told me.

I shook my head at him, still wrapping my head around the questions being thrown at us.

"You good, man?" K-Ci tapped me.

I shook my head, "I'm confused."

"None of that stuff they said out there is true, is it?" JoJo asked me. "I know one thing was true, but the rest?"

"A lot of it was bullshit and some of it was spot on. TOO fuckin' spot on. I don't know how anybody would know some of this shit." I mumbled to myself.

"Was it the abusiveness towards you?" K-Ci joked trying to make light of the situation.

"You know that shit won't ever happen. I don't tolerate no shit like that." I told him being serious.

The only way for them to know some of this shit is through close somebody close and that somebody is Yasir dumb ass.

"I swear, I can't stand that dumb ass nigga!" I yelled out in pure irritation.

"Nigga, my bad," K-Ci gave me a look. "You ain't got to be callin' me names and shit because you mad though!"

"Man, he ain't even talkin' about you," JoJo reassured K-Ci.

Who the fuck does that to their own sister!? No matter how much me and Dalvin mad, we would NEVER do any shit like that. He would NEVER tell my fuckin' business and vice versa.

"What's goin' on?" Mrs. Toussaint came out looking around. "My daughter must be here?"

"You wouldn't care, but because you're asking, paparazzi are out there asking me all kinds of questions about your daughter. About you're FAMILY." I emphasized this because it's too many people that shouldn't even know this. However, I never did raise my voice at her. "I'm sure it was your son."

"How do you know it wasn't Tia?" She asked me. "She mad and takin' it out on everyone. She kicked Yasir out. WHO KNOWS?"

"Why would she tell the world if she ain't tell you?" I asked her. "She was practically FORCED to tell you. I know her and she wouldn't just tell anybody none of this stuff. Ma'am, do you comprehend what you say or just say the first thing that comes to mind?" I asked her in a respectful manner, not once getting smart.

"Are you trying to call me incompetent?" She squinted at me with her hand on her hip. "I'm very aware of what I'm telling you. Don't you come in here insulting me or my son who isn't here to defend himself," she pointed at me, raising her voice.

"Ma'am, I'm sorry that I've offended YOU and you only," I apologized. "However, I would also like to point out the fact that Tia isn't here to defend herself, so I'm here to do it for her. The same thing goes for Mas- Yasir and you're defending him, ma'am," I have a disingenuous smile, but still remain respectful, regardless of the disrespect thrown towards me.

"I mean... Yasir wouldn't do what you're accusing him of doing. I know my son and he would never do that to his sister. He loves her," she replied all delusional. "I don't even believe that he's done what you all said he did before he was kicked out!"

"Do what?" Daryl asked.

"What's goin' on?" Pops said walking in with Daryl.

"Yasir, he went too far. I'm sure he was paid off and revealed a lot of information. Told them some lies too. That was pretty quick, but desperate times call for desperate measures," I told them. "He has gone too far and when Tia finds out, she ain't gon' take that too well either."

"What the hell?" Daryl opened the door when he saw the police. "What happened? Why the police here and all these damn people in the yard?"

"We'll go find Dalvin and them." JoJo grabbed K-Ci's shoulder, pulling him by the back of his shirt.

"That's what I'm tryin' to tell you. It's Yasir. He did this," I replied to Daryl.

"You can't go pointin' fingers at people, accusin' them of things when you don't know. Especially bein' who y'all are. Y'all are in the press a lot. My daughter not so much, but she's connected to y'all now," Daryl told me. "You never know..."

"I know. Do you know that they're accusing you of being a molester?" I asked him. "The paparazzi are light on Tia. They don't really be on her like THIS. She got money, but she ain't that famous. You see all them people?" I asked him walking to the window and pulling back the curtains.

"Hol' up. Me? What the fuck I gotta do with any of this? How are fingers bein' pointed at me?" Daryl said confused and angry which he has every right to be. "This shit happened way before I came into the picture and it damn sure ain't on me."

Who wouldn't be if they're accused of something as serious as this shit?

"I straightened it up, but I'm just tellin' you what was said," I told him.

"Tia may not be known in the States, but this is the heart of fashion, so many people know her for that." My mother replied. "Fashion people are some of the most spotted out people here. In America, it's pop stars."

"They weren't checking for us until today," I sighed. "Not only that, but these French people don't be in people's business like this. I find it coincidental how they're- the press is all of a sudden interested and askin' these personal questions that only family knows AFTER Yasir was kicked out for a very good reason might I add. Personal questions that FAMILY ONLY knows," I repeated.

"It was Yasir. Ain't no way she gon' tell people no stuff as personal as that." Daryl agreed with me.

"What she doesn't know won't hurt her. Nothin' to worry about," her mother shrugged her shoulders.

"When she finds out..." I told her. "Not to mention that you don't really care whether Tia's hurt or not. Yasir hurt her in front of your face and you did nothing but back him up..."

"How would she find out?" Her mother asked with a chuckle, ignoring everything else I said. "She ain't even here," she gestured around the room. "SHE ain't you when it comes to family."

"I'm gon' tell Tia before Tia finds out from word of mouth," I replied. "Or before someone comes up to Tia, so Tia won't be shocked or caught off guard," I said Tia's name because she keeps referring to her as she, which she is, but it's the way she's saying it. It's like a way of her mentally and verbally disregarding her as her daughter.

Why would I tell Tia? Because I know how she can get from just mentioning it, especially the way her family does. Tia's family mentions it like a slap in the face or normalizing it which is sickening. She didn't want her family to know and the WHOLE- big ass family doesn't even know any of this. That's as far as she and I know. This is about to cause more problems with other family members because, from what I heard, they blame people. If Tia is bombarded with such questions from these strangers, she may break down then and there and I can't have her like that in front of everyone.

"Then don't tell her. It's as simple as that." Her mother shrugged her shoulders again making me more upset.

"Didn't nobody even know them people was out there?" Daryl said out of the blue.

"Where is SHE?" Her mother questioned and I looked around as an indication, but without a word. Her mother shook her head. "She probably did this. I'm tellin' you! That girl ain't been here since that fiasco with Yasir. She didn't speak to nobody and you said you and her got into it, right?" She turned her head to Daryl.

"No, we didn't get into no argument. I was the one speakin' and our daughter remained silent," Daryl replied showing some remorse. "I don't think she did. I think it was your son, but you never know," Daryl looked at me.

"I know you ain't blamin' me?" I squinted at him. "But what does she have to gain by doin' this? What do I have to gain?" I asked both of them. "Nothin'. We just want peace."

"I'm not blaming you," Daryl replied to me. "I would've definitely told you straight up and not beat around the bush."

"Publicity," her mother replied, but yelled it put. "She can gain publicity, and so can you. You came here and come here every day to visit your family, but she can't do the same?"

That's a lie. I haven't been here every day because I needed space away from my family as well, but I do come here more often. The thing is my relationship with my family isn't as bad as Tia's family. Why the hell would I need or WANT publicity? Who the fuck wants strangers following them everywhere they go? I thought France would be a break.

"What is goin' on?" Pops questioned.

"Hey pops," I greeted him, ignoring her mother. "Nothin'... Not anymore. I'm goin' downstairs with my brothers." I told them, then turned away to walk off. Then decided to answer, turning back to them. "It was my idea to leave this house, not hers. I got tired of EVERYBODY. Too many childish grownups under one roof is never a good idea. In conclusion, no, I haven't been here every day to visit, but I can understand why Tia doesn't." I walked away because I'm done with the conversation.

"She still could come and visit us." I heard her mother say. "Like you do your family."

Even though they should know Tia's friends are coming, I didn't even say anything else because then her mother would say something else stupid. Something like, "She could hang her friends but couldn't come back and see us," type of shit. When Tia said there's no use in responding to stupid people, she was right because the more I speak to her mother, the more stupid she sounds and that's just my honest opinion.

And Daryl? I damn near lost all respect for that nigga. I say almost because at least he showed some type of remorse, but her mother is just pitiful. I went downstairs to the basement because I'm sure that's where everybody is as always. Seems like I'm right because they're loud as hell.

"Oooh, damn. When that happen? I remember y'all bein' all hugged up and whatnot." I heard Jojo speak.

"That was yesteryears, not that it's any of your business, but I'm loud and proud that I'm bum-free," Ashari said loud and proud.

"Well, damn. Why he gotta be a bum now?" K-Ci asked her.

"Trust her and me, that nigga a bum. Open the dictionary and look up the word, his face is THERE!" I said laughing.

~Joel (JoJo) Hailey's P.O.V~

Knowing that DeVanté and Dalvin always say they are almost always in the basement, I and K-Ci looked for the basement door. We finally found it after knocking on a bunch of doors and made our way downstairs and followed the voices.

"I think I'm gettin' a little sick. My throat is feelin' scratchy, what you think?" We heard Dalvin ask whoever the hell he's asking over a video game that I'm hearing. "That's why I lost that last game."

"Then scratch that shit and play." Derek raised his voice.

"Always an excuse with Dalvin." I heard a womanly voice say.

"You niggas always loud!" K-Ci's loud ass said once they were in our view.

"Hey!" Dalvin jumped up, greeting us with a hug and dap. "I forgot y'all asses was comin'!"

"He said we loud, but the MAIN one who's loud. ALWAYS fuckin' loud." Derek stood up, laughing.

"I'm quiet," K-Ci replied. "I came out of my mama q-"

I cut him off. "LOUD as hell. Kickin' and screamin'. Screamin' so loud that they had to slap your ass."

"That's not how I remember it. Everybody took one look at me and said that's one-"

"LOUD ass baby, so they put your ass back into the womb," Derek said laughing, giving us a hug and dap. "How y'all get here?"

"We jumped," I replied to them.

"Yeah, we didn't take a ten-hour flight." K-Ci co-signed me.

Dalvin smacked his lips at us. "We KNOW y'all flew in here-"

"On their brooms," Derek spoke up.

"We know y'all flew here, but how y'all get to this house?" Dalvin asked. "The address?"

K-Ci and I sighed together. "You want to explain this or should I?" I asked K-Ci.

"Since I'm so loud and talk too much, gon' 'head." K-Ci gave me the heads-up.

"Okay, so we got off our- what they say?" I asked K-Ci then looked at Dalvin and Derek.

"Brooms," K-Ci nodded.

"Brooms in the morning, and we settled into our hotel rooms. THEN we rode some scooters over here from the hotel. TADA, we're here." I nodded.

"Nah, but De brought us over here. How the hell else?" K-Ci fluttered his eyelashes.

"Where he at?" Derek asked looking around us.

"He probably all under Tia." Dalvin joked. "Yeah, but where is he?"

"Upstairs, there's an- uh- discussion?" My face scrunched up in confusion. "Argu- look, he upstairs right now and a little upset because the press is outside and asked some bullshit-ass questions. Don't say nothin' out the way when he comes because he already pissed," I told them. "Shit, I wouldn't. That nigga heated."

"The press? We have been here all this damn time and none of that happened, what the hell happened?" Dalvin questioned. "What do they want with us?"

"They don't really want nothin' from us, it's De, Tia, and her family that they interested in," K-Ci spoke up. "Whatever it seems bad because that nigga looks pissed. They was out there askin' some extreme ass questions." He raised his eyebrows.

"Like what?" Dalvin raised his eyebrows.

"EXTREME like sexual assault," K-Ci replied. "That shit worried me because I thought they meant one of us. I ain't know what was goin' on."

"They not talkin' about De though, right?" Derek questioned with risen eyebrows.

Dalvin turned to Derek, "No, that nigga a born again virgin and he said they not talkin' about none of us."

"Oh," Derek nodded. "Well, it's nice to see y'all. Long time, no see." He told us. "I forgot y'all was supposed to be comin' today too."

"Hey, Maria!" K-Ci yelled over to her.

"Hey, y'all." She replied.

"Hi," I replied.

We don't know Maria like that, because when we go back home we go to our family's house. Whenever we do visit the DeGrate's, our conversations are very brief. All in all, there's not too much to say, but she does seem cool from what we've seen and heard. I remember the other lady from that boat trip we took some years back, but I don't know her name. I remember her and Tia's brother being together and their kids are who Tia sometimes brings to De's house when DJ and Daryl's kids are there.

"Who are you again?" K-Ci asked her, tilting his head, trying to remember.

"Ashari." She replied and K-Ci nodded. "Nice to meet y'all... Again."

"Ashari," I repeated out loud with a snap, remembering her name. "I knew it was somethin' with an 'S'! I damn sure was gon' say Shirley or some shit."

She gave me a look, "EWWW, not Shirley. That shit is ugly and 's' is the second letter. Do I look like a Shirley to any of you?"

"No, not really, but this nigga don't look like Cedric either," I nodded towards K-Ci.

Dalvin looked at her laughing. "I can't believe his nigga said, Shirley!" That laugh is coming from this niggas chest. "Then yo damn face!"

"Such a delayed reaction, Dalvin. Don't you think?" Maria asked him.

"She don't look like no damn Shirley. That's one old ass name." K-Ci shook his head at me.

"Alright, CEDRIC," I emphasized. "Old ass name and you look like a damn Curtis," I replied to him.

"More like a Corey or James," Ashari replied.

"Yeah, he do!" Derek nodded in agreement, hitting Dalvin's chest with the back of his hand, laughing.

Dalvin stopped laughing and pushed Derek's hand away. "A'ight nigga, it ain't THAT damn funny. Give a little chuckle and keep that shit moving. Don't pound on my damn chest like King Kong."

"You look like him," K-Ci opened his mouth to speak some bullshit.

"Aht, now that ain't true. Black folks get compared to monkeys all the time and he don't even look like it," Ashari defended.

I wiggled my eyebrows at Dalvin because Ashari defending him. "You defended him quick as hell."

"I don't play that shit. I know what it's like to be compared to an animal, such as a monkey. I don't like that shit," Ashari replied.

"Where's... Yasir- is it?" I questioned and Ashari immediately rolled her eyes.

"That nigga gone. I didn't tell y'all- well K-Ci that part, but he got put out," Dalvin replied.

"More like thrown," Maria added.

"Oh, okay!" I nodded. "And you're not with your man?" I questioned.

"THAT nigga AIN'T MY man," Ashari spoke full of feist.

"Oooh, damn. When that happen? I remember y'all bein' all hugged up and whatnot," I told her.

"That was yesteryears, not that it's any of your business, but I'm loud and proud that I'm bum free." She stated to us with her arms wide open.

"Well, damn! Why he gotta be a bum now?" K-Ci asked her. "I'm sure if he was one at the end, he was the same bum at the beginning of y'all relationship."

"You're wrong," Ashari squinted. "Believe it or not, but people change for the worse."

"Trust her and me, that nigga a bum. Open the dictionary and look up the word, his face is THERE!" DeVanté's deep ass voice pieces the room along with his laughter.

"Well, you have CLEARLY stated your disdain for this dude. You good now?" K-Ci questioned.

DeVanté shrugged coolly, "I'm cool, man."

"You still red as hell," I told DeVanté.

"Where's Tia?" Ashari said looking behind DeVanté.

"She at the hotel with Elijah and Courtney about to get her hair done." He replied. "Why? What's up?"

"Oh, I was just wonderin'. I haven't seen or heard from her in a few days," She shrugged. "Is she good?"

"Yeah, she a'ight. What, you want to go there or somethin'?" DeVanté asked her. "One of the security guards could drop you off. Tia probably ain't ever comin' back to this here house."

"How far is it?" Ashari questioned, "Because y'all probably are IN Paris. This ain't Paris."

"Pretty damn far." DeVanté nodded slowly as he answered.

"Far enough to have a sore ass from sittin' in the car," K-Ci spoke up.

"Man, yo flat booty ass!" I said laughing. "Of course yo shit hurt, you sit on yo fuckin' back. You built differently. It's your back, then it goes IMMEDIATELY to your legs," I finished.

"I KNOW you ain't talkin' about nobody bein' built differently?" K-Ci raised his eyebrows.

"Why you lookin' at his ass, man?" Dalvin questioned.

"That's my brother and I KNOW yo ass ain't talkin'. You ALWAYS got on De too about his ass!" I pointed.

"Hey!" Ashari shouted. "As a Jodeci fan, K-Ci got ass, it's just tiny because of his frame, but DeVanté?" She raised her eyebrows. "You ARE EXACTLY what JoJo described and that's just havin' a back then it's straight to your legs!" Ashari finished then burst out laughing.

DeVanté waved her off, laughing.

"It completely missed De and hit Dalvin!" Ashari spoke again. "Dalvin got ass and I'll just stay here if it's that damn far."

"But guess what? My lady loves it. What is she grabbing'?" DeVanté raised his eyebrows.

"Nigga, you LET her!?" Dalvin raised his voice. "I mean, I can see if you doin' the do, but just grabbin' your," he smiled, "legs?" His smile turned into a laugh.

"Well, you know how women can be. It happens sometimes," Derek shrugged. "It's random."

"He doesn't like it, but I still do it," Maria spoke up.

"Many women do it to their man," Ashari agreed.

I shook my head, "Hmmm, not none of mine."

"That's because you got love handles, man," K-Ci replied to me. "They grab those instead."

"Conversation went left quick," Derek shook his head.

"Look, noticing somebody not havin' somethin' don't mean we lookin'. Sometimes it's just somethin' you notice." I spoke up, shrugging my shoulders.

"I agree," Ashari nodded.

"Y'all the ones that got on the topic in the first place." De pointed his two extraterrestrial fingers at me and K-Ci.

I hurriedly dodged him pointing his finger at me. "Aye, don't do that shit. I don't know what extraterrestrial beings you tryin' to send on me." I told him, pushing his hand more toward K-Ci.

Dalvin, butted in, "Alien versus Predator ass gon' come down here and once he does, that is IT."

Everybody bursted out laughing, even DeVanté. "This nigga!" DeVanté pointed at me with his thumb. "Y'all playin' video games? Y'all must've found another adapter?"

"Now he wants to change the subject because we're talking about him and his alien friends," K-Ci spoke in a nerdy tone.

"I'm not tryin' to get on they bad side." DeVanté looked up at the ceiling like they were there. "Know what I'm sayin'?"

"Stupid," Derek shook his head. "He playin' right into the nonsense."

DeVanté walked away from us and sat on the couch, grabbing a controller. "Why not?" He chuckled.

"Aye, man? How come you ALWAYS take my seat?" Dalvin followed.

"I did?" DeVanté asked. "Oh, pshh..." He waved his hand, "My bad." DeVanté sat back in his seat, getting comfortable. "Sorry, but I'm already comfortable."

"That's the type of shit that make a nigga want to beat yo ass." K-Ci shook his head.

"Violence ain't the answer, young black man. Ain't nobody sitting down right now." DeVanté shrugged. "All these seats!" He pointed around the room, chuckling. "I just took a seat where my eyes first landed. I'm comfortable and don't feel like gettin' back up at the moment after that long ass drive I just drove. I'm sorry for unknowingly takin' your seat, little brother."

"It ain't even that damn deep, K-Ci." Dalvin shook his head taking a seat near DeVanté "Not to be fightin', ol' violent ass always ready to fight."

"Right! Calm yo ass down." I told him.

"Alright, so who was playing' this round and what the hell is this?" DeVanté asked looking at the screen.

"Duke Nukem. Daryl brought this for me for Christmas," Dalvin replied to DeVanté. "Remember?"

"Oh, well, I'll just watch y'all play before I bust some ass in Blackjack and Poker." DeVanté rested his head against the back of the couch, exhaling.

"Alright, we gon' get to that too. Just wait." Dalvin nodded. "I'm gon' win all yo damn coins."

"I'm not no fuckin' idiot because I ain't playin' ALL my damn coins." DeVanté raised his eyebrows.

We all eventually took a seat and let the ones who were already playing the game, finish their little game, and we took turns after that. Not DeVanté though, that nigga fell asleep in Dalvin's previous seat, clutching a pillow. Little ass kid, I tell you. I don't know how because everybody is loud as fuck.

"Where the kids?" I questioned. "I know it's a lot of them."

"Not as many as you got," DeVanté spoke lowly, but because his voice is deep, he was loud enough. "Got a whole ass football team."

"Man, I thought you was sleep?" K-Ci asked him.

"I was more like dozin' off," DeVanté replied, opening his eyes. "Y'all been on here all day, but it's cool. I'm relaxin'." He said closing his eyes again.

"You ain't get NO sleep?" Dalvin questioned.

"No, I got a lot of sleep." He shook his head with his eyes still closed, smiling.

"Fuck you cheesin' like that with yo eyes closed?" Dalvin gave him a look. "You huffed some glue? Weird ass."

"Nigga, I can't just smile and be happy?" DeVanté opened his eyes again, deeply frowning.

"Apparently not in front of his miserable ass," I replied.

"Well, that's TOO damn bad." DeVanté closed his eyes again. "I'm 'a be happy, I'm 'a be good."

"The kids are upstairs. Should be still takin' a nap. What time is it?" Maria answered the question.

De opened one eye to look down at his watch. "It's only a quarter to two." He closed his eye again. "Why? I'm kinda hungry! It's almost lunchtime."

Maria and Ashari jumped up. "I'm finna get they behinds up because they ARE goin' to sleep TONIGHT," Ashari spoke.

"Right, they not finna be up all damn night like last night," Maria spoke up.

"And the night before that," Ashari raised her eyebrows, leaving with Maria.

"Now we ain't gotta take turns since they left now and it IS lunchtime," I emphasized. "I ain't ate nothin' since breakfast. That food in that cafeteria was good as hell."

"Of course, you know when lunchtime is," K-Ci told me.

"Here he goes with the fat jokes again..." I trailed off. "EVERYBODY knows when lunchtime happens."

"Right," DeVanté mumbled. "There should be some snacks up there if they ain't ate it all, but I'm gon' call one of these places so we can get our grub on." He got up and so did I. "Imma grab me a snack or a few as well. I'm hungry now. Y'all want anything?" He asked the others.

"Yeah, give me some chips. The good shit! Not the cheap foreign shit! Cheap ass..." Dalvin said focused on the game. "And whatever juice is up there."

"A'ight, I got you and I heard you, nigga," De spoke to Dalvin.

"Good!" Dalvin said laughing.

"You pay a shit load of money for food and snacks for all these fuckin' people here and see how cheap YOU get," De replied.

"I'll get my own stuff later. You only got two hands." Derek said with his eyes fixated on the screen.

"I was gon' say at least one of y'all need to come up too," De told him. "I'm an alien, not an octopus."

"You want anything, Toothpick? You look like you need it," I asked K-Ci.

"Yeah, some uh- I don't fuckin' know. Anything- whatever the hell it is you get." K-Ci replied.

"A'ight," I said following DeVanté who already turned the corner and probably was already up the stairs with his fast-walking ass.

When I made it up the stairs, I tried to find my way to the kitchen. When me and K-Ci we're looking for the basement, we did find it, but I don't really remember.

Cuffing my mouth, I yelled out, "DEVANTÉ!?"

"Yeah!?" He yelled back and I followed his voice, bumping into Edna.

"Excuse you?" Edna told me.

"Damn, you excused," I chuckled.

"I'm excused, but you bumped into me?" She raised her eyebrows. "Okay..." Edna went on about her way.

"Where you at, De?" I said walking. I was damn sure close and he was waiting on the kitchen phone.

"Alo- aloha. Shit, that's Hawaii." He nodded his head, confused as fuck. "Si. Um- umm- the thee- uh el pollo?" It was more of a question. "Chicken- oh, shit! Quack, quack. Uh... Cuckoo, cuckoo!" He started making noises and I couldn't control my laughter. "Chicano wi- with the vegetab- blé? It- it's Blanco with negro-" he looked at me, "What's brown in French?"

"Nigga, you done spoke a few different languages and none of them sounded like French." I grabbed the phone and hung up. "Then yo ass over here makin' animal noises and shit. What were you tryin' to say at the end?"

"Potatoes for fries," He replied.

"How the hell else y'all was orderin' food?" I asked him.

"Tia, Daryl, and his parents." He replied. "There are some places that speak English- of course, you know that, but the food ain't that good. Like that one place, we ordered from on tour? That shit is trash now or maybe it was always trash and we were just high, drunk, hungry or some shit." He shrugged. "Imma call Tia."

"Daryl here though," I told him.

He silently looked at me, with his cell phone up to his ear. "So?"

"It was a suggestion. What's wrong? Anything happen?" I asked him and he shook his head at me.

"Babe, can you order the house some chicken and fries from that one place you be orderin' from? I tried and they didn't understand me and vice versa. Had me makin' all types of animal noises and shit. I'm even more embarrassed because-" he lowered his voice, "JoJo standin' right here. You know how embarrassing they all are."

"I can still hear you," I said looking through the pantry.

"I know, nigga!" He laughed, replying to me, then began speaking into the phone again. "Probably some sandwiches, nuggets, or something too for the kids. You want somethin' in particular?" He asked me.

"Nahh, I'll have the same thing y'all havin'. Whatever is good." I shrugged not caring because I'm not craving anything in particular.

"Okay. You got me? Alright. I love you. Bye." I turned around to see him about to hang up. "WAIT!" DeVanté shouted. "How far along is she doin' your hair?" His head jerked back. "DAMN, not even halfway?" He asked her. "Well, alright. I love you." He looked at me, "JoJo bein' nosey. Bye, babe."

"Nosey? Nigga, we in the same room. What you want me to do? Close my ears?" I questioned.

"Mhm, that's right. And close your eyes too." DeVanté nodded with a smile. "Nah, but uhh, what's in there?" He asked me, walking closer to the pantry as if I know what was in there. This is my first time here. "I'm bored as fuck and tired. Probably should've dropped y'all off here and came back a little later." He opened the door of the pantry wider.

"And do what?" I asked him. "Your girl with her friends."

"Strip club," He replied, turning to me with a squint.

"Word? Let's go then!" I shouted dramatically. "Nigga, you ain't goin' to no damn strip club."

"Exactly! I probably would've just gone to sleep," DeVanté shrugged.

"Don't you got a room here?" I questioned.

"Oh, yeah!" He remembered. "Damn, I ain't slept in there for so long that I forgot." He chuckled, "That's crazy."

"How long have you been gone again?" I asked him.

"Never told you, but today is the thirtieth, so since the twenty-seventh." He nodded. "Yeah... The mornin' of the twenty-seventh. Ooh, CAKES!" He shouted with wide eyes, snatching one out of the cabinet with two bags of chips and some candy.

"Four days and three nights? Not that long." I told him finally settling for a bag of chips.

He shrugged, taking a bite of his cake. "Whatever, man."

"What exactly made you leave?" I asked him.

"EVERY damn BODY." He emphasized as best as he could with a full mouth of cake.

"Why though?" I opened my bag of chips.

"Hmm, shit..." He chewed his cake, smacking his lips. "Privacy for one."

"Nigga, that shit ain't that fuckin' good to be doing all that." I shook my head, laughing.

"But it is. Second, is disrespect. Pops don't like what I'm about to do, so he's been goin' on about that. Um, her mother..." He shook his head. "Disrespectful and dismissive as hell towards her especially. And her brother..." Once again DeVanté shook his head. "Thinks he's head honcho- you know, runnin' shit. He's also disrespectful as fuck and he brought some girl who's equally disrespectful. It's fuckin' ridiculous. It started to take a toll on her after the first day his ass arrived and got worse and I felt it with her."

"Mm, so her family is the problem mostly?" I squinted.

"MOSTLY, but Dalvin said some slick shit too. Ain't as badly scaled as everyone else, so it was just a brush-off." He stuffed the rest of the cake in his mouth and rubbed his hands together. "Still pissed me off though." He said through mid-chew.

"Ooh, that's tough." I shook my head. "I can't stand up to my mama for shit. I'm like a slave to my mama, man. I'll do anything she says," I chuckled. "So I understand that the struggle is real."

"Only your mother isn't disrespectful. She can be, I'm sure, but not pale in comparison to this lady." De shook his head. "Whole new level."

"Oh?" I asked him.

"Definitely! I'm sure you heard her over the phone on Christmas." He crushed up his bag of chips.

I shook my head, no. "K-Ci the one that heard more because he was holdin' it. I heard a little bit, but after K-Ci hung up, he didn't say nothin'."

"Oh," and DeVanté left it at that, downing a small bag of chips. "Damn, I miss her already." He sighed.

"It's been an hour since she been gone and you wanna go back home," I laughed. "It's been like four hours- five MAX since y'all been apart."

"Yeah, but when I got here, my mood was ruined by them dumb ass questions, then when we got in the house..." He chuckled, shaking his head. "It got increasingly worse."

"Mhm," I nodded in understanding, munching on my chips. "What yo ass was all smiley for though?" I asked him. "Back downstairs? You ain't gettin' no ass, so what?"

"I was just comin' up with a new way to do everything because what I had planned ain't gon' work. Not with everybody actin' like this it ain't," He nodded. 'I can't change it too much though."

"Not much time either." I raised my eyebrows, smiling. "Very little." I tapped him on his side twice.

"I got the place, but not everything else. I've been thinkin' about the place since the day before we went to the hotel and made the decision the day things got even worse. Tia needed time to herself and I needed time for all of that."

"So like, if y'all wasn't together, who you think y'all would be with?" I asked him.

"TIA would DEFINITELY still be Karate Chops. MARRIED to his ass by now. Things ain't work out for them and some of that was because of me, but that shit would've and could've been fixed. No doubt about that. That little shit between them was TOO small not to fuckin' fix because he treated her well. Me?" He tilted his head forwards. "Shit... I don't even fuckin' know my damn self." He shrugged his shoulders hard as fuck. "I ain't have my eyes on nobody else. I DO know that whoever I would have ended up with, I would've had to cut Tia off completely. Hard to do? I know."

I frowned "why?"

"Because..." He exhaled, "nigga, I had been around her KNOWIN' my damn feelings, that shit would've interfered with my relationship," he revealed. "I would be fully invested in my relationship."

"Damn, nigga! That damn deep, huh? Even then!?" I laughed, patting his shoulder. "I thought I got it before, apparently not!"

"I'm dead ass. I can't be around somebody that I look at as more than a friend. Then I wouldn't be able to love whoever I was with properly and wouldn't be fair to the other woman."

"The other woman? You say that like whoever she was would be your side piece." I laughed aloud.

"Never that. That shit ain't fair and that seems like a lot of fuckin work."

"Did Tia choose YOU over her relationship?" I questioned.

"No," he shook his head. "She said it was some other petty shit. Not exactly sure what it was, but yeah. All I can say is that we're here now with each other and we good and been good."

"Y'all probably ain't even had y'all first serious argument yet," I told him. "As a couple."

"Nope," he shook his head. "Sure didn't, but that's because we play too much. She would end up sayin' somethin' stupid, making both of us laugh." He laughed lowly. "Tia be actin' a damn fool. You be there to witness that shit sometimes, but that ain't even half. Been seein' your kids?"

"Some of them, yeah." I nodded. "Some of my and K-Ci's kids spent Christmas at my mama's house."

"How'd it go?"

"Ahh, man! We had a ball. It was a lot though. Too many damn kids for me." I chuckled.

"Then you know what to do from now on. Wrap that shit up! And STOP trappin' people. That was fucked up."

"I only trapped one woman," I told him. "The other times... Shit just happened. And I'm sure I was trapped some of those times too."

DeVanté leaned against the island with his elbows resting on it, behind him. "Got baby mamas every dann where. Don't make no damn sense, man. You gotta calm that shit down. Don't get caught up like Eazy because that nigga was the same damn way. Sleepin' with different women and havin' babies with them and he ended up catchin' that shit. Excuses get old and you got to start doin' what you need to do. What I ALWAYS told you ass?"

"B.Y.O.J.H."

"That's right! Bring your own Jimmy hat's!" He emphasized. "What's done is done now, but keep that shit in mind. WHEREVER your ass go, bring some! You know you ALWAYS screwin'. What you need to do is gain some self-control and think your other head, man. I'm tellin' you, all them women ain't good for your psyche. That shit ain't good for nobody."

"You used to be the same damn way," I replied. "I'm older and wiser than before. That shit is scary and do you see me with any kids?" He held his arms out to his side.

"Nope, but that's you! I got swimmers," I laughed.

"Ain't no woman that fine or coochie that good to be goin' raw. Not that damn desperate. I choose blue balls over any of that shit. I mean, I admit that I was wild too for a long ass time. Not no more and ain't been in a while."

"Again, that's you. That shit is too painful. I choose pleasure over pain," I shrugged. "And I know you do, especially now, Mr. Handy Man," I joked.

He smiled, exhaling slowly, "Okay, JoJo."

"I sense a double meaning," I squinted. "De, don't do that shit. Tell me like it is."

"Your senses are fooling you. Plus, I told you like it is many times. It's up to you how it's taken."

"I'm tryna get like you too," I revealed. "Not the celibacy part or whatever you call it. Is it abstinent or celibate? Anywho, not that damn part. I mean the settling down part."

"You gotta do right to get right. Not everybody has the same journey. Maybe celibacy ain't for you, "

"I be tryin' to get Tiny to understand that shit. I love her ass, but I broke her trust and everything else. She won't even let me see my kids, man." I told him. "I haven't seen them in a LONG ass time."

"Compromise. Maybe you could like... Get things right with her OUTSIDE of a relationship and be cordial. Build her trust in you again and become more responsible. She probably heard you say that shit too much without action. You can't have your kids around no bullshit, man."

"Man, I ain't know nothin' about no fiends bein' in my crib. I knew people and had them people bring their people. I didn't know they were those type of people. Some of my shit was missin' too. Usually, you can tell, but they must've been some people who JUST started because they looked normal as hell." I told him.

"You ain't mean for it to happen, but it did. As you said, shit happens, but you have to learn how to make things right." DeVanté continued, "Even though, that's hard to bounce back from. It could've been worse than that. Kids need fathers, but not irresponsible ones. Put the amount of effort you use to get women with your kids and to at least get along with their mothers."

"That's the thing, I don't have to try. Women gon' throw themselves at my ass regardless and I'm just lucky enough to be able to choose on any given day. The one I want, don't seem to want my ass. When it comes to kids, that's not the way to go. You REALLY gotta change for them and I'm in the process of doing so."

"Jojo, you think those women don't be throwing themselves at me?" De gave me a look. "That ain't no damn excuse. You said you were in the process of changing for a long time a lot. Speed it up because the older they get, the more they gon' resent yo ass. Their thought process about you would be all fucked up. They gon' look around and be like damn, my pops couldn't change for me? Y'all had an example of havin' a pops. Jojo, give them the same opportunity. All the women are the reason you get trapped." He then started chugging a bottle of water.

"I straightened up a little bit in the sense of who comes to my parties, but you're right, I got to work on that other shit." I nodded in agreement. "I can't just be workin' all damn day and have no fun. I'm still young. And I know yo ass ain't THAT fuckin' hungry and thirsty!? You finished three things while I'm still on the first!"

"Ahh," he exhaled after finishing the bottle of water. "I was. I ain't eat much for breakfast." He chuckled. "I only ate one of those Nutella-filled croissants and drank some orange juice. Shit was good too. Nigga, you saw me, damn!" He laughed. "But we did eat dinner kinda late and I ate it all. It was a lot too."

"What y'all eat?" I asked him. "We had that damn airplane food. That shit had me on the toilet too last night. I ain't get much sleep either because of it."

"Seafood boil."

"Word, what place sell that shit? I'm kinda in the mood for some seafood now that you mentioned it."

"My lady made it."

"And you knew I was comin' and ain't saved me shit?" I raised my eyebrows, chuckling.

"I took a big shit after I left from bein' downstairs with y'all, but I ain't givin' it to you. Why would you want my shit?" He laughed. "It's hot as hell in here. You hot?" He opened the small window in the kitchen

"I'm hot as fuck and you KNOW I dress in layers," I told him.

"What the hell is y'all doin' up here? I'm hungry as hell!" Dalvin said walking into the kitchen. "Where my snacks?" DeVanté pointed to his stuff on the counter and Dalvin grabbed it. "What's the holdup? Did y'all order?"

De nodded, "Yeah."

"This nigga ain't order shit! He was over here making all kinds of cluck cluck and bird noises and shit on the phone." I told Dalvin and K-Ci because K-Ci is up here too. "Didn't know how to communicate."

They bursted out laughing. "Aye, to be fair, you can't be mad at a brother for speakin' they native language," Dalvin laughed harder at the end of his sentence, moving his neck like a goose.

"Ayo, fuck y'all," DeVanté said cracking up, holding up his middle finger.

"He tryin' to call his long lost brothers in their secret language," K-Ci added.

"Speakin' of brothers, where Derek?" DeVanté asked them.

"To check on his kids," Dalvin replied. "De probably got some splattered all his on the bed."

Catching onto what he said, my jaw drop and I started cracking up!

"I'm done with y'all asses!" DeVanté laughed, walking away.

"Long live DA kids," K-Ci added just as Derek entered the room.

"That's nasty as fuck," I shook my head laughing.

"Got to do what you got to do," Dalvin exhaled. "So y'all didn't order shit? Why y'all ain't call one of them English-speakin' places?"

"De said he don't like a lot of them. Just because they speak English don't mean they're American, some of them are from other places and don't like seasoning." I told him. "The food was ordered though."

"By who?" K-Ci asked me. "A nigga is starvin'!"

"I ain't even got to say who."

"God damn, what the fuck don't her ass do!?" K-Ci laughed.

"Nahh because her name ALWAYS pops up in the conversation like she a superhero or some shit," Dalvin added. "The girl ain't even here."

"I mean..." I trailed off. "To De, it may seem like it so..." I trailed off again not finishing my statement.

"Whatever," Dalvin waved him off.

"Chill..." I told him. "You must've got into it with her or somethin'?" I asked Dalvin.

"No, it's just that..." Dalvin shook his head, trailing off.

"Oh!" I nodded in understanding. "It's what you said before which is petty."

"It ain't. It's just that how would you feel? That's my brother. It should be family first," Dalvin replied. "She seems like one of his priority- if not the TOP priority."

"I love my brother, but I can't stand K-Ci's ass. I wouldn't feel any type of way. You leave the nest and make your own. That's the circle of life," I shrugged.

"Yeah, this nigga irritatin' as fuck," K-Ci said agreeing with me, but about me.

"I mean, that's y'all. Y'all shit different," Dalvin replied. "We always been close. Plus, he don't make too many good choices in women. I don't want this to end up like the rest."

"All his relationships or situationships ended differently. Some of the times De was the problem, so let's not pretend," Derek replied. "I love my brother enough to tell the truth regardless of feelings."

Dalvin shrugged, "I mean... Yeah... Some of the times-"

"Hey, it ain't up to us to decide his life. He wants what he wants and he seems okay, so it's okay," Derek shrugged. "What y'all order?"

"Food, nigga," I patted his shoulder laughing. "I couldn't agree with you more though."

DeVanté walked back into the room, "y'all ready to get y'all asses beat and pockets emptied or what?"

"Us? Nigga, what about you?" K-Ci asked him.

Author's Note: Who do you think inspired the press to show up? How did they find out about everything that's occurring in the family? Do you think it was Yasir?

Word Count: 8,610

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❤️Thanks for the support that you've been giving me. I'm very appreciative.❤️