Choice looked over at Ashley who stood right beside her and then Petey who held onto Ashley’s hand. Then she looked at Mark, Blue, Nana, and Mr. Charlie and then her man who had enough love for her to be her strength now that she was weak. Choice thought about when she’d last seen Kyree. She was so happy to be in Supreme’s presence. The memory alone almost brought a smile to Choice’s face.
She prayed that Kyree didn’t feel any pain as her life slipped away. Choice thought about Karen and wondered where she was. It didn’t matter because she would find her, and when she did, she would kill her. Karen was going to pay. Choice wasn’t sure if Karen had anything to do with the drowning of Kyree but deep down inside, she had a feeling that she did. It sickened her to even think that Karen would even go that far.
Choice was so caught up in her thoughts that she hadn’t heard the pastor end the ceremony. Choice felt like her feet were embedded into cement as she watched everyone put white roses on top of Kyree’s casket. She wasn’t ready to leave Kyree. She just couldn’t bring herself to do it.
Choice felt someone staring at her so she looked across the field. It was Wise. She was wondering where he was and why haven’t he come, but there he was, standing under a tree dressed in a white V-neck tee and white pants. Choice appreciated his presence. Kyree loved Wise. She knew Kyree would want him there.
“Baby, you okay? How you holdin’ up?” Supreme whispered in Choice’s ear.
“I’m not ready to leave her. I wanna stay a little longer,” Choice said never taking her eyes off of Kyree’s casket.
Supreme knew how that felt because that’s exactly how he felt at his parents’ funeral. Supreme nodded his head.
“Okay. We won’t leave until you’re ready. Let me go talk to the pastor. I’ll be right back.”
Wise was gone when Choice looked back across the field. Ashley walked over to Choice and embraced her. Nana, Blue, Petey, and Mark stood off to the side. Choice and Ashley both rocked from side to side as they poured their hearts out. They both sobbed loudly. The sounds that came from Choice were painful to hear. Ashley was heartbroken too. She’d lost a sister too.
Blue and Nana both walked over to join the girls in their group hug. Petey and Mark stood mute as they watched the girls. Ashley didn’t know what to say so she spoke from the heart.
“We’re going to be okay. Ky is with us,” Ashley said as she pointed to Choice’s heart and then her own. “We have memories. That’s all we need. God lent Kyree to us only for a little while. She’ll never feel any pain or suffering. She’s free. You know Ky wouldn’t want you falling apart like this. She would want you to be strong.”
Choice rested her head onto Ashley’s shoulder as she held her for dear life. She felt like her legs would give out at any moment. She knew Ashley was telling the truth but she couldn’t stop the tears from falling from her eyes. Choice’s body trembled as she continued to cry. She pulled away from Ashley just in time to see Supreme open up a birdcage and released a flock of white doves.
****
Now I finally knew why Karen wouldn’t open the door for me when I stopped by. I thought she was still grieving the death of my father, Rosco thought to himself as he stood a couple of feet away from the crowd of people.
Rosco felt like a monster. He’d put the little girl through so much while she was on earth. He was disgusted and ashamed of the things he had done to her and the things he’d witnessed Karen do.
Not one time had he ever tried to stop Karen. Rosco played the role of a monster in the little girl’s life when she was alive and it was eating him up ever since he’d found out about her death. He wasn’t even able to look at himself in the mirror.
“What kind of man am I? What kind of person am I?” Rosco spoke out loud.
He wished that he could rewind time back but he couldn’t. What was done was done. The only thing Rosco could do now was live with it. Rosco watched as everybody gathered their things to leave. He put his hands in the pocket of his slacks. Guilt consumed him as he watched Choice.
“I can’t believe I did some shit like this to my own baby sister,” Rosco spoke quietly.
Supreme walked up behind Rosco and put his hand on his shoulder. Rosco jumped slightly from Supreme’s presence.
“Whoa! Are you alright?” Supreme asked.
“I’m good,” Rosco stuttered as he tried to keep his composure.
He studied Supreme’s face to see if he’d heard him. He didn’t think Supreme had heard his muttering since he hadn’t brought it up.
“Are you still going over to my Nana’s house for dinner?”
“Yeah, yeah, of course I’m goin’. I’ll meet you over there,” Rosco said as he walked off. He could feel Supreme’s eyes on him but he refused to look back.
Nana had made so much food for dinner. She had everything from pasta to steaks and chicken and even lobster. Choice, Ashley, and Mr. Charlie sat on Nana’s patio in the backyard. Choice enjoyed the silence and solitude the backyard provided. She wasn’t up for the crowd. Mr. Charlie looked over at Choice and gave her a solemn smile.
“It’ll get better, I promise. I love you and I’m here for you,” Mr. Charlie said as he looked into Choice’s eyes.
Supreme stood in the kitchen with Nana as she wrapped up food for them to take home. Choice hadn’t eaten much in the last few days. Supreme prayed that she would eat something when they got home.
“Just be patient. She’ll pull through. But I’ll have to have a talk with her before you leave tonight. She has to eat. I know she’s depressed but she can’t just think about herself, David.”
“I know, Nana. I told her the same thing,” Supreme said as he walked over to the patio doors to look at Choice. She looked tired and he could tell by her body language that she wasn’t comfortable. Supreme walked away from the patio doors.
“Yo Pete, I need you to help me take this food out to the car,” Supreme said when he walked into the living room.”
“You leavin’ too?” Petey asked Supreme.”
“Yeah, we’re leavin’.”
CHAPTER TEN
ONE MONTH LATER
Choice felt detached from the rest of world. She’d become a loner only leaving the house when she truly had to. Supreme looked over at Choice. She was pushing everyone away and Supreme had picked up on it when she continued to send Ashley, Petey, and Blue to voicemail. Every time Nana would come over, Choice would excuse herself and go upstairs and sit in their bedroom. Supreme felt bad for Choice. He would do anything to see her happy again. He was certain that today she would be jumping for joy.
The baby was growing and healthy. Supreme was relieved because Choice hadn’t been eating as much since Kyree’s funeral. Supreme thought Choice would have been ecstatic when the doctor gave them their due date, but she had simply smiled. She was further along than they thought. Instead of being nine weeks, she was thirteen weeks. Their due date was December thirty-first.
Supreme would just have to be patient with Choice. While he waited, he was going to do everything in his power to make sure Choice was happy and he was going to start by spending more time with her and less time in the streets.
Supreme looked over at Choice sitting in the passenger seat with her bottom lip slightly poked out. He really hated seeing her this way. Today was Thursday and would usually collect and count the money from his trap houses. Then he would check with the soldiers to make sure that nobody had to re-up. Today Supreme had different plans. He made a detour to Dolphin Mall to do some shopping.
“Give me your hand,” Supreme said as he held his hand out for hers.
Choice looked over at supreme and smiled as she handed him her hand to hold. Supreme delivered small kisses to the back of her hand.
“Where are we going?” Choice asked as Supreme drove in the opposite direction from their home.
“We’re going to the mall to get the baby a few things.”
“I always heard Karen say that you shouldn’t go shopping for a baby u
ntil you were about five months pregnant. She said that it was bad luck.”
Supreme pulled into the mall’s parking lot and parked.
“I’m not superstitious and you shouldn’t be either. I think it’s perfectly fine for us to go shopping for our baby,” Supreme said. “I’m not saying that we should buy the baby everything today. But we can get a few things. Plus I think it’s a great way for us to spend some time together outside of our home. What? You ain’t trying to be seen with me or somethin’?”
Choice smiled from ear to ear. “Baby, hush because that is so not true.”
“There it goes. That’s the smile I miss,” Supreme said with a wink which only caused Choice to blush. “Before we go in here, let me call Petey real quick. I gotta let him know to handle business for me today.”
After making his call, Supreme and Choice walked hand and hand through the mall. They had gotten the baby a couple of receiving blankets and baby bibs from Gap. Choice was starting to enjoy herself.
“Let’s go in here real quick,” Supreme said as he nodded his head in the direction of Neiman Marcus.
When Supreme and Choice walked into Neiman Marcus, Supreme ran right into London’s friend, Tisha.
“Hey Supreme, how have you been doing? I haven’t seen you in a while,” Tisha asked as she looked at Supreme.
“I’ve been doing real good,” Supreme said as he tightened his grip on Choice’s hand. “Let me introduce you to my lady, Choice.”
Tisha turned her head to look at Choice briefly. “Humph. I’m so surprised you’re doing so well. I don’t recall seeing you at London and your child’s funeral. You didn’t even show up. I heard that you were a suspect in their murder.”
“Bitch, if you don’t get the fuck up outta my man’s face with that shit, we gon’ have a fuckin’ problem,” Choice said as she loosened up the grip Supreme had on her hand.
“Ma, chill,” Supreme said coolly as he looked down at Choice.
Supreme clenched his jaw because this wasn’t supposed to happen. He wanted Choice to enjoy herself while shopping and now she was standing here cussing out London’s friend on his behalf.
“Why would you approach me about a chick I fucked with from time to time and a baby she never got a DNA test for?” Supreme angrily asked. “If London thought Lil Quan was my child she would’ve gotten a DNA test. That baby didn’t look shit like me. You know it and I know it. Anyway, that shit is all irrelevant. You should’ve said wassup and that was it. You didn’t have to come at me with that shit,” Supreme said as he shook his head. “Talkin ‘bout you heard I’m a suspect. I ain’t ever been nobody’s suspect in a murder and never will. I make shit disappear.”
“I’m his woman and believe me when I tell you that I’m the only one with his child,” Choice said as she rubbed on her small belly for emphasis.
Tisha stared at Choice with a scowl on her face.
“What? Check your face, boo-boo, because you ain’t gon’ do shit to me,” Choice said with an eye roll. “Anyway, can we continue shopping, please?” Choice asked Supreme.
“Yeah, hold up, ma,” he said to Tisha. “You were the only one out of London’s little crew who didn’t start shit. But now I see you on that trash so don’t approach me ever again. Whenever you see me, act like you don’t even know me.”
Supreme and Choice walked around Tisha leaving her standing there looking stupid.
Supreme put the bags in the back of his Cadillac truck. When he was finished, he walked around to get in. He wasn’t sure if what Tisha said bothered Choice in any way but he wanted to address the situation.
“Ma, let me explain to you what shorty was talkin’ about,” Supreme said as he looked over at Choice.
“Nah, you’re good. You don’t ever have to explain anything to me about previous relationships you had.”
“I have you now so what anybody else gotta say doesn’t even matter.”
“See, that’s that shit I love about you,” Supreme said as he leaned in to Choice for a passionate kiss on the lips.
Choice’s phone vibrated in the cup holder so she picked it up to see who it was. It was Ashley. Not wanting to speak to anyone besides Supreme, she sent her straight to voicemail Choice sighed then sat her phone back into the cup holder.
“Ma, what’s up? Why you keep sending your girl to voicemail? What is that about?”
Choice shrugged her shoulders and stared out of the window. “I don’t know. I just don’t feel like talkin’. I don’t want anybody asking me how I feel or mentioning Ky’s name. I can’t deal with that. I really don’t need the sympathy right now. That’s why I’ve been staying in the house and not answering the phone.”
“I don’t think Ashley would do that. It’s been a month. I know it probably seems like yesterday to you but you’re going to have to stop pushing away the people who love you. Ashley and Petey have been callin’ you like crazy,” Supreme said. “I just want you to take it one day at a time. Ashley and Petey love you. They know not to say anything crazy to you. The least you can do is call her. You’ve been stuck in the house for a month. It’s time you started interacting with your people again. I’ll give you as much time as you need. Just don’t shut me out.”
Choice wiped tears away with her hand as she looked over at Supreme. “You don’t ever have to worry about me shutting you out. Choice said. “I’ll call Ashley and Blue and see if they want to go get their nails done today.”
“That’s my girl,” Supreme said as he smiled at her.
****
Supreme pulled up to the King of Diamonds and parked his car in the parking lot. When he walked into KOD, he was happy to see that it wasn’t packed like it usually was. He didn’t fuck with clubs or anywhere there were a lot of people so he was thankful for the small crowd. Supreme went straight to VIP. Mark was already there and Petey would be meeting them shortly.
“Wassup!” Mark said as he stood up out of his seat to greet Supreme.
“Ain’t shit,” Supreme said as he gave Mark some dap.
Supreme checked out his surroundings before sitting down in his seat and getting comfortable.
“How long is it going to take before Petey gets here?” Supreme asked as he looked at his watch.
“There that nigga go right there, looking rugged as hell,” Mark joked as he spotted Petey walking in their direction.
“Fuck wrong with you, fam? Why you got the mug plastered on your face and shit?” Supreme asked when Petey walked up to VIP.
“I had to check a couple of little niggas about the money at one of the trap houses,” Petey said as he took a seat on the couch.
“How much did they get us for?”
“It was short by a G, but we ain’t short no more. I gave the lil nigga two hours to come up with the money. Why didn’t ya’ll get a bottle of something?” Petey asked as he eyed the bare table in front of them.
When the waiter walked passed their table, Pete called out to her then ordered a bottle of peach Ciroc.
“Has anyone seen Karen?” Supreme asked.
Petey took a swig of his Ciroc. “I’m on it. She can’t hide forever. I promised a couple of fiends they would get a good payday if they were to call me and tell me her whereabouts.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Rosco walked into Mr. Charlie’s store and went straight for the cheap alcohol, Mad Dog 20/20 and Wild Irish Rose. He’d been drinking a variety of drinks since the death of Kyree and today he had a taste for the two rotgut drinks. Her death was killing him slowly. The role he played when she was alive was fucking with him bad. Most of his nights were sleepless and it was starting to show in his appearance.
His curly afro taper was replaced with long wild hair and a thick gruffy beard. Rosco had heard from Petey that Supreme was looking for Karen. He was to call Pete immediately if he saw her. Rosco was so scared. If Karen told anybody about the things he’d done with Kyree, he would be a dead man. Niggas couldn’t stand child molesters and it disgusted him to be in a ca
tegory like that.
Rosco knew how Supreme got down so he would probably cut him open and gut him like a fish if he found out what he’d done to Kyree. Rosco trembled when he thought about the repercussions. The only thing he could do was pray he’d find Karen first and kill her. Petey had also notified him that Bear was the one who had raped Choice.
He knew Bear was wild so Rosco couldn’t even say he was surprised. Rosco knew how much Bear liked Choice. Why wouldn’t he? She was a bad bitch. He licked his lips when he thought about the way Choice’s pussy had tasted the day Karen had told him to go up to her room and have his way with her. When he walked in her room, his first thought was to rape her. But when he thought about how she turned him down months ago when he asked her to eat her pussy, Rosco changed his mind about fucking her and ate her pussy instead. Choice smelled so good and she tasted scrumptious but when she had woke up and kicked him in the stomach he had gotten scared and ran off.
“Hey ol’ man,” Rosco said to Mr. Charlie as he put his money and drinks onto the counter.
“Rosco,” Mr. Charlie said as he rung him up for his items and then sat his change onto the counter.
Rosco looked at the old man and smirked before picking up his change He knew that Mr. Charlie couldn’t stand him but he didn’t know why. Rosco twisted off the top on his Mad Dog 20/20 then walked out of the store. He stood in front of Mr. Charlie’s drinking until it was gone. When Rosco was done, he jumped in his 1974 baby blue Chevy Deville. He drove around Liberty projects and Overtown looking for Karen.
After hours of driving and no sign of Karen, Rosco became frustrated. He chewed on the inside of his cheek slightly drawing blood. Rosco ignored the pain as he drove home. He pulled into his mother’s driveway. Rosco was a backwards ass hustler. He tricked out all his money on younger girls and crackheads putting him in a position where he couldn’t afford to move out of his mama’s house.
His mother didn’t mind him staying with her. Dottie would always tell him that he could stay as long as possible. Rosco walked into his mother’s house and went straight to his room. He took the top off of his Wild Irish Rose and took a hefty swig before picking up his half-smoked blunt off of his windowsill.
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