by Shan
I was heated when I found out Ki-Ki was dating Kevin but it wasn't much I could do about it at this point, she was already engaged to the fool, and three months pregnant by him. I just wish Keylan would've thought this shit out before he pulled that trigger, now my baby cousin was probably about to lose her fiancé and the father of her child.
***
Everybody met up at my condo after the trial where my moms made up a big ass meal for us to feast off of. I tried my best to enjoy this moment but my mind was racing with thoughts about my life and what I wanted to do next since I was blessed to have a third chance at life. I say third ’cause the second chance was when I survived six bullets that my own flesh and blood pumped into me. This time I was walking away Scott free from two murders that everybody and they mama know I was guilty of committing.
Now was a time for me to start doing things right; such as legalizing the millions of dollars I had stashed away. Dmitri had a financial advisor working with me making sure I was cleaning every dollar I earned in the streets. I had several barber shops here and in Atlanta, I owned a few properties and was about to open up this night club in a few months but I needed something that was gonna bring in an immense amount of cash just in case I ever had to explain why I was a rich, young, black nigga.
“What's wrong with you baby?” Diamond asked sitting a plate of Ham, collard greens, candied yams, macaroni and cheese and corn bread in front of my face.
“Shit, just doing a lot of thinking,” I said saying a quick prayer before I dug into my food.
“What you thinking about? You should be over here partying and drinking your ass off. Baby you a free man!” Diamond was all ecstatic and shit smiling from ear to ear.
“Yo, I was just thinking that maybe I would move you into the house.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yea, I'm serious. Shit we already got a baby on the way and been dating long enough. I think maybe I can trust you enough to show you that part of my life. Maybe it’s about time I start taking things serious with us.”
“I'm not Rozalyn, Tamar, and I can never be her. You know that’s what I’ve been wanting.….”
“Look I know you ain’t no fuckin’ Rozalyn, Diamond! Why the fuck you had to go and say that shit?” I got up from the table swiping everything to the floor, food flew across the room, and everybody stopped what they were doing and stared at me. I grabbed my keys from the table and jetted out the house, scurried to my car trying to escape the pictures of the nosy ass reporters that were still camped outside of my house trying to get their last lil’ story in.
I rode around for hours before ending up at the cemetery; I needed somebody to talk to and Rozalyn was always a good listener. That call I received the first day of my trial had me really bugging. It sounded so much like the real thing; I knew everybody would look at me like I was crazy so I didn't tell anybody what the caller was saying and how she sounded just like Rozalyn. I wasn't even going to tell anybody that I had planned to get Rozalyn's body dug up and have them do a dental comparison; it was just for my peace of mind. Maybe if I could accept that she was gone then the bullshit hallucinations would stop.
Most days I wish Diamond was Rozalyn, maybe my victory would feel so much better than it did right now.
9 ROZALYN
What’s Next?
3 months later
"Shit, it's so fuckin’ good! Open them legs up baby!" P.J. groaned as he stroked my insides. My body was filled with goose bumps from head to toe, my legs were trembling, heart thumping so fast, and hard I could feel it from the inside of my ears. Ecstasy had my mouth super dry; something that I was forced to take every time I had sex with P.J.. He figured that it would make me enjoy it more and fight him less. He was right about one thing I didn't fight him, I was so fuckin’ high that fighting was the last thing on my mind. Now as far as enjoying this shit; hell no! I don't think a crack whore would enjoy having sex with her damn step-daddy. P.J. strokes became harder but shorter which meant he was about to cum. Thank you Jesus! I thought.
"I think I’m a put a for sale sign on your ass. I could be rich off this pussy!" P.J. devoured my tittie like it was his last supper then stuck his fingers in my pussy bringing it to my mouth then to his. "Taste good, don't it?"
"Yea real good," I played along.
"I think that was our baby right there. I know it was," P.J. got up from the bed, pulled on his boxers, and headed for the shower. The feeling of his semen sitting inside of me made want to vomit, normally I would run to the restroom full speed to empty every bit of it that I could out of me but I couldn't move. Could only stare at the ceiling and imagine that I was staring at a sky full of stars lying next to the man that had my heart; Tamar.
"How long you plan on laying there? I'm hungry," P.J. said jolting me out of my day dream.
I sat up in the bed suddenly feeling a rumble in my stomach. I jumped out of bed trying to make it to the bathroom but was stopped by P.J..
"Did you hear me? I said I was hungry!"
I tried my best to hold it in but my body did not want to cooperate with me, vomit flew all over P.J.'s chest. He looked down at himself then up at me like an aroma of shit was in the air.
WHAM!
"Stupid ass bitch! You did that shit on purpose, ruined my fuckin’ appetite!"
Blood shot from my nose like a running water hose, I felt like one of those cartoon characters seeing a circle of stars floating above my head. I tried to get up from the floor only to receive a swift kick to my abdomen sending more vomit out of my mouth onto P.J.'s feet.
The highness from the pill was suddenly fading away as the pain from my fresh wounds was starting to take over. P.J. was about to strike again when the cries from Tamarion saved me. He left me and went over to the crib picking Tamarion up and patted him on the back.
"Get your ass up and go make him a bottle then get in here and clean this shit up!" P.J. roared only scaring Tamarion even more. I gathered enough strength to get up from the floor, attempting my hardest to walk to the kitchen to grab my son a bottle. The moment I made it to the doorway I collapsed to the floor face first.
***
"Welcome back," a petite Chinese nurse said. She was about four feet tall, wearing a pair of yellow scrubs with her hair pinned up in a bun. "You were out for a very long time, you are very dehydrated. It's not good for the baby."
"What baby?" I asked
"The doctor determined you're about 4 weeks along in your pregnancy. Congratulations," she smiled patting me on my hand.
"Did you tell anyone?" I asked fearfully.
"No, your husband is waiting outside I'll let you tell him. He seems very concerned, I'll let him know that he can come and see you now."
"I don't want any visitors right now. Can you tell him that I'm too sick to have visitors?"
"Are you sure?"
I shook my head yes doing my hardest holding back the tears that formed in the corners of my eyes. I wanted to tell her so bad that the guy waiting to come in here was not my husband but that he was my step-father who is a wanted fugitive in the US, holding me and my son against our will, and forcing me to have sex with him every day.
"You're American?" I asked.
"Yes and so are you. I came here a few years ago after finishing college. I take care of my sick grandmother when I'm not working here," she smiled.
"Do you..." I was finally able to build up enough courage to ask for help but P.J. walked in.
"Is everything ok?" he asked followed by another Chinese nurse.
The first nurse looked at me then turned to leave the room. I hope no one told him I was pregnant; if he found out that meant he would never let me go. P.J. didn't have any kids and the child I was carrying would be his first. I used to hear him and my mom arguing about having children all the time; she didn't want to start over with another baby and he wanted some bad.
P.J. and the second nurse conversed in Chinese for a few moments then she left the room closing the door be
hind her.
"You didn't do anything stupid like telling them anything did you?" P.J. asked. He brought Tamarion close to him and kissed him on his head.
"No, I didn't tell them anything," I answered.
"Good I would hate to hurt you again. Get dressed; they said you're well enough to leave now."
He knows. I can tell he does. What am I gonna do?
10 KEYLAN
Dear Mr. Andrews
I finally found my way back to Miami after being gone for a week; Tamar was able to calm things down with Kayla and Kevin. I heard Kevin wanted some get back the moment he was out of the hospital but I wasn't worried about him. He was too scary to even handle the person that was responsible for killing his little brother so I knew he wasn't man enough to come at me sideways.
I pulled up to the mailbox of Tamar's house; his box was overflowing with shit. He hadn't been back this way since the trial being that reporters and DEA was still watching him. He was too scared that someone would see his house on TV, and pinpoint where he lived so he spent most of his time at the condo and so did everyone that visited. I went through the mail looking for anything that looked to be important; mostly everything was bills, bullshit, and other miscellaneous shit.
I tossed the bills in the car and was about to throw the rest away when I came across a letter that was addressed to Tamar from a New York address. As far as I knew Tamar didn't fuck with anybody from New York; Rozalyn's people were from there but they wasn't concerned with her. Hell they didn't even show up to the funeral. I threw all the mail that wasn't talking about shit in a trash that sat nearby and opened the letter. Curiosity got the best of me; Tamar was my right hand so I'm sure he would understand.
Dear Tamar,
My name is Verna Smith and I am sure you are probably wondering why I am contacting you and how I even got your address. Well let me just first say that I am the mother of Ashley Smith, Rozalyn and my daughter were best friends. I am sure you have probably heard from Rozalyn about the untimely demise of my daughter and even the reason behind her death. Anyway I have been paying visits to Rozalyn's mother Shantell ever since Ashley's death mainly ’cause I feel like I owe her and her family for the sacrifices they made to ensure that P.J. was prosecuted for what he did to Ashley. I have been wanting to thank Rozalyn personally for being such a brave person but I have not been able to get any information on her whereabouts. All Shantell tells me is that she stays with her father but is unwilling to give me any more info. Well let me get to the point of my letter. I have been following P.J.'s escape from prison for over a year now; ever since the police notified me that he was on the run.
When the story aired about P.J. being the primary suspect in a kidnapping case a while ago for taking a young girl whom I knew to be Rozalyn although reports did not say who the young girl was I paid a visit to Shantell. It was confirmed by Shantell that Rozalyn was that girl. My husband and I sat with Shantell for days praying that God would put his hands on Rozalyn and protect her. I found it really weird that Shantell seemed to not care that her child had been kidnapped by a monster; she never shed a tear, never joined in on any of the prayers, and pretty much acted as if things were fine. My husband told me that some people handled pain a little differently so I just took it as that and we continued to pray on our own.
Sometime later after seeing another news report that P.J. was still on the run and that Rozalyn's remains were found in a wooded area. I was so hurt knowing that this man took the life of yet another innocent child. I was so upset that Shantell did not inform me of Rozalyn's death; I thought that it was pretty selfish of her to think that I didn't care. So my husband and I once again made our way to Shantell's to see if we could do anything to aide her after suffering such a horrific loss. We even asked if she needed any help with the cost of the funeral and she informed us that you were handling it just fine and told her that she was not invited. Although I've seen a few reports on the news concerning a trial you were facing I didn't take you as the type of person that would try and keep a mother from saying goodbye to their child.
Once again I brushed it off and just tried my best to be there for Shantell. Now this is the part of the letter that I have been struggling with for months, if my husband knew that I sent you this letter he would go crazy so please do not tell anyone that I have contacted you. I visited Shantell once again about 2 1/2 months ago to check on her, she was obviously intoxicated ’cause the moment she allowed me into her home she started to curse me out about how I thought I was better than her and said a whole bunch of other demeaning and awful things. I accepted it knowing that she was not in her right mind due to the alcohol she consumed.
I told her that I only wanted to be there for her ’cause I know what it is like to lose a child. She went on to tell me how she didn't give a flying fuck about Rozalyn and that she wished Rozalyn was really dead and that if she could get her hands on Rozalyn she would kill her herself, I didn't understand what she meant by that so I asked her. She then laughed in my face and called me a worthless bitch, said that by the end of the year I will soon find out what she meant. Tamar I do not know what to think, but I have this gut feeling that Shantell is hiding something. My husband told me to mind my business and stay out of it but I can't. I have a feeling that Shantell knows where her husband is and for some eerie reason I feel Rozalyn may be still alive. Now I am not for certain but I just cannot understand why Shantell would say the things she said about wishing Rozalyn was dead and wanting to kill her. I know that she was drunk but a drunk man tells no lies. Tamar I think that you should speak with Shantell ’cause she is hiding something and she even told me that she despised Rozalyn for having her husband arrested. I am not only wanting P.J. to be caught for what he did to Ashley but also ’cause I think that he has Rozalyn with him wherever he may be hiding. Something is telling me that she needs help and I could only hope that you would at least check to see if my suspicions are right. I ask you to leave my name out of this as I am only standing up for someone who was bold enough to stand up for my daughter. Thank you for your time Tamar.
Verna Smith.
What the hell? I knew something wasn't right with this damn family, for the bitch to lie and say that she wasn't invited to the funeral was a flat out lie. Tamar offered to pay for the trip and also put them up the same as he did for Rozalyn's pops but Shantell and Danesha declined his offer saying they didn't need his help. As far as Rozalyn being alive I wasn't so sure about that but if Shantell knew where this muthafucka’ P.J. is located then I surely wanted to know. Not that I wanted to turn him in but because I wanted to make him pay for what he done to Rozalyn.
I mean we all knew Rozalyn was dead, they found her ID in the sleeve of a jacket that belonged to her. It wasn't any way I could go to Tamar with this letter he may start to believe this lady with all the crazy dreams he's been having. I’m gonna check things out first before I went to him with what sounded like straight foolishness.
Immediately after leaving Tamar’s house; I stopped by my home, packed an overnight bag, and contacted Dmitri. I needed to have access to some items that I may need and couldn’t take through airport security. Once Dmitri confirmed that my things would be there waiting for me; I booked the next flight out to New York.
***
"Feels like fuckin’ winter out here," I said. Here I was wearing a pair of shorts and a thin ass t-shirt to keep me cool from the humid air in Miami. That's what I get for rushing to New York. I checked the address on the building then knocked on the door waiting for someone to answer. I made sure to wait until the sun went down before coming over here just in case I had to do something to Rozalyn's mama. I didn’t want to but I’m sure I would have to.
"Yes, can I help you?" a woman answered the door. She had to be in her late thirties maybe early forties, about 5'5, darkskinned, brown eyes, and shoulder length hair.
"You Shantell?" I asked.
"Who wants to know?" she slurred.
I nodded my head, checke
d over my shoulder, and then popped her right between the eyes with a closed fist. I caught her body before she fell then drug her in the house, shutting the door behind me. The apartment reeked of liquor, cigarette smoke, and spoiled food. I tossed Shantell on the couch, threw on a pair of gloves, and then checked around the apartment making sure we were the only two around.
After securing the house I started looking around for any evidence that may suggest that Shantell had been in contact with P.J.; letters, post cards, hell anything. Only thing that I was able to find was an insurance policy that was taken out on Rozalyn a couple of months before she moved to Miami with Tamar. I tucked that in my pocket then went to the other rooms to search. They both were filled with clothes on top of clothes so I decided speaking with Shantell and seeing what she knew would be my best option ‘cause I was not about to go through all them damn clothes.
I went back into the living room where Shantell was still passed out the couch, snoring like she was getting the best sleep of her life. I grabbed a beer out the fridge, made myself comfortable at the table and rolled a couple of blunts while I waited it out. I had nothing but time.
***
“Hey, wake up! Wake up!” I gave Shantell a few slaps cross her face to wake her up; I thought I had nothing but time but hell I've been sitting here for four hours already. I didn't have any more weed and all her beer was gone. I was just ready to get the info I needed so I can bounce.
