"Daddy!" Charnae shouted as her dad walked into the room with shackles on his wrists and ankles.
It was the first week of Christmas break and Charnae and Leon took a quick trip to St. Louis to surprise her father. Gregory was in complete shock when he heard that his baby girl and her boyfriend were there to visit him.
Gregory smiled as he was escorted to the table by one of the guards. Charnae waited impatiently as the guard took the shackles off of him. Once he was free, Charnae didn't waste any time giving him a tight hug.
"I missed you, daddy!" Charnae exclaimed as she began to cry.
"I missed you too, baby girl." Gregory said. This was the first time they got to hug each other in two years and this moment was bittersweet to them.
After they were done, Gregory turned his attention to Leon. "So this is Mr. Make-Shit-Happen, huh?" Gregory joked.
Leon chuckled. "It's nice to finally meet you in person." He said as they shook hands.
"Likewise." Gregory replied. "I've watched a few of your games. I can't wait to see you pro."
"Thank you." Leon said with a smile.
"So, you plan on taking my baby girl with you?" Gregory asked.
"Daddy." Charnae scolded. "Let's focus on right now."
"The draft is four months away—that is right now." Gregory told her.
"It's alright, Charnae." Leon chimed in. "I do plan on taking her with me, but I believe that she wants to finish school before joining me in whichever state I'm in. The loyalty, honesty, and trust will always be there."
Gregory nodded as he turned his attention back to Charnae. "What are you gonna do, baby girl?"
"I'm gonna stay in South Carolina until I'm done with college." Charnae replied.
"Okay then." Gregory said. "So what about marriage?"
"Daddy!" Charnae snapped as Leon laughed. He loved how Gregory was trying to plan out their future on the low.
-
"Jordan gets on my damn nerves." Leon said as he texted him back. "I sent him the picture of the arch like he told me to and now he's talking about I need to take it again because I got a bad angle. He can kiss my ass. He better get a picture from fucking Google."
Charnae laughed. "Y'all need to stop bickering."
Leon sucked his teeth. "Fuck him."
The two of them were currently walking through the mall for last minute gifts. They will be headed back to South Carolina tomorrow evening, which is Christmas Eve. They will stop by the prison in the morning to see Gregory again.
"Charnae?" Someone said, catching Charnae and Leon's attention. Charnae frowned once she saw her aunt and uncle standing there. These were the same people who mistreated her after she lost her parents.
"C'mon, Leon." Charnae mumbled as she turned the other way.
"Wait, Charnae." Her aunt said.
"I have nothing to say to you." Charnae told her with tears in her eyes. "Fuck the both of you."
Leon shot an evil look at the man and woman before taking Charnae's hand in his and walking away. He didn't know them and did not get the full story, however, seeing Charnae get upset to the point where she was on the verge of tears was enough information he needed.
"You alright, baby?" Leon asked once they were a good distance away.
Charnae took a deep breath. "Yes, I'm fine. I just need to get Dee a gift then we can leave." Leon nodded and allowed Charnae to lead the way.
-
"I saw Aunt Gloria and Uncle Marc." Charnae told her dad as they sat in the visiting room. "They had the nerve to try to talk to me after what they did."
"Baby girl, what'd I tell you about holding grudges?" Gregory asked.
"I can't forgive them, daddy." Charnae said as she shook her head. "They left me to fend for myself. They were supposed to be my family. Them, mama's people—everybody! I understand they were hurt too, but nobody ever took the time out to make sure I was good! I grieved by my damn self! I had to move damn near eight hundred miles away to get some fucking help and you expect me to forgive them?!"
Leon rested his hand on Charnae's back to help her calm down. He didn't want her to end this trip on a bad note.
Gregory nodded. "I'm sorry, Charnae."
Charnae wiped her tears as she stood up. "I'm ready to go."
"C'mon, baby. Don't do that. Talk to your dad." Leon told her as he grabbed her hand and sat her back down.
Charnae began to break down. "Nobody ever stopped to think was Charnae okay. I lost my mama and my daddy within months. I had to watch my mama get buried in the ground and I had to watch my daddy get a prison sentence and nobody thought about me. My feelings were placed on the back burner, man."
"I'm sorry, baby girl." Gregory said as he wiped his tears. "I caused this. I wasn't thinking when I went out to get revenge. I didn't think about you and you should've been the first thing on my mind. If I could go back in time then I would have changed everything. I would have been at home helping you convince your mother to stay home—everything. I take the blame, Charnae. I take all of it."
Charnae took a deep breath. "We can't change the past. We can only accept it, but if I was able to get three wishes, my first wish would be to have mama back."
"Mine too." Gregory admitted.
They continued to talk and the conversation ended on a better note. Charnae gave her father a big hug before she and Leon left to visit the cemetery. This was Charnae's first time visiting her mother's grave since the funeral and her emotions were on a roller coaster.
"What am I supposed to say?" Charnae asked Leon as she stared at the tombstone.
"Say what's on your heart, baby. Just talk to her." Leon said. "Would you like for me to wait in car?"
Charnae nodded. "Yes please." Leon kissed the side of her face before heading to the car. Charnae sighed as she examined her mother's tombstone. "I honestly don't know what to say because we always have conversations in my dreams." She began.
"I remember my dream from last night and I think you were trying to tell me something about Leon, but I couldn't quite grasp it." Charnae said. "He's such a great guy and I know you would have loved him. You would've been best friends with Mama Leanne too. She reminds me of you—very caring and her favorite love language is touch. She loves to hug."
"I also saw daddy's sister and her husband in the mall yesterday. They tried to talk to me, but I refuse to speak to them after everything they put me through. I would've been better off homeless." Charnae continued to rant. "I haven't heard from your family since the funeral. It just seems like everybody in the family blames me. They all turned their backs on me, but daddy is still in contact with them—well his family. He hasn't heard from your family either. I'm not worried about it though. I got a new family and daddy does not have to serve his life sentence anymore."
Charnae glanced at her Apple Watch and saw that it was almost time for them to head to the airport. "Well, mommy. I have to prepare to head back to Columbia. Come see me tonight. I love you." With that, she made her way to the rental where Leon was leaning while her held a conversation with Faith and Torah through FaceTime.
"Faith, shut yo dandruff mouth ass up! She's approaching me now! Y'all just better be at the Charlotte airport to pick us up when we get there!" Leon fussed.
"We're picking Char up—not you! Find ya own way back to Columbia, fucker." Faith retorted.
"Find these nuts." Leon said before hanging up on them. Charnae gave him a weird look once she walked up to him. "Sup, baby. You ready?"
Charnae nodded. "Who were you talking to like that?"
"Just Faith." Leon simply replied. "C'mon, let's go."
Charnae chuckled and shook her head as she followed Leon to the passenger side so he could let her in the car.
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