Malia & Khari III: The Kids

Ryan Tierra Valentine

Excuse any mistakes, please!

Los Angeles, California 

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    I was tired.

Tired of living with a woman who claimed to be a mother. Only she wasn't a mother. She just had the title, and it seemed like I was only getting my hopes up just to be let down. She allowed two strange men into our home whom I felt very uncomfortable around. She didn't care.

   So, I made a decision. A decision that I didn't know the consequences to, but I was willing to do it.

I was currently getting off a flight to Los Angeles. I'd used the money I saved from my daddy. It wasn't easy getting out of the house without her knowledge, but I did it. I didn't tell anyone I was coming, well only one person, not even Carmelo. After finding out that he was some kin to Donovan, I couldn't trust him anymore.

   I couldn't trust anyone there. The only people I could trust was the people who made me felt like I was a part of a real family. I was in route to them now. Plus, I'd get to spend time with the twins for their birthday. A welcomed distraction.

I couldn't live under those conditions anymore. I just hoped Daddy understood. Once I was in the lobby, I looked around as I heard my name being called. I spotted her near the door and immediately walked over there with my bag on my back. I didn't pack everything because I had things here. When I got up to her, I smiled lightly and she returned the gesture.

"Thank you."

Ms. Malia looked at me, and shook her head. "You don't have to thank me. But, you know you're going to have to tell Khari, right?"

I nodded my head, not really ready for that conversation. She led me out to the truck where her driver opened the door. Allowing me to get in first, she got in behind me and the door was shut. It was quiet while the driver got back into the car and drove off. I was fiddling with my fingers because I was so nervous for some reason.

I wasn't even sure my mom would even recognize that I was gone. Did she even care? Mostly her attention went to Duane and Elgin. They were so weird and I didn't get a good vibe from them. My phone vibrated in my bag and I removed it from off of my back, fishing for it. When I found it, I saw that I had a couple of missed calls from Carmelo. We hadn't talked since I found out that Donovan was his uncle.

He had been blowing me up, but I just didn't want to talk to him. Something told me to just at least hear him out. I had trust issues though. The only people I could trust was the people here in California. I just needed to get away and clear my head a bit. I sighed, placing the phone back into the bag and zipping it shut. I felt Ms. Malia's eyes on me and when I turned to look at her, she didn't look away.

"Are you okay?" She had serious concern in her voice. It was foreign to me, something I wasn't used to. I hadn't told her the real reason why I was coming here. I just told her I wanted it to be a surprise. I didn't know she'd actually go through with it, but she did. And she kept her promise of not telling anyone.

You know how when you're holding it together, but someone asks you if you're alright that's when you break down? That was me, now. A tear dropped onto my exposed thigh, and I couldn't hold it in anymore. "I'm sorry." I quickly apologized, wiping the, now, waterworks that had formed.

"Shh, no." She pulled me into her, and rubbed my back gently. "It's ok, let it out." She coached, and I did exactly that. I had a lot of things built in. I had been through so much. I just wanted a hug from my mom. To be held like Ms. Malia was holding me now. For once, I wanted to be a child. Soothingly, she ran her fingers through my hair as my tears slowly ceased.