Do Or Die

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

I woke up in Aunt Carissa’s house with a dazed look remembering back to my flashback nightmare. The only time I dream about what happened that day in April is on December 24th.[1] 

I looked at my calendar and saw it was December twenty-fourth…Mama’s birthday. I groaned and swallowed a hard lump in my throat. I used to be excited about this day but after she died, I hated this day along with Tiara’s birthday on March 19th.

Before anything, I took a hot shower trying to think about something positive but I ended up only replaying the events from two weeks ago in my head. Out of everything that happened, the only thing that stood out was Kayla. 

I probably should have let her explain. I should have told her about the Bloods. There were so many thoughts about Kayla going on in my mind, I almost didn’t hear my phone ringing on the bathroom counter. 

I picked it up and saw Jaylon’s number appear. “What’s up?” I answered. 

“I know where Eddie is,” he blurted out. 

I leaned against the cold bathroom walls and tried to contain myself. “Where?”

“He’s in an old shack in a corner in the Rancho Dominguez area. He working with a guy named Johnson, I think.”

“How you know?”

“They’re working on a prostitution and drug deal. I don’t know all the facts, but their ring is interfering with my business. They tried to get one of my younger girls to work for them although she wasn’t exactly the age they were looking in investing in.”

“Thanks.”

I hung up and sighed impatiently. “So that’s your game, huh Eddie?” I asked to myself. Whatever he was planning, I was going to get him back one way or another. 

One week later…

I ran downstairs with my basketball uniform on and grabbed my keys off of the kitchen counter. 

“Boy, slow your road!” Grandma Mae said pulling me by the shoulder. 

“Sorry, Grandma Mae,” I smiled innocently. “Just hyped for this game today.”

“That’s good and well, but just don’t be speeding down the road to the game, okay, Daimon?” 

I nodded, kissed her on the cheek and went to jump into my car. I was excited to finally be playing basketball to relieve some of my stress away after what’s been going on these past few months. Today is one of the days I don’t want to deal with any drama. Period. 

As I reached a red light, my cellphone buzzed in my seat. I looked at the caller ID and saw Monique’s name flash across the screen.

“Spoke too soon,” I said to myself as I answered the phone. “What now Monique?”

“DJ, we need to talk.” 

“Hurry it up cause I’m almost to the school building for my game.”

“Um…” her voice drifted off.

“Seriously Monique? Call me back when you remember.” 

“No, no, no!” She pleaded.

“Then what?” I said with my voice higher than earlier. 

“I’m pregnant, DJ…” 

I slammed my car breaks as I entered the parking lot of the school building. “What you say?”