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"He what?" Ladie exclaimed into the phone.

"Yeah. I'm moving my mom in. Well...the moving people are. I hired her a personal trainer and a life coach to come in during the week. I want to help get her back on her feet. He didn't mention if she had to keep doing her work, but even so, at least she's not living in that toxic environment anymore."

"Do you trust her around Cielo?" she asked curiously.

"I don't really know," I admitted, "but the nanny will be here, whether it's Adore or Madame Michel. They should be fine."

"You still up for the party tonight?" Ladie asked, a hopeful tone to her voice, "Remember, you have a surpriseee."

"I think I've had enough surprises today," I sighed.

"Oh really...why?" Ladie asked curiously.

I relaxed back on my bed, getting off of my elbow as I pulled the sheets above my knees. Cielo was outside doing some hands-on school work and my mother was taking a nap downstairs.

"Somebody tried to kill me at the cemetery."

"Damn, that's hella ironic, ain't it?" Ladie scoffed.

"I was going to see Jovan," I sighed, "and the thing that kills me is that the man looked familiar. I think that might have been Jovan's killer. From the shootout," I explained.

"You can't be too sure," Ladie said doubtlessly.

"That's what Gator said," I sighed again.

"Well, the party will cheer you up. Mack, Camel, and Pole are gonna be there too." I had told Ladie about my father's declare that I produce a heir if I wanted Cielo to live a normal life. And if I wanted my mother to stay with me. "They could..."

"I am not fucking on no nigga," I snapped, "I'll simply get a sperm donor and have the kid myself."

"I have a feeling that your father might not compromise to that idea with all your demands."

"So it's either my mother and my child's future, or my eggs?" I scoffed, "Shit's crazy."

"Tie da tubes?" Ladie suggested.

"Hell nahh," I sighed.

"Like I said...we do have male friends."

"I don't have any ambitions to raise a child with any of my friends. Thank you very much," I rolled my eyes. "What's your family making you do?" I asked Ladie curiously.

"Well, I happen to like dick, so I have no problem settling down and producing a few heirs," I could hear the shrug in her voice, "I just gotta find the one first."

"Preferably a member of Deceased like you?"

"Hell no," Ladie snapped, "Then they'd know my family and all my family friends. Deceased is family at that. I want someone who understands my lifestyle though."

"So we riding down to Houston together?" I switched topics, my head pounding from everything I had to deal with today. It started with Adore's nice cheeks to me picturing myself taking dick from a stranger.

What an almost 24 hours it has been.

"We could I guess..."

"Who all going?"

"Don't get started, Nyia. No matter who coming, yo ass still gonna attend," she declared.

"I don't know though," I said hesitantly, "I don't wanna just leave Cielo and my mom here-

"Nyia Kelley," Ladie snapped.

"Fine, fine. What should I wear? Is this like a rich people party or...?"

"You say that like you not rich ya self," Ladie laughed. "And it's a fucking party. Ass and titties spilling out of dresses type shit."

"I know you not talking either, you bought my aunt a whole car note of a necklace," I commented.

"Does she still like it?"

I rolled my eyes, trying to see if I should take that as a comeback.

"Yeah, she can't stop texting me about the compliments she's getting around town. Speaking of around town," I said suddenly, "I need to let everybody in the cartel know that they need to be super vigilant of their surroundings."

"That's smart, but you don't want people all tensed up for nothing either," Ladie stated. "I doubt whoever's trying to take you out is gonna go after the cartel. It's probably just you. I don't know anybody who's almost at the Kelley's level in Camphor."

I frowned. Maybe the person after me wasn't Camphorian then? Maybe they were someone out of the city.

"This ain't nothing. He said somebody wants my head. I have to take the precautions," I decided.

"Party starts at eleven. Be ready by 8:20 so we can drive there. You need to clear your head with drinks," Ladie decided with finality.

"Nothing like a clear liquid to wipe out all your reasoning," I mumbled.

"Good, good. Now I gotta go," Ladie told me.

"Bye."

"Bye."

I held my phone in my hand, falling back and closing my eyes.

"You're leaving?"

My eyes flew open, not used to my mother's voice here. "Yeah...uh, but I can stay if you need me," I told her quickly, spotting her in the doorway. It had been an awkward conversation driving her back to my villa. Asking your mother how her clients feel about her wearing adult diapers and her drug habits since small talk felt too out of the question was a lot.

"A party?" she asked curiously, gingerly sitting at the edge of my bed.

"Yeah. In Houston."

"Oh, any other Camphor people going?"

"Yeah. Ladie, Pole, a couple of friends," I shrugged.

"Pole? Oh you mean little Thomas DuPont?"

"Yes, Mom. He doesn't like to be called that no more though," I chuckled.

"Oh, well what do they call you?"

I sighed. "A mistake. Soft. Not like my dad."

"Nobody's ever gonna live up to the name Big Camphor made for himself. Don't live your life being something that you aren't," my mother advised.

"I'm already doing that...it seems. I enjoy some aspects of this life, mostly the lavishness but...a brush with death kind of changes things."

"What's on your mind sweetie?" my mother peered at my face, an older but wiser version of mine in only a few ways. Why did I have to take after my dad? Did he have to be apart of everything in my life? Even my looks?

"I think I wanna start settling down in life. I know I've always been against that, but it might be the best bet for you and Cielo. Today taught me that I don't have much time, you know?"

"Another little one. He wants another one," she said softly. "More and more kids, to fight for something that isn't even worth that much. His father was the same way with him, I heard."

"The Kelley's are never leaving Camphor are they?" I stated, "We're going to be here for all of eternity, oozing our bad ways down to each generation until our bloodline looks like a trickle of blood racing down a desk."

"There's always hope with each new family member. Cielo could be the change," she told me. "You could still be the change.

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