"Did you hear about the rose that grew from a crack in the concrete? Provin nature's laws wrong it learned how to walk without havin feet. Funny, it seems to by keeping it's dreams; it learned to breathe fresh air. Long live the rose that grew from...
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The peace was interrupted by a ring of gunshots sounding off.
"Get down," someone yelled in the back.
Rell pulled Layla and Maddison down behind the tree simultaneously covering them with his body. Maddison's cries could be heard so could Kali's.
After a few seconds the gunshots stopped as the car sped off. Moments later, Rell looked up and saw Jace standing. He knew it was now safe for them to move.
"Let's go," he said as he helped the two up. "Everybody aight?," he asked Jace.
"Where is Nadirah," Layla asked frantically. She saw Kam and Kali but no Nadirah or Bless.
Kam looked around. "She was heading to the bathroom to change Bless as soon as we let go of the lanterns. I'm gonna take the kids and get out of here."
Layla gave Maddison a quick kiss on the forehead. "It's okay pretty girl. Go with Aunty Kam okay."
Kam took the girls as a car pulled up for them to hop into.
"Ain't that her stroller over there."
Layla ran over to the bullet ridden stroller that was turned upside down. "Oh my gosh," she yelled. She quickly turned it rightside up only to see it was empty.
Rell ran up behind her. "C'mon we're gonna find them."
Layla began to cry. "What am I gonna tell Sed?"
"Shhhh," he told her. "Stop assuming the worst."
"Why did they shoot at us?"
"Idk mama," he said trying to console her. He took a quick second to text Drew, his PI, and told him about what had just happen.
"Yooooo I found her," Jace yelled at the entrance to the bathroom.
Layla broke from Rell's hold and ran over into the bathroom to find Nadirah huddled in the corner with a crying Bless.
"Oh gosh. You're okay," Layla cried out.
Nadirah nodded as tears fell. "I don't know what happened. One minute I was walking then I heard gunshots. I bust my ass running to the bathroom."
"I'm sorry," Layla cried as they held each other rocking back and forth.
Rell came up to them. "You okay Dirah?"
She nodded as she wiped her tears. "Yea. I'm gangsta you know. I'm good. I'm Gucci."
Layla rolled her eyes. "Leave it to you to find a joke in a time like this."
