Rebuilding Our Empire

We're Getting Close

Dad completely ignored Malcolm and began telling me why didn't like Puma. "About a year and a half after me and your mama got together, we got into this big ass argument and she left me. Packed up and everything. I didn't chase after her because I figured she'd just go to your Aunts like she usually did, but three days later, I found out she didn't and hadn't been there at all. Bunkie told me she was with this nigga Puma and I went to get her ass. I get there, this dude came out with no shirt on and a towel wrapped around him. And all I could think is Cookie better not be doing what I think she is doing. I asked him where she was, and he had the nerves to say she in the kitchen cooking for a real man. Cook came to the door in and oversized shirt before I could knock his ass out. She was saying a bunch of shit to me but I wasn't listening because Puma had his hands all on her and she was letting him touch her. Then before he walked away, he kissed her. She didn't lean into it, it's like he just caught her off guard. A month later she came back home with me. I think almost year later, Dre was on the way and this dude came by the house just about every day. When Dre was born, he showed up at the hospital talking about he's going to care of Cookie and Dre because I was bound to mess up again. He's always been on some creepy, Obsessed shit. He just never took it too far," Dad finished explaining.

I'm not sure if I should say shook, but I definitely was dismayed. This man left my mother with the very psycho he's describing. "Dad! What the hell is wrong with you? You left her with him and you're shocked that you can't find her! Where does this dude live?" I panicked. "I could look into it. What's his real name?" Malcolm offered. "Dwayne......damn what's his last name. Robins...Robinson. That's it. Dwayne Robinson," Dad remembered. Malcolm's face changed to worry then back to normal, before he walked away. This dude got me itching with concern a bit too much for my liking. I think he knows Puma has Mom.

At Tory's old apartment

No One's POV

Since Giselle found out that Eddie has bottle laying around that would link him to Tory's murder, Andre and Giselle have been looking everywhere. They checked the cars she had, the studios she was last seen in, and now her apartment. To Andre, finding this bottle meant revenge, but Giselle needed to find this bottle because at this point, it's life or death. They crawled on the floor, looking behind every stand, making sure no inch was left unnoticed. Andre was starting to get annoyed. Maybe Eddie just said he had a missing pill bottle to throw them off. What if he was playing Giselle the whole time?

"It's not here Andre. I feel like Eddie just gave me the runaround. What if he knows I came to you? Oh, my Lord, he's gonna kill me. Andre, I can't fight him, you have to help me. Shit! Why did I think I could outsmart him?" Giselle franticly ranted. Dre was starting to get annoyed by how much Giselle panics. He wanted to slap some sense into her but now was not the time. "Look, even if he was messing with your mind, there is a chance that something was left behind to pin him to Tory's death. Just calm down and keep looking," Andre said before going back to looking around. Giselle sat back on her calves and took a minute to pull herself together. Not long afterwards, did they both hear a key turn and the door unlock. They both got up quickly and ran to the bedroom. Giselle hid in the closet and Andre stood behind the bedroom door. He heard footsteps walk towards the kitchen and peaked around the corner. He couldn't make out the face, but once he heard humming, he knew who it was.

"Jamal, what are you doing here?" Dre asked. Jamal looked at Andre with a question of his own. "Umm I should be asking why are you here? How did you get into Tory's Apartment?" Jamal asked. Dre rubbed the back of his neck and let out a breath he had been holding since he heard Jamal unlock the door. "We got a key and was looking for an empty bottle that might have Eddie's name on it," Andre explained. Jamal furrowed his eyebrows then proceeded to ask, "What kind of bottle? And who the hell is we? I only see you." Andre turned around and realized that Giselle wasn't behind him. He walked back into the bedroom and opened the closet. Giselle sat coward behind Tory's clothes, trembling as Andre and Jamal stood over her. "We as in Giselle and me. We are looking for a prescription bottle," Andre glanced back at Jamal.