A Rose by Any Other Name

Chapter 18

Neal's POV

Man, Rose was as good as I had imagined. She had a nigga feeling amazing. I stayed back waiting on Seven to arrive. I wasn't stopping her from leaving. She needed to get away from him. He was destroying her. He was killing the woman she has become.

"Neal, where are they?" I heard Seven burst through the door.

"They're gone," I said to him.

"Fuck! I've been calling her and she won't answer."

"Why would she, Seven?" I asked her. "You always do this, man. You get her all excited and then you fuck her over. I'm sorry, but enough is enough. I'll work for you still, but I'm not gonna keep letting you hurt her."

"Do you know where my children are, Neal?" he asked.

"Yeah, I know where they are, and no, I'm not telling you. She sold the condo; so you better pack your stuff up." I walked away from him. I got my boxes and put them in my car, and I headed back to Atlanta.

TEN HOURS LATER

Because of my boxes, I drove back to Atlanta. That was the longest ride by myself. Once I got back home though, I went looking for Taylor. I hated what she was going through. Hakeem supplied her, but I rather it had been him than some other muthafucka, and she couldn't be saved.

I pulled up to her Mom's place. I looked up under the welcome mat and grabbed the spare key. I opened the door and the lights were off. I went searching for anybody in the house. I found her Mom, Pearl, sitting in the kitchen.

"Mama Pearl?" I called out.

She looked my way. "Hey, son. How you doing?"

"I'm good, Mama. What's wrong with the lights?" I asked her.

"Everything is cut off. The lights, gas, and water. Taylor been spending my check on drugs. She's waiting at the mailbox every first of the month."

"Do you know where Taylor is now?" I asked her.

"She's down at that drug house with Hakeem," she cried.

"It's okay, Mama," I hugged her. "I'm finna go get her, but first, I want you to pack a bag and come with me."

"Where we going?"

"I'm gonna take you somewhere to get you cleaned up and get your something to eat."

I followed her to her room. I stood outside the door and called Seven.

"What? You called to cuss me out some more?"

"Nawl, man. I need some help." I said.

"What's going, Neal?"

"It's Mama Pearl. I don't know how long the utilities has been off, but the house stinks. I'm sure the food in the refrigerator has spoiled. But I need a room at SEVEN'S TOWERS for at least a week so I can clean up the house."

"Yeah, I'm finna call Dynasty and let her know to give you two rooms on the first floor. I'm gonna put it on my account. Where's Taylor?"

"Mama said she's down at the trap with Hakeem. I'm finna call him."

"Alright man. Call me if you need anything. I just loaded the car up. I'm finna head back that way now."

"Alright, bet," I said and then hung up.

"I'm ready, son," Mama Pearl said walking towards me.

I grabbed her bag and helped her out to my car.

"Mama, how long has the utilities been off?" I asked her.

"I think like three months now," she said.

I felt so bad. I was out in Miami not even thinking about what was happening here in Atlanta. If I had known. If I would have just called and paid attention.

I pulled up at the hotel. I helped Mama Pearl into the hotel. I walked over to the counter and saw Dynasty. She handed me the key to the rooms. I told her to have food taken to the room and to have a home nurse to come in and help Mama Pearl.

After about two hours, Mama Pearl was all good. I told the nurse, whose name is Allison, to stay with her until I got back. I was going to find Taylor.

Once I was in my car, I called Hakeem. "Wussup, nigga," Hakeem answered.

"Hakeem, please tell me that Taylor is there."

"Yeah, she is. I got her locked up in the basement. She's in bad shape."

"I'm headed to her now. Thanks bro."

"I gotchu, fool. We family."

We hung up and I hauled ass to my girl. While on my way there, Rose called me.

"Hey, Lady Seven," I answered.

"Hey, Killa," she said. "Just calling to let you know that me, Lisa, and the kids are settled in."

"That's good. Give me some time, and I'll come out there to you. I gotta make sure Taylor is straight first."

"I heard," she said. "I hope everything is okay with her and her Mom. I talked to Hakeem."

"I got her mama at the hotel right now. I'm headed to her now. Hakeem got her tied up at the trap."

"Okay, just call me later. I love you. Take care."

"I love you too, Lady Seven."

We said our goodbyes and then hung up. If I was heartless, I'll say fuck Taylor, and go be with Rose. But truth be told, I was in love with Taylor, and even though we broke up, my love for that girl hasn't changed. My love for Rose just took over.

I pulled up at the trapped and ran in straight to the basement. I dapped Hakeem and Devin. "Thank you for looking out for her," I told them.

"No problem, dude. She wouldn't tell us where she lived. We tried to help her."

"It's cool, I'm gonna take care of everything tomorrow. Then I gotta get the house cleaned up too."

I walked over to the cage she was in. "Taylor?" I called out to her.

"Neal? Is that you?" she cried.

Hakeem came and opened the cage for me. "Yeah, it's me baby," I said. She crawled her weak body over to me. "Taylor, baby, let me help you, please."

"I wanna go home," she cried.

"Come on, baby. I got you."

I got Taylor and took her back to the hotel. I knew we were in for a long ride. Going through withdrawals was a bitch. I gave Taylor a bath and fed her. Afterwards, we laid down. In the middle of the night, she started screaming. I knew it had only just begun.