STONE'S DIARY

Chapter 65.)

        Once they left the hospital, Renae and King sat in the parking lot for an hour trying to figure out if they wanted to tell the family or not. After remembering how things turned out the first time, they agreed that they would tell the family.

        The news hit everyone like a ton of bricks when they found out that Renae could have been dead within a month if she would have never visited the hospital. It was a few days later and the men were dining inside Pops Diner for one of their well-needed brother-eons.

       August's air wasn't as hectic as July's and June's but it was warm enough for the men to dress down or in their case, dress up but make it look casual.

        "What's the plan for these next for months?" Dajon asked King as he added salt and pepper to his eggs.

        "I haven't thought dat far ahead yet..."

       "I tink he meant about di batty bwoy," Kwan clarified as he glanced at Dajon.

      "I mean... tha' impulsive version of me wants to just pop up at dat nigga crib and put three in tha' dome, but my kids.... damn kids," King shook his head then sighed.

        "What you mean?" Dajon chucked at his facial expression.

        "I was good to go about killing his ass when K.J came to talk with me, but Ava... dat damn Ava," he mumbled.

        "Shi get eena yur head didn't shi?" Kwan smirked and Dajon laughed when King cut his eyes at him.

        "Yuh getting soft bruv," he teased.

        "Mmcht, fuck you nigga, that's my daughter," King frowned and Dajon erupted in laughter.

       Despite Renae's situation, the way that King was constantly frowning like a kid had the men amused.

        "Ava is my dog... that damn miracle baby good with her words," Dajon replied and Kwan nodded in agreement.

         "So... wah now den? Wi know wah dude about," Kwan reminded.

        Silence fell over the three for a moment before KIng spoke, "Ava told me dat I ain't have to always prove how tough I was just to get my damn point across and it hit me harder than I wanted it to... I'ma let tha' nigga live."

        Kwan stared at King with a dubious look before he turned his focus towards Dajon who mirrored him.

        "They don't want you doing shit, they won't know if we do something, that lame ass nigga gotta go," Dajon declared and Kwan nodded in agreement.

        "Facts," Kwan shrugged.

        "Whatever y'all niggas do, don't tell me about it," King said.

        Dajon and Kwan shared a look then smirked before replying, "We won't!"

***

     A few years ago

        "Uncle Lay?" 11-year-old Reign called as she searched through their house.

        "Pickney," he answered as he cleaned his guns effortlessly.

       Reign watched him for a second before entering his space and plopped down on the sofa next to him. "Mum seh dah yuh waah to leave us..."

        Layton continued to clean the gun then slowly turned his head towards her.

       "Are yuh leaving us?" she asked, staring at him with those innocent eyes of hers that he hated staring in.