"Diamond? Don't you think you had a drink too many?", asked Vanessa.
Diamond didn't respond.
Vanessa looked at Kendrick.
"Say something", said Vanessa.
"I'm a bad husband. Anything I say or do is bad", said Kendrick.
Diamond looked at Kendrick.
"But if she gets another drink. I'm just going to leave my card and take the kids home", said Kendrick.
"You may take Alyssa and Zara but Ayanna stays", said Diamond.
"And why is that?", asked Kendrick.
"Because that's my daughter and my responsibility", she said.
"Don't really look like you're being responsible", said Kendrick. "You look unstable...drinking in the day time and around your kids."
"You're trying to make me look bad", she said.
"You're making yourself look bad", he said.
"Guys, let's just —"
"Stay out of this, Vanessa", said Diamond.
Vanessa rolled her eyes.
"You're the reason why I'm drinking now", Diamond said.
"I didn't put the glass to your mouth. You did. Don't sit here and blame me for your poor ass coping skills", said Kendrick.
"My poor coping skills? Your poor decision making", she said.
"Diamond let's be real. Is this really about me? Or that dude outside? We we're having a good time until you were talking to that guy. Or maybe it's about the man you're still in love with", said Kendrick.
"You wanna bring that up? You wanna keep talking about that? It's not like, like you didn't have feelings for Kennedy when you let her kiss you. Yet I brushed it under the rug and moved on. You had sex with my cousin—"
"You know what, maybe I should go", said Vanessa.
"Yet, I forgave your ass and moved on", said Diamond. "So you need to let that shit go and move on because it doesn't matter anymore. He's gone"
"Wait did they find out what happened to Brian?", asked Vanessa.
"No", said Kendrick. "He's still missing"
"Kendrick can I talk to you outside for a moment?", asked Vanessa.
"If you got something to say about me, say it to my face and not behind my back. Or are you trying to persuade him into your pants again?", asked Diamond.
"yea I'm just going to go", said Vanessa as she grabbed her purse and got up. "Make her stop drinking. I don't care what y'all got going on. She doesn't need to be drinking."
"What? You think I'm going to be like my dad?", asked Diamond. "I'm so sick of you thinking that."
"Diamond I'm just trying to look out for you. You've been through a lot.", said Vanessa. "You've been strong about everything and I'm so proud of you but lately it's like you've been falling apart. Like that shit you're saying to me right now. I would never do that to you. I didn't know he was dating you and let alone anyone. But you have that thought still bottled up inside of you"
"I'm not falling apart", said Diamond.
"...Vanessa go ahead and go. I'll talk to to her", said Kendrick.
Diamond looked at Kendrick.
Vanessa looked at Diamond for a moment then she walked away.
"Ay can I get the bill", said Kendrick as the waitress walked by.
The waitress put the bill on the table.
"Wait, here", said Kendrick as he handed the waitress his card and the bill.
The waitress took the card and walked away.
"If you wanna divorce me, just say that. I don't have the time for—"
"Who said anything about a divorce? I don't want you to leave me. I'm scared that you'll have to leave me", she said.
"I told you a thousand times I won't", he said.
Diamond looked down.
———
Kendrick unlocked the door and let everybody in the house. As soon as Diamond walked in, she was grabbed by someone and they brought her close to them.
Diamond gasps.
Kendrick came into the house and saw a some stranger.
"Girls go upstairs", said Kendrick as he kept Zara on the other side of the opened down.
The guy had a gun to Diamond's hand. As she could do was think about the time she got shot during the staged robbery when she was with Brain.
"Put the gun down, at least not at her or the kids", said Kendrick. "You don't need to hurt them"
The guy aimed the gun at Kendrick instead.
"Now, what is it that you want?", asked Kendrick. "You broke into the apartment for a reason"
"I ain't break in. The door was unlocked", he said.
Kendrick looked at Diamond. Diamond didn't look at him. She knew she was the last person out of the apartment. As he looked at her he saw Diamond reaching inside of her purse.
"Just give me your money. All of it", he said.
Kendrick pulled out his wallet.
"Let me at least get my licenses first", said Kendrick.
"Hurry up", said the guy.
Kendrick held his wallet out as Diamond tased the guy.
The guy went to the ground and Kendrick grabbed the gun.
"You okay?", he asked Diamond.
Diamond nods.
Kendrick aimed the gun at the guy.
"Now get out of my apartment", said Kendrick.
The guy was trying to get himself together.
"Shoot me", said the guy. "Just go ahead and do it. I know you're willing to"
Kendrick and Diamond made a face.
"Do it! If you're going to aim, shot !", said the guy.
Kendrick lower the gun to his side.
"Get Zara and take her upstairs", said Kendrick.
"Kendrick don't shoot him", said Diamond.
"Take Zara upstairs", Kendrick repeated.
Diamond sighed and grabbed Zara's car seat and went upstairs.
Kendrick bent down to the guy.
"What did you mean by that", said Kendrick.
"I know you tired to kill Brian", he said.
Kendrick made a face because he was wondering why he said the word "tired".
"I'm not understanding", said Kendrick.
"Brian is alive. That guy that was working for you chose freedom and your money versus to get caught in your mess", said the guy. "I would tell you his plan but I just failed anyway so he'll probably come up with something else.Now give me my damn gun so I can go"
"How do I know you won't shoot anybody in here?", asked Kendrick.
"I never was going to", said the guy.
"...I don't know what Brian told you, but I didn't try to kill him", said Kendrick.
Kendrick was lying of course but that was because he didn't know if this guy was trying to get a confession out him and recording it or something.
"I didn't even see Brian while he was in town. I was in a bit of a situation", said Kendrick. "Nobody knows what happened to him. Some officers came over saying that he was missing. Now me and him had our differences but I do hope that he's okay."
The guy sat up and looked at Kendrick for a moment.
"Stop lying, I already know what happened. He told me", he said.
"He would say anything about me to get his ex wife back but it's usually never true.", Kendrick said. "That, what you're saying right now, isn't true."
The guy stood up and so did Kendrick.
"You think you're smart huh?", he asked.
"Well I'm not stupid", Kendrick said sarcastically.
The guy shook his head and snatch his gun out of Kendrick's hand. Kendrick was about to grab for the gun back until the guy said something.
"There's no bullets", the guy said as he showed Kendrick there were no bullets in the gun. "Brian made sure of that"
"Get out", said Kendrick.
The guy shook his head and walked out of the apartment.
Kendrick locked the door and laid his head on the door for a moment. If Brian is really alive then Kendrick knew that shit was about to get real.
"Damn it, Shawn", mumbled Kendrick.
TO BE CONTINUED...