•Damai Nathaniel's•
"Dame"
I lay back in my apartment letting the silence of it fill me. It's been a day since I got shot, after sleeping on Gigi's couch for a hour or two I caught a taxi to the store for some pain meds then caught another one home.
I didn't realize how lonely I'd feel. It was like my worst fears was coming through. With Vera gone it feels like I have nobody. Brooklyn promised that she'd always be here but after watching the news and it reading Possible double homicide in Westlins Airbnb, one male in his early twenties Tyson Easten found deceased, another male in his early twenties blood traces found, a woman in her early twenties was found fleeing the crime scene.....
So from what I'm guessing she's in jail. I don't know what to do. I don't know if it'll make things better or worse and as of now it's too risky to try to get in touch or go up to the station. It's just fucked up because just like I predicted I'm all alone. Me and East were damn near like brothers and now he's dead, Brooklyn's locked up, Vera's dead. It's like I have nobody now.
The sound of somebody knocking at my door sounds. I stand up limping slightly as I walk towards it. When I open it Christina is on the other end. Her eyes puffy and red. She looks like she hasn't slept in weeks and she makes sure to bump my shoulder as she walks past me. "What happened to him?!" She asks automatically screaming at me.
I give her a straight face holding my stomach as we stare eachother down. "Look I don't know. Ight?"
"Don't lie to me Damai. You and that bitch was who he left with before he showed up dead, so I'm gone ask you this one more time. What happened to my husband?!" She gets in my face staring at me with hate, her eyes bridging with tears.
I sigh. "I told you I don't know Christina," I continue to lie. "Me and B left the club alone. He wanted to stay, I don't know what happened to him after that. But you know he was like a brother to me and I'll figure out what happened to him."
She cocks her head back wiping her tears. "Like a brother to you?" She repeats. "Yeah okay Damai. Just know that you or that bitch won't get away with that shit. Me and my daughter will have revenge for what happened to him."
"Then you'll be looking in all the wrong places because we didn't do it."
Christina glances down at my hand that's against my stomach observing the way I look like I'm in pain. "Watch your back." Was all she said before walking away.
I follow her outside watching as she climbs into her car. Finally noticing the black truck parked on the other side of the huge drive through. I limp over and the car drives up meeting me. When it rolls down Ozias is in the driver seat and Ruby is in the passenger seat. Relief fills me and I can't believe I'm seeing them for the first time in four years.
"Get in." Zy demands looking around outside.
I nod climbing in the back seat. Ruby wastes no time speaking first. "So what went down the day before yesterday?"
I sigh tossing my head back. "East got on some jealous shit and started trippin. I wanted to fight but Brooklyn ain't want that so I dropped it. Looked away for one second and he pulled a gun on me. He shot me. So I shot back. One of us made it out and the other didn't. I made sure Brooklyn left before me. I didn't know she got caught till this morning." I explain.
"Fuck!" Zy yells out smacking his hand down against the steering wheel. "All this shit for what? For what?" He repeats his voice beaming throughout the car.
I couldn't bring myself to tell him to full story. Cause the more I'd reveal the more it'd all fall on me and B. They'd look at it like I brought trouble to her once again. I can't tell him that we started robbing people together. They wouldn't look at her the same, shit it's bad enough she stole from them. If they found out she was stealing from others and that's the true reason that she was with us in the first place then that might be another grudge for them to hold against her. They could always understand but that's a risk I can't afford to take.
"I tried-"
"Well you didn't try hard enough." Ruby interrupts.
I find myself feeling how I felt as a kid when they pushed me away and told me never to come around again. That's until I realized so much has changed since then. "Look I'm a grown ass man," I stand my ground. "I protected me and Brooklyn by killing his ass. He was acting stupid and trigger happy wasn't no telling what would've happened if I didn't. And not to mention I also made her leave so she wouldn't be caught. Now maybe me and her both did some fucked up things and trust me this is a fucked up situation. But I don't need either of y'all sitting her criticizing me. I just lost my grandmother not to long ago. I paid my debt for the shit I done did. So if this what y'all pulled up to do feel free to get the fuck out of my driveway." I couldn't believe I told them off but once I did I felt a weight be lifted off our shoulder.
I go to open the door but Zy cuts me off. "I'm gone ignore everything you just said because I know you must be going through a lot with Vera and all," I clench my jaw at his words. "But right now Brooklyn needs you. You got today and all of tomorrow to hide from the cops. If they find you they'll have reason to look both of y'all up. Y'all are both suspects in a murder investigation. You need to lay low and get the hell away from her. This will be the first place they search."
I let out a fake laugh. "So what y'all asking me for favors now?"
"We not asking you for shit," Zy answers. "We're actually helping you. If the cops find you or even so much as see you you're going right where Brooklyn at. But if you go undetected then she gets out and they just might drop this shit for good."
I sit there quietly for a second Brooklyn in my mind and the thought of her being in the cell. I thank God I listened to my intuition and didn't show up at the station. "Okay I'll find somewhere to hide out at."
"In the next hour we have a private flight set up for you. You'll board alone and the plane is large enough for you to be able to sleep or shower or do whatever you need to do. It'll be heading to London." Ruby says.
"London?" I repeat. "I ain't trynna go to London Vera just died. I'm trynna stay here in Harlem."
"I understand that but ain't no cops gone be checkin' for you in a place like that. They already know your shot so they most likely gone suspect you can't get far. Cover your face and eyes before you board."
I stare out the window knowing as much as I wanted to take my time and fully grieve I don't have much of a choice. This is about both of our freedom and the last thing I want to do and jeopardize Brooklyn's or mines. So....
Looks like I'm going to London.
•Brooklyn Jacobson•
"Brook"
This small jail was basically like a juvenile center, Boston & Sanchez said this was like Heaven compared to the hell that would be actual Prison. In Jail the food is nasty as fuck, beds that aren't really beds at all are heavy, I'm basically in a holding cell with a cell mate and we can have visits.
Part of me didn't understand the whole two day thing. I feel like Boston holds a grudge against me and my family for some reason. And my parents walking in here and going off only made things worse. I hadn't saw him or his partner lately and I know it's because their using their last and final day searching through the streets for Damai. I just pray they don't find him.
"Jacobson someone's here to see you." The guard says unlocking the cell. I glance up at my cell mate who is a seventeen year old girl who sleeps all day and cries all night. I shake my head when I notice her back facing me and her face towards the wall.
As I follow him out he leads me to a room where the windows are bard and there is like twenty different tables. Some empty and others holding parents or family members here to see family before they get sent off to Prison. I glance around looking for something familiar before my eyes land on Savira.
I stare at her in confusion as I walk over. "What are you doing here?" I question taking a seat.
"So Boston's on your case huh?" She asks instantly.
Something inside me doesn't let that sit well with me. I eye her suspiciously. "What are you doing here Savira?" I repeat.
"I know you're aware that Cylis needs his bail by Friday."
I nod. "I'm aware but you see where I'm at." I motion around me.
Savira smiles in my face. "See that's where I come into play. He informed me about the lil shit you did to get up on some money for his bail. If you'd just tell me where it is I can get it and get him out in no time."
I can feel my blood slowly boiling. I hold my composure not wanting to give these cops another reason to keep me here. "I don't know what you're talking about." I lie.
Her smile falls and she looks just as equally mad. "Don't play with me Jacobson. I know that you were doing all that shit back in Cali. And I know you want to help Cylis just as much as me so.....just give up the location of the money."
I glance down at her breasts seeing a medium sized line form a little through it. A wire. "Listen here I ain't gone tell you or his ass no more. I don't know shit about no money. There is no money. Tell him to find his own way out." Though most of that was a lie I definitely meant the last words. I stood up from the table turning on my feet to walk away.
Before I could she calls after me. "I just thought you cared about him like he said you did. Guess I was wrong."
I look over my shoulder nodding not showing my hurt expression. "I feel the same about you too."
As I walk back towards my cell I don't know what to think. Somebody's definitely trying to set me up is what I do know. It can't be a coincidence that she knows Boston and she's not even from this city. Then the fact that she was wearing a wire basically trying to get me to confess to the shit I did back in Cali. If I would've gave up that money that would've given Boston & Sanchez a definite reason to keep me here. They would've been able to follow up with their prediction on me possibly committing fraud. I wasn't too much upset about this because all this does is show their getting desperate. Kind of worries me that their that tuned into my personal life to where they could find Cylis and Savira but then again booking flights in the past couple years is public when it comes to the police and detectives. To be honest the thing that hurts me the most is that Cylis suspected Savira to be a snake. She's snaked him before and most likely did this time and what does he do? Basically tells her all my business and that I was doing something to get him out. Luckily I never told him what it was so knowing Savira she's probably hoping I was down there selling drugs or some shit. Regardless for him to just run his mouth to her about me like that makes me look at him different. He always claimed to be my best friend and someone who always has my back but now his back is facing years in prison and it feels like he's trying to give me up.
I pause at the entrance to my cell when I hear these girls talking nearby. "Yeah and she basically killed her dad. She trynna say he was raping her, but what a drug pin look like doin' that to his own kid? I think she just wanted to take all that money he had. Plus did you see the nigga? He was about fine as hell. Crystal gone rot in prison." Wasn't till they said her name that I realized they was talking about the girl inside my cell on the top bunk.
"Too bad her ass got caught. She turn eighteen in a couple of days. Once she do they charging her as a adult." Her friend says with sympathy in her tone.
I walk away not wanting to hear anymore. Understanding why the poor girl was crying and going through it everyday. But just me realizing that I might get out tomorrow and she's going to possibly face life is sad. As I look up at her to see her curled up in a ball silent I promise myself and her that I'm going to try my hardest to get her out.
•Damai Nathaniel's•
"Dame"
After ordering some take out I sit in the apartment that Ruby & Zy rented for me to stay in. This apartment wasn't that nice and was on the smaller side since we didn't want to draw too much attention to me.
I ate my Chinese while scrolling on my phone thinking about Brooklyn. I go through my camera roll looking at the pictures of her I took. "She so fuckin' beautiful." I say aloud.
I miss my baby so much. And now I realize how stupid all that shit was. Us arguing, falling out, and being away from each other for years. I don't want to be away anymore. This let me know that I can't be without her. And if I can I just don't want to. It's already been a day of me in London and it's like every second I'm thinking of her. She's supposed to come home today but as of now I haven't heard anything.
I stare at my shrimp fried rice slowly losing my appetite. Somebody knocks at the door and I instantly grab my gun. Excitement filling me as I think of Brooklyn possibly being on the other side. When I open the door my breath is instantly taken away. She's standing on the other end wearing a white tank top and some ripped blue jeans with white sandals. She has some neat knotless braids going down her back, her edges are swooped. She looks like she hasn't slept and as soon as she sees me she's on the verge of tears.
"Baby." She let's out a sob as she pulls me into her. My stomach hurts slightly by it but I ignore it embracing her. "I thought you were....dead." She cries.
"I'm good I'm good," I reassure her leaning down I kiss her on the forehead. "I promise I'm okay." I rub her back calming her down.
"Come in." I take her hand pulling her towards the couch.
We have a lot to talk about.