3 Months Laters
•Tahani Lowars•
"Hani"
I sat in the spa rubbing my eight month old stomach as I got a pedicure. My aunt sat beside me scrolling through her phone while I did the same. I scroll down instagram reading the first post that show up.
TruToTheGame:
I always do ma part when it comes to who I fw so if shit hit the fan it's not my fault
I frown as I read his post going through the comments I see lil instagram hoes in the comment section with hundred emojis. "He making posts again auntie." I speak aloud.
She glances over at me shaking her head. "He need to realize all that's doing is having people in y'all business."
I nod. "That's exactly what he want though. You know when he come to the doctor with me he barely talks? He asks the doctor about the baby then after the ultrasound he just leaves." I mention.
Naomi stares at me with sympathy in her eyes. "Y'all too grown for all these games. You too Tahani, the both of y'all need to fix this."
Throughout my pregnancy and the last three months so much has changed. Torin kept his promise and moved out of my house, I guess he got himself an apartment or whatever. He sent me a dry but simple text telling me that it was handled. When I asked Naomi what he meant she said that Issac and Torin went on a run and killed the girl and the dude who were after me. That they shot them up so badly that there's no chance they could've survived. A couple days later a man who works for a security system company showed up, already paid for saying a man paid him to install cameras, the alarm system and give me a password. After talking to Issac he told me that Torin paid the man to do it. I appreciated that, I mean it's the least he can do since he left his pregnant ex girlfriend all alone in a house after we were shot at. Even then our situation is confusing, the stuff I find out I either find out from social media or my aunt and uncle.
"It just feels like I'm going through this pregnancy alone now." I stress rubbing my temple trying to calm down.
"You are." Naomi says not even bothering to lie to me. She sees how she sounds and quickly reaches over holding my hand. "But not all the way alone okay? You got me and your uncle and we always here. And Taj still here too whether y'all together or not."
I purse my lips together. "It doesn't seem like it. I mean yeah he coming the appointments but he's not around auntie. He used to do this cute thing," I pause trying to gather my words. "He used to rub my belly, talk to Poseidon, when I'd have crazy cravings he'd rush to the store to go get what I wanted. When we'd fall asleep he'd hold me. Now that's all gone. I mean yeah he's here but sometimes it feels like he's not even here at all. It feels like I'm by myself in this." I admit aloud for the first time.
My aunt nods continuing to listen as I rant. "I know I'm strong. And I know I said that I can handle me and my son being on our own, I talked big shit auntie. And that's probably why he moved away. But just like he said he ain't perfect I'm not either. I was scared, because he don't know how to open his mouth and tell me what's going on we could've lost the baby."
"Issac said he took you not telling him about Jesse and that baby to the heart. They been lookin' for her for some time now."
I laugh at that. "And what they just gone co-parent and pretend like they don't both know that her ass tried to have him killed? That she set him up? Com'on now auntie that's some bullshit and you know it." My cussing causes the woman that's doing my feet to look up at me but stay silent.
I didn't care much about running my mouth in front of her because best believe they all know who my aunt is. They wouldn't run their mouth because 10/10 they fear what my family would do to them about that.
"Maybe it is," she admits. "But it's what he wants to do. That's still his child regardless, and you know how much you care about ya child. He can't do nothin' to that girl and have him or her grow up without no momma. That wouldn't be right."
"But she did that exact same thing though," I call out not liking how she's defending her. "All I'm saying is everybody sympathizing with him but what about me? I mean he's searching for this girl so hard you would've thought he wanted her back or sum."
"Well it sound like you got ya mind sent up," Naomi says with a sigh. "And if you really feel that strongly about the situation he put y'all in then stand your ground. Looks like he's doing that."
I let her words sink in closing my eyes I relax against the seat. Seems like as soon as I was feeling somewhat peaceful her voice filled my ears and I felt her shaking my arm.
"Issac just texted me. They found her!"
•Torin Truman•
"Taj"
I stand beside Issac as we look across at her. She's tied up against the chair of the hotel room we found them in. Joe right beside her beaten and bruised up the both of them tied to two connected chairs.
As I eye Jesse I can tell she slimmed up a little bit. Her face slightly smaller and her body still on the thick side probably from her having the baby. Her face has a glow to it like she's been somewhat happy but there's fear and shock evident on her face as well as Joey's. "Yeah I guess y'all thought I was dead huh?" I ask taking a seat in front of them.
Muffled shouts come from Jesse's tapped mouth. "Oh shit my fault I forgot about that." I joke leaning over I snatch the tape off her mouth making her wince.
"P-please....alright whatever issues you have just leave my baby out of it." She begs.
I nod my head. "Our baby? The baby you head when you thought I was dead?" I ask curiously.
"Me and you both made mistakes. Let's not act like after I jumped Tahani you weren't looking to find and kill me." Jesse throws in my face.
I lean forward in my seat growing frustrated. "Wasn't shit you didn't deserve. I mean was this y'all plan....set me off and run away and raise our kid together?"
I wouldn't openly admit it but the betrayal I felt when I remembered everything fucked me up. I mean com'on now me and Joey got close, hung out, were business partners. I'd come to him for advice and he'd do the same. I looked at him like a brother and he set me up, all for what?
"And you," I turn my attention to Joey ripping the tape off. "For one second let's act like you really give a fuck. Tell me....why you set me up like that?"
I watch as he shakes his head. I expected a smirk, a frown, a something. All I saw is regret and when he spoke he said the last thing I expected. "I'm gone keep it real with you T," he starts. "My mom came to this country with nothing but me. She struggled to make sure we had it and most places wouldn't even hire her because of her accent. Then Issac put me onto the business. She got sick and I needed to take care of her. I was meant to run that business but instead he had me splitting that shit with you. Yeah we was brothers but I had to take care of my family." He tries to explain calmly.
Wasn't much I could say. I knew that regardless how my mom raised me and the lies they told I'd always look out for them first. But I could've lost my life! In the eyes of others I did. And it's all these two mothafuckas.
"I'm gone keep it real...." I trail off. "Only thing holding her feet onto this Earth is the fact that she had my child. And after a DNA test then will be for sure about that. But you? You was a brother to me and you betrayed me. Ain't shit stopping me from killing you. Appreciate you for keeping em safe though." And with that I remove my gun from my pocket shooting him in the head. His brains splattering all over the walls and some blood onto Jesse and her clothing.
Jesse breaks down crying. "Oh my god! Oh my god!" She screams horrifically.
"Don't bother screaming for help. I paid for the entire four levels that led up to this floor as well as this one. No one can hear you." Issac reassures her.
She stops screaming and instead just cries silently. Meanwhile in the connected bedroom I can hear baby cries loudly. I stand up to my feet causing Jesse to stop crying. "Please please no! Don't touch him! Don't hurt him!"
I ignore her walking towards the bedroom I see him inside of a crib screaming loudly. The boy looks to be at least one years old. His skin a dark brown chocolate complexion, he has a nose similar to Jesse's and brown eyes just like her. If you ask me he has her entire face. It's like he continues to cry when he sees me. I pick him up rubbing his back somewhat awkwardly I try and calm him down. "It's okay it's okay. I know." I say aloud. Knowing that he doesn't know me from a can of paint. I may be his dad but we're both unfamiliar with eachother.
I walk back into the room seeing Issac's and Jesse's eyes land on us. After rubbing the baby's back for a while and him seeing his mom he calms down a little. "See," I motion to her. "She's okay."
"My baby don't need to be seeing this Torin." Jesse grits out.
Coincidentally the baby relaxes against me laying his head down on my chest and closing his eyes momentarily. "See? Nothing to worry about. Now..." I trail off again.
"What did ya name the kid?"