[ long chapter ahead, I did not proofread. talks of eating disorder ahead, you have been warned. ]
Sayuri ' Yuri ' Carter.
Chicago, Il
June 1st, 2020.
Yuri sighed as she hurriedly got in her car, Jourie following her getting into the passenger side. She lowered the windows before starting her car up and pulling off. Dayvon's mom was gonna have a party at her house in Orland Park as a celebration to welcome Von back home after being gone a little under a hundred days. The celebration was well deserved, to think Von could've spent his whole life behind bars, never seeing any of the pipes he loved again.
Either way, Jourie and Yuri dropped off by their house to change out of the formal clothes they wore to court.
"Why you wanted to ride with me all of a sudden?" Yuri frowned side eyeing her brother who had his face in his phone. "You hate riding with me you say I can't drive."
"Cause I wanted to ask you sumn, actually," he said turning his phone off and turning his body toward his sister as she drove, "and don't be lyin' to me bro."
"Whattt?" Yuri asked the irritation becoming evident in her voice.
"You talk to Von?" He asked bluntly, Yuri's lips parted as she tried to think of what to say. "And don't yo ass start lyin' bruh."
"Who told you that?" She frowned narrowing her eyes as she focused her attention on the streets in front of her.
"You just did," he simply added. Yuri sucked her teeth.
"We don't talk, we're friends." Yuri stated brushing her curly hair away from her shoulder as she continued. "I just like him a tiny bit."
"Man, you must think ima goofy?" He chuckled to himself. "A tiny bit? Both of y'all ass like each other and more than a tiny bit, g."
Yuri chewed on the inside of her cheek, the car eerily quiet before Yuri spoke up again. "So, are you mad at me?"
Jourie sighed, "nah Ian mad at you Yu. I can't be mad, y'all grown. I just want you to know, it's up for you if he ever try you on some fluky shit. Ion give a fuck how long no friendship is, you my sista you'ain neva gotta he afraid to tell me anything."
Yuri smiled at his brief choice of words. To Yuri, that statement showed a lot of maturity. "Aww, I know, I love you for that." She trailed off. "But, since we talkin' about me, when were you gonna tell me about you and Heaven?" Jourie immediately sucked his teeth.
"Who snitched?"
"She did," Yuri laughed, "and Booka too. But her first, she can't keep nothing from me. I was just waiting on you to tell me!"
"Mannn," Jourie slouched in his seat, "both they asses some snitches."
At the party, that was being held in Dayvon's mom spacious backyard everybody was there. All the guys, a lot of Von's extended family. Kiki, Heaven, Durk's girlfriend Niavanah, even Booka's new boo Mariah had showed. It was increasingly hot outside as Yuri had just arrived, sitting on Akeira's lap in one of the lawn chairs. Them, sitting next to Heaven and Mariah talking amongst themselves about the boys, and other things.
"If he don't give you some type of relationship officiation or say y'all talkin' or something by tonight," Heaven started, directing her attention toward Yuri, "we gon hang his ass by his legs from a tree, cause he got you fucked up."
"Yeah," Mariah started, "you held him down, that's the least he could do tonight!"
Yuri nodded, she really didn't have much to say back to them about that. She really didn't know if Dayvon felt the same romantic feelings she had been feeling toward him since January because everything had been so playful lately. But, she also didn't wanna ask and make things weird between them, so she decided that if he did, he would say something.
"Sayyy," Von smiled as he neared her holding Denae in his arms, Yuri stood once he got close cooing at how cute she was, he pulled Yuri by her arms close him hugging her once again, "Ian even know you was hea foe nem, why you ain't come say nun?"
"I was lettin' you entertain your guests," she said gently, smiling at a babbling Denae as she tickled her tummy, earning a slobbery giggle from her, "she's so cute! What's her name?"
"Denae," Von said using her bib to dab her slobbery chin, "Damn, old ass. Ain't got no teeth and you slobbin' and shit, real 63rd of you Denae." He said to her kissing her jaw making Yuri suck her teeth.
"You're real life the only parent I know, roasts his baby,"
"Ian even tryna be funny, she old as hell fa all this slobbin' her lil gummy ass doin." He said. "Start callin yo lil ass gums," he said to her making Yuri suck her teeth.
"You're so rude," Yuri told him, fixing her rising shirt on her.
"You wanna hold ha? Cause she hurtin' my arm like a mufucka," he grunted. Yuri nodded, grabbing her out of his arms slowly. "Lemme talk to you ova hea, ma." He said leading her further into the back of the yard under some shaded trees.
Denae babbled excitedly playing with the tennis bracket on Yuri's wrist. "Aw, I know mama!" Yuri cooed back to her. "You're so talkative, I love that for you!"
Von smiled watching the two interact. He was dressed in a simple white Burberry tee, black jeans, and white air forces but he made it look so good somehow. "That mama shit look good on you, Say. You eva wanted kids?"
Yuri looked at him before bursting out into laughter. "Nooo!" She shook her head, watching Denae stuff her own first into her mouth.
"Why not?"
"Cause I don't even have a stable mother, how would I be one?" She said jokingly, but he knew it was some type of truth to what she said.
"Well, shit lookin' good on you right na ta me." He said lowly watching her with a small smile.
"Boy," she laughed a little, "what you wanted to talk to me about?"
"Aw yea," he started tilting his head to the side, his dreads partially covering his face, his red and brown Burberry hat to the slanted off to the side as he continued, "Say, you talkin' to somebody rn?" He asked rubbing his stomach underneath his shirt, a glimpse of the white Calvin Klein boxers showing.
"No," Yuri said uneasily with a nervous laugh, "why? You makin me anxious."
"You sure?" he asked raising his brow. "Ian gon have ta shoot nobody ah nun?"
"Dayvon," she laughed, "no! Why're you asking me this?"
"Cause I'm tryna talk ta you, Say."
Yuri sucked her teeth, feeling her cheeks heat up. "Boy, stop playin!" She laughed cleaning up Denae's drool.
Von sucked his teeth, "man I'm fa real. Ian gon lie, I couldn't stop thinkin' about you fa real when I was locked up n shit. Like when we was in court, I was happy ta see my kids n shit, but when I seen you...ion know man it was just different."
He paused. "That's why when I told you, last night, when I get out you can get whateva you want outta me, I wasn't flodgin' I'm dead ass serious, Say."
Yuri was full on cheesing at this point, a light blush coating her cheeks as she avoiding eye contact with him throwing her head back and laughing. Dayvon smiled small, kissing his teeth he grabbed her jaw focusing her attention on uim as she smiled.
"Come on, I'm fa real gang."
"Nah, cause you got me out here down bad, blushing and everything," she laughed as he dropped his hand from her face tilting his head as he smiled at her watching her nervous body language, "you know I been tryna talk to you for the longestttt."
"Yea." He continued. "So lemme know sumn Say, you tryna fuck wimme or naw?"
"Na—"
"Say naw fa real and ima fuck you up out hea," Dayvon kissed his teeth.
Yuri laughed before smiling, "I'm just playin, you know I wanna talk to you."
"Playin all yo life, that's all you like to do." Dayvon commented shaking his head at her antics as she laughed. "Gimme Denae ma, I'm finna give ha ass to my granny so she can put ha right to sleep." He said as she gingerly and carefully passed him to Denae who whined a little.
His thoughts rushed as he wanted to introduce Yuri to his mom, but decided to wait on it. TaTa would he back soon, and his mom was biased and he knew it. Plus, he knew when TaTa got back to the house she was gonna try and fight Yuri and he was gonna have to try and stop it.
"Daddy!" Antonio ran up to Von pulling on his pants leg.
"Huh?" He looked down at him giving him his full attention.
"Can you play boxing with me?" He asked. Yuri looked down at him in awe at how cute and articulate he was.
"Yeah grandbabii, gimme a minute. I'm finna give yo sista to granny and then we can box," he said gently before gesturing to Yuri. "Say wassup to Yuri."
"Hi," he said shyly partially hiding behind Von's body. Von sucked his teeth.
"Stop actin' like a hoe," he said jokingly but half serious, "say wassup, you ain't shy nigga."
Yuri rolled her eyes at Von'a choice of words playfully before bending down to Grandbabii's level. "Hi, I'm Yuri," she said gently, "what's your name?"
"Antonio but everybody call me Grandbabii, cause my daddy name Grandson," he informed her slowly coming out from behind Von's leg. Yuri extended her hand for him to shake, his little hand falling into hers as she gently shook his hand.
Yuri had always had a love for small children, she took a child development class in high school as an elective and did excellent in it. Her first job was a counselor at a summer camp for children. She adored children, she just rather not have her own.
"Grandbabii, your shoe is untied. Do you know how to tie your shoes?" She asked sweetly and he shook hai head. Tapping her knee she spoke. "Put your foot here." He lifted his foot from the grass, slowly it on Yuri's knee holding onto Von's pant leg for balance. She quickly tied his shoe, while explaining to him exactly how to do it. Von was looking down at her with so admiration for how she was handling meeting his children. She was welcoming, warms, and bubbly how she always was but in a mode childlike comforting way.
She stood up dusting off her knee as she continued. "Alright, I'm gonna let you play with Grandbabii, I'm gonna go back and hang with Kiki and them."
"You hungry ma? I can fix you a plate." He said softly.
"No I'm okay," she said said with a soft smile, "go ahead and play."
"Aight, pretty girl. I'a come check on you inna minute."
"Okay," Yuri smiled as he watched we walk back over to her friends.
"Uh, what was all that about miss thang?" Mariah asked once she got back.
"Right, Miss Stepmomiana." Akeira joked.
Yuri smiled sticking her tongue out as she did a little dance. "He wanna talk to me, he wanna talk to me, he wanna talk to me!" She chanted repeatedly as Heaven smiled clapping her hands excitedly.
"Yeaaaa! See, his must've knew. He must've knew I was gon sleep his ass if he ain't!" She declared.
"Awww, Cuddy!" Akeira cooed. "I can finally plan yall wedding!"
Yuri rolled her eyes at playfully at Kiki's dramatics. Mariah chimed in. "Aww, now we all locked in. Mob wives!"
Thirty minutes into just hanging with the girls, Dayvon walked up holding a spare lawn chair Ave a plate of food for Yuri.
"Awww!" Mariah cooed watching him near them.
"Hea pretty girl," he held the plate out toward Yuri unfolding the lawn chair with his free he s and leg.
"Aww, thank you love, but I told you I wasn't hungry Von," she smiled softly, "and I'm okay on Kiki's lap you didn't have to bring me anything!"
"Girl, no you not okay on Kiki lap, yo bones hurting me!" Akeira frowned making a Yuri suck her teeth looking back at her.
"Yea, so take this plate lil folks and sit yo ass down and eat," he said firmly making Yuri get up and sit down in the lawn chair. "You good?"
"I was good before, love. But I'm better," she said sweetly, "go play with Grandbabii I'm fine!" She said watching him walk off to go get in the gloves with Grandbabii.
"Girl, not the lover boy antics already!" Akeira smiled.
"Right!" Heaven laughed. "Not the plate of food and a chair,"
"Girl, I'm not even hungry," Yuri laughed, "y'all want this plate?" Heaven and Mariah agreed to share the plate piled with food.
Akeira gave Yuri a knowing look, "Yuri.."
"No," she firmly stated, "no. I promise. I'm just not hungry."
Akeira knew Yuri's troubled past of eating disorders from her teen years. Yuri suffered from Bulimia Nervosa from ages 13-17 years of age. Sometimes spending weeks to months inside the medical hospital so nurses could monitor her eating habits. Akeira didn't want her cousin to go back to such a brutal lifestyle, being sick and not eating.
"Fine," she said sternly, "as long as you being honest."
Yuri chewed on the inside of her jaw, not wanting to be accused of relapsing, even though she knew she was. Her refusal to eat, or throwing up after meals made her feel sick all over again but she didn't want to alert her family and make them nervous although she knew she needed the help.
—
Laila ' Lai ' Johnson.
Chicago, Il
June 1st, 2020.
Laila watched intently as Yuri fished through the cooler a few feet away. She started her way over to her. She wanted to meet the girl her brother couldn't stop talking about over the phone. He bragged about her humor, her personality, and her aura on a daily over the jail calls. And her persistence amongst all of it made him feel immense feelings for her. And to tell the truth, Laila was never the sister who wanted to be cool or close with her brothers girlfriends, she never really cared but she was so happy he has gotten rid of TaTa relationship wise. Neither of them were good for each other, the toxicity of the relationship was just too bad. Arguing, fighting, fighting others. It was too much for the both of them.
"Sayuri?" Laila said standing on the other side of the cooler. Yuri looked up at her big brown eyes filled with confusion as she stood up fully.
"Yeah?"
Laila smiled extending her hand. "I'm Laila, Von's lil sister."
Yuri let out a sigh of relief, shaking Laila's hand gingerly, "oh hey!"
Laila laughed quirking her brow up. "Girl, who you thought I was?"
Yuri laughed, bending down and grabbing the cold bottle of water from the cooler and closing the top. "I didn't know what to expect, I'm expecting his baby mama to run through the gate any second now, ready to fight me."
"Tatiana found out about y'all already? Didn't y'all just start talking an hour ago?" Laila squinted.
"No, she knew about me way before then," Yuri made a yikes face.
"You ain't got nothin' to worry about, Von ain't gon let ha lay a fingaaa on you." Laila stated. "Girl, he willin' to go back to the county fa you."
Yuri laughed, Laila followed. "Nah I'm serious though, he told me as soon as we got home. He said if TaTa hit you, he going to jail fa assault cause he gon break her jaw bout you."
Yuri sucked her teeth, "I don't even want any of that to happen. I'm not a confrontational person, I hate it. But I'm also not gonna let her come back here and hit me or try and bully me, because I like Dayvon. That's not happening at all." Yuri said sternly, Laila nodded.
"I feel you, I swear everybody is tired of Tatiana ass but my mama. She love her some Tatiana chile, she could see that bitch commit a murder and still be in love with her." Laila rolled her eyes.
"I heard they was together for a long time, so it could just be that they got use to each other," Yuri hummed.
"She need to get un-used to her ass cause now we got a new member," Laila joked making Yuri laugh, "no but thank you though, Yuri. I ain't heard Von be this at peace and happy about somebody other than his kids in so long, so I like this for him, for y'all."
"Aw," Yuri placed her hand over her chest. "I'm trying, I'm happy I can give him a different experience, I want him to be happy he should be."
"You tryna fight crazy!" Von laughed as he and Grandbabii fought in the trampoline. Grandbabii on top of him punching the sides of his arms as Von blocked his head and face. Yuri smiled as she watched the two go back and forth over and over again, he looked so happy and lively when he was around his children. It opened Yuri's heart even more to know Grandbabii wasn't even actually his biological child, but he still took him in as his own. It was beautiful thing to see.
"Girl lemme find out you want kids." Laila side eyed her.
"Girl. No." Yuri said sternly, the thought of her mother ruined all of that and with her diagnosis and the weight that came with having a baby, Yuri wasn't in the strongest mental state for that. "I'll pass."
—
Dayvon Bennett.
Chicago, Il
June 1st, 2020.
"Whatchu' ova hit messin' wit my baby fa?" Von asked Laila breathlessly, after fighting with Grandbabii for twenty minutes straight, draping his arm over Yuri's shoulder putting his chin on her head.
"Just welcoming her to this crazy ass family," Laila rolled her eyes at the mention of the word family.
"Mannn," Von started before looking down at Yuri, "you ate?"
Yuri shook her head, "nah, i told you I wasn't hungry, love."
Von stale faced her, Yuri pushed his nose gently with her finger. "I'll eat before I leave."
"Yea you betta," he said firmly before sighing, "I'm finna go check up on Denae, i'a be back." He said softly before bucking at Laila. "Fuck yo big fo head ass lookin at?"
"Not much, chi." She mugged him pretending to jump and be scared as he laughed opening the backdoor and heading into the house. Straight to the family room where his granny was holding Denae.
"Wassup granny?"
Granny turned her head looking at Von in her wheelchair as she shook her head, smoothing out Denae's hair. "Putting my baby to sleep," she said quietly, "Lai told me you got a lil girl out there.." she trailed off.
"She ain't no la girl granny," Von defended respectfully, "that's a grown woman. She'on be on nunna dat shi—stuff Tatiana was on."
Granny nodded, "alright, good. I take it I won't have to get out my chair and put my belt on ha ass then?"
Von laughed, "nah, nunna dat granny."
"Good, I'm happy for you baby. So, when do I get to meet her?"
"I wanna wait a la bit granny." Von said truthfully. "I'm still gettin' to know ha fa real."
"Well, don't wait too long," Granny sighed, "I'm gettin old na."
"What that mean?"
"That mean Granny ain't gon be around forever," she said honestly.
"Granny ion wanna hea—"
"Hush and listen!" She said firmly. "I'm not gon be around here forever, you my oldest. I wanna see you grow up and find a nice girl and commit. I wanna leave this world knowing you okay, and I don't gotta worry about you."
Dayvon chewed on the inside of his jaw hearing that. It's crazy one that our elders will just leave us and we'll never see them again. "I hear you Granny."
"Good," she nodded, "now get out, my baby sleeping." He smiled kissing her jaw before leaving out the family room and heading to backdoor before he bumped smack dab into Laila.
"Whew," she breathed a sigh of relief, "I was just coming to get you. Tatiana just pulled up front and she got a gang of girls wit ha."
"What?" Von furrowed his brows pushing Laila aside lightly pushing the door open and heading out into the backyard Laila right behind him. He went to the gate before TaTa get there. "What you on foe nem?"
"Move Von," Tatiana said harshly.
"Who these hoes is?" He gestured toward her friends. "Naw, they can't come in my shit."
"Move Von,"
"Step to me again and ima buss yo ass," he said sternly balling his fist up at his side.
"That's how you gon talk to me?" TaTa laughed you deadass.
"I'm just sayin' think about it fa you walk up on me again," he said shrugging.
"Y'all pussy if y'all tryna jump that girl, she ain't nothin' but eighty pounds!" Laila mugged them.
"Ain't nobody tryna jump that bitch!" TaTa yelled stepping up.
Von pushed her back from him, "what I just tell yo ass bro?"
Yuri, heard Von yelling from the gate and wanted to go investigate. Akeira followed wanting to know what was going on as well, as soon as Yuri walked up TaTa went crazy.
"Come out here bitch!"
"Who the fuck you talkin' to bitch?" Akeira yelled.
"Kiki ain't nobody talkin' to yo lame ass ho, tell that bitch Yuri to see me up front!"
"Mannn, take yo bitter ass on somewhere! You so mad cause this nigga don't want you no more!" Akeira yelled as Yuri stood there her arms folded with a nonchalant expression. This was so ghetto to her. "Miserable Maddie! Get the fuck onnn!"
"Say, go back in the gate." Von said softly to her, as soon Yuri turned
"Yeah weak ass bitch do what he tell you to do!"
"Weak?" Yuri turned around. "Hollon, what's weak about me?"
"I'm finna front this bitch," Kiki mumbled to herself. Mariah and Heaven appeared behind Yuri at the gate.
"Everything bitch! You weak! You mid ass fuck, skinny ass lame ass bitch!"
"I'm lame?! Girl, you're at a party acting a plum fool out here, I know you were probably raised like the farm animal you are, but have some decorum babe. There's elders here!" Yuri said to her before turning around her back and going back inside the gate, Laila right behind her.
"Get her! Get her!" Heaven yelled to Mariah as Kiki sprinted past her, Mariah caught her arm at the last minute.
"Bitch, catch me in the streets!" TaTa yelled laughing loudly.
"Ima beat this hoe so bad, ima tie ha tubes." Kiki said calmly breathing hardly from the adrenaline rush.
"Bring me my baby Von!" TaTa yelled.
"Bi—Tatiana get the fuck from ova hea, you'a get ha toma." He simply said his hands still balled up at his side. "Gone man, cause if you stay right hea I'm goin' back ta jail g."
"It's okay, Yuri." Laila said to her, picking up her water bottle. "Drink some water bro."
"I'm fine," Yuri said calmly, "that's just so lame to do at a family event. This whole beef thing is so lame, I've never been into with people about a boy."
Von came back to the backyard a few minutes later, Heaven, Kiki, and Mariah in front of him. Wop automatically walking to Kiki. Von looked highly irritated as he walked up to Yuri, bending down as she was seated in the lawn chair. "You good ma?" Yuri nodded with a little laugh.
"I'm fine, are you okay?" She asked him sweetly. He nodded with a sigh. Yuri grabbed his face in her hands. "It's okay, love." She reassured him.
"Naw man that shit goofy, she just tried to jump you gang."
"It's fine, don't worry about that," Yuri coached him standing up, "come on have a seat." She offered him her seat, watching him slowly plop down. She walked around him slowly massaging his tense shoulders. "Breathe."
He let out a heavy breath, Yuri massaging his shoulders a few more minutes before ultimately stopping. Getting him in a relaxed and calm enough state to where he ultimately didn't even wanna talk bout the incident anymore. "Feel better?" She asked standing next to the lawn chair, watching him nod grabbing her arm and sitting her in his lap, he rested his chin on her shoulder.
"Who's controlling the music?" Yuri asked hearing the intro to Tink's H20 come on, on the standing speakers nearby. "This my song!"
"Girl, me!" Laila stuck her tongue out. "I know my playlist bang, don't it?" Yuri laughed placing her hand on Von's jaw as he pressed multiple kisses to her jaw.
"You want me to sing to you?" Yuri asked Von.
"You know how ta sing?"
Yuri nodded before singing the first few lyrics off key Von looked at the side of her face his lips parted as she looked at him. "You ain't like it?"
"You is fuckin' embarrassin' foe," Von let out a little laugh as he stared at her, watching her double over in laugh, "don't do dat shit no mo."
—
long asssss chapterrrrrr. 😮💨
don't think cause they cute von ain't crazy or toxic, you know ima mix it all up.
I LOVE THEM SM THO BYE OMG 🥰
not TaTa tryna jump my baby.
Y'all like Laila?