Janet
"Hey Janet how are you feeling" Johnny asked me.
"I'm hanging in there, I gotta be strong for the kids" I said as he held me in his embrace. Johnny Gil has always been a good friend of mine. He's also a singer in the industry, we met a long time ago in the 90s.
"Thanks for coming" I said giving him a half smile.
"You don't need to thank me" he placed his hand on my shoulder. I could see his eyes under his glasses as they shifted from me to Eissa. I held Eissa in my arms as we were face to face.
Today was his first funeral. Only after two days of being home after the tour I got the call. Tito called me telling me Joseph passed after the cancer attacked his heart.
Johnnys smile grew as he faced Eissa. "Look at you Eissa, you are your mommy's twin" he smiled tapping Eissa's shoulder.
Eissa laid his head on my shoulder instead of responding. "Hey I know you don't remember me but I love you man. Give me a pound" Johnny said raising his fist to Eissa.
"Go ahead baby, give Johnny a fist bump" I said to him.
Eissa lifted his head off of me before lifting his tiny fist. They bumped fist and Johnny dramatically went in circles after blowing up his fist. Johnny was acting ridiculous making Eissa giggle a little.
Johnny stopped facing Eissa. "I got you smiling that's all that matters" he spoke in a upbeat tone.
I smiled watching Eissa began to blush. Eissa shook his head before hiding his face in the crook of my neck. I began to rub his back watching as Joey and Christopher helped my mother out of the limbo. The both of them held her upper half helping her into her wheelchair.
Stevanna held Story as she cried. Story loved Joseph because he always treated her like she was his one and only grandchild. When he said she was his favorite grandchild he meant it. Eissa was a little too young to understand what was going on.
I had to be strong for him, I couldn't let him see me cry. So I held back my tears behind my black shades. "Janet" my mother said holding my free hand. "Sit next to me when we get inside the church" she said looking at me with her puffy eyes.
Her grip was tight and shaky. I nodded my head instantly trying not to cry in front of Eissa. "Ok mother" my words trembled as I felt my throat tighten.
Christopher pushed her wheelchair as we entered the church. Looking into Joseph's casket was weird. I never imagined this day coming. Stevanna held Eissa I didn't want him to see his grandfather like this.
"Mommy" Eissa called for me as I held my head down looking at Joseph.
It was getting harder for me to talk. I cleared my throat looking away from the casket into Eissa's big eyes. "Mommy don't cry" he whispered.
"I'm not crying baby" I sniffled.
"Come sit with us" he whined.
My mother sat to my left as Christopher sat to my right, Eissa bounced and played behind us in Stevanna's lap next to Story. As the service continued I couldn't pay attention with Christopher checking his phone ever five seconds.
I eventually elbowed him. He gave me a concerning look before whispering in my ear. "I'm waiting on Al to text me, I haven't heard from him since yesterday"
Christopher's been keeping track of Al's every move after Kim's death. After the funeral all of the family met at my mothers house. Christopher parked the car outside of her driveway before looking at me to his right.
"I'll pick you guys up ok" he said making me frown my brows.
My eyes darted at him from the passenger seat. "Where do you think you're going" I questioned him.
"I'm going to stop Al from doing something stupid" he sighed.
My heart began to sink thinking about Christophe getting involved with Al's situation. I couldn't handle anymore loses that day. "Maybe Joey should go with you" I suggested.
He twisted his mouth thinking to himself. "Your worried about me aren't you" fear was written all over his face as he glanced at me.
"Be safe please for me and the kids" I said placing my left hand on his right cheek before leaning into his warm lips with mine.
His plump lips made me want to cling onto him in that very moment. But I know Al needed him more than I did.
"Ok I'll see you guys later" he said looking back at the kids.
Story lifted her head up from her phone while Eissa's head laid back sleeping in his car seat. "See you later dad" Story said giving us a half smile.
Christopher
Al was stupid for going after Diddy and I was just as dumb for getting in the middle of it. I sped there driving like a bat out of hell.
Once I got there I hopped out of the car as my heart dropped to the sight of a flashy Benz. It had to be Diddy. Picking my feet I could feel my heart racing as I ran to the front door.
"Al!" I yelled in my deep voice banging on the locked door. "IT'S CHRISTOPHER"
The door finally swung open to Diddy standing there with his chin held up high and chest poked out. He's was standing there like he owned the place. The sight of his cocky face made me want to rage.
Before he could even speak I ducked my head before driving it into his stomach. I tackled him into the house bringing him down to the ground. He fell on his back first even coughing a little. I had the upper hand as he laid on the ground helpless.
Raising my fist I got ready cocking it back before driving into his face I was stopped by Al's voice. "STOP" his shaking voice was filled with terror. "TURN AROUND"
Slowly I lifted my head before turning it to see two big men. They had to be 6'5 in black suits as the two of them each held their riffles pointing at me.
I took a gulp eyeing down the barrel of each gun. "Listen to your cousin and let me up" Diddy spoke.
Clenching my jaw I stood up eyeing him down as he stood up next to me. I looked to the dinning table to see Al sitting there.
"Al and I were having a talk at the table before you showed up" Diddy said wiping the dust off his suit. "You look nice Christopher where are you coming from?"
"A funeral" I spoke slow and stern.
He began to laugh a little to hard. "That's a good one, why don't you sit with us" he said patting my back.
Sitting besides Al I watched as Diddy pulled a pistol out of his suit coat. He sat down placing the pistol in his lap. "I don't want to have to use this" he said.
"What do you want!? Al give him what he wants" I nudged Al.
"He wants me to stop searching for the real cause of Kim's death" Al spoke looking forward never breaking eye contact with Diddy. "We all know how she ended up dead"
"Christopher" Diddy said giving me a calming look under his sunglasses. "Please remind your cousin she died of a very natural lung infection" his brows began to rise over his glasses.
"Al Kim's death was natural" I spoke keeping my eyes on Sean.
I could feel the table shaking coming from the vibration of Al's leg shaking. I could see Al's face getting visibly red. Diddy's head tiled staring back at him.
"Why are you so damn stubborn" Diddy chuckled. "Quincy wanted me to spare you today"
I knew that pissed Al off. Quincy is his son with Kim but Diddy raised him like he was own. "So what is it Hm? Tell me Al how did Kim die" Diddy bought the gun to his head before scratching it.
"Al don't be hardheaded" I whispered to him.
"And if it was Janet" he questioned looking at me with his puffy red eyes.
"If it was Janet, I'll be honest. I'd burn this house down right now with everybody in it" I said making Diddy chuckle. "But this is different, Al. Your so damn stubborn! I got a wife and two kids at home waiting for me to come home! And aunt Debra is waiting on you! Don't be selfish, give him what he wants!"
I viciously yelled at him as I began to fear for my life. The only thing I could think about was my family in that moment. My aunt Debra was Al's mother, I had to throw her in there to make him think.
"She died of a lung infection" Al mumbled.
He spoke low but we could hear him clear. Diddy's smile grew from ear to ear. "What was that Al my guys back there couldn't hear you" he said referring to the 6'5 tall men.
Al cleared his throat before fixing his posture. "You didn't kill her!"
"Awe come on that's not nice, how did she die?"
"A natural fucking death!"
I patted Al's back trying to calm him down. Diddy began to nod his head maintaining his eye contact with Al. "It was nice seeing you Christopher. Say hi to Janet for me"
My face went blank hearing him say her name. Diddy stood up trying to leave the table but I jumped up pulling him by the neck. "WHO THE FUCK AR—"
"STOP" Al cut me off pulling my hands from around Sean's neck.
My heart began to race out of my chest. I wanted to rang him by his neck so bad. Looking up I could see Diddy's guys pointing their guns at me.
"Your emotional you just came from a funeral" Diddy said. "So I'll forget that just happened, ok. Have a good day fellas" he said before heading out with his goons.
Once we were left alone I immediately began yelling off the top of my lungs. "AL WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT" my veins jumped out of my neck. "YOU ALMOST GOT US KILLED" I yelled pushing him.
"I know, calm down!"
"I got kids" I began breathing heavy. "A wife, next time I'm not coming to save you"
"Thanks for coming. If you didn't show up I would've gotten my ass in more trouble" he said. "I really owe you"
"Your Damn right you owe me!"
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