~ a week later ~
"I miss you..." I quickly spoke on the phone. "Yea, I miss you too." Tayleigh quietly talked as well. "I need you to cooperate, so you can come home." I sighed, looking over at Lyric sleep on the hotel bed.
While the house was getting fixed...with my damn money, Lyric and I were staying in a hotel...with my damn money.
"Hello?" I said, noticing Tayleigh went quiet. "Hello." she responded.
"You hear me?" I questioned. "Yea..." Tayleigh sighed. "So are you gonna cooperate and stop acting out?" I asked.
"It's not that easy-" Tayleigh started to say. "What do you mean? Tayleigh you're making it worse for yourself...control yourself. Stop snapping on everyone." I told her.
"Mhm. Yea, I gotta go." Tayleigh sounded uninterested.
"If you hung up, I'm not answering your next phone call." I threatened. Tayleigh smacked her lips. "Stop being petty." she then said.
"Nah cause you always do this shit. You call to complain and then wanna get defensive and dismissive once I tell you what you need to do." I stated. "Uh huh." Tayleigh responded.
"See. You doing it right now." I pointed out.
"Hold on." I heard Tayleigh sigh, as if something else caught her attention.
"Get off the phone yo." I heard someone speak in the background. "Go mind your fucking business bitch. Before I crack you in yo mouth again." Tayleigh immediately came off aggressive.
"Tayleigh..." I called her, wanting her to chill.
"Nah, Ima call you back cause bitches keep trying me." Tayleigh said, seconds before the call ended.
I sighed in annoyance while roughly setting my phone down. I swear this girl had been aggravating the fuck out of me this past week. She already got her hearing pushed back once, and now was probably in for another push back.
When will she learn?
Tayleigh was currently being charged with possession of an unregistered firearm. But by time her hearing comes around, who knows what else she might be charged with.
Eventually I got back in bed and Lyric almost immediately cuddled up to me.
It had been hard for Lyric to stay asleep by herself for long periods of times. Poor girl was terrified.
Almost any movement I made while she was asleep, she would awake and question where I was going. Oftentimes she would attempt to go everywhere I went.
I couldn't even shower alone anymore. Lyric sat in the bathroom on her tablet while I showered.
I honestly couldn't imagine what was going on in her little head. Did she understand any of it? Was she gonna be left traumatized for life?
Hell, even I still didn't understand everything that was going on. With little bits and pieces of information, I've been able to gather the general idea of everything that went down.
A very hurt and impulsive Malik pulled up on some third party who he assumes is partly responsible for Pierre's death.
He went with some of his homeboys and I guess they did damage. Which resulted in the shoot out and shit. Tayleigh, knowing I was home decided to slide by and see what was up.
Cam didn't want her going alone, since they heard gunshots. Therefore Cam and few of their other homeboys accompanied Tayleigh. But...there was a lack of communication, causing confusion.
Jay showed up and eventually so did my brother and his homeboys. And I guess egos got involved and everything went left.
Dumb ass shit if you ask me.
"I can't keep living like this..." I mumbled to myself, hugging Lyric tighter. "I gotta make it out the hood. And Ima take you with me." I said, kissing Lyric's forehead.
Before I knew it, I was drifting off to sleep.
~ a few days later ~
"Hm, sit right here." I told Lyric as the bus started moving. Lyric quickly sat down as I stayed standing. The bus was almost packed to full capacity but I had to get a few things from the store.
Although I was a bit worried, Lyric and I were finally going back to the house today. I could tell Lyric was a little anxious as well.
But I wasn't as worried since Malik was coming home tonight. Although he makes dumb ass decisions sometimes and wasn't really speaking to me right now, he's still the man of the house and gives me a sense of security.
His arrest was classified as a misdemeanor, so he was getting off easy.
"Come on Lyric." I said as we neared our stop. I grabbed her hand and we quickly got off the bus through the back door.
We walked about five minutes before arriving at the store. "Up! Up!" Lyric whined a little when I grabbed a shopping cart. "Lyric, you're a big girl. Use your words." I told her.
"Can I get in shopping cart?" she asked with soft eyes. "Mhm. Come on." I picked her up and put her in the shopping cart.
I then started doing some light shopping while Lyric begged me to get every junk food she saw.
"No, put that down. How did you even get that?" I questioned as Lyric held a thing of oreos in her hands. "Pleaseee." Lyric poked her lip out. "I just got you a whole bag of chips, you're not getting both." I told her.
When I turned back around from putting the oreos up, Lyric glared at me with her arms crossed.
"Well then be mad." I shrugged.
I continued pushing the cart down the aisle, getting another item while doing so.
"Aye, Destiny." I heard a familiar voice. I slowly turned my head, seeing my ex. Alexis. "Alexis..." I barely said, clearly uninterested. "What's up ma? Where you been at?" she asked, walking closer.
"Don't call me that." I told her.
"Mm, still all dense I see. I guess that makes sense as to why every time we run into each other, you ain't never got a new bitch by your side. Don't nobody like yo dense ass, huh?" Alexis chuckled.
"Unlike you, I like to take my time to heal. You should try it, especially for the sake of your coochie. I heard you were um...burning." I spat.
"And I do have a girl by the way so, guess somebody does like my dense ass, huh?" I raised my eyebrows at her.
"You gotta girl? Where she at then?" Alexis asked, smiling as if she didn't believe me.
"Jail." Lyric suddenly spoke.
"Uh, Lyric sweetie no-" I tried to shush her. "What? You said you were sad cause she's in jail." Lyric explained, confused.
"Oh? So you're dating a hood rat, criminal. Yea...you downgraded for sho." Alexis laughed. "Haha, yea Ima laugh too cause she put it down better than you." I chuckled, walking away.
Alexis suddenly ain't find shit funny.
I continued pushing the cart into the next aisle while Lyric stared at me. "What's put it down mean?" she wondered.
"Uh, nothing Lyric. Don't worry bout it. And we got to work on that big mouth of yours." I forcefully smiled, tapping her nose. Lyric looked as if she was discerning my words.
I know I probably shouldn't have told a soon to be four year old my problems but...I needed to share out loud and she happened to be there.
It wasn't much longer before Lyric and I left the store and headed back home.
While putting up groceries, I damn near sprinted to my phone every time it made a ding or ringed. Tayleigh hadn't called me these past few days. I wasn't sure if I should be worried or pissed.
Knowing her, she probably lost her phone privileges. Either way, I knew I would answer that next call with questions.
I occasionally looked over at Lyric who was sitting at the table eating a PB&J and some of the chips I bought her. She was also watching My Little Pony on her tablet.
As I started to make myself something to eat, my phone ringed, and I quickly grabbed it. After recognizing the caller ID, I answered it and listened to the automated machine speak.
"If you wish to accept this call, say yes or press one." it finally said.
"Tayleigh?" I spoke after immediately accepting the call. "Des, baby I have to tell you something." Tayleigh sounded uneasy. "What? What is it?" I questioned, very much worried.
"I'm sorry mama but, I don't think I'm coming home anytime soon. They're transferring me..." Tayleigh started to explain. "Transferring? Where? And when?" I asked, confused.
"To a different facility. I don't know where yet, but within the next 48 hours." Tayleigh answered.
"But why? They can't just transfer you like that right? I thought you only get transferred if you do something like really bad. An- And you still haven't even had your hearing yet. That's not fair-" I started to spiral.
"Destiny..." Tayleigh tried to get my attention but I kept talking. "Like, I know you can be a handful and shit but I feel like they're prejudice or something..." I continued.
"Destiny, I stabbed someone." Tayleigh cut me off. I immediately went quiet.
"Y-You what?" I barely got out.
"I stabbed another inmate...multiple times." Tayleigh repeated, adding on a detail. "Tayleigh. Why...why would you do that?" I questioned.
"It was self defense, I swear. They tried to jump me Destiny. And if I was gon go, one of them were coming with me..." Tayleigh explained.
"They jumped you? For what? And did they die?" I questioned consecutively. "I don't know and I don't care. Bitch deserves to be six feet under." Tayleigh words sent chills down my spine.
"The system's rigged, I swear...The guards stood there as I was getting banked and did nothing until I stabbed one of them. And of course the one I stabbed wasn't black, so just makes everything better for me." Tayleigh sarcastically chuckled, clearly annoyed.
"They stood there? Why would they stand there?" I asked. "They don't like me Destiny. Cause ain't nobody gon make me their bitch or put fear in me. I'm my own person." Tayleigh expressed.
"Can't you report them or something?" I inquired. "I can. But who wants to believe the troubled black girl with a record?" Tayleigh said.
"Not when it's easier sending me elsewhere and getting me off their hands." she continued.
"Tayleigh..." I sighed, fighting my tears.
"Don't cry Des. I'm good. You just focus on taking care of yourself and shit. I think my brother's supposed to be getting out soon. Meaning he's gon fight like hell to get me out. Then Ima come see you, okay?" Tayleigh tried to cheer me up.
"Okay..." I slightly nodded as a tear rolled down my cheek.
"Hey Destiny..." Tayleigh gathered my attention. "Hm." I answered, wiping my eyes. "I love you." Tayleigh expressed.
"I love you too." I nearly broke down into more tears. I then became emotional as I heard the call end. Within seconds I left out the kitchen as I felt dizzy and my chest felt heavy.
I quickly began attempting to calm myself down because now was not the time to have a panic attack.
"What's wrong?" Lyric walked up behind me. "Oh nothing, I'm just a little hungry that's all." I lied, trying to get myself together. Lyric quickly ran back into the kitchen.
I went into the living room and sat on the couch.
A few minutes later, Lyric walked into the living room with an apple and her bag of chips in her hand. "Here." she handed them to me.
"Aw, it's okay Lyric. I can make my own food. Thank you though." I chuckled. "No, have some. You take care of me, I take care of you." Lyric smiled at me.
"You're too freaking sweet." I softly smiled at her as she climbed up on the couch.
Lyric did not leave until I finally ate some of her chips and took a few bites out of the apple she gave me. "Thank you." I hugged her a little. "You're welcome." Lyric wrapped her arms around my neck.
"Muah!" she kissed my cheek.
"I sleepy now." she then yawned. "Okay, let's get you to bed." I picked her up.
It was starting to get a little late, so I had Lyric shower and get in her pajamas. When she was ready to lay down, I helped put on her bonnet.
I then put on mines per usual, so I could lay down with her. Eventually I turned the light out and got in bed. "Goodnight. Sweet dreams." Lyric cuddled up next to me.
"Goodnight love. Sweet dreams." I kissed her forehead. It then went quiet and I shut my eyes.
"I love you." Lyric suddenly voiced.
My eyes immediately opened as my heart melted. Lyric began to squeeze me tighter as if she were afraid I would leave. "I'm not going anywhere...I love you too." I told her.
~•~•~•~
𝐒𝐨 𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐫𝐛𝐬...
𝐀𝐍𝐘𝐖𝐀𝐘𝐒. 𝐄𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐬𝐡, 𝐰𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐧𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐲 𝐩𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐬𝐨𝐨𝐧...
𝐒𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐯𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐞 <𝟑