King.
It's so good to be home with all my family. I can admit I was avoiding Skylar at first, I have a good reason. Only a few people know and I plan to keep it that way until I'm ready.
As soon as Jacqueline walked in the door my whole mood changed. I just got back I don't want to have to deal with her bull.
"Come sit with your favorite brother my scrumptious banana pudding."
"You don't have to tell me twice. I'll go put him up first. I don't want to have any problems. Come on bodyguard, you were going to follow me anyway."
I scooped up Dude and Derrick and I went up stairs.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm good. I look like something is wrong?"
"When you were holding Skylar."
"Oh, I'm fine. It just makes me think. Maybe I made the wrong decision."
"King I-"
"Let's not talk about it Derrick. There is nothing we can do about it now."
"I feel like this is my fault. Like I'm a bad person because of this."
"It's okay Derrick. Be a good parent to your daughter. That's all there is to do."
"But we could hav-"
"Derrick. Please. Let's just leave the past in the past."
Putting Dude in my room I cut the conversation short and left going back down stairs.
I went and cuddled up on Mike Mike's lap. Jane was in my seat anyway.
"Awh, who knew King was a big baby."
"Mama Arianna!"
"I'm just saying."
Skylar started crying so I grabbed her out of her seat.
"No crying, Auntie to the rescue. Let me see that beautiful smile Amari."
"A-who?"
"Amari, Ah-ma-re. It is a term of endearment. Like sweetheart or honey. It means loved one." I explained.
"That's not fair. Your nickname can't be in another language. You cheated, I win by default."
"Don't be a sore loser A. I told you your nickname sucked."
"Yeah yeah whatever."
"Since everyone is here Prince and I have some news."
Here we go. Everything has to be about her, all attention on Julie.
"I thought we were going to wait Jasmine."
"I know but I'm just ready for them to know."
"What's the news?" Queen asked.
"Prince and I, are having a baby!"
"Woah! How you going to get it out of there bro? Probably through the bellybutton huh?" Jai said rubbing Prince's stomach and laughing.
Everybody gasped and said their congratulations. I just sat there with Amari, that is her new name now. Skylar is just a backup name. I was mad that Jillian always has to make everything about her. Clearly Prince wanted to wait and tell us but she just couldn't stand for somebody else to have the spot light, not even a baby. It's like everything is a competition and she always has to win. When Jai and I told the family about recording in Atlanta she says Beyoncé is her cousin. The family got together for the family reunion they decide to get engaged. My first performance comes up but the main focus is the "most fabulous wedding of the century". There is a new baby in the family and now she is pregnant. When will she quit? Not everything has to be about her.
Why is everyone getting pregnant, I'm low key feeling some type of way about it.
Amari started to cry again.
"Let me see her King. I think she is hungry." I gave her to Carter.
"Come with me. We need to talk."
"Alright. Wait, woah, are you going to be breast feeding? My virgin eyes don't need to see all of that."
"I'll have a blanket covering everything. Stop being dramatic."
"I was just being careful. I don't want to see something I can't unsee."
"You are so extra. Come on King."
We walked into the game room.
"What's up?"
"I was so worried. I knew you felt a type of way because of Derrick and Skylar and then you didn't show your face for two weeks after. I didn't know what to think. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine."
"Then the look on your face when that girl came in with Prince. You had that same look when I told you I was pregnant. What's so wrong about being pregnant?"
"Nothing. I just flat out don't like Jana. That's what that look was. She always has to have the spot light on her and that shi- I mean stuff rubs me extra red. She walked in causing drama. She was here on Christmas when Prince her "fiance" gave Dude to me as an apology and gift. How does she all of a sudden not like dogs? That doesn't add up."
"That's petty. Now that you told me it makes sense. She better stay in her lane. I been praying for a chance to wreck somebody since I had Skylar. If she doesn't come correct she will be first in line."
"Calm down scrappy."
"Scrappy? Really?"
"What?"
"August called me that the first day we talked on the phone."
"What's the deal with that? Are you still feeling him like you used to?"
"I honestly don't know. It's been a rollercoaster ever since he came into my life and I think I want him to like me more than he actually does. Like with you and him your relationship is more organic, you have cute nicknames and he makes it a big deal that you have to hug every time you see each other. Nothing is forced like how we are. He doesn't come and find me in the hallway or call me a cute nickname. I really think he has feelings for you in serious way and I'm just a friend to him. After the party it was all down hill from there. I disrespected him in his home and we stopped talking until Winter Formal when I had the Braxton Hicks contractions and he took me to the hospital. After that we stopped talking again. I mean I don't mind building a friendship with him even though I would rather have something more with him. He clearly wants that with you."
"Woah, slow down. August and I don't have anything going on between us. I am with Jamere and plan to be for a very long time. We are the way we are because we started building a friendship from the beginning. Friendships can turn into something more but that's not happening between me and him. It's been a minute since you talked to him so I'm going to advise that you talk to him and find out what's good so you can know for sure. I can't stress enough that there is nothing going on with me and August. The fact that you felt like it was blows my mind. You are my sister so I will put some space between me and him to make you feel better."
"You don't have to do all of that. I trust you and I know you are good on your word. No worries."
We went back into the living room and it seemed like all the baby hype with Jenica was over. I made my way back to Mike Mike's lap and got comfortable putting my legs over Jai who was next to Mike.
"So, I know you all aren't here to just sit around. You want to know what happened so here it is." I said preparing myself to re-live that nightmare.
"King I think I should start since we are telling the whole story. This started way before you girls knew each other."
"Go ahead Mama Arianna."
"I was married to David, Winter's father. When we got married he had this brilliant idea to start this company and make us rich beyond measure. The first attempt failed and lost all the money we invested into it. I told him we didn't need to be rich as long as we were happy. Ivy came along and he decided happy wasn't enough. He wanted to be able to buy the world if she wanted it. David went to Raymond who he was friends with at the time and they became "business partners" which meant he borrowed a lot of money from him. That got Carter industries way off the ground. He was content then. Money was overflowing and that's the way he wanted to keep it. Time came for him to pay back what he borrowed and he had become so arrogant he felt as though he didn't have to pay Raymond a dime of his "hard earned money". As a method of getting what he wanted Raymond had me kidnapped until David paid off his debt. After I was gone a year or two it was clear David wasn't going to pay so I had to pay his debt. I did unspeakable things for that man and I regret every single one of them. After 13 years he set me free and I looked for Ivy. My baby was all grown up without me and I hated David and Raymond for making me miss it. I'd give anything to get back the time I missed."
Tears were falling from all the eyes of the women in the room, even Jersey.
"My turn." A said wiping her face.
"I recently found out that Raymond is Serenity and I's father. All my life I didn't know who my father was and I didn't care I supported my family and handled business just fine without him. One random day he showed up at the house and I knew he was going to start trouble in my life. I didn't trust him or even acknowledge his existence. King is the one who helped me find out that Raymond had been living two houses down from me the whole time and I had a brother, Mario."
"Mario, from the studio, is your brother?" Jai asked.
"Was, but I will get to that. Raymond tried multiple times to form a bond between us but I wasn't having it. He was stuffed with money and we struggled while he was right next door. He got tired of me ignoring his many messages and took it to the extreme to get my attention."
"I got it from here." I said speaking up. "I was leaving the studio late two weeks ago and I was kidnapped. By who I didn't know at the time because they attacked me from behind and blind folded me so I couldn't see. They tied me up and put me in the backseat. We drove for hours and being that I went straight to the studio I hadn't eaten all day. I passed out and woke up tied to a bed in this grimy room. There was always five people watching me. They stood guard like I could escape the chains they kept me on. They moved me from room to room they all looked like bad things happened in them. I honestly thought I wasn't going to get out of there. It was only a matter of time before I was going to die. Then an opportunity came up when they were moving me to a different room again. I took down four out of five of them and the last one caught me off guard and I ended up with this busted lip. Five more people came and took me to Raymond. That's when I found out that Raymond was using me to get Aaryn's attention and Mario, his son, was the one who helped him by kidnapping me and he was also the one who busted my lip."
Jai shot up from the couch in rage and I grabbed his arm pulling him back down. I didn't realize I was shaking until I saw my hand on his arm. He pulled me off of Mike and hugged me so tight. Tears stared to roll down my cheeks.
"I'm so sorry Little Lyon."
I wiped my face.
"Let me finish. Then a shoot out broke out and I took that chance to break out."
"I was the one who started the shoot out. Raymond owed me a life and I planned to get several in compensation." Mama Arianna said.
"Derrick and I showed up shortly after because Raymond left me a note letting me know that he had King so Derrick and I went to go get her after we left here."
"I made a run for in and bumped into Derrick on accident."
"I had nearly searched the whole place and I thought I had bumped into one of the mafia dudes. I didn't know if I was going to have to kill him before he killed me I was just looking for King and turns out it was her. I had never held on to her so tight."
"I cornered Raymond, that's when I saw Aaryn and she told me he was her father. I felt bad but she didn't. She gave me the green light to end it all and she walked away. I had no idea King was there at all."
"Mario found me when I got to Derrick and King. I didn't know it was all his fault at the time but I wish I would have because I would have put a bullet in his brain. He talked about running the Mafia with him because the family had built and empire and it was up to me, him and Serenity to continue it one day."
"Then I found out that Michelle my father's fiance was working with Raymond as well. She was supposed to marry him and get back the money he owed Raymond but it wasn't quite going according to the plan. She ended up pulling a gun on me and that shock sent me into premature labor."
"I think this calls for another Lyon Hug, for everybody." Pops said getting up pulling me into the center. Of course Jenna had an excuse leave talking about the baby is pressing on her batter. The baby is two seconds old. She is just irritating.
"I can't imagine how I managed to let my girls go through this but I promise it won't happen again." Pops said squeeze all three of us together.
"Lyon promise?"
"Lyon promise!"
I exhaled all the feelings I had been holding on to in the center of that hug. This senior year has been the worst, but they say it gets worse before it gets better.