Chante was zipping up a bag and wondered if he forgot something, he rummaged in Joseph's duffle bag took his gun out Chante was daunted by the weight of the weapon and put it in the bag as well.
"Chante." Mr.Charles said opening his door.
"Yes sir?" Chante said.
"Listen bwoy mi know yuh want to visit Joseph but it's too dangerous." Mr.Charles said.
"But dad I want to be there when he wakes up!" Chante said.
"I'm guh fi guh be off tomorrow mi guh wid yuh." Mr.Charles said.
"Ok dad I love you." Chante said.
"I love you too." Mr.Charles said hugging his son and leaving his room.
Chante went to his father's room and looked out his window to watch his father's car drive away, Chante quickly brushed his teeth and showered. Before Chante opened the front door he said "I have to protect the three of them but first have to make peace."
"Mom can you please take me to see Joseph I wanna see if he's ok." Cerise asked.
"Cerise I can't stand to see him in the hospital like that." Nadine said.
"Mom can you just drop me off there?" Cerise said.
"No, how are you going to get back?" Nadine said.
"Just say you don't care mom." Cerise said.
"What?" Nadine said.
"Just admit you don't care because a real mother would be at the hospital and wouldn't leave the hospital." Cerise said.
Nadine slapped Cerise and said "Don't act like you grown cause your ass can be grown outside!" Nadine heard knocking on the door and she said "And get that fucking door!"
Cerise fumed as she marched to the door and Chante was there "Are you ok?" He asked.
"Yes." Cerise said.
"I want to check on your mother, see how she's holding up." Chante said.
"I don't know why you'd care about her she hasn't even seen him in four days Chante can you please take me to see him?" Cerise said.
"Of course, does Martin know?" Chante asked.
"No but I can't keep lying to him he keeps asking for Joseph." Cerise said.
"We just have to pray he wakes up soon." Chante said. "Is your mother awake?"
"You can say that, she's in her bed awake but never does anything." Cerise said.
"Ok." Chante said walking up the stairs he knocked on her cracked bedroom door and Nadine said "What?!"
"Um, ma'am it's me Chante."
(What does this bitch want?) "Come in." Nadine said.
"Hi Mrs.McMillan I wanted to see how you were holding up." Chante said.
"My baby is dying how do you think I'm doing?" Nadine said.
"I just wanted to check on you ma'am that's all and I wanted to talk to you also." Chante said.
"About what?" Nadine said.
"Two detectives came to talk to me a few days ago when I was with Joseph." Chante said.
Nadine looked shocked and said. "What were their names?"
"The lady's name was Rodriguez and I forgot the other one's but he was white." Chante said.
"Parker." Nadine said.
"Yes! That's his name!" Chante said.
"What did you tell them?" Nadine asked.
"I didn't tell them a thing about what Joseph does but I think they've been following me they were asking about you, Joseph and they think I'm hiding something from them." Chante said.
"Those bitches won't leave me the hell alone!" Nadine said.
"Mrs.McMillan do you think we should go somewhere else to talk about all this?" Chante asked.
"Why?" Nadine asked.
"Isn't all this a bit adult to talk about with Martin and Cerise here?"
Nadine nodded and said "You know what? Lets get something to eat."
"May I use your bathroom ma'am?" Chante asked.
"Sure." Nadine said.
As Chante hopped into Nadine's car and they drove away a Chrysler started it's engine and followed them.
Nadine and Chante sat out outside of a restaurant while they ate and Chante said "Mrs.Millan?"
"What?" Nadine said.
"I wanted to apologize to you." Chante said.
"For what?" Nadine asked.
"Disrespecting you in your home, I know that my behavior in your home was foul and I was taught better than that." Chante said.
"Oh, thank you." Nadine said in surprise.
"It's just I feel like you've been through a lot too because you act so defensive and you act like you don't care but I think you just want to be loved ma'am and Joseph loves you so much. When he left he told me he felt so terrible the way he spoke to you and wanted to apologize but he didn't know if you would accept it. I don't know if it was that or he was too proud." Chante said.
"He felt that way?" Nadine asked genuinely intrigued.
"Mrs.McMillan Joseph told me that you weren't the best mother but he said he can't help but love you." Chante said.
Nadine's dropped her fork and said "Chante can-can I ask you something?"
"What?" Chante said.
"Can you go with me to visit Joseph?" Nadine said trying not to cry.
"If we can take Cerise ma'am she's been asking for him too." Chante said.
"Ok." Nadine said.
As Chante and Nadine were getting up Chante said "Ma'am I can pay, it's the least I can do."
"Thank you Chante." Nadine said. Chante paid the tab and tipped the waiter as well. Chante and Nadine turned the corner to the car, unbeknownst to the pair the door to the Chrysler opened and a figure walked out and strode behind Nadine and said "Don't say a word." Nadine jumped and when Chante turned to that man's voice he gasped "Khalid!"
"Don't run baby girl." Khalid said to Chante "Now get in my car and you too." He said poking Nadine in the back of her neck with the gun.
Chante got in the passenger seat and Khalid pushed Nadine in the back seat, he started the car and drove away.
"Chante, who is this?" Nadine asked.
"He-"
"Uh, uh." Khalid said pointing the gun at Nadine's face while still driving. "Your man's mom is gonna be swallowing a bullet and I don't think you want that."
Khalid pulled into an alley and stopped behind an boarded up house and told Nadine "Empty your pockets and leave the bag ma'am."
Nadine did as she was instructed and Khalid said "Get out the car, move that wooden board, get in the house and don't move Chante and I need to talk."
Nadine frightened by Khalid's cold, calm demeanor, left the car and entered the house while Khalid kept the gun aimed at her inside his car.
"Chante." Khalid said biting his lips so hard he nearly drew blood.
Chante flinched and Khalid said "I. Want. You. So baaaaaad. You don't even know it. You got this fire in you and I want you to burn me baby." Khalid put his hand in his pants and touched himself. "When you cussed me out on the phone I said fuck it, I want you now. I'm sicka waiting for you come around I'm getting you now."
"Khalid please let me go, please." Chante pleaded.
"Chante, I can't let you go I love you. You the only person to give a fuck about me."
"Khalid I don't love you." Chante said. "You're obsess!"
Khalid slapped Chante and said "Don't play with me like that!" Khalid hugged Chante after he slapped him and said "I'm sorry Chante. I really am. Your precious to me and I don't want to hurt you but never say I don't love you I would march through hell for you."
Hot tears leaked from Chante's eyes and Khalid shushed him and kissed his lips Chante tried to turn away but Khalid held his head in place.
"Khalid?" Chante asked with his hands in his pockets.
"What baby?" Khalid said.
"Please tell me, why did you kill Darien?" Chante asked.
"Do you really wanna know?" Khalid asked.
"Yes please." Chante said
"He was in the way and it wasn't personal I didn't even like his ass, he just could bring free grass I killed him because he was a threat. Now get in the house or I'll kill that bitch right now." Khalid said kissing Chante's cheek.
Chante walked into the yard and Khalid walked ahead of him to lift the flap for him Chante shook his head and entered the abandoned home followed by Khalid.
"Chante who is this?!" Nadine asked.
"He's my ex, he's the one who was threatening Joseph." Chante said.
"Chante didn't I tell you to keep quiet?" Khalid said.
"Just let her go! She has nothing to do with this!" Chante said.
"You little whore! I knew not to like you from the start." Nadine muttered.
Khalid cocked the gun, pointed it at Nadine's heart and said "Watch your mouth. That's my baby and if you do it again I'll kill you."
"And I want you Chante I always have." Khalid said. "Listen, after all this we're leaving."
"What do you mean leaving?" Chante said.
"Leaving the state but we gotta choose where we go together, now we can go to New York, Atlanta, L.A, Miami, maybe Canada? Anyway we gotta lay low until you're 18th birthday I know you're Dad's gonna be looking for us. Baby I got money so don't even worry about that, that's how I got that car out there. It's just gonna be you and me. But now there's just one thing in the way." Khalid said staring at Nadine.
Chante flung himself at Khalid and begged. "Don't kill her please don't do it Khalid."
"Listen, listen I never liked him ok?" Nadine said. "If you let me go I won't say a peep I promise. You're talking about killing me when you have a head-start to run away with him. Think about it you have no bodies on you, they're already gonna sound an amber alert for him do you want murder too? Because then they're gonna have to hunt you down."
Chante stared at Khalid's face and he couldn't believe he was actually contemplating it.
"Listen if you hide out for at least a month and a half, all the important people will forget and let's be honest he's not a little white girl no ones gonna care and you technically committed no crimes I mean you'd be a person of interest but it's not grounds to hurl you in jail. I got a friend in DC or pimp, who can hold him for you till it all dies down."
"You lying to me?" Khalid said.
"No I'm serious, you can get my phone and talk to him yourself." Nadine said.
"I don't want him pimped." Khalid said.
Chante backed away from Khalid and in fright "Miss Nadine please!" Chante said.
"Sorry honey, he seems like he loves you." Nadine said nonchalantly.
Chante panicked, grabbed Nadine's hand and made his way to the door "No!" Khalid shouted. (Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!)
Chante and Nadine hit the floor with a loud Thud!
Chante's arm was injured, he winced in pain as it bled out. He looked down at Nadine and noticed she was shot once in her chest and twice in the stomach.
"What did you do?!" Chante screamed.
Khalid rushed to Chante and said "I'm sorry Chante I'm so-"
Chante interrupted him and said "Get away from me! Help! Help! Help! Gunshots! He's here help!" Chante screamed.
Khalid got nervous and bashed through the wooden panel, got in his car and sped out of the alley narrowly striking a car on the way as fled onto the street.
"She's dead isn't she?" Chante asked.
The female EMT sighed and said "Yes. She's gone."
"Oh my god!" Chante said.
"Chante!" A voice shouted.
It was Mr.Charles, he shook Chante and said "Mi told yuh nah to leave de ouse!" He hugged Chante and Chante said "I'm sorry dad I really am but I felt bad for Ms.Nadine and now I killed her!" Chante cried.
"No yuh didn't, him killed har." Mr.Charles said.
Chante saw Nadine's bodybag being wheeled inside another and he buried his face in his father's shoulder.
Chante oversaw Joseph's rest and Mr.Charles brought Cerise and Martin inside with him "I brought de kids, I'm guh fi guh talk to dem detectives." Mr.Charles said leaving.
"Are you two okay?" Chante asked.
"I think so." Cerise said glancing at Joseph and cautiously approaching him. Cerise held Joseph's large hand and a tear escaped her eye.
"Chante?" Martin asked.
"Yes sweetie?" Chante said
"Is Joseph gonna die too? Like mommy?" Martin said.
"No Martin, he just has to wake-up the doctors said." Chante said.
Martin's eyes landed on Chante's sling and he said "You get hurt?"
"Yes but I'm ok now. Wanna sit next to your brother?" Chante asked.
"Yeah." Martin said.
Chante's phone rang and it was Derrick. "Put it on the news now!" He said.
Chante changed the channel and heard.
The Manhunt for Khalid Carter for the murder of Nadine McMillan is over. Carter was captured in Washington D.C thanks to the group effort of D.C and Maryland officers as well as an tip from a woman who spotted him at the Days inn Motel after his trail was lost once Carter discarded Nadine McMillan's phone.
Chante clutched his chest and said "Thank god!"
Mr.Charles rushed in and said "Chante yuh see de news?!"
Chante hugged his father "They caught him dad. It's over, it's finally over Chante said relieved.
Several days later Chante sat next to Joseph waiting for him to finally wake-up