My Peace Of Mind
Week and a half later
April 14, 2016
3:30 P.M.
August (POV)
"Aight you got da' cake?" I asked Twan over the phone.
"Yeah, but I ate it."
"Bitch what?!" I yelled placing the table cover down on the table and turning all my attention to the phone.
"You did what?!"
"I ate it."
"Travis I'm gone-,"
"But ain't dat' what'chu spose ta' do, aye! Ain't chu spose ta' eat it too hoo hoo cause dat' cake was on the menu,"He sung before laughing into the phone,"Come open dis' damn do'!"
Shaking my head I hung up my phone and checked on the ribs, corn, asperigus, and beets I had going on the grill.
After flipping everything to the other side, I jogged my way from the backyard through the living room and up to the front door. Turning the door knob, and pulling it open, there stood Jamal and Travis being their stupid selves and jigging to their own beat that only they could hear.
"Always wanna play and shit."
"We juss' want you ta' loosen up, we know it's a big day but chill, everythang gone be good."
"I am chill,"I defended,"I juss' want my baby ta' enjoy ha' special day. It's all about her right now."
"And she will enjoy it,"Jamal said seriously,"She got ha' whole family hea' and da' best Auggie Pooh in the world."
"Why you wanna play?"
"I'm bein' serious, but since youn' wanna take my compliment, I'll take dat' back."
He grabbed at the air in front of me and then placed his hand in his pocket as he patted it,"Gone save dat' fa' somebody dat' appreciate it."
"Y'all niggas really makin' my ass itch." I huffed walking into the living room.
"Aww shit, well dat' thea' ain't got none ta' do wit' us, dat's yo' fucked up hygiene." Jamal shrugged.
Travis set the cake on the table and then placed his hands on his hips while shaking his head," Juss' a nasty booty ass lil boy."
"Right, and gone try ta' say we da' cause of his booty havin' leftova' crumbs."
"Da' fuck!" They started to laughed together.
They have ALWAYS been this way. We took after Mel so of course we were all the life of the party, but we also knew when to push the jokes aside and get serious.
"Bout' ta' punch you." I sung popping my knuckles, walking towards Jamal first.
Travis quickly picked up the cake and walked around me,"He sorry, don't hit'em massa', please."
"Mane get da' fuck on dummies."
"O-Ok we go, c'mon follow me, I know de' way,"Travis said, and of course Jamal stupid ass followed right on behind him looking like the buffoons they truly were.
Shaking my head and stepping back into the house, I made my way to Armani's old room. When I opened the door I had to smile to myself and just take in the blessing God gave to me. My beautiful baby was peacefully sleeping on her side with one hand over her stomach and the other one under her head. She was sleeping so well that she was even letting out small snores with each breath. Her small trembling symptoms were hardly noticeable as she laid there. Those bandages that covered parts of her body didn't even matter to me, none of it did, she was still my Mani.
Her body was still the same temple it's always been in my eyes, the only temple that could make me fall in love everytime I looked at her.
I slowly walked into the room, careful to avoid all the wooden boards that would creak when a certain amount of weight hit it. Slowly I walked to where her body rested and began to stroke her hair softly.
Lately she's been having nightmares about King, and to know that what he did to her is still filling her mind infuriates me, but at least she's sleeping peacefully now.
Plus he gone get his anyway.
I moved my hand away from her hair and began to gently stroke her cheek.
But once I did that, she immediately woke up and hurriedly moved away from me, groaning right afterwards. Her body was still in a great amount of pain, and it hurts me knowing that because of King I basically had to start all over with the building of our kingdom.
It pained me even more knowing that my touch frightened her.
Going through what she went through with that fuck boy only made those old memories surface. Yes, she's safe with her family now, but it's the memories of the situation that takes her back to those dark days.
Neither of them deserved this.
"Sorry, I didn't mean ta' scare you."
"No, no," She shook her head taking a deep breath to clear her head, "I should've.... known it was...you."
"Nawl, I gotta rememba' I can't do everything I use to, I gotta work my way back up ta' dat', "I smiled, "Ready fa' yo' medicine?"
Even though the look on her face said she wanted to say something else, she said nothing as she gave me a simple head nod.
I walked over to her sit in window and grabbed the three pill bottles that were on the cushion and began to examine them.
"Um, shouldn't da' dosage on these be higher?" I questioned looking at the miniscule amount under her name.
"N-No, dat's da' right amount."
"It's so small though, it don't look like it could stop ya' pain. Why its so small?"
"I don't know," She smiled holding her head down, "juss' give.....it ta' me."
"Oh you know, yo' fine ass juss' don't wanna tell me." I smirked walking back over to her and handing her the glass of water that was on the nightstand.
"Not....true." She smiled wider shaking her head no.
"It is true, you keepin' secrets from me and smilin' wit'cho lil glow.....You cheatin' on me?"
Almost instantly she stopped smiling and stale faced me, which resulted in both of us combusting into laughter.
"Thea's dat' laugh I been missin'." I cheesed pinching her cheek.
"Boy move, no damn....well.... ain't nobody else in this.... world fa-fa' me but you."
It was little things she said like that-that made me melt. She's always said things to me that would tie my heart even closer to hers, things that traps me deeper into her web of love, things that make me fall even harder into the soft plush bed that is her heart.
"How do you do dat' Armani?"
"Do what?"
"Make me love you more than I do."
She held her head down as her cheeks turned the same red complexion as mine,"You...always...ask dat'."
"Cause I need ta' know how you do dis' ta' me Armani, like even now, juss' lookin' at you make me-it got me," I picked up her hand and placed it over my fast beating heart, "You feel dat'?"
She slowly nodded her head, looking from my hand to my eyes.
"You do dat' ta' me. You. Can't nobody else make my heart turn flips'n turns like dis' Mo'. How do you do this ta' me?" I gripped her hand a bit harder.
"Same way....you do it....ta' me. It's Love." She spoke softly removing her hand from my grip so that she could caress the side of my face,"Even back then, and in this....very room- it was love. It always has been bay-beh."
There she gos again, melting away my heart.....
"Aye Mo'?"
"Hmm?"
"We fa'eva ta'getha, you know dat'?"
She beamed those beautiful teeth my way and nodded,"I know."
"And we gone get married and you gone have all my lil baybehs."
Smiling even more than she already was she quickly gulped down her medicine and set the remaining glass of water back on the nightstand.
"Armani you seriously hidin' somethin' from me?"I tilted my head to the side,"My po' wife juss' don't know who she dealin' wit'."
"Shut up boy."
"Mhm, dis' boy gone getchu' ta' tell him the tea though."
Those eyes that pulled at the strings connected to my heart finally came in contact with mine, and I slowly felt myself ready to submit to any command she wishes for me to do.
"C'mere." She called to me and of course I leaned into my queen, ready for whatever it is she wanted from me.
As soon as my face was close enough, she grasped the sides of it and took my lips between hers, catching me completely off guard. Our lips moved in sync to our own mellow song that we had created and our tongues fought with one another for dominance and control, but once I won that fight, I earned my reward — which were her lovely soft moans that she would ever so often release into my mouth.
After a good three minutes of us locking lips she finally pulled away, and for some reason I was just in a state of awe.
"Thank you...fa' bein' you bay-beh." She cooed at me."Nah' go get-go get our Kali, and bring ha' home."
Not able to even respond to her, I shakily nodded my head 'okay' and left out.
*
*
*
The cool hospital AC that hit me once the doors opened cooled off my entire body from this crazy Nawlins heat. Looking to my left I spotted Quan sitting in the sunlit waiting room, looking through a old Naruto comic.
"Wazzam Youngsta', how long you been up hea'?"
"Since six,"He dapped me up,"They say she doing real good too."
"Yeah I figured she would be, they was tellin' me how ha' and Mani went into physical therapy faster than anybody else eva' has."
He shook his head with a small smirk on his face,"Man where did these women come from? Cause they don't make'em like them anymore."
"Nah' what'chu know bout' dat', huh?"
"I know that the two of them just might be deemed worthy to be put in the hall of fame for their strength and courage."He shrugged,"I know that alot of women, had they been put in the same situation as Kali and Mrs. Alsina, they would have given up. Or they would have given into King. But they fought until the end and look at where it got them, back to where they needed to be- so yeah,"He shrugged again," They don't make'em like them no more."
"You my type of guy Youngsta'."
He smiled and nudged my side,"Yungin' and Youngsta' starting up trouble, remember?"
"My man."
Through all this he's been here everyday waiting on her. It's crazy, because he hardly even knows her, and he definitely doesn't know what he's getting himself into, but this is exactly how it started for me years ago. Not understanding the feelings I had, wanting to know why I wanted to be with Mani every second of the day... wanting to protect her.
It's early to say this, but the way I see it, those two will be together for forever and a day.
"Hey nurse Windill." He called out as we approached Kali's door.
"Why hello Quantre, I see you brought a friend with you today, and who might- oh my God your-your
"He's August." Quan smirked.
"I'm August." I smirked as well.
"Your August Alsina!"
"Das' me."I smiled broadly, "What's yo' name sweetheart?"
"Ca-Cassy, Cassy Windill."
As she was speaking I grabbed a clipboard and pen from behind me and wrote her a quick autograph and told her how much her services were appreciated.
"Hea' ya' go." I ripped the page out and handed it to her.
"Thank you sooooooo much, your Kali bug is right in there."
"Ok." I chuckled.
It didn't surprise me one bit that my fans knew who Kali and Mani were, I mean I posted them on social media almost every other day. My Instagram might as well be theirs hell.
I was about to open the door, but stopped once I noticed that Quan's whole mood changed in an instant. His eyes were hanging to the floor and the hurt in them was to defiant to be hidden; it was screaming to be heard, but it's like he was fighting it away, like he was trying to hide it from us. I knew that look, the look of loss, the look of pain, the look that most had when a break down was around the corner — and here he was giving off that dreadful look.
"Youngsta'?" I called to him, but received not even a small glimpse of life in him.
"Youngsta'?" I called again, receiving the same thing.
"Youngsta'?!"
He snapped his head in my direction, and what I seen in his eyes before was quickly covered up with a charade.
"Huh, what happened."
"I should be askin' you dat', you good?"
"Yeah, yeah I'm good. Just got lost for a second."
"Quan.."
I guess he caught on to the seriousness of my voice, because he said nothing, but I knew I had his undivided attention by the way he looked at me.
"I wanna let'chu know somethin' befo' we go in hea', dat' cool?"
"O-Okay."
"The day you helped us, da' day you pulled Kali behind dat' snow cone booth and risked yo' life was da' day you became family. Da' day you took bullets fa' my bug, you became family. We may not have known it, but dat's exactly what happened. Nah' I don't know what it is dat' strikes you or makes yo' mood changed like it juss' did, but juss' know dat' family,"I emphasized pointing to myself,"always gone be thea' ta' listen and help you through what'eva, cause dat's what it's all about. I'm not tellin' you, you have ta' tell me what's botherin' you, but know dat' I see me in you,"I smiled down at him,"And when you need me, I'm thea'.....We all thea'."
"Don't neva' think fa' a second dat' we can't help you or we can't empathize wit' the way you feel about a certain situation, because I assure you, dat' our family has seen a lot of hurt in our day. Hell, we could write a book on it if we wanted to." I shrugged.
"My point is, yeen' alone no mo', cause I know dat's how you feelin' right nah'- like some sort of outcast, but you not,"I assured,"You our people and we yo' people, we all in this ta'getha now. As a whole......You believe God have blessins' waitin' fa' you, but chu' juss' can't see it? Like you know when people say God do things fa' a reason?"
He nodded his head up and down slowly with his mouth slightly agape.
"Well Quan, I truly believe dat' God led us ta' you and led you ta' us, we was each otha's blessin',"I smiled at his glossy eyes," Nah' I don't know about you, but I think dat's a pretty great thing."
What he did next caught me completely off gaurd, and I mean completely off guard. He hugged me. He's done it before, but this time it was different. It was a feeling, an emotion behind his hold on me. And though he was crying quietly I could tell that those tears were ones of relief, ones of happiness.
I know because I've cried them before.
I never really thought that a nigga like me could be inspirational and sympathetic, but as I said before, the right people change you for the better.
I wrapped my arms around him and embraced him just as tightly as he held me and allowed him to take in the realization that he had a family and this family wouldn't be leaving anytime soon. If he needed us at anytime, we would be his wall of defense. If he fell we would form our arms into a bed of flesh and make sure our legs were steady enough to catch him. We had him. And we weren't letting go.
"I-I-I love you man, I lov-I love you bruh."
Smiling up at the window infront of me I let out a small sigh,"I luh' you too Youngsta', I luh' you too."
After a few minutes of us standing there bonding outside of Kali's room, we finally pulled away and got ourselves together.
"You good."
"Yeah, I'm straight." He shrugged a small smile spreading across his face before we both started laughing.
"A damn fool." I laughed at his wanna be hard ass.
"Shut up! I'm just real nigga."
"Says da' nigga dat' was fluffin' Kali pillow last week."
"Says the nigga that was rubbing Mrs. Mani feet last night."
"Aye, aye!"I pointed my finger,"I did dat' infront of you in confidence."
"Came for me, so I clapped back." He shrugged.
"Boy bring yo' Ludacris lookin' ass on cause I almost pimp slapped you."
"Violence is never the answer."
"Lord. getcho' son. I'm tellin' you ta' get him so I won't have ta' personally deliver him back ta' ya'. He ten seconds away from commin' home." I warned opening the door slightly, as his laughing died down.
"Hey Yung' imma stay out hea', I wanna see how she look when she don't see me." He grinned deviously.
Seeing him like that brought memories to my head, the good ones that is. Her very first attack to be precise.
"Gone Mel imma stay out hea', I wanna see ha' face."
"C'mon Alfalfa lil brotha', getcho' ass in hea'. Know damn well ma' bessfran' wanna see yo' almond head ass."
"Gone go Melody! Damn!" I huffed eating another hot fry and licking my finger after my words."Juss' wanna see how she look when she don't see me."
Smiling down at him I nodded in his direction, "I gotcha fam."
Opening the door all the way, I grew warm at the sight of my baby girl laying peacefully in the bed, watching the shitty cartoons of this generation. As I took in her appearance and really looked at her, it seemed that she too has a glow that matched her sister's. I guess everybody just waking up with glows and shit.
Once her eyes landed on me she gave me a small close tooth smile and looked at me with eyes filled with nothing but peace.
Watching her like this was bitter sweet. At this moment all I see is the little girl from so long ago that stole my heart. I don't even see my child as twelve years old today, all I see is my little five year old right now.
"Hello my Auggie Pooh."
"Hello my Kali bug."
Looking behind me her face grew a tad bit sad, but she shook it off quickly, which made me smirk at the events taking place.
Just like Mani, just like me, just like us....
"Lookin' fa' Youngsta'?" I questioned raising my eyebrow as I took a seat on the edge of the bed.
"Nope." She popped the 'p'.
"I'm so unloved Yungin',"He bust through the door,"She not even checking for me man."
"Shut up." She rose up as best she could reaching out for him.
Just like us man.....history truly does repeat itself.
"You mad?" He asked walking into her embrace.
"No, but you said you would be hea' at four,"She glanced at the clock,"It's four'o two."
"If you don't getcho'....." Me and Quan began to say, but cut ourselves off seeing the look on Kali's face.
"Well I wasn't that late, but I'm sorry anyway." He smiled down at her.
"I accept," She nodded playfully, "Anyway how my sista' doin'? She ok?"
"Yes ma'am."
"And my cousins and mama nem' good?"
"Everybody fine Kali bug, juss' ready ta' see you."
She sighed heavily and focused on me,"I'm ready ta' see them too."
"Well let's go." I stood from the bed,"Let's go see everybody."
"Really!"
"Mhm, he already signed your discharge papers and got you a change of clothes, so now all you gotta do is get ready."
"Wow,"She gasped looking between us,"I really get to go home." She said lowly,"Wit' all my family."
"Wit' all our family."
"Wit' all our family." She corrected with a smile.
After getting lectured from her about not making today, her birthday, a big deal she was getting ready to leave. It was taking her a bit of time to get everything on since she couldn't move that fast, but once she did she emerged from the bathroom using the doorframe for support.
While I hoisted her up and allowed all her weight to fall on me, Quan hooked her up on the on-the-go heart monitor and stood back to make sure it was right.
"Look good from my view." He said.
"Mine too." I agreed.
"It's right, if it was wrong I would feel uncomfortable."
"Aight then munch, let's put chu' in yo' hot wheels." I said referring to her wheel chair, which got me a smack to my side.
Once she was settled in and stable, we said our goodbyes to everyone and made our way out to get home. Fortunately, traffic was nonexistent, so we made it there in the nick of time.
"Keep your eyes closed Kaliana."
"But I can't see wea' I'm goin'." She complained.
"Dat's why Youngsta' helpin' you munch."
"I would still like ta' see, what if I trip cause his hands ova' my eyes?"
"I wouldn't dare let you fall, and if I did I would come tumbling right along with you."
"Y'all so cute,"I cooed walking to the back yard,"Ok Kali you ready."
"I mean,"She scrunched up her face,"Duh....."
"Aight Youngsta', let ha' see." I grinned.
As soon as his hands left her eyes everyone jumped out and yell,"Surprise!"
While everyone came and hugged her and cried a bit, I kept my eyes on her and how happy she seemed to be. She has so much love and it was a good thing she had alot of people to give it too.
"Here,"Quan handed her one of the costumes off the rack.
"Aloha." He smiled placing the flower necklace over her head.
"Th-Thanks so much guys,"She cried," I love it, a-and I luh' you guys too."
"We luh' you too Kali!" Everyone shouted back at her including myself and Quan.
*
*
*
It was growing dark out and after I snapped a few pictures with the fam, I decided to go get a good picture of the Hawaiian cake I had made before the family demolished it. It looked pretty good in the sad base that I'd made so once my angle and lighting was right I quickly snapped the picture of my baby's cake.
Looking up from my phone I just smiled, I was happy as hell right now. Nothing could be better than this. Everyone was in high spirits and enjoying themselves. Even mama was dancing and gettin' on down with her granddaughters. Kali was over at a table sharing a plate of ribs and baked macaroni with Quan, and whatever he was telling her was making her laugh tears out of her eyes. It was just-just happiness all around me to be honest. We finally had a break from the coldness this world loved to dish out, it was an amazing feeling. To have my family, my wife- just my peace. My peace of mind.
Watching all the faces smiling and what not, I noticed that one face was not accounted for. I spotted that face off to the side, with the same look of composure and softness that I had on my face. Approaching her I seen her tapping her foot to the beat of Dvsn song With me. When she seen me approaching her that smile grew ten times wider.
"Hey.... my bay-beh."
"Hey," I looked around the backyard for a empty spot, "Dance wit' me." I smirked holding my hand out.
"Aug.... you know I c-can't right n-,"
"You trust me?"
"Wit'.... life and then-then some."
"Aight, so dance wit' me."
She rolled her eyes before crossing her arms across her chest, "I don't know....how ta' dance."
"If I can dance, you can dance." I pulled her up and slowly walked her over to our forever tree- we call it that because that's where we carved our names at the day before I left, so even after we leave, that tree will let our love live on this earth forever.
"This is..... beautiful." She said admiring the decorations.
"You beautiful."
"Ok Mr. Smooth."
I laughed lifting her slightly off the ground and holding her in my embrace,"Put yo' feet on top of mine." I instructed softly in her ear.
She said nothing, but I felt her tip toes grazing the tops of my shoe. Setting her down, her feet now rested on mine and I began to move us around in a slow pace peering down into her eyes.
"You dancin' Mani."
I wanted to laugh at how speechless she was, but she was so cute I just couldn't ruin the moment.
"You know, I think this hea' the calmest things have eva' gone fa' us.....it feels good huh?"
"It does.... feel good,"She smiled,"It feel...very good."
"When all this is ova' I'm gone make good on my promises, buh'lee dat'."
"You already have, "She pecked my lips, laying her head on my chest. "You.....already have bay-beh boy."
"Well then I'm gone marry you and juss' make dat' a bonus then."
"You are huh?"
"Yep, already asked mama fa' ha' blessin'." I smiled proudly.
"Well you knew she was gone say-,"
"I asked yo' mama, fa ha' blessin' Armani."
She removed her head from my chest and stared up at me for a minute or two before opening her mouth to speak.
"You-You did what?"
"I asked Ma Dukes fa' yo' hand in marriage baybeh." I smiled, "I went ta' her and I think I got a yes."
She began to blink rapidly and tried to get out of my hold. I thought it was a good thing that I went to her mother to ask for Mani's hand, a sign of respect to Mani and her mother, but I guess not.
"August you-you.....and-,"
"Baybeh,"I grabbed her waist,"Did I do some wron-,"
"You're-,"
"I'm sorry if I-,"
"You're.....Amazin'!" She cut me off wrapping her arms around my neck as she cried into the crook of it.
"I-I luh' you August."
I grinned wrapping my arms tighter around her as we continued to dance,"I luh' you too Armani."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Y'all I got the funniest message about the last chapter it said, "Girl omg! You can actually write happy chapters, I was so amazed, thank you."
I was like I should make somebody die, but then I was like, stop it Maya! Thinkin' all that nonsense.
Anyway here's a nice and long chapter for you guys, hope you liked it.
And bruh thank y'all so much for loving this book like y'all do, like seriously the love and feedback I get for this is so unreal thank you- I appreciate y'all so much.
Excuse all mistakes!
Share, vote, and comment please!
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Xoxoxo
Just a real nigga commin'through...😢😙👑