"What?" Lily said in a confused tone.
"Is your name Lily?" Brenda asked.
"Yes?"
"Are you Noah's daughter?" Brenda asked again. "Noah is my half brother."
"My fathers name is Abel." Lily laughed.
Brenda covered her face in embarrassment, laughing as she got up from the table.
"Shit. My fault." Brenda laughed as she walked off. "My niece is dead. Heh."
Of course Lily had no clue about Noah. She hadn't seen him since she was 3. And why Brenda was asking about Lily if she was "dead", I'm not sure. But Brenda was smart. She eyed Lily by her features, even though she was only 13.
The next day, Kayson arrived home from school to prepare and do yard work. At this point, he didn't want to talk to anyone. Finding out his biological mother was American was one thing, but finding out that Abel could've possibly fathered the three children with different women was another. While he cleaned up, he saw Iyana walk in the front door 10 minutes later.
"Hey Iyana, you wanna make-"
When Kayson laid eyes on Iyana's face, it was obvious that she'd been into a fight. Her left cheek was swollen, the corner of her mouth has dried up blood trickled out of the corner, and she had dark bruises under her eyes. Kayson's eyes widened as he rushed up to Iyana, giving her a serious look.
"What happened, Iyana!?" Kayson asked in a loud tone, rushing up to her.
Iyana closed her eyes, chattering her jaw and trying her hardest not to cry.
"I........" Iyana stuttered as tears fell down her eyes. "Nothing."
"Iyana, tell me what happened!" Kayson snapped. "Ain't no way that this isn't nothing. Look at yourself!"
Iyana sniffed and wiped her eyes, looking down.
"They don't like me..." Iyana mumbled.
"What do you mean, Iyana?"
Iyana paused again, wiping her flooded eyes.
"The girls that pick on me live down by the barnyard." Iyana sniffed. "They......they beat me up when I told them I could possibly be American."
Kayson shook his head, gripping onto her shoulders.
"Iyana, you don't EVER mention anything like that to anyone around here!" Kayson snapped. "Do you know how these people feel about Americans? How WE feel about Americans?"
Iyana didn't say anything. Kayson quickly got up, grabbing her hand and walking out of the front door.
"Come on." Kayson chanted, storming off as Iyana stumbled behind him.
"Where are we going?" Iyana asked.
"You're about to take me to the group of little girls who were picking on you right now."
"Not now, Kays!"
"Don't 'Not now, Kays!' me, Iyana! I'm not about to let a group of girls fuck with you!" Kayson barked. "Now where are they?"
Iyana stood there, pointing to a group of 10 and 11 year old girls who were standing in the front yard of someone's home in the large valley. Kayson stormed over there with Iyana's hand on his grip, walking 2 minutes over and diagonal from his own home. He stepped inside of the barn area, where the girls were playing with their fishing rods inside of the pool that was in the back of the home.
"Hey!" Kayson snapped as he stood over the little girls, pointing at Iyana. "Did y'all do this?"
"Do what-"
"Don't 'Do what' me. You know EXACTLY what I'm talking about!" Kayson snapped. "Did y'all do this to my sister!?"
One of the Indian and Arab girls who were sitting in the middle of the pack, stood up and placed her hands on her hips.
"Yeah, we did it. So?" The girl smiled. "She shouldn't be American."
"Let me tell you something you little bitch, if you or any of these little girls put your hands on my sister again I'll personally beat you into the cement we're standing on!" Kayson scowled. "Keep your damn hands off of her!"
"Or what?" The girl smiled.
Kayson shook his head, grabbing Iyana's hand.
"Let's go, Iyana." Kayson growled.
Kayson paused, turning around to the little girl.
"Oh, one more thing."
Kayson shoved the girl into the pool as the water splashed onto the other 7 girls. As they all screamed, the girl inside of the pool gave him an angry look and called out for her brother.
"Nick!" The girl cried out in a bratty tone.
Suddenly, an Indian boy that was 17 years old stepped out on the porch. It was her big brother.
"That boy pushed me into the pool!" The girl whined.
"Excuse me, who are you?" The boy scoffed as he stepped into Kayson's face.
"None of your damn business." Kayson scoffed back. "You make sure that your sister keeps her damn hands off of my sister!"
Nick pushed Kayson, giving him a serious look.
"You keep your little hands off of my sister, farmers boy!" Nick growled. "Just because your dad is big shit around here doesn't mean that I won't kick your ass-"
Kayson shoved him back, causing him to fly back and fall back onto the ground. Kayson was physically stronger since he worked out everyday.
"Don't put your fuckin' hands on me!" Kayson scowled lowly.
As Nick tried to get up, Kayson punched him in his face, watching him fall back. Out of nowhere, three guys came jogging out of the house to help Nick. One of the boys punched Kayson in the face, causing him to stumble back and fall into the grass.
"Kayson!" Iyana screamed out of horror and fear.
As the boys crowded around him and took turns kicking him in the stomach, ribs, arms, and groin, Iyana screamed and tried to pull them off. It was no use. Out of nowhere, one of the boys were clocked in the head with a hard object. As Iyana jumped back to see who it was, she knew this person as someone she recognized.
Madilyn.
"Get the hell off of him!" She barked.
As the other boy fell into the pool, Madilyn hit the second boy in his ribs with the back, causing him to grab his side and fall into the grass. As the third boy tried to get away, Madilyn grabbed him by his shirt and wacked him one good time in the arm, causing him to tell in pain as he fell back into the grass. With the bat still in her hand, she crouched down next to Kayson and felt on his shoulders as he lifted up.
"Are you alright?" Madilyn asked him, crouching by Kayson's side.
"Hey. Hey! You little hoodlums!" The lady in the window chanted. [She was the grandmother of Nick and his little sister.] "Kayson, you get that damn American out of here before I get your father! Got her beatin' up my damn grandchildren! Get her out NOW!"
Upon returning to the house, Madilyn continued to help Kayson with his wounds on his body. His face wasn't too messed up, but his hair was scruffily. As Madilyn applied small dabs of alcohol on his scars and bruises as he sat shirtless next to her. Madilyn placed it on a scar that was on his upper shoulder, causing him to jump.
"Shit." Kayson whispered, squinting his eyes a little.
"Sorry." Madilyn sighed as she grabbed the bandage wrap. "That's the last wrap."
Kayson gave off an agitated look, slowly looking away as Madilyn wrapped the scar that was on his upper shoulder.
"Why were you over there fighting, Kays?" Madilyn asked. "Just out of curiosity."
"Them little girls was bullying my sister because she told some of her friends that she could possibly be American." He responded, shaking his head as Madilyn prepared to wrap the other shoulder. "I wasn't about to let them punk my sister out. That's family and I ain't letting nobody hurt her."
"Wait a minute, the boys were bullying her?"
"Nah just the girls." Kayson groaned. "They beat me up because I was yelling at them little bastards."
They both chuckled as Madilyn started patting the tiny scars on Kayson's face.
"I am a little embarrassed that a girl had to come in and help me." Kayson growled. "They never gone let me live that shit down."
"They were fighting you 4 on 1, Kayson. Of course I'm gonna come in and help!" Madilyn scowled. "I'm just glad that I came in time. That would've been unfortunate if I wasn't coming over."
Kayson glanced at Madilyn, giving her a sneaky look.
"How the hell did you conveniently have a bat on you?" Kayson chuckled.
Madilyn paused, looking down.
"I always carry it on me when I come here." Madilyn mumbled. "Just in case someone wants to attack me for being an American, y'know?"
"Oh."
As Madilyn started patting Kayson's back with the alcohol towel, Kayson took a deep breath and stared off at the farm, shaking his head a little.
"Is everything alright, Kays?" Madilyn asked.
Kayson shook his head as Madilyn started rubbing around the bruises.
"No."
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing just.......everything." Kayson growled lowly, still shaking his head. "I don't even know where to begin, man."
"Stressed?"
"I gotta watch after Iyana, Lily snuck out to America BY HERSELF, and I found out that I might be half American half Indian." Kayson continued. "Too much to bear on my plate."
"Wait, why'd Lily go off to America?"
Kayson looked at Madilyn, looking down.
"Do you know the famous American superstar named Asha?" Kayson asked.
"Yeah?"
"There's a possibility that she's Lily's mother."
Madilyn's eyes widened in shock after those words left his mouth.
"Really??" Madilyn gasped. "How do you know?"
"We have pictures of the two together and all when they were younger." Kayson nodded, putting a small smile on his face. "Yeah. It's the truth."
"Wooooow."
"Unfortunately, that's not the worst part." Kayson mumbled.
"Share."
Kayson closed his eyes, sighing in agitation over what he'd been going through the past few days.
"I just found out, well.......figured out that me, Lily, and Iyana were all probably born from three different women." Kayson continued. "They all might be American."
"And..........and your father didn't share this with you?"
"He lied about it. But to be honest, I should've had everything figured out my now. Just look at me, then look at Lily, then look at Iyana." Kayson continued. "Me and Lily seem like we could be a little more related, but Iyana is more African American or Nigerian than us based on her brown skin tone."
As Madilyn listened, Kayson decided to add one more thing.
"The only part my father was telling the truth about was the fact that my mom is dead." Kayson groaned. "Lily's mother is alive, and I have no clue who's Iyana's mother."
"So, are you gonna go to America to find out?" Madilyn asked.
"Nah. It's not even worth it." Kayson groaned. "My mother was shot and killed when I was a baby. I have no vivid memory at all of what she looks like."
Madilyn smiled, glancing and looking him in his eye.
"Well, one day, I plan to go back to America to find my real parents." Madilyn nodded. "You want me to find out any information on you and Iyana's background."
"You'd do that?" Kayson asked as she pat the scars on his face.
"Sure. Why not? I'll already be there, anyway." Madilyn smiled. "That's what friends are for."
As Madilyn pat Kayson's scars, they both started to stare at each other again. Just like when they were in the river a few days back. Madilyn's fast patting began to slow down.
"Maddy."
"Yeah?"
"Thanks for......listening to me." Kayson nodded, smiling at her as he gave her a calm look. "As of now, you're the only one who understands me."
They gazed at each other for a little longer, when Madilyn asked something.
"Kays, I wanna be really good friends." Madilyn mumbled.
"We already are good friends." Kayson mumbled back.
"No I mean like, a little more than friends...." Madilyn whispered.
As they started leaning a little closer to kiss, Iyana stepped out onto the porch.
"Kayson."
"Huh?" Madilyn and Kayson jumped as they turned to her.
"Can you come inside and help me put some of Lily's makeup on my face?" Iyana asked in a sad tone. "I don't want dad asking where these scars came from."
"Yeah! Yeah." Kayson nodded as he got up and headed inside. "You can come inside too, Maddy."
"Okay I'll be right in." Madilyn smiled as she started packing the things in the kit.
Once they walked upstairs, Madilyn silently jumped around in slight agitation.
"Damnit!" Madilyn whispered. "So close..."
In America...
For the next week and some change, Lily did everything she could to find Asha. Her search was still on. She looked for concert tickets in her area, she had no upcoming dates, she looked around in her taxi in the "so called" area she lives in in Cali, emailed her a total of 70 times all together, tried to send her a picture, but nothing would work. Asha rarely checked her fan emails and never gave out her business on publicly, so Lily was lucky that the first mail she sent got to her on the first time she sent it. And with this, her cash winded up running out. She was officially on the streets. She could no longer afford to stay in a hotel and was forced to live on the streets of the crowded Cali strip, looking for a homeless shelter. Since she couldn't find one, her phone was dead, and she only had $23 left for food, she had no choice but to do something her father never told her to do.
Beg.
Lily walked on the corner of the beach, sitting down and holding a cup out to people as they walked by her. The sounds of the water crashing against the sandy shore made her feel a little bit more comfortable, but not enough to overbear the embarrassment of being a poor person on the streets.
"Help. Help." Lily groaned lowly as she held her cup out to the people walking by. "Need money for food and a home."
Nobody paid attention to her. She looked so well to the point where people thought that she was pulling off a sick joke. As she held and shook her hotel mug filled with change, a man was staring at her from afar with his mouth wide open.
Noah.
"Lily?" Noah gasped.
Lily turned and laid eyes on a bummy Noah. Hair frazzled, small beard, and some dingy over worn out clothes. Her eyes widened at him as tears filled his eyes, approaching her.
"It can't be you!!" Noah cried out as he slumped towards her, holding his arms out. "It can't be you!! It just can't!"
"Excuse me sir, who are you?" Lily asked in a terrified tone, getting up and backing away.
The foul smell of old alcohol that laid on Noah's body hit Lily's nose as she continued to back away from him.
"It's me! Noah!" Noah plead. "I'm your father, remember?"
"What?"
"How'd you.....how'd you escape the fire?" Noah stuttered, sounding crazed as tears fell out of his eyes. "I can't believe that......my daughter is alive!"
"Sir, if you don't get away from me I'm gonna start yelling for help!" Lily said in a shaky tone, still backing away.
"Lily, it's me!!!!" Noah continued. "Your father! I know it's you because of your b-birthmark and your mole!"
Lily shook her head as Noah grabbed her hand, trying to pull her towards him.
"Just trust me, Lily!" Noah plead out loud, appearing shaken.
"Help!" Lily wailed out to everyone on the nightstrip and beach as she tried to tug away from his grip. "There's some crazy man trying to grab me! Help!"
Two guys jogged up to Noah and grabbed him off as Lily backed away, giving him a strange look.
"No! No! No! Get off of me!" Noah yelled as he kicked his legs around while the men took him away. "That's my damn daughter! I know it is! I never forgot her face!"
2 policemen who were guiding traffic placed their hands out, walking up to Noah.
"What's going on, here?" They asked.
"This man was harassing that teenaged girl over there." One of the white guys said. "He said that he kept on trying to touch her."
"Sir, please, I can explain!" Noah chanted. "That's my child! I know he is!"
The police immediately recognized Noah as a loiterer.
"Listen sir, if you step on this beach again bothering anyone else, I'm gonna have to arrest you." The officer groaned. "You're banned from being on the beach tonight. One step over there and you're in jail, pal."
As the second officer went back to guarding traffic on the roadway, the other officer guarded the beach. Noah watched as Lily started to jog off, disappearing into the dark night. Noah's eyes welled with tears as he turned away, coming to one thing.
"I've got to tell Asha." Noah thought. "I'm not crazy. I've got to tell her."