Happy New Year! Let's start it off with a bang! Excuse any mistakes. Zeke in the mm.
Calabasas
Next morning
"When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid."
Audre Lorde
—
Nia walks down the stairs as she put her hair into a high ponytail. Today is a light day for her with black tights, an oversized, black Givenchy sweatshirt and a pair of black Gucci sneakers.
Ayshah is helping herself to a cup of coffee and Nia smiles.
"Goodmorning." She greets.
Ayshah looks at her and smiles back. "Goodmornin' Nia."
Bailey and CoCo immediately gets up at the sight of her, wagging their tails. She goes over to grab a remote and opens the doors to the backyard.
"Now, Bailey, if you use the bathroom in the pool again, I'm telling your mother." She looks at him. Bailey barks at Nia. "Who you talking to?" She lifts up her eyebrows.
Ayshah laughs to herself in the kitchen. Nia hugs and rubs the two dogs before motioning them to go outside. They take off and began chasing one another.
Nia goes to the kitchen area, opening the refrigerator to grab a bottled water. She takes two aspirins to ease the pain in her hamstring.
She notices Ayshah looking down at something with a confused expression written on her face. "What's wrong?" Nia asks
"Your mother gave me this tablet for something, but I forgot."
"Let me see." Nia sits her water on the counter, grabbing the tablet. "Oh, you have to put Shiloh and Nyah's schedule into this so the drivers can know where to take them to school until they're transferred over here. Also, put your schedule in. It also alerts security and it keeps an eye on them."
"Oh wow." Ayshah says.
"Yeah, I'm sure she has already disposed your phone. Shiloh's too. Right?" Nia fixes herself a bowl of Fruity Pebbles.
Ayshah nods her head. "Yeah that's why she gave me the tablet."
"It's just for protection. Don't need Asheek having access to you or them." Nia shrugs.
"This is nice of her. I'm not sure why she wanna help me. But I'm thankful."
"She always tell me that she does this because she was you at one point." Nia explains. "This is second nature to her and she have programs in place for situations like these. I can assure you that you are in good hands, Ms. Ayshah."
"Are you always this inclusive?" Ayshah looks at her.
"Sometimes. But, I have my own foundation." Nia eats a spoonful of cereal and chews.
Ayshah nods her head. "What is it?"
"Well, I paint. Most of these paintings around the house were done by me, by the way." Nia toots her own horn. "But, I sell my paintings to people with money and use that money to give back to art programs in need."
Ayshah looks impressed. "That's great to be so involved at your age. Alotta people think rich kids like you are all about themselves."
Nia shrugs her shoulders. "Screw them. They're miserable and want people to be just as miserable as them. I am all about myself, but I can multitask."
"Well, okay then Naomi Jr." Ayshah says with a laugh.
Nia laughs a little and continues eating her cereal.
"I don't smell any food cooking. That's how you know my baby mama is out of town." Ashton says as he comes down the staircase.
His locs are wrapped neatly in a black wrap and his small nose ring beamed when it met the sun that peaked through the large windows.
Wearing a pair of Jordan sweat shorts and a white tee shirt, he displayed the tattoo sleeve on his right leg and the sleeves on his arms.
"Goodmorning to you too, Daddy." Nia rolls her eyes.
Ayshah looks at Nia and whispers. "I thought Zeke was your father."
"Nah, I the papi." Ashton kisses Nia's cheek and extends his hand out to Ayshah. "You must be Shiloh's mother?"
Ayshah lifts her eyebrows at how handsome Ashton is, but realizes that he's wearing a wedding band. She shakes his hand. "I am, my name is Ayshah."
"Nice to meet you Ayshah, I'm Ashton."
Nia smirks at Ayshah, not missing the way she looked at Ashton. "How'd you sleep Daddy?" Nia looks at him.
"Like the damn angel I am." Ashton walks around the island to fix himself a cup of coffee.
"How do you still look 21?"
Ashton sighs. "Marc got me on that damn vegan diet. I hate it but I like the results. Between you and I, I still eat fried chicken."
Nia and Ayshah laughs as Shiloh walks inside the house with Nyah. Nyah has the look that shows that she's not pumped up from school.
She's clearly not a morning person.
"Hey Nyah." Nia smiles at her. "Looks like you're ready for school this morning."
Nyah shakes her head. "Nope."
"Hmm," Nia taps her chin in thought then shrugs. "Oh well. Guess I'll just leave you here while I take Saint out for cupcakes for his birthday."
Nyah's eyes bucks. "Noooo, I'm ready."
"I figure you would change your mind." Nia laughs.
"It's Saint birthday?" Ashton takes a sip of his coffee, and looks at Nia. "How old is he?"
"Nine." Nia responds before looking at Shiloh. "Goodmorning, Shiloh."
Shiloh looks at her. "Mornin'."
Before she can say anything else, Ashton nudges her causing her to give him her undivided attention. "I wanna take you to school today."
"I have a car?"
"Pleaseee just be my little girl for one day." Ashton gives her the puppy dog face and Nia caves.
"Fine." She mumbles.
Chase, Jamila and Saint walk down the staircase. Chase pushes Saint, slapping his head and Saint swats his hands away, annoyed. "Stop!" Saint yells at him.
"Shut up cry baby. You nine? Can't tell." Chase snorts, continuing to annoy his little brother.
Out of reflex, Saint swings back and hits Chase in his face. He quickly takes off and hides behind Nia.
"You should've left him alone." Nia looks at Chase who is visibly upset.
"Move." Chase demands.
Nia shakes her head no. "Leave him alone. It's his birthday."
"I'ma get you Saint. Can't hide behind Nia all day." Chase announces, and goes into the refrigerator to get his lunch that Naomi fixed beforehand.
Nia rolls her eyes and looks down at Saint. "Happy birthday, Saint."
"Thanks NiNi." Saint cheeses.
"Here you go lil man." Ashton pins a five dollar bill on his shirt. "I'ma get you started. Make sure all the girls give you some money."
"I'm on it Ashy." Saint takes his lunch out of the refrigerator and so does Jamila.
Zeke appears from the hallway with Cato trotting behind him. "Morning everyone."
"Whew, damn Zeke. Just take over the room why don't you?" Ashton says.
Zeke chuckles wholeheartedly and nods in his direction. "I'm flattered, Ash. Thank you." He looks at Saint and smiles. "Happy birthday baby boy. I hope you're ready to open my gift."
Saint zips his bookbag and places it on his back. "What is it?"
Zeke hands him a gift bag and Saint doesn't hesitate to remove the tissue, throwing it on the floor. "Wow! My own camera!" He exclaims.
"Can't wait to see what our gifts gonna be next month." Jamila says loudly so everyone can hear.
"You don't matter." Chase responds before taking a bite of an apple.
"Fuck you."
"Hey!" Zeke yells at her, catching the twins and Nia off guard. "Curse again and you can forget a birthday next month because you're not gonna be here to see it."
"Yes sir." Jamila mumbles.
Looking at her a little bit longer, he finally tears his eyes away and grabs his keys. "Let's go."
"Daddy, can I sit in the front since it's my birthday?" Saint looks at him.
Zeke shrugs. "Sure."
Saint looks over at Chase and makes a funny face before walking out of the house. A horn beeps signaling that the car was ready for Shiloh and Nyah.
"Shiloh." Zeke calls out and Shiloh looks at him. "We can go get Travis today if you want."
Shiloh smiles a little and nods. "Cool."
"Okay, don't have them waiting." Ayshah rushes them out of the house. Zeke walks over to kiss Nia on her forehead before leading Chase and Jamila out.
"You're ready?" Ashton looks at Nia.
Nia looks at him and shakes her head. "School doesn't start for another hour."
"What?" Ashton looks perplexed. "Rich kids. You have all of the privilege."
"Daddy." Nia laughs, and goes to play with the dogs outside.
Ashton follows her out, closing the door behind him. "I want to talk to you about something."
Nia sits on the grass and rubs Cato, looking up at her father. "What is it?"
"I was thinking you can spend Christmas with me in Seattle this year." Ashton suggests. "Instead of Thanksgiving."
Nia looks at him weirdly. "Okay Daddy, what is it? First, you want to take me to school and now this? I mean I don't mind, bur what are you not telling me?"
Ashton pouts slightly, hating how much she really did take after Naomi. She'd read him like a book.
He sighs and takes a seat by her, allowing Bailey and CoCo to lay their heads into his lap. Nia looks at him expectantly.
"I have prostate cancer." He admits.
Nia's eyes widens in horror. "What? You're going to be okay, right? You caught it in time huh?"
Ashton sighs again and shrugs. "I honestly don't know, princess. I was being hardheaded and Marc insisted that I go get a check up. I went maybe three months ago and found out that it begin to spread. Doctors got it under control, but it can continue to spread."
Immediately, Nia wraps her arms around his neck and hugs him tightly. "I'll spend whatever holiday you want me to with you. Just stay here, please."
Ashton hugs her back, and kisses her cheek. "I don't know what God has planned. I'm just trying to spend as much time with you as possible."
"You're gonna beat it." She whispers. "I love you, Daddy."
"I love you too, princess."
She clutches him tighter as her tears roll down her cheeks.
—
Clallam Bay Corrections Center
Amir
Messiah walks into the room with two correctional officers on both sides of him. When he was told he had a visitor, he expected it to be Naomi or Remy.
After all, those were the only two people who visited him.
However, when he notices Amir sitting down, it throws him off guard. The officer uncuffs him from the wrists and ankles before leaving out, and closing the door behind him.
Messiah stands in the middle of the floor, mugging his new visitor. Amir doesn't shy away from the eye contact and for a minute, the two brothers have a stareoff.
"Fuck you want?" Messiah glares at Amir.
"Sit down." Amir points at the empty seat across the table.
Messiah looks at him once more before slowly walking to the seat, and sitting down.
"I'm sitting."
Amir sighs softly and looks at Messiah, who hasn't changed the hard look on his face. "How you doin'?"
Messiah scoffs and shakes his head. "You ain't talked to Mimi?"
"Nah, I'm askin' you." Amir bounces his leg slightly.
Sitting back in his seat, Messiah folds his arms across his chest. "Look, save the small talk aight? Fuck you want? I ain't seen you in fuckin' eleven years."
Amir sits back, running his hand over his face before looking back at Messiah. "I came to see you and apologize for it takin' me this long."
Messiah looks at his brother curiously. He wonders what kind of epiphany Amir has gone through. Amir rarely apologizes, a tribute to his stubborn ways.
He shared alot of qualities of their father and including the obvious reasons, it was why the two never got along.
If Amir was indeed here to apologize, Messiah knew that it was genuine. But, an apology wouldn't mend a broken heart. He looked up to Amir and the fact that he was shut out by him, it hurt more than he was letting on.
Amir was the only person who would understand him and his situation, or at least he thought so.
Messiah clears his throat, not saying anything which causes Amir to continue.
"I'm sorry Messiah." Amir looks at him. "I'm sorry for shuttin' you out when you needed me the most. I ain't got it all together. When I found out you got arrested, I thought I failed twice."
"Twice?" Messiah repeats.
Amir taps his finger on the table lightly. "I didn't protect Mimi and I didn't do a better job of keepin' you out the streets."
"Man, nobody was gon' stop me from gettin' to ole boy." Messiah looks at him. "You coulda put me in corporate America, I was still gon' kill 'em."
"I just didn't want you to be in hea." Amir motions around them. "I lost my sanity in this piece of shit."
"I ain't kno' you cared that much." Messiah admits.
Amir shakes his head. "I kno' I got a funny way of showin' love, but I try to be genuine. I love you boy and don't think any different."
"Mimi grown now." Messiah says causing Amir to furrow his eyebrows. "Every since Russell left, you been playin' Dad. And it obviously took alot outta you. Mimi doin' the damn thing and been doin' it for a minute. She survived, that's what survivors do. I kno' that's sis and if Sam was still here, I woulda killed him too."
"You remind me of me when I was younger. Didn't care at all. I almost sent him home but Rayne saved him." Amir chews on his bottom lip. "But, you right."
Messiah shrugs his shoulders. "I kno'." He says confidently. "Speaking of sis, where she at?"
Amir uses both hands to rub his face. "In New York with Mimi and Remy. It's fashion week."
"Y'all good?" Amir just looks at him. "What happened?"
"I fucked up big time." Amir says quickly. Messiah looks at him curiously. "I cheated."
Messiah's eyes widens. "Yo what?!" He raises his voice. Amir fiddles with his wedding band and nods his head, confirming what he's just said. "She leaving?"
Amir shrugs his shoulders. "She told me she wasn't but you never kno'. I wouldn't blame her if she did. This whole marriage I was an ass."
"You aight? This ain't the Amir I kno'." Messiah laughs slightly.
"I guess I'm finally growin' up." Amir admits.
Scratching the top of his head, Messiah looks at Amir. "Why dudes gotta get they shit together when they 'bout to lose it all?"
Amir smirks slightly. "In the words of Remy, we dumb as fuck."
Laughter fills the room then silence grows over them for a minute. Messiah taps his fingers on the table, biting his bottom lip. "I got a parole hearin' next week. Don't tell Mimi."
"Why not?"
"Ion wanna get her hopes up and I wanna surprise her if I'm released." Messiah looks up at him.
Amir nods his head. "You prolly gon' have to stay here if they release you. I can hook you up with a crib and car, clothes, shit like that."
"We'll see. I don't wanna get my hopes up again. We kno' how the last parole hearin' went."
"I feel you. Just hit me up, aight?" Amir extends his hand. "I wanna help, shit it's the least I can do. I may lose my wife and that's gon' be all on me. But I can't keep bein' the same me."
Messiah slaps hands with him, and they do a handshake that was only exclusive to the two. "I love you too bro. We gon' shake back foreal."
The two stand up and Messiah thinks Amir is about to let go, but instead he pulls Messiah in for a hug.
The gesture catches him guard and he's hesitant, but hugs Amir back.
It was something they didn't know that they both needed.
—
NYC
Remy, Naomi and Rayne were at brunch, laughing and talking like old times. It was refreshing for all three of them, considering how busy their lives are.
"He really said that in front of everyone?" Rayne asks Naomi, referring to Asheek. Naomi nods as she sips on her drink. "Looks like I gotta get back to shooting."
"I'ma pay him a visit while I'm in LA, too." Remy says. "Probable cause."
Naomi laughs slightly. "No seriously, I may need you to."
"Say no more."
"How's this Shiloh boy? I keep hearing about him, but I haven't gotten a chance to meet him for myself." Rayne takes a bite out of her omelet.
"He's a really good kid. You know how you meet someone and you just know they mean well?" Remy and Rayne nodded. "That's him. His loyalty to his friends scares me, though."
"Tell him he'll meet new friends. We all think we're gonna be friends with people from high school." Rayne says. "I could literally shoot them bitches from high school if I had the opportunity."
"I was a geek." Remy shrugs. "I didn't care for friends."
"Can't relate." Naomi says to the both of them.
"My high school friends and I are still cool. Minus one."
"Who? Q?" Naomi nods. "Yeah cause Zeke gon' whoop you." Remy snorts.
"Girl, please."
"Excuse me?" A deep voice causes the three ladies to look up at the gentleman who'd approached their table.
"Dios mío." Remy says under her breath, admiring at how fine he was.
There was a child next to him, looking like she was about to meet her favorite people ever. The joy on her face was indescribable.
"Yes?" Naomi speaks up.
"This is my little niece. She's ten and she's a big fan of all of you. She just wants a picture."
"Sure, that's no problem." Naomi smiles at the girl who squeals. The three women laugh as she squeezed between Remy and Naomi. Rayne leans into the picture and the handsome gentleman snaps the photo.
"What's your name sweetie?" Naomi looks at her.
"Kambria." The girl answers shyly.
"That's a pretty name." Rayne says.
"For a really pretty girl." Remy adds. "Gworl, that melanin is poppin'. Look like you got some Spanish in you, too."
The man laughs and nods. "Dominican to be exact."
"Ah, I'm Mexican."
"Oh, my name is José by the way."
"Well, it was nice to meet the both of you." Naomi says as the girl walks back to José.
He looks at Rayne, who doesn't look away from him. "My lil sis buys your hair all the time. When I tell her I saw you, she's gonna freak out."
Rayne smiles at him. "Are you from here?"
"No." He shakes his head. "We're from LA. I'm a model and I just have a free day with the family."
Rayne nods her head. "Tell you what. When we're all back in LA, bring your sis to my shop and I'll see what I can do for a loyal customer."
"Seriously?" Rayne nods her head again. "I'll most definitely do that."
Remy sips on her drink and looks between the two of them. She nudges Naomi to look up from her phone and Naomi does so. She did not miss the flirtatious aura from either of the two.
When José and Kambria left, Rayne turns back to them and sees that they are already looking at her. "What?"
"Mimosas got you flirting with Spanish men I see." Remy jokes. "Papi is fine, I can't lie."
"I was just tryna see if I still had it, girl." Rayne admits. "I've been out the game so damn long."
"Well you do cause lil tater tot wanna lick some chocolate." Remy says. "He wanna lick all of us to be honest, but you a lil more."
"Okay, no more drinks for you." Naomi takes the glass out of her hands.
"I'ma bad bitch, you can't kill me." Remy blurts out causing Rayne and Naomi to laugh.
2017 almost killed me(literally)