*2 months later*
"Amare?" She been in bed since she had the twins. She's had a few setbacks and was back in the hospital.
I been taking care of the twins well Jr cause Ameria still in the hospital but hopefully she come home soon. We still haven't found Royalty and that shit has been eating Amare up alive.
I've been staying strong for her but a nigga can't lie I've sat in the shower crying about my baby girl.
"Yes?" She appeared in the doorway with a tight fitted dress on with a jean jacket and some gold sandals. "Where you going?" I asked her.
"Job hunting. I can officially start back working."
"Are you good?" "Yeah why?"
"You've been crying for 2 months straight now you just up and ready." "Oh well can't dwell on the past forever." I was so confused.
"Kiss my babies for me." "Amare sit down."
"Why?" "I got some news about Royalty." "Royalty?" "Our daughter?" "I don't have a daughter name Royalty." "Yes you do."
"No I don't August."
"Stop acting slow Amare. Royalty is your daughter." "Ohhh you talking about the lil girl I used to babysit that went missing um I think the family should stop searching."
What the fuck is she talking about? I went along with it.
"Why?" "It's been 2 months she's dead by now." "Don't say that Mare."
"Just being honest. Now excuse me I have an interview at a hair salon."
Amare P.O.V
I was walking when he snatched me up. "August what the fuck is yo problem?"
"Nah what is yo problem. Royalty is alive." "No the fuck she is not August it has been 2 months she's gone just accept it damn."
He pushed me against a wall and just stared at me with an angry expression.
I just stared. His expression softened before he broke down. I held him as we slid down to the floor. He just held me not knowing what to do.
Of course I didn't forget who my baby was but it was better to pretend like I did.
It hurts to much and the police gave up looking. I issued a police alert anyways and they still haven't found her shit hurts thinking that my baby might be dead.
I just held him as he cried. "It's okay baby." I rubbed his back.
I've had dreams of Amarrion lately crazy part is Ameria has also been popping up. He has been keeping her alive this long but she's ready.
"I miss her so fucking much Mare." This was the first time I've seen him cry and it made me feel like crying just watching him.
We sat there for a few minutes. "August?"
"Hm?" "I think it's time to pull the plug on Ameria." He lifted up.
"You just wanna kill all our kids huh?" "Listen August she's tired of fighting." "How the fuck would you know?"
"I've spoke to her August. She's tired. We are being selfish keeping her hooked up to machines I don't wanna kill my baby but that's what's best rather you like it or not."
He just shook his head. "I can't."
"August do you love them?" "With all my heart." He said. He sat on the arm of the couch I got up.
"Listen we gotta let them go. You only know you love someone once you let them go. These 2 months have been filled with pain that no mother wants to deal with but baby when it's time it's time."
I walked over to him and held his hands. "Why?" He asked.
I held back the tears. "You complain about it being too hot but when winter comes you pray for the heat and that's because you only miss the sun when you feel the snow. Only way you can miss her and truly love her is when you let her go."
He pulled me into his arms. "Ian never felt this way about nothing." He said.
"Love is a powerful feeling August but it's time. We've suffered enough, she's suffered enough. Same with Royalty it's time August it's hard to believe but she's gone baby it's been 2 months." He nodded.
"You right." He said. I kissed his forehead. "But I can't give up on them just yet." He said.
"August I hate to do this but I'm going back to Memphis." I told him. "What?" I nodded.
"I won't take August from you but I can't stay in Cali it's too much I'm sorry August." He laughed. "Say less."
_______________________
*5 months later*
It's been 5 months since I came back in Memphis for my fresh start.
Bre understood and stayed back but since it's summer break for them she's down here. I haven't spoke to August or seen my son.
I don't even know if Ameria still alive.
I laid in my bed waiting on Bre to finish her hair. "What's on your mind?" She asked.
"I'm 19 now and it has been almost 2 years since I met August." I told her.
"Yeah and?" "My life has been so up and down." I told her. "I feel ya shit weird ya know like your kids are now 7 months and Royalty hasn't even got the chance to meet them."
"Really Bre?" "What Amare? You don't miss them just a little?"
"I miss them everyday but I'm trying so hard to forget them." "You hated hearing Royalty ask about her father now Ameria and August Jr. is going to go through the same thing except they don't have a mother or father."
"They have August." "He's not blood related." I just laid back. "Please stop trying to make me feel guilty."
"I'm not trying to make you feel guilty I'm trying to make you understand what you are doing to them kids." "It's been 5 months Bre who knows if they even wanna see me?"
She handed me her phone and I began reading the messages.
Family 👫🤘🏽
Have you talked to Amare?
Bre here's some videos of them crawling to show her.
Jr. Standing already.
Bre please text back.
Bre please get back to me I need to talk to Amare.
Where do she stay now?
Ameria back in the hospital.
This is pointless by now huh
Ameria said mama
They speaking gibberish now but they say Dada a lot.
I stopped reading and gave her the phone back. "They need you Mare."
"Oh well." I got up and grabbed my keys.
"Where yhu going?" "The store."
________________
I pulled up. I grabbed my shopping list and began shopping.
I was on the candy isle getting snacks cuz it was that time where mother nature reminds me that I miss being pregnant.
"Tete can I get some airheads?" This lil girl asked this lady.
She looked just like Royalty I had to focus my vision but she looked and sounded just like her.
"No now come on." She began to cry. "Um excuse me." I said. The lady looked at me.
Once I got closer I realized it wasn't her. "I'll buy it for her." I said. "Nah she good." "But Tete." "Come on girl." She snatched the lil girl and walked off.
I grabbed 3 bags of airheads and went to check out.
"Good Afternoon." She said. "Afternoon."
"You have such a familiar face." "What you mean?" "You look just like my bosses daughter." I just nodded.
I looked around and seen the lil girl and her aunt leave.
I passed her $100. "Keep the change."
"But you total was only $20." I humped my shoulder and grabbed my bags. I seen they parked right by me.
Her auntie walked off to talk to a lady. "Psst." I called her over.
She looked back before running to me. "Here you go baby girl. How old are you?" I passed her the bags of air heads.
"Tank you and four." "You know how to use a phone?" She nodded.
"Okay here's my number hide it and if you need anything just let me know okay?" "Yes ma'am." She hugged me and went back to the car to put her candy up.
"Bye beautiful don't eat all that candy in one day." "Yes ma'am." She had the biggest smile causing me to smile.
I got in my car and turned my radio on 'Say something' by A Great Big World Started Playing. This was me and Royalty's song. I looked in my backseat and grabbed the photo I had of her.
I just stared at it as tears began to fall. "My baby." I said to myself.
I pulled out the parking lot and began to drive. My chest was heavy and my vision was extremely blurry from me crying.
I exploded. I've been holding in all this pain I let go of it.
*Beeepp* I heard before feeling an impact on both of my sides. I hit my head to the wheel before I blacked out.
________________________
I woke up in a hospital bed.
I blinked until my vision looked better. "Amare?" I looked over and seen August. "Auggy?" I lifted up and felt pain instantly causing me to lay back down.
"What you doing here?"
"Got the call you was here." "Where's the kids?" "At home with their mother." "Their mother is right here."
"Nah Jasmine adopted them." I got up.
"Fuck you mean she adopted my kids?" He laughed. "Yo kids? Bitch you left them and changed your number you don't get to claim them."
"I pushed them out not her."
"Being a mother is not based on who pushed them out but instead who was there for them. I sat at doctor's appointments, changed diapers, fed them, and whatever else."
I got out the hospital bed and ripped the I.V out my arm.
"You think I haven't thought about my kids? I chose to leave them with you because you have the money to afford them not me."
"Money don't mean shit. I ain't grow up with money and I still had a good ass life because I had my parents the people I needed most in life with me."
I pushed him into a wall. "August I fucking hate you." He just stood there.
"You think this shit cool to hurt me over and over a fucking gain but it's not. I want my kids back August." I yelled at him.
He stood there taking every blow.
"Tete Mari down here." I heard a tiny voice say. She ran pass my room when I stopped hitting him.
"Royalty?" I walked out the room watching her run down the hall. "ROYALTY??" I screamed making everybody look. She turned around.
"Mommyyyyy!!!!" She screamed to me.
Tears fell as my little girl ran into my arms. "Royalty who are you here with?" "Tete Mari."
__________________
"Royalty!!!" "Mare wake up you good?" Bre was shaking me when I woke up.
"What happened?"
"You came from the store and went to sleep next thing I know you was screaming for Royalty."
"I think I know where she's at." I grabbed my phone and called August.
I was sent to voicemail. I kept calling as I slid on my slides and tied my hair up. I grabbed my gun. "Woah Mare what's going on?"
"I had a dream of Royalty and she told me she was with Mari."
I ran out the door and got in the car. I continued calling him but every time it was voicemail. Bre got in.
"Let's go find our baby." She said.
I used her phone to call August and he answered.
Hello?
I found Royalty.
Where?
Well I haven't found her yet but I know where she is.
Amare don't do shit stupid.
To late baby I'm retarded when it comes to my kids. Get here ASAP. 1244 Bermington Banks is my new address.
Ight getting ready for my flight now
I hung up and drove to they house.
__________________
"You ready?" I asked Bre. She nodded.
I went upstairs to Mari house and knocked on the door.
"Who is it?" "Landlord." I covered the peep hole. The door knob giggled before it opened. "Is Omari here?" I asked ole boy.
"Yeah who you?" "The landlord I need to do some checking around." He opened the door fully.
I walked in "Mari the landlord here." He yelled. It was another man on the couch.
I walked straight to my old room and she wasn't there. "Where she at?" I humped my shoulders.
We searched the house up and down and all I found was her teddy bear.
"How can I help you?" I turned around to see Omari. "The fuck you doing here?" She asked me. "Where's my baby?"
"Bitch I don't know that's yo job to keep up with yo kids. What happened to the ones you just had?" She asked smirking. "You so fucking evil to do yo own sister like this." She humped her shoulders.
"Jerry come here." She called. The man appeared in the door.
"This the lil hoe I was telling you about." She said. "Mhm." He licked his lips walking slowly up to me.
"BRE!!" I tried to scream her name. He pushed me into the wall. "Don't worry my boy already handling her." He said laughing.
He looked at Omari as she closed the door. "Damn you fine. We might as well skip the act you fucking and I wanna fuck so wassup."
He started kissing on my neck. We heard gunshots making him turn around I grabbed my gun and shot his dick.
I ran out the room to see Bre. "Let's go bitch." She said.
We ran out. "I really thought she'll be here." I said. "I'll drive." Bre told me. I sat there about to cry.
August P.O.V
I was at her house and I felt kinda weird leaving the twins home with Jasmine.
For all she know Amare walked out on them and I decided to take custody. She had a key under the mat so I let myself in.
She walked in and was crying. "What happened? Where's Royalty?"
"She wasn't there." Bre said. I pulled Amare into my arms. I was mad as fuck for her walking out on them but she needed me right now.
"I thought she would be there. I had a dream and she said she was with her."
"A dream?" Most people would think it's crazy to believe dreams but it's true that 90% of dreams carry secret messages.
"Yes. I was in the hospital arguing with you and she ran pass." I was confused.
"Arguing for what?"
"We were arguing because you let Jasmine adopt my kids." "Why would I do that?" She just humped her shoulders as I held her.
"Look babygirl do you know where they would hide her or why would they take her?"
"No." She said. "Yo mama house." Bre said. I looked at her. "Let's go."
Unknown P.O.V
"Boss they on to us they raided Omari house earlier." "Bring her here ASAP." She said.
I carried the lil girl in.
"Hey Royalty." "Hey." She said softly. "How you feeling?" I asked her. She just kept playing with her fingers.
I stood there as the boss had her. She drug her to the torture room.
I wasn't for all this. She lit a cigarette and started blowing the smoke in the girl's face. I began to feel bad as she cried and just sat there singing.
"My god is awesome." She sung. She let out her cigarette on the little girl's skin she cried in pain.
I closed my eyes and walked out.
Minutes later she came out the room. "Lock her back up." She told me.
I went in the room to see her balled up. "Royalty?" She moved away from me weakly.
"I'm not going to hurt you." I told her.
"Do you know your mommy's number?" She nodded. "Okay come here."
Amare P.O.V
August phone rung. "Who is it?" He asked driving.
"Unknown." "Answer it." I nodded and put it on speaker.
Unknown
Is this August?
Who asking?
August said.
If you want your lil girl back I advise you to listen carefully.
I looked back at Bre and August looked at me.
Go ahead.
We need $1,000,000 by tonight for the little girl.
Say less we can meet now.
Omari's place.
Ight.
"August who got that type of money?" I asked him.
He ignored me and pulled up to this place. "Gimme a minute." I nodded.
_____________________
He came back out with a duffle bag. "Let's go." He drove fast all the way to Omari's house.
He gave me and Bre a gun. "Call back." I did it.
We here.
Come on up. Make sure Amare bring it.
They hung up. He gave me the duffel bag and whispered some in my ear.
I nodded. "Kiss for good luck." Bre said.
I laughed a little. He grabbed my neck softly and kissed me. Lord knows I miss this feeling so much.
"Bring my baby back." He told me.
I just nodded. I went up there and knocked on the door.
I made sure my gun wasn't visible. Omari came to the door. "Why are you back?" A different dude appeared behind her.
"Nice to finally meet you Amare." He smiled.
"We got yo stuff where's my baby?" He laughed. "Come on in." I looked back before stepping in.
"Sit." I sat on the couch. "Bring the girl." Omari brung Royalty from the back with my mama behind her. "Mommyyyy." She screamed. I dropped the bag and ran to her.
He picked her up and began counting. "Mommy missed you so much." I kissed all over her. "You got yo money can we go?"
He laughed. "It's not that simple baby girl." Omari and my mama both grabbed me.
"Y'all know procedure." He said.
They drug me to the back. I was trying to fight back but they wouldn't let me go.
"Royalty!!" "Mommy!!" I watched my baby crying which gave me all the motivation I needed to do this.
I grabbed my gun and blasted that hoe right at Omari's knee and my mama's.
August and Bre came in at the correct time. As August planned Bre grabbed Royalty while we handled them.
My momma and Omari was held over in pain.
I got up and hoovered over them. "I fucking hate you." I pistol whipped Omari then stuck my finger in her bullet hole.
I heard gunshots going off and ignored them.
I grabbed the alcohol and poured it in they wombs. "Amareee!" My mama screamed. I was fed up with they bullshit. "Shut up bitch."
She did as told. "Now listen to me. All my life you bitches ran over me and made me out to be the worse child in the world but you see I'm not that type of person I'm not gone kill y'all but I will leave y'all to suffer." I got up.
"Go to hell. You was always a demon child. You ain't shit and you'll never be shit except a babymama and a side bitch." My momma said.
I kicked her in the mouth. "Watch ya mouth haven't your mother ever told you if you don't have nothing nice to say don't say nothing at all?" I grabbed my gun and walked out the room.
I seen August on the ground bleeding.
I got down. "August what happened?" He spit out blood and pointed behind me.
The dude had his gun pulled on me.
"Do you wanna live or join yo lil boyfriend?" I looked at August. "Live." He handed me the gun. "Shoot him." Dude told me.
"Go ahead Mare." August said.
I pointed the gun at August. My breathing picked up as I put my finger on the trigger.
I hurried up and turned around shooting the dude in his neck. He hit the floor and began coughing up blood.
I grabbed the duffel bag and helped August up. Once he was fully up we walked out the apartment. Bre got out. "He good?" "Start the car we gotta get him to the hospital ASAP." I told her.
Royalty was in the back seat balled up.
I picked her up and laid him across the back seat. I had to think quick.
"Daddy!!" Royalty started crying. "Royalty listen get in the front seat and don't turn around." She nodded.
I got in the car as Bre rushed to the hospital.
He held his chest trying to show me where the bullets was.
I noticed his arm. I took my shirt off and tied it around the one in his arm. I've watched enough Law and Order to do this shit.
I lifted his shirt up and seen the one in his chest. He touched my hand and his was getting cold. "August I swear to god if you die I'mma kill you." I told him.
I stuck my finger in his womb remember from a nursing program I went to.
I had to find the air pocket and pop it so enough air could flow through. I stuck my finger in there and he groaned in pain as I searched around.
Once I found it I stuck my nail through it until I felt it pop.
_____________________
We was in the waiting room of the hospital I began checking out Royalty.
"Baby what happened?" I asked her. She just started crying. I picked her up and went to a family restroom and locked the door.
I sat her on the counter.
"Arms up." I lifted her shirt up and seen the burns, bruises, scratches, and cuts.
I started crying. "I should've killed them bitches." I said. I looked at Royalty. "Did anybody touch your No No spots?"
She nodded yes. "Can you show mommy how they touch it?" She nodded.
I pulled her pants off and pulled her panties down. She grabbed my hand and put it on there and moved it around in circles.
My heart crushed. "That's all they did." She nodded.
"Was it a boy?" She nodded yes. I pulled her stuff back up and held her in my arms. "I'm so sorry baby." I cried holding her.
"Daddy." She said. "August?" She shook her head no.
"Who baby?" "Daddy, IHOP, No No Spot."
It finally hit me she was talking about the guy that raped me. "He touched you?" She nodded yes.
"Who hurt you?" "Tete Mari, Nana, and Jasmine."
"Wait who?" "Tete Mari, Nana, and Ms. Jasmine." I looked shocked. I opened the restroom door. "Nurse."
"Yes?" I lifted up my baby clothes. "Can you please put her in a room and check her out." She nodded. "Name?"
"Royalty Noelle Barnes." She has Bre's middle name.
"Okay come on." She led us to the back and I waved at Bre to let her know to follow. We went into an empty room.
She sat her on the bed. "Can you please explain to me what happened?"
"Um a few months ago she was kidnapped from me and I found her today. She showed me her scars and told me she was touched." I told her.
She nodded. "Hey Royalty." She just looked at her.
"Okay pretty girl I'm going to lift your shirt up is that okay?" She looked at me and I nodded.
"Yes ma'am." Royalty said. She pulled her shirt over her head.
She touched Royalty and she instantly started to freak out. "Stopppp. Mommy!!?" She screamed and hugged me.
"She's traumatized." She said. "Well damn we just stating the obvious." Bre said.
"Okay ladies I know this is hard for you already but I have to call in some detectives." I nodded.
______________________
Some people came and questioned us. I laid in the bed with my baby and just held her.
"I missed you so much fat mama." "I missed you too mommy. Tummy little now." She said pointing to my belly.
"Yeah you have a new brother and sister making you a big sister." She smiled.
"Where are they?" Bre gave me her phone and I clicked on the video of them crawling. This was the first time I watched it and I almost cried.
"What's they names mommy?"
"Ameria and August."
"Like daddy?" "Yep like daddy's." She frowned. "Is he okay?" "I don't know yet baby girl but we'll find out."
She just hugged me. "Never leave me again mommy." "I promise you I won't." I told her.
"Hey Ms. Barnes I'm Steve from child services and I'm here for Royalty." I grabbed my baby "What you mean you're here for her?"
"Well ma'am the situation described to us and the condition that she's in shows us that she's not 100% safe in your care."
I looked at him crazy. "Y'all not taking my baby I just got her back."
He sighed. "You have 2 hours left with her." He walked out and she held me. "Mommy they wanna take me." She said.
"I know baby but listen to me. No matter what I will find you again okay? Promise me you won't stop believing that mommy is fighting to get you back everyday and don't let nobody tell you I don't love you."
"I promise mommy. Promise my brother and sister won't get big and daddy will be okay and you love me."
"I promise." I just held her tight all I could do was cry and I know Bre felt bad cause all she could do was put her head in her hands. "Wanna go see daddy?" I asked her.
She nodded. I picked her up and walked to his room number.
I knocked on the door. "Come in." His doctor was standing there. "Family?" I nodded. "How are you related?"
"I'm his wife and this is his daughter." He nodded.
"Okay then Mrs. Alsina your husband is fine. We removed both bullets without any issues but he is sleeping it off at the moment."
"Thank you." I walked over to his bed side. "Daddyyy!!" Royalty hopped out my arms and crawled in bed with him.
He looked so dead. I grabbed some Carmax out my purse and rubbed it on his lips.
I twisted his hair in some plats and cleaned the dried blood off him. I felt him moving around. Royalty was laying on the side of him.
I put the t.v on Dora for her. I laid on the opposite side of him. "Auggy?" I whispered to him but he didn't move.
"I love you." I kissed his lips and just laid there.
__________________
I watched them take my baby from me. She screamed my name. "Mommy you promised." She cried out.
I just cried holding my chest as they took her away.
Bre came hugging me. "We gone get her back I promise." I just nodded I watched the truck pull off once it was out of sight I broke down again.
How the fuck I lose my baby again?