Ashton, Kyrie, and Sanaa trailed Aunt Violet into the kitchen and Jahlil and Andrew made their way to Andrew’s room. Jahlil took a seat, grabbed a basketball, and tossed it in the air.
“Tell me how my thirteen-year-old ended up in a holding cell after I told him he was grounded?” Jahlil asked, watching Andrew sit on the edge of his bed. “Start at the point where you finessed your aunt.”
“At first we were going to the court to play basketball,” Andrew started. “And then, Miya wanted to go to Shaking Shack. So I used your card and got a JoyRide. I paid for our food, before I know it, the lady wasn’t giving me the card back, her dad was there yelling at me and I was in the cop car.”
Jahlil placed the ball in his lap and stroked the short hairs of his beard. “You realize none of this shit would have happened if you stayed in the house and you weren’t being sneaky. I don’t get it Drew. I just had this conversation with you. Not even a week ago. Had I not been who I am they’d be booking you and sending you to a juvenile facility.”
Andrew looked down at his sneaker covered feet.
Jahlil’s voice snapped his eyes back center. “Look at me. Don’t cower now. You were bold when you were lying to your aunt. You’re not ready for the shit that comes with being a fuckin’ man. Do you hear me?”
“Yeah but I wasn’t doing nothing wrong,” Andrew defended. “Her dad swore I was some gang member.”
“Her dad is an asshole. But again had you been home where you were supposed to be or even at the courts where you told your aunt you were this could’ve been avoided. Hear me, I ain’t shit if I don’t have you or Sanaa. You get that? It’s been me and you. Stop fuckin’ trying to play me. At this point it’s disrespectful. Every time I tell you no, you think it’s a yes and do what you want. These rules aren’t to hinder you it’s to keep you safe. I’ll be losing my shit right now if they would’ve taken you from me. You get that?”
“I do,” Andrew stated.
Jahlil shook his head the bliss he felt morphed into uneasiness. “You don’t and I am so disappointed in you. Tighten up before I have to show you what life is like without rules and someone caring about you. Get out them clothes and be downstairs for dinner.”
Jahlil walked out his body quaking with a mixture of emotions he couldn’t sort through. Having Emani’s hands on him right now would’ve helped calm some of this, instead he was met by Sanaa screaming at the TV.
“Hell no they got my girl! What am I going to do now?” Sanaa dramatically called falling out on the couch. “Not E.Rose!”
“Ah shit,” Ashton blew plopping down dramatically next to the marker chain smoker. “You want the pink or purple marker?”
“Red,” Sanaa blew. “I’m stressed.”
Jahlil roamed into the living room finding the images of Emani’s mugshot plastered of the entertainment news. “Ah fuck!”
Sanaa held up the marker in Jahlil’s direction. “Here daddy. You need this more than I do. You’re never getting your girl back.”
26 /EMANI
This was goingto be her only time to cry. Alone in a holding cell, stinging face and a heavy heart. Once she got out of here there wasn’t going to be any room or space to bawl her eyes out. How Joanna could pierce her heart more than Malik was insane to her. What added to it was that this little plan they cooked up was sick. If her time with her college friends had proved nothing else it proved that there were only a hand full of people who loved her for her and wanted nothing in return. Sure there were millions of fans who loved her and cheered her name but they didn’t really love her. One misstep and they would pick her apart.
She scrubbed her face angry with herself that she was going to settle for the bullshit and tie herself to the madness. “You deserve so much more than what you’ve given yourself,” she whispered to no one else but herself. “Worked too damn hard to be right here alone and crying.”
Emani pulled in a steadying breath and allowed herself another thirty minutes of tears before wiping her face and rubbing her bruised wrists. And then she remembered those two words that nailed the coffin shut.I’m pregnant.
The disrespect was bold and if she opened her eyes and took her head off of her work the signs had always been there. The subtle conversation and comfortability. The random gifts Joanna passed off as items left over from photoshoots. The biggest indicator she never paid attention to was Malachi stopped coming around after he was one and a half. Now Emani could only assume that was because Malik’s features had finally start to show through. All of the talks about her relationship only for Joanna to be the one behind the tension.
Emani scratched her head through her hair. They’d stolen enough, whenever she got out of here, she was going to bounce back in the best way possible. Using the flat set of pillows and wool blanket she was given by the correctional officer, Emani laid down on the thin mattress and closed her eyes. What was a jail cell when she was forged in fire? She drifted into an uncomfortable sleep for what felt like agonizing hours until the officer returned.
“You’re going home,” the woman announced. She watched how Emani slowly sat her sore body up and stretched.
Emani offered her a slacked smile of appreciation. “Thank you for the pillows.”
“Don’t mention it. Do me a favor and don’t come back. Don’t ever let no bitch ass nigga make you throw away everything you worked for.”
Emani nodded. “Thanks.”
She was ushered down a long hall to a private corridor and out a door, free of possible exposure. Carson and Donnée waited next to the SUV. Donnée signed paperwork and collected items, while Carson stopped short of her to examine her face.
“Jahlil is going to lose his shit,” Carson muttered.
Emani gently moved his hand away. “He won’t because he won’t know. Right?”
Carson said nothing.
