When my mother stepped from around him, I knew it was serious. I stepped back, letting them both inside. My mother grabbed my hand and nervously patted it. “Morgan, what have you gotten yourself into?” she asked.
I was confused because I didn’t know what the hell she was talking about. I snatched my hand away. “I haven’t done anything.”
My father removed his glasses. “We saw those people carrying that boy from back here. You know we don’t pry into your business, but your safety is my concern. It comes to a point when I'll step in, and I’ll be damned if anything happens to you over some nigga.”
My eyes widened, and I almost wanted to laugh because my father had never spoken that way. “I promise I’m not into anything. He’s someone I met, and I was—”
Before I could finish talking, my mother cut me off. “Now listen to me, girl, we’re sending you away for a while. Your fast ass has been running around here, and we haven’t said a word. Ripping and running these streets with these bad boys is enough, Morgan. That boy is tied in with the Merciers. When that Black muthafucka showed up at my door, I knew it was something. Now I said what I said. You will be leaving in the morning. Got me coming out of character, Morgan, pack your bags because you're leaving.”
I didn’t know what to do. I knew that with my parents coming back here, things were serious. I also knew that Scooter was out there alone, and if I left, who would he have? It was as if the roles had reversed; it wasn’t the princess who needed saving, it was the creatures of Loch Ness needing saving from the cruel rich of Stone Castle. Now the shit started to make sense.
Once my parents left, I rushed to my phone to try to call Scooter again, but I was sent straight to voicemail. “Fuck!” I shouted.
I didn’t want to leave him out there, but if I stayed here, my parents sending me off would definitely be outside of Toussaint. I decided to call the only person I knew I could go to. I let the phone ring a couple of times before she answered. “Hey girl!”
“Alyse! Thank God you answered. So much shit is going on down here.”
“What happened from the time you called me to tell me about your ex and his people until now?”
I bit down on my nails nervously. “I will explain. I need to crash at your apartment for a few days.”
She laughed. “What the hell!”
“Alyse, please!” I shouted.
“Ok, you don’t have to yell. You can stay, but I’m only going to be here for another week before I come down for break.”
“That’s enough time for me to figure shit out. I will head there tonight. Leave the key under the mat.”
“I got you, girl. Hurry up so you can tell me the tea.”
“Shit is piping hot too,” I said as I finished up with her and rushed to pack my bags.
I honestly didn’t want to leave knowing Scooter was out there alone, but I just hoped like hell he called me, and I could meet him wherever he was.
I hit the road early to head back toward the city. I wanted to try to find Scooter because I hadn’t heard from him in the last couple of days. The thought of NTR getting a hold of him and doing him dirty played in my head. Hell, even the idea of him getting locked up again and my father doing him the same as Leek ran through my mind. With my birthday around the corner, a lot of shit was happening at once. I figured this year I would find peace, but at the rate shit was going, I knew that day would be just what it was, another day.
With each birthday, I’ve tried to find a form of solace. I even tried wrapping my mind around trying to forgive those who betrayed me, but a part of me felt like I had betrayed others, and I wasn’t so deserving of any peace. There was so much harbored inside me. The secrets, lies, guilt, anger, sadness, passion, and the love that wanted to bleed from me were stuck. I knew if I allowed myself to be free, I would no longer have control ofanything. It would be all fair in love and war. It was as if the death of Braylen declared war on the world of Beans.
The battle between the two had become so strong that in a moment of true beast fashion, Braylen tried to reign supreme. He tried to pour everything he had between Paige’s thighs. The thought of her sweet, creamy center lingered in my brain. There was so much more I wanted to explore with her, but before I could do that, there were things she needed to know. However, with the pressure of Chevy on my back, trying to help Scooter find a little happiness and my parents, she would have to wait.
When a call came through from my Pops, I considered declining, but I answered. “Dad,” I called out.
“Braylen, are you too busy to come hang with your pops, or do you have some time?” he asked.
The answer should have been that I was too busy, but it had been a minute since I’d seen him. My father had his moments in which he tried to make up for the worst days of my life, but I was already detached. I’ll never forget my senior year of college when they cut me off for not doing what they wanted me to do. Instead of asking them for a fucking dime, I used the one thing I knew I was good at besides music to survive. I’ve hustled until I got where I am, and they knew it was nothing they could offer me to pull me into their web of deceit.
I took a quick detour near Lake Hill to catch up with my dad. When I reached the Country Club, I noticed everyone's gaze turned towards me. Even though most members recognized me, it was my style and locs that caught their attention. I strolled casually through the club and out the back to find my father, who was standing there with a gin and tonic. He raised an eyebrow and his glass when he saw me. “Son.”
“Dad,” I replied.
He took a sip of his drink before he pointed to the Caddie who held a bag on each shoulder full of golf clubs. “Do you remember the game?” my dad asked.
I walked over to the caddie, taking one of the bags off his shoulders, “I’ve never forgotten.”
This was the life he wanted for me, but it wasn’t what I wanted. My father and I started at the first hole. He stared at me curiously as he removed a club from the bag. “Your birthday is in a few days. What are your plans?” he asked.
“I don’t have any.”
