Page 85 of A Don & His Doll

“Are you really that heartless that you would harm an innocent child?” Sienna was revulsed.

“Are you really that damn gullible?” Macie said, laughing at her for believing anything different than what she’d shown her. “In this game. Feelings are a liability, that’s why I don’t have any. Just put the gun down,” Macie said, turning her head for a brief moment.

Pst…Pst!

Sienna shot twice at the first opportunity she received, the first bullet grazed the left side of Macie’s face, but the second one went straight through her chest. Macie's eyes widened in disbelief as she stumbled backward.

Pst…

Sienna shot her gun again, hitting Macie in the stomach before her body hit the ground. Her hands and body shook uncontrollably as soon as the reality of what she’d done had kicked in. At the bottom of the stairs, Macie laid on the ground choking on her own blood.

“Oh God, what have I done?” Sienna panicked, not knowing what to do next. Monroe is going to hate me, that thought alone felt like a bullet exploding in her heart. Sienna was a complete wreck as her myriad thoughts got the best of her. Her breathing became shallow, and her nerves– they were so bad she sat down, pulling her knees into her chest as she rocked back and forth.

Minutes later, Monroe and Mitch burned rubber as they pulled into the driveway. They both ran into the house one after the other, stopping at the bottom of the stairs, looking back and forth between Macie’s lifeless body and Sienna. They’d seen and heard everything as they sped through the city to get there. Monroe stood over his mother speechless, while Mitch slowly walked up the stairs.

Every moment he’d shared with his mother flashed at that moment.

Every question he’d never got the opportunity to ask would remain unanswered.

The whole situation was fucked up, but the acceptance for what was settled Monroe in a way words that were lost in transition never could. Deep down, Monroe knew he’d never be able to obtain the love, life, and true joy he yearned for as long as his mother was breathing. He’d never missed a target, but still, he just couldn’t be the one to pull the trigger. He wasn’t happy, but he wasn’t devastated either because while he was in Malibu, he’d stumbled across some information that had blown him away about his mother.

ASPD Comorbid Antisocial Personality Disorder and Schizophrenia.

Macie had dealt with and hid this disorder from everyone around her. Monroe would have never known had he not dug deeper into the connection she used to get into the hospital. The name Valencia Latrez didn’t ring a bell, so he researched her, and found out that she was a therapist whose husband owned the hospital. From there, he pieced the rest of the puzzle together easily.

“It’s okay. We’re here now,” Mitch said as he got closer to Sienna.

“It’s all over, Sienna. You safe,” Monroe spoke calmly as he slowly looked over Macie’s dead body. “Where’s Monae?” She was the only person in the world he needed to get to.

“She’s in your closet hiding,” Sienna said lowly, her eyes shifting to Monroe as he stood beside his mother, looking up only when he heard Monae’s name.

I never thought this is how it would end, he thought, stepping over his mother’s body. Monroe walked slowly up the stairs, and went straight to his room without saying a word to Sienna. He didn’t have it in him right then to comfort her when he struggled with so many mixed emotions concerning her. However, Monae was a different story. She was his. He had promised to protect her, but had underestimated his mother.

“I’ll be right back. I need to call someone to clean this shit up,” Mitch said, standing.

When Monroe opened the closet door, the look of horror that was painted on Monae’s face brought him to his knees before his mind could catch up with the gravity his heart felt. He didn’t need the years he lost with his daughter to confirm what was abundantly clear in this moment. He loved her like he’d been standing there the day she made her entrance into this dark and dying world, and had watched her grow into the perfect young lady he saw today.

“Daddy,” Monae rasped, her voice just above a whisper, telling of just how hard she’d been crying. “Is my mom okay? Please tell me she’s okay,” Monae begged with a fresh flow of tears streaming from her eyes.

“Your mother is a little shaken up, but she’s fine,” Monroe assured his daughter. “Everything is fine now.”

Monae rested her head on her father’s chest as a peace that surpassed understanding washed over them both. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here when danger knocked at the door, but I promise you I’ll never leave you uncovered again.”

“I wanted to call you so bad, but I left my phone in my room. I’m sor…”

“I’m right here, Muffin,” Monroe said, wrapping her in the security of his embrace. “It ain’t never gon’ come a day you gotta apologize for grown folks. You ain’t do nothin’ wrong. You hear me?” Monroe quizzed, pulling back slightly to lock eyes with his daughter because the next words he spoke, he needed her to feel his sincerity. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Dad,” Monae replied, then rested her head back down on his chest.

Since Macie’s death, Monroe had repaired the damage done to his home, bought Sienna and Monae their own mansion, and temporarily moved in with Promise while their new home was being built. He had been in the same mansion for the last six years, so while he didn’t love the idea of moving, there was no way he could remain living in the same home his mother’s existence was erased from the world. No amount of money, renovations, or fresh paint could erase what had happened within those walls. Some memories were too heavy to renovate around. He hadn’t grieved how most expected. There were moments when his mind still drifted to Macie, and despite everything she'd done, he hated that their story had reached such a tragic end. Yet, beneath the sorrow was an acceptance that could only be revealed through maturity and understanding. Some endings couldn't be rewritten, no matter how desperately a person wished for another chapter. All Monroe could do now was honor their good days, and learn from the bad ones, because staying handcuffed to the memories behind him wasn’t an option.

As Monroe stepped off the elevator, he felt like an Israelite entering the promised land for the first time. Tink’s Gang spilled gracefully from Promise’s in-home speakers, the scent of Le Labo Santal 26 and soul food lingered in the air as he walked down the hall towards the kitchen. The tsunami that had hit his life wasn’t for the weak, but Monroe had been certified for the task. He’d shown up when life was hard as hell to endure, shouldered the pain of those he’d loved most in the world, and found a way to win despite the hand he’d been dealt. He’d lost time, sleep, and even his mother; but as he stood at the kitchen’s entrance and watched her from behind, he realized that he had gained far more than he’d lost. Promise was an answered prayer, his reward, and his peace.

Monroe watched silently as Promise carefully bent to remove one of the dishes she'd prepared from the oven. A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. He walked deeper into the kitchen, wrapping his arms tightly around her protruding belly as she sat the hot pan in her hand on the counter.

“You got it smellin’ real good in here, Doll,” Monroe said, pressing his warm lips to the back of her neck.

“Hey babe,” Promise said, leaning her head back on his left shoulder as he caressed her belly from behind.