Page 21 of Captured By A Reckless Soul

“Why you didn’t announce yourself son?” She stood on her tippy toes as I lowered my tall frame to embrace her tight. Just like my cousin Angel, she stayed in my arms trying to rock me like I was still a kid.

“I like hearing you and unc argue over nothing.” I smiled, it felt good hugging my mom and smelling her scent. She rocked the same fragrance since I was a youngin’.

“Did you go see pops? We weren’t expecting you until the weekend. What’s wrong? It looks like something is bothering you.” She stepped out of my arms and stared hard at me, trying to read me. Nothing was wrong, but if you left things up to my mom, she had gone snooping in my business. She probably already knew I took a hit and wanted to see if I was going to say something. If I gave her the okay, my mom would be standing right next to me with her gun secured tight in her hands. She loved having any and every reason to get her hands dirty. It gave her a thrill and made her feel like she was back in control.

“Nothing is wrong Ma, just a lil tired.” I gave her a reassuring smile.

“Bosses don’t get tired son.” She stated seriously.

“Cut the bullshit Relli and tell your son how you were worked up cause he took a hit out there overseas.” Cease looked at her as she mean-mugged him and balled her tiny fist. She was put on the spot, and she hated when someone showed her true hand.

“Nigga shut the fuck up!” She gritted. Shaking my head at her, I gave her a serious look.

“Come on Ma, you know better. What did dad tell you about snooping in my business?”

“Nigga you are my business. Now after you sit and talk to pops, I want you to meet me in my office.” She walked out of the kitchen with her head held high.

“That’s your momma.” Khaos and Cease said in union.

“Gone and go see pops, we will be in ya momma’s office.” Cease was the first to stand as he pulled a pack of Skittles out of his jean pocket.

I made my way down the hallway surprised my sister Christina hadn’t popped out yet. I knew she was somewhere around here getting spoiled. Whenever I came back home, I wasn’t big bad Ream. I was looked at as Christian and treated like I was still the baby boy of the house. At first, I didn’t like the shit, but I couldn’t deny that I loved feeling the love and getting spoiled by my family whenever I did have the time to visit. My sister Christina basked in it, whenever she came home from school she didn’t stay at a hotel. She came right back home and got overly spoiled by our dad.

I opened the door slowly to my grandfather’s room and was hit with the same smell you got from being at the hospital. The room my parents put him into was big, on the inside he had everything he needed as if he was in an actual hospital. Right now, he was currently hooked up to an oxygen machine. His tall body lay sunken in the special hospital bed, I was sure because of his height my parents had to get his bed specially made. The closer I got the more I saw how skinny he had become. His hands were folded over his stomach like he was already in a casket. My stomach churned at the thought of really losing him.

“Pops,” I said above a whisper. His eyes opened and when he saw me, he looked confused for a while until my face registered. To see such a powerful man, die slowly in front of your eyes was very painful. “Sorry, it took me so long, to get over here.” I half smiled, he unfolded his hands and held his frail right hand out. I gave him my hand and he gripped it tight.

“Grandson, you looking good.” His thick Jamaican raspy accent couldn’t be missed. After years of living here in the states, he never let go of his culture and the way he spoke.

“I’m tired of fighting son. I want to be free of all this.” He pulled his oxygen mask off so I could hear him clearly. Coughing a little and struggling to move, I grabbed his cup of water and placed it to his mouth.

“Ma said you not eating very well.” I looked him over again, forcing myself to remain strong. I could feel myself getting emotional, but I swallowed that shit down and tried to stand tall in front of him.

“Your Ma is very bossy.” He tittered and coughed a little more. I took a seat and held his hand again as we talked a little more and laughed at some of the things, I had told him. I even brought up Reaper and told him how hardcore she was. I explained how she kept pulling at something inside of me. Before he fell asleep, he smiled and told me to marry her, that she was the woman for me. I shook that off and watched him sleep a little while longer. I was afraid of commitment, a woman like Reaper would be a lot of work and cause plenty of headaches. Somewhere deep inside of me was starting to believe that I could take on that challenge.

I couldn’t stop thinking about her as I sat here with my grandfather. I wondered if she was feeling better and back to her normal self. I placed the oxygen mask back over my pops and covered him up since my mom had the AC on full blast. I spent the rest of my evening in my momma’s office as she filled me in on shit I should have already known within my dynasty. She dropped a couple of bombs on me and after this weekend, I planned on going into beast mode.

Chapter Eighteen

BEAST

I listened to Mattea kick and scream while throwing things at the door I had locked her in. I hated to be on some straight bully shit with my kids, but she didn’t have any more chances at keeping fucking secrets when it came to her wellbeing. Her and my other two kids were living life as if I didn’t put my own issues to the side and be the best father I could. Feeling like you were losing control over your kids as they became adults was the hardest part of parenting to me.

I tried to let them have their freedom and live their life how they saw fit after Kayori had told me that I was going to run them far away from me. I felt like I had their best interest at heart. I only had two kids left that actually listened and stayed on the right track. It was my twin boys Mi’air and Ki’air. All them little niggas cared about was basketball and video games. They were lazy when it came to chores around the house, but they followed my rules and had no plans on leaving home soon. Their biggest dream was to make it to the NBA and so far, they were on the right track. My other three were different, Mattea and Matthew were close and very secretive.

I got a hint about my daughter Kachella, every time she walked out the door, she was dressed in some hoe shit. Like she wanted to be a city girl so bad and didn’t know what all that shit came with.

“Baby, you can’t lock her in there like that, she’s grown.” Kayori my beautiful wife stood in the hallway. She looked sad, and I hated that shit. We couldn’t properly live our lives now that our kids were grown because we were constantly stressed the fuck out about what they were into.

“It’s for her own good Juicy.” I eyed her thick thighs and licked my lips as she rolled her eyes. What I loved most about looking at my wife was her scars that decorated the right side of her face. It gave her heavy sex appeal to me, and I hated when she would put makeup on covering the sexiest part of her.

“I won’t leave her in here all day, but I don’t want her to leave Juicy. Ream Powers called me on behalf of her. Our daughter into some street shit, its only one family I know with the last name Powers. He gotta be tied to that high-powered bitch Rellianah, they try to play nice but them muthafuckas is a part of the fuckin’ Mafia. I can’t have my firstborn out here on bullshit! I can’t lose her.” My heart slammed into my chest. I couldn’t even picture Mattea into some illegal shit. I was done with the streets, and I made that sacrifice for my kids. I thought by my kids being secretive and going weeks without communicating with us meant they have involved with someone. Like they had been dating and didn’t want me in their business. I tried to respect that shit because I knew they were now grown.

“What time is Dr. Scott getting here?” I asked. Dr. Scott was actually my therapist she became close to this family over decades ago. She helped me bring all my split personalities into one and accept who I was. I tried to have Mattea talk to her, but she hated her for no damn reason.

“She should be here soon.” Kayori closed in on me and started to caress my shoulders while standing on her tippy toes. That was her way of trying to calm me down. I heard another item crash against the door Mattea was in and hung my head again. My heart started to beat wildly, and I could feel my anger being triggered. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I counted down in my head and tried to will myself to remain calm.

“Go get my medicine Juicy and I will go in there and talk to her.” I sighed. I had no choice but to let her go if she didn’t want the help. With Mattea’s condition, she really didn’t need to live alone. I granted her that to show her, I wasn’t trying to treat her like she was handicapped. My mother did that shit to me, treated me like a mentally sick fuck. Always dosed me up with medications and forcing me to see doctors twice or maybe three times a week if she didn’t want to deal with me. I was trying to do things differently with Mattea but she was making things hard. After taking my medication, I sat on the floor next to the door and got myself under control. After fifteen minutes of hearing Mattea crying, I stood to my feet and unlocked the door from the outside and entered.