Youngblood

Chapter 20

Three days later….

Cameron

            I had just gotten back from Puerto Rico with Kenny.  We had just walked into the house.  The house was still quiet and dark.  “I’m going to go lay down.”  Kenny said as I kissed Tasha who was asleep on the couch.  “Alright.  I’m out here.” 

I took my shoes off as Tasha sat up.  “Good morning.”  I said smiling at her.  “Good morning.”  I laid down on the couch as she walked over to me.  She laid down squeezing herself between me and the couch as she had always done since she was very little.  My back was always her pillow.  She always slept so sounds like this.  It was a comfort thing for her.  She threw her leg over mine as she pulled the covers over us and fell back into a deep sleep.  I laid there staring at the door until I finally fell asleep.

 I awakened a few minutes later to someone standing in front of me.  I looked up at Maryah as she sleepily stared at me.  Is she sleepwalking?  I thought trying to focus on her through my exhausted eyes.  I opened my arms to her.  She lay down in front of me and I engulfed her into my arms and went back to sleep.

Rachel

            I awakened in my bed.  I looked beside me at the empty bed.  She must be sleeping in, I thought getting up.  Normally Maryah would have made it to my bed by now.  I walked into her room and discovered her and Kelis’s bed empty.  I walked up the hall and peeked into Traci’s room.  She was asleep in her bed holding Tyrel.  Next to her asleep was Kenny and on his chest was Kelis.  I walked into the living room and froze.  I looked at Cameron on the couch asleep with the girls.  I walked over to them. 

When I got within two feet of them his eyes popped open making me jump back.  “Hey, Beautiful.”  He said half asleep.  I continued towards him and sat across from them on the coffee table.  “Why do you have my daughter?”  I asked quietly.  “I don’t know.  I think she was sleep walking.”  I looked from him to Maryah.  “You can take her if you want.  I’m a little squished anyways.”  He opened his arms so I could take her.  She rolled away from me, into him hugging him tighter. 

What the hell?  I thought staring at her.  “Never mind, she’s okay.”  He said rubbing her back as she cuddled up to him.  He kissed her forehead and rested his head with hers and immediately went back to sleep.

  I watched them sleeping for a moment, as I fought the jealous beast within me.  The more I watched them the more the beast died.  They looked so cute together.  I reached over to rub Maryah’s back.  His hand shot straight up and grabbed my hand startling me.  “Sorry, reflexes.”  He said releasing my hand. 

That was neat, I thought staring at him a moment as he began snoring again.  I reached over towards Maryah again.  His hand shot straight up and grabbed my hand again.  “Sorry.”  He mumbled releasing my hand again.  I couldn’t help but smile.  I sat there watching them for a moment.  I jumped out of my skin when the doorbell rang.

  I got up and walked over to the door and opened it.  “Yes?”  I asked the delivery man standing there with a box.  “Maryah Williams?”  He asked.  “I’m her mother.”  He stood there staring at me.  “Can I have my package or are you going today dream all day?”  “I’m sorry its just you’re so beautiful.  He said handing me the clip board.  “Is there a Mr.  Williams?”  I stared at him.  “There will be me shoving my foot down your throat if you don’t give me my package and get the hell on.”  I said shoving the clip board at him. 

We both jumped back as Cameron swung the door open wider.  He looked like he was going to punch the guy out.

Cameron

            I pulled Rachel back and stepped towards the trembling man.  I grabbed the box out his hands, and then stepped back into the house closing and locking the door behind me.  I sat the box on the coffee table as Maryah sat up.  I looked at Rachel who was still standing by the door staring at me in shock. 

“What?”  I asked.  She shook her head.  I watched the sexiest woman in the world walk over towards me.  I sat down as she opened the box.  “Aw!  Look babe!”  She said pulling out the doll.  I smiled at Maryah as she lit up.  “THANK YOU, MOMMY!”  She screamed jumping up and hugging Rachel.  “Babe, it’s not from me.”  She said pulling the card off the doll.  She stood there reading it as Maryah excitedly danced around with the doll making me laugh. 

My eyes returned to Rachel as she looked at me.  “Why did you have it delivered?  Why not give it to her in person?”  She asked.  The more I stared at her, the greater my need became to just touch her.  I tried my hardest to ignore it and focus on the question she had asked.  “I didn’t know I was going to be here.  There was a change in plans.”  I explained as she stared at me.  My lust of her began to burn through my stare at her and she finally looked away.  “Thank you, Cam.”  Maryah said hugging me.  “You’re welcome.”  I smiled at her as she ran to the back of the house with her doll. 

I looked back at Rachel as she stared at me again.  “That was very thoughtful.  Thank you.”  She said looking away.  I smiled at her.  “No problem.”  I said making her look at me.  “Cam., what about me?”  Tasha asked sitting up.  I smiled at her.  “You think I could ever forget you?”  I asked pulling a jewelry box out my pocket.  I opened it revealing the fourteen-carat gold bracelet with her name looped in it.  “WHOA!”  She exclaimed holding out her wrist.  I put the bracelet on her wrist.   She sat there admiring it.  I looked back at Rachel who was smiling at us.           “You want your gift too?”  I asked making her smile disappeared.  “I have a gift?”  She asked.  I nodded my head.  “What is it?”  I smiled.  “Me.”  She laughed.  “No thanks.  You can keep it.”  She said walking in the back.  I looked at Tasha as she laughed.  “Shut up.” 

Kishawn

            I was sitting at the shop in California, with Reggie and Marquan. I was thinking of different ways to make some more money.  This stealing cars gig was not cutting it. 

            I looked at Reggie who was under the hood of the car.  “What if I start selling pills too?”  He looked at me as Marquan played around with the dog.  “Boy, you can’t sell something you addicted to.  It never works out.  Plus, you are too reckless.”  “Who says I’m addicted to pills?”  He stood in front of me.  “No one with eyes had to say anything.”

We stood there staring at each other for a moment.  “Shawn, trust me when I say you in the drug world is not going to work out.”  “Reggie, you’re not my Daddy.  You don’t know me like that.  Who are you to tell me what I can and cannot do?”  I watched the tears form in his exhausted eyes for a moment before he finally looked away.  “You are right.  I’m not your Dad, but it doesn’t mean I don’t love you like my son.”  I glanced at Marquan who was sitting with the dog watching us. 

“You forget that I’ve known you all of your life.  I know you very well Shawn. I have seen a lot of s**t in my days.  I worked for you Dad for over half my life running this shop he invested in. I watched him torture Melina’s momma until she left her on his doorstep and fled town.  I heard how he strangled your mother to death right in front of you.  I see how Marquan’s mom pled guilty to three counts of murder to protect the only man she loved.  She will never be a free woman as long as she lives. Marvin was hell on wheels and loved no one but his three kids.  I see the road you will go down if you get into that world. I am begging you not to do this.”

 I stared at him a moment.  I felt so bothered he was trying to save my poor soul.  As far as I was concerned, there wasn’t anything left of my soul to save.  It died with my father.  Did I miss him?  Sometimes I did.  It wasn’t enough to stop me from becoming the man I was evolving into.  I loved and respected Reggie with all my heart.  He always looked out for us.  I just knew not to depend on people for too long.  With the exception of my brother and sister they would always leave whether dead or just out my life.

“If you know me so well, you would know you are wasting your breath.”  He took a deep breath before nodding his head at me.  He quickly wiped the tear the fell down his face away as he turned back to the car. 

I wasn’t trying to hurt him. I just needed to get my money.   I did not want to depend on anybody for anything. 

I gestured for Marquan to come with me.  He jumped up and followed me out the shop and towards the bus stop.  We were standing there waiting on the bus when I spotted a woman watching me.  She was standing with a man who was on the phone. Clearly, she was working, which gave me an idea to expand into prostitution.  She finally smiled at me inviting me to cross the street to get to her.

Marquan

            I stood across the street watching my brother argue with this man.  I looked beside me at Reggie as he looked at me.  “What happened?”  He asked watching the man snatch the girl away from Kishawn.  That’s when Kishawn snapped.  He punched the man in the face as the girl ran towards me.  My mouth dropped open when he stumbled away pulling out his gun.  I stood there paralyzed with fear watching Reggie run at Kishawn who was running at the man to hit him again.  Reggie intercepted Kishawn as the gun went off making me duck under the bench. 

            I laid there curled up in a ball as I listened to the gun shots.  My fear paralyzed me making me tremble uncontrollably.  I closed my eyed and attempted to disappear.  That’s when I felt Kishawn pulling me up.  “GET UP!”  He yelled annoyed yanking me to my feet.  I stared at Reggie who was leaning on Kishawn for support as he dragged him towards the shop.  I looked at the blood that reeked from his stomach as Kishawn cursed and yelled at me.  I snapped out of my daze and followed them. 

We had made it around the back when Kishawn and Reggie collapsed.  “Reggie?”  Kishawn said shaking him.  I looked down at Reggie who was lying on his back staring up into the sky.  I looked at my brother who never showed any emotion release every emotion he felt in tears.  “I’m so sorry.”  He kept saying as he sat there crying and hugging him.  “I’m so sorry Reggie.” My instincts took over and I pulled what was left of my brokenhearted brother up at the sound of sirens and fled with him, leaving Reggie to rest in peace.