by Jazmyne
It had taken Sunshine a little while to learn that when Amir said he was going to do something or have something done, he meant every word. He had wined and dined her and schooled her to the game. When she called, it didn’t matter what time of day it was or what he was in the middle of doing, he came home and catered to her every need.
“Sunshine, it shouldn’t be a problem. We should hear something within the next few days,” Ace informed her walking onto the porch. “He said we’re gonna have to put in a little work but nothing major.”
“Amir, I don’t care. I want this house. We can put in the labor together,” Sunshine replied as Ace wrapped his arms around her waist.
“And what yo pregnant ass gon’ do?” Ace asked while laughing.
“I’ma watch you work up a sweat,” Sunshine laughed.
“Is that all you gonna do?”
“Nope, then I’ma reward you for your hard work,” she replied as she turned around and planted soft pecks on his lips.
“Sunshine!” Ace called out bringing her out of her contemplation. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” Sunshine assured him as she followed him inside. “I was just thinking back to the day I told you I wanted this house and how fast you made it happen, that’s all.”
Sunshine stopped then looked around at the mess that was left behind. The entire house was riddled with bullet holes; the smell of death still permeated the air.
“Amir, Brenda died in here that night, didn’t she?” Sunshine asked with sadness written all over her face.
“Yeah, she did,” he answered.
“Has anyone contacted my mother so that she could make some type of arrangements?”
“I can’t answer that because I don’t know. I haven’t been here since that night.”
Sunshine was sad. Even with all the tragedy her sister had taken her through, she still didn’t wish death on her. She wanted to whoop her ass but she didn’t want her dead.
Sunshine ran her hand across the shattered picture of Adam and Ace. She loved Amir with all her heart and thanked God for him being in her corner. However, she couldn’t see things between her and Ace going any further, for several reasons. One being, his twin brother had kidnapped and imprisoned her for three years with no remorse or intentions of releasing her.
Sunshine turned to find Ace standing in the doorway of the living room staring at her.
“Amir, where are the twins?” Sunshine asked taking a seat on the sofa.
“They’re safe. Far away from the bullshit and madness,” he answered walking further into the living room then taking a seat across from her. Ace looked deeply into Sunshine’s pretty brown eyes and saw hurt, doubt, and worry, something he never wanted to see in her eyes.
Sunshine didn’t want to sound ungrateful. Therefore, she sat back and thought carefully about her next words. “Amir, what if I asked you to leave well enough alone so that we could move on and start fresh?” She asked looking into his eyes. Ace sighed deeply as he ran his hands over his waves and face.
“Sunshine, I can’t do that and you know it,” he responded.
“But why can’t you?” She protested.
“Baby, I struggled with your death for three long years. Every day and every night I sat up trying to figure out how I was going to explain to Serenity and Savanna that you died because of me, due to the bad choices I made, the life I chose to live, because I wanted nothing but the best for you, for them, even for me. I struggled to become a better man while raising my daughters. Yet and still, whenever I turned around, the blame for your death was thrown in my face,” Ace avowed. “I suffered, my girls suffered, and ultimately, you suffered the most. For that reason alone, someone has to pay,” he retorted.
“Amir, this ego trip you’re on is what got you in this situation in the first place. Let it go and let’s try working on us,” Sunshine asked.
“Ego trip?” Ace asked with confusion written all over his face. “My ego doesn’t have shit to do with anything. “Mothafuckas took that street shit too far and kidnapped my wife and held her hostage for three years. So yes, I’m seeing nothing but red. Absolutely, I want someone to pay with their fucking life. My daughters and I have suffered for three years. You mothafuckin right someone else will suffer also,” Ace vowed.
“It’s either the streets or me,” Sunshine provided an ultimatum.
“Did she just say it’s either her or the streets?” Ace thought as he cocked his head to the side. “Excuse me, come again,” Ace said as he sat up in his seat.
“Amir, you heard me. It’s either me or those streets,” Sunshine repeated herself.
“Sunshine, I love you and all; and I mean this with the utmost respect,” Ace declared. “I’m not letting shit go until the mothafuckas who caused all my heartache and pain are dead and six feet under,” he concluded.
“But you have me back; we have a second chance. Why can’t you just leave it alone?”
“Because I can’t,” Ace snapped.
“Ugh!” Sunshine said as she grabbed at her hair. “That shows me that you don’t really give a fuck about me or your daughters,” she said with a chuckle.
“You don’t believe that bullshit. Sunshine, you of all people know I’ll put my life on the line to protect the ones I love. This situation is living proof,” he said pointing from himself to Sunshine. “That ego trip you said I’m on will go out the window. I’ll drop to my fucking knees and beg and crawl through the dirt, climb the highest mountain, or sell my soul to the devil himself to secure the safety of you, my daughters, and Aaliyah,” he concluded.
“Amir, I’m sorry but I’ve lost out on so much in the last three years. I don’t plan on losing out on anymore,” Sunshine said. “I respect the fact that you gotta do what you gotta do. And I thank you for doing everything in your power to save me but I can’t,” she said.
Ace nodded his head. “I respect your decision and how you feel,” he said as he left the living room and walked out the front door.
“So that’s it, you aren’t gonna fight for me, for us?” Sunshine asked as she followed him out the front door. Ace stopped then turned to face her.
“Sunshine, what the fuck you think I’ve been doing all this time?” Ace questioned. “I’ve fought one battle after another for me, for you, for us, for Serenity and Savanna.”
“Oh I get it, you wanna live happily ever after with your new bitch,” Sunshine snickered as she folded her arms across her chest.
“My new bitch?” Ace asked. “Sunshine, in this fucked up life we live, there isn’t a happy ending. I’ll be lucky if I live long enough to see my daughters turn sixteen. I’ve never been the type of nigga to force a female into doing something she didn’t wanna do; and I won’t start today,” Ace spat. “If you wanna leave, by all means do what’s in ya heart. I did what I had to do as a man and as your husband.” Ace stated conclusively as he turned to walk off.
*
Ace couldn’t believe Sunshine tried to make him choose. He felt he had the right to take out Adam and whoever else had anything to do with her kidnapping. Ace believed if he didn’t kill them, they would stop at nothing until he was dead. He wouldn’t push her into doing anything she didn’t wanna do. He respected her decision to not be with him anymore. On the other hand, Ace would be lying if he said it didn’t hurt or tug at his heart. He wouldn’t say everything he had done was in vain. When he vowed “until death do us part,” Ace meant that shit. This wasn’t the Sunshine he knew. The person he knew would have told him to ride out while loading up the choppa.
Ace picked up his phone to call Boy, but thought against it. He needed a woman’s input on this one. Ace disconnected the call, headed out to see his daughters, and to talk to Aaliyah. He knew he had no business involving her. Nevertheless, he also realized she would give it to him raw and uncut, straight up with no chaser. At the moment, that’s what he needed.
*
Aaliyah sat in the lounge chair watching Savanna and Serenity run ar
ound the backyard. Unsure of when Ace would come and take them to reunite with their mother, she hoped and prayed she would forever be able to have a relationship with them. Aaliyah had grown to love them as if they were her own. She looked down at her promise ring that Ace had given her a month ago; she was certain she had nothing to worry about. One thing she had learned was when Ace said something, he meant it.
The doorbell rung, Aaliyah got up from her seat. She had ordered her and the girls some takeout. “Ladies, come inside and wash your hands so you can eat,” she called over her shoulder. Savanna and Serenity wasted no time as they followed Aaliyah inside and into the bathroom.
Aaliyah opened the door to find Ace paying and tipping the delivery man.
“What are you doing here?” She smiled as she leaned against the door.
“I came to see you and the girls. Plus, I need your input on a few things,” Ace stated as he kissed Aaliyah before walking into the house. Aaliyah closed and locked the door behind him.
“Let me get the girls settled first,” Aaliyah stated as they headed for the kitchen. The twins were so engrossed with whatever they were doing on their iPad minis that they didn’t notice Aaliyah or Ace enter the kitchen.
“What did I tell you ladies about bringing those things to the table?” Aaliyah chided as she reached into the cabinet for plates.
“Sorry Aaliyah,” Savanna moped as she got down from the table to take her iPad to Aaliyah. “Hi daddy,” she shrieked as she ran into his awaiting arms.
“I was wondering when you two were going to say hello to me,” Ace said laughing.
Serenity spoke to Ace but never took her eyes off of whatever it was she was watching.
Aaliyah fixed their plates, and placed them in front of them as she took the iPad from Serenity. “When you finish eating, you can get this back,” she stated waving it in the air.
“Amir, are you hungry?” Aaliyah asked.
“Nah baby girl, thanks,” Ace replied deep in thought.
“Amir, when was the last time you ate or got any sleep?” She asked. Ace ran his hands over his face. He couldn’t remember the last time he did either of the two. Eating wasn’t on his mind or agenda. On every occasion that he closed his eyes, he had the same reoccurring dream. Each time, the dream got worse and worse.
“Amir really, you can’t even tell me the last time you ate or slept?” Aaliyah asked pissed off as she fixed him a plate.
“I’m fine,” Ace lied as he ran his hands over his face once again.
Aaliyah handed him his food and grabbed her soup and crackers. “Ladies, when you finish eating, come get me. Daddy and I are going into the living room so we can talk,” Aaliyah told them.
*
“Is that all you’re going to eat?” Ace asked, looking from his plate to Aaliyah’s bowl of soup.
“Yes, now sit down and eat,” she answered. “What is it you want to talk to me about?” She questioned, looking up into Ace’s handsome face. Aaliyah left out the fact that she couldn’t keep anything down. She assumed she had caught a bug or something; she didn’t tell him because she didn’t want him worrying about it.
“First off, how was your day?” Ace asked.
“Pretty damn good. I met with a new client today. Other than that, everything was business as usual,” Aaliyah replied.
“Sunshine told me I had to choose the streets or her,” Ace blurted out.
“What’s wrong with that?”
“What’s wrong is, if I don’t kill them, they’ll kill me,” Ace replied slightly annoyed. “Then she had the audacity to tell me I was on an ego trip;” he said, pissed off. Aaliyah giggled. Wondering what was so funny, Ace looked at her.
“Amir, I understand both sides. What y’all need to do is come to some type of compromise and work from there. You also have to understand where she’s coming from. She’s been kidnapped and beaten for three years. She has lost out on so much already and doesn’t want to have to deal with that again,” Aaliyah advised. “Also, she needs to comprehend that you didn’t start any of this. In order for you guys to even attempt to be happy, they must go. Both of you need to talk to one another. Emotions are high right now,” she concluded, looking at Ace.
Ace sighed as he sat his plate down then leaned back in his seat. He closed his eyes as he tried to collect his thoughts and get everything in order. He completely understood where Sunshine was coming from but did she comprehend that in order for the bullshit going on in his life to stop, he would have to put an end to it all together. They had to go.
Ace wanted to know where in the hell his life took a turn for the worst. Since he could remember, he always looked out for anyone he called his friend. No matter what was needed of him, if he had it, so did everyone else. Nowadays, he couldn’t separate friend from foe. Ace consistently kept his grass cut low to keep the snakes out. However, he recognized there were always a few snakes that could hide in plain sight. They attacked you when your back was turned or when you were already wounded and couldn’t fight them off.
“What are you over there thinking about?” Aaliyah asked.
“I feel as though it’s me against the world,” Ace answered. “These days, I can’t tell the difference between my friends or my enemies. A few years back, I could spot an opponent a mile away. Now, they appear to be my friends.”
“Amir baby, you know that isn’t true,” Aaliyah stated.
“Daddy, you have us for friends,” Savanna interjected, standing in the doorway.
“Yes, you don’t need anyone else,” Serenity added. “Daddy, you also have Uncle Boy, Uncle Boog, and Uncle Jay,” she added. Ace smiled faintly. He couldn’t wait until he was able to spend damn near the entire day with his girls like he use to. He knew he was missing out on a multitude of memorable moments.
“I just wanna spend some much needed time with you three ladies. Is that okay?” Ace asked looking around the room.
“You know that’s okay with us, but what I prefer is for you to get some much needed sleep,” Aaliyah suggested.
“Yes daddy, get some sleep. You can always spend time with us,” Savanna said.
“Daddy, you need your beauty rest,” Serenity added, causing everyone to burst into laughter.
“I’ll be right back. Come on girls,” Aaliyah said as she got up. Serenity and Savanna ran after her.
“Where are you guys going?” Ace asked over his shoulder.
“Eat the rest of your food,” Aaliyah called out.
*
“What are we doing?” Savanna asked.
“Daddy needs to relax. So we’re going to run him a nice bubble bath, light some candles, and let him relax,” Aaliyah answered as she ran the bath water.
Serenity giggled, “Daddy’s going to be sitting in a tub of bubbles.”
“Should I get him one of my rubber ducky’s?” Savanna asked causing Aaliyah to laugh.
“While I light these candles, I need you girls to make sure daddy ate all his food then bring him up here,” Aaliyah informed them. Savanna and Serenity happily obliged as they skipped out of the bathroom and downstairs.
*
Serenity and Savanna skipped into the living room to find Ace’s plate empty and him lying across the sofa.
“Daddy!” They sung as they jumped on him. Ace smiled as he slowly opened his eyes.
“Can I ask you something?” Serenity questioned.
“Baby girl, you know you can ask me anything,” Ace replied as he sat up.
“Why don’t you smile like you use to?” She inquired.
“Damn.” Ace thought. Truth be told, the only thing he had to smile about these days were his daughters and Aaliyah. But how was he going to explain to his babies the reasons behind him no longer smiling?
“We can talk later; come on, daddy,” Savanna said as she tried to pull Ace off the sofa. “This will help you smile again,” she said as they pulled him toward the stairs. Ace picked both girls up and carried them up the stairs while they laughed and giggl
ed.
When Ace walked into the room, he found the lights low with soft music playing in the background.
“What’s all this?” He asked putting the twins down.
“Amir, you look out for everyone else and ask for nothing in return. Perhaps, you should allow someone do something for you,” Aaliyah answered.
“Thank you,” Ace said smiling.