by Shan
"Let's just find Keylan and figure out what we're gonna do. I'm sure Tamarion is okay," Starr said.
I heard the door open and their footsteps disappearing. I didn't move right away as a wave from another contraction struck me in the back then moved its way to the bottom of my stomach. I looked down in the toilet seat and noticed it was dark red. I was losing blood by the minute and my baby girl was making her way into this world. Knowing that I shouldn't I pulled my jeans off, got back up on the toilet seat, then began to push when the next contraction came. The pressure was too much to bare. The pain was unlike anything I had ever felt before. I grabbed my cell phone and quickly dialed 911. My baby girl would be born prematurely and would need assistance immediately. As bad as I wanted to get in contact with Tahj and Taron so that I could get my share of the 20 million that we extorted out of Tae; my baby girl was more important.
"Yes...I need help. I'm in labor...my baby is coming," I huffed into the phone when the operator answered.
"Ma'am how far along are you? And how often are the contractions coming?"
"I'm...."
BLAM!
The bathroom stall flew open and there stood Rozalyn and her friend Starr. They both had guns pointed at my head. Frightfully I dropped the cell phone which ended up falling into the toilet.
"Yea, bitch you thought we was gone huh?" Starr asked. "Oh my God this hoe up in here stankin’!"
"Roz, you gotta help me. My baby is coming. Please?" I begged. The pain and the pressure was getting much worse.
"Starr wait!" Rozalyn yelled. Starr had her gun pointed right in the center of my chest. The look on her face told me she would've domed my ass with no reservations about it.
"Wait for what! You wanted this grimy ass bitch dead now let me handle her ass!" Starr yelled.
"But...the baby? What about her baby?"
"Fuck this bitch and her baby! Ain't that what she told you?" Starr questioned raising the gun back up and pointing it at me.
My body began to tremble uncontrollably. I guess it really didn't matter if they killed me or not ’cause if I didn't get to a doctor soon I would die anyway. The amount of blood I was losing was horrific! Each time I had a contraction blood poured from my womb like a water hose.
"Well I'm not like her Starr and that's Tae's baby she's carrying! My son's sister or brother!" Rozalyn looked on in horror.
POW!
"Aaghh! Oh my God! Oh shit..." I huffed feeling like my heart completely stopped beating.
"The next one goes in your head so you better tell us where the fuck Tamarion is or else you and that bitch ass baby of yours will die on that nasty ass toilet!" Starr screamed. Her eyes were so damn cold, monstrous, and filled with tragedy. I know I wasn't the nicest person in the world and I've even done more dirt than a lil’ bit; but looking at this chick who had to weigh no more than a hundred pounds soaking wet set off all kinds of chills in my body. She was a bad bitch and I had no doubt about it.
"Okay. Okay....he's with this dude named Richard," I cried trying to control my breathing. The contractions kept coming one after the other. My insides felt like they were being completely ripped open and my ass was on fire right now! Oh if I made it out of here alive! No more babies for me! I thought.
"Richard? Tae's cousin Richard?" Rozalyn asked.
"Yes. His cousin," I said. "Oh shit!"
"Bitch, where is he and where do we find him?" Starr asked.
"He's in Dallas," I hurriedly answered.
"Dallas? Ya'll took my baby to Dallas?" Rozalyn shrieked.
"How do we know you ain't lying?"
"I'm not. I promise. Richard was gonna keep him until Tae got his trust fund and we were gonna wait until then to give him back. Please just get me some help," I leaned back against the wall once my baby slid out of me into the toilet making a loud splashing noise.
"Rozalyn leave! Go find Key and go get your baby!" Starr screamed but Rozalyn jumped in front of the bathroom stall blocking Starr's view of me. "What the fuck are you doing?"
Rozalyn turned around and dug her hands inside the toilet, pulling my baby girl out.
"Starr we gotta cut the cord before she dies! Starr help me!"
"What are you doing Rozalyn? This girl was responsible for you being kidnapped, raped, and helped fake your damn death and you wanna help her? She kidnapped your child and you wanna help hers?" Starr asked.
"Yes! I wanna help the baby. I don't care about what happens to her! Just help me save this baby!" Rozalyn pleaded.
Starr shook her head no repeatedly then turned around and ran out the restroom.
"Nesha, hold her I'm a be right back!" Rozalyn gently placed my tiny baby girl in my arms and frantically left the restroom. Moments later she returned with two employees of the Kroger we were in. One whom looked like a manager; a tall white guy with a muscular build. The other, a short, bald, middle-aged guy that seemed a lil’ sick to his stomach when he saw all the blood.
"Reginald, call for an ambulance now!" the white guy yelled.
My body was so cold, my heart rate slowed from minimal to none. My lips were so dry that they began to crack and bleed; death was around the corner. I could feel it.
"I na...named her Shanya Shantell Andrews. After you and mommy," I said looking up at Rozalyn.
Rozalyn didn't say anything but I could see from the water building deeply in the corner of her eyes that she was wounded by my actions. "Just wanted the money for a better life Roz. Just wanted to get back everything that you took from us."
"Nesha, just shut up! Don't talk to me okay. I just wanna help my husband's daughter. Not you!" Rozalyn said through gritted teeth.
A single tear fell from her eye. She just doesn’t know how thankful I was that she didn't allow her friend to kill me and that she stayed behind to help me and Shanya. She could've bolted and left us behind when I told her where Tamarion was located but she didn't. I was so thankful but unfortunately I couldn't fix my mouth to say so.
39 ROZALYN
Broken promises
I pulled up in front of the Del Ray police department, excited and nervous at the same time. Tamar spent 72 hours in this hell hole and it was starting to feel like a lot longer. When Taron told me this morning that he was coming to pick Tamar up I begged him to let me do it. I had so much I needed to talk to him about and wanted to do so before everyone was in his face with business and bullshit.
HONK! HONK!
I blew the horn twice and waved my hand as Tamar slowly strolled out of the police station. He'd already grown a full beard and was in dire need of a haircut. Tamar jogged to the car as the skies thunderously roared and a light sprinkle fell from above.
"Damn, what the hell happened to your face? I thought Ron was coming..." Tamar said upon opening the car door.
"Da da!" Tamarion said as he pulled his sippie cup from his mouth.
"Oh shit. Damn why ya'll ain't tell me ya'll got him back. Ron was talking about shit went bad," Tamar said smiling ear to ear.
"Shit did go bad. Where do I even start?"
Keylan had no problems going to Dallas and getting my son back. I don’t know what he did or how he did it but all I know is that he showed up on Kevin’s door step holding my son. I didn’t even ask questions about Richard; if he had to kill him or none of that. I was just happy that little man was home. I would let Tae be responsible for getting the details.
"How bout you hop over here and let me drive? Can't believe they gave you the keys to my fuckin’ truck," Tamar laughed. I undid my seat belt and climbed over to the passenger side while Tamar walked around to the driver side and got in. He grabbed a handful my hair and pulled me towards him.
"You been good?"
"What the hell? Tae let me go!"
"I hope you been staying away from Brandon bitch ass ’cause the nigga on some hoe shit for real!"
"I haven't seen him since the day he came by the house and I know Ron told you about it. Let me go!" Tamar kissed me on my cheek, then my li
ps before shoving his tongue into my mouth.
"Damn I was scared as fuck! No lie I ain't got no damn sleep worrying about my shorty and you."
I folded my arms across my chest and stared out the window no longer in the mood to talk about anything with Tamar.
"I guess you mad now?" Tamar asked. "Did you bring me a blunt? I told Ron to bring one with him."
"In the ashtray," I pouted refusing to look his way.
"I just wanted to make sure your ass stayed away from him Roz! Did the police come talk to you? I told them I was with you the whole time in Jamaica and when we got back. You know he trying to pin that shit on me right? That whole thing with Brittany?"
"Yea he told me," I sighed.
"He told you? Oh so you knew about this shit?" Tamar reached for the blunt out the ashtray then glanced in the backseat remembering Tamarion was in the back.
"Tae, that's how I found out you were locked up! He told me the day he came over there when he tried to get me to leave town with him!"
"What did you tell the police then when you talked to them?"
"I told them the truth Tae! Damn you act like I'm in with him on that shit or something?"
"Hell I don't know! I thought you would never fuck him but you did so I don't know what to think anymore."
"Wow. Just take me to my brother house."
"Nah, we going home. I ain't had no pussy in three damn days and I'm in need."
"Shanya Shantell Andrews," I said shaking my head attempting to keep tears from rolling down my face.
"Who the hell is that?" Tamar asked dumbfounded.
"Your daughter. She weighs 1 pound 4 ounces. She's had two surgeries so far and they believe that she will survive. Her mama, my sister, your baby mama got up and left and no one has seen or heard from her. So I have been making trips up there and checking on her."
Tamar was silent for a few moments before speaking, "What happened with the whole hand off thing? Ron said shit went bad. What happened?"
"I don't wanna talk about it. Let him tell you about how it went," I wiped tears from my eyes just thinking about my lil’ niece, now my step daughter that was lying in the hospital struggling to live. Danesha seemed so happy about her daughter and for her to just walk away and leave her with nobody was crazy. I was hoping that Tamar would want to step up and do the right thing. Claim his daughter and take care of her but he wanted to act as if she didn't exist. I guess maybe he felt that if he ignored the situation that it would just go away. I would leave it alone for now but there was no way I was going to let little Shanya end up in the system. My eighteenth birthday is right around the corner and if I had to step up and care for her I would. I know what it feels like to be unwanted and unloved; to have family members treat you like shit and I didn't want her going through that.
Once we made it to the house, I got out of the car and headed straight to the bedroom. None of what I had planned to talk to Tamar about even came out.
It was time he actually made the changes he's been talking about such as hiring security. Not just the two little security guards he has that sits around free styling and smoking weed all damn day. We need some experienced, about their business workers around here.
I also wanted to talk to him about this bitch Kari that's been blowing up his phone, sending him all these freaky ass text messages, and pornographic looking pictures. I know I haven't been no saint in this relationship and have made mistakes but hell Tae's ass have been making mistakes as well and wasn't trying to fix them.
Then there was the last thing that I wanted to talk to him about. What I tried to tell him the morning he came to see me at Kevin's before he got arrested. My pregnancy. I found out I was only about five weeks on yesterday and I was positive that it was Tamar's baby but I know that he would have some doubt about it after the incident that happened in Jamaica with Brandon.
The instant I decided to lie down and go back to sleep from the early morning start; Tamar came busting in the bedroom with a blunt hanging from the tip of his mouth.
"Oh my bitch gutta now? I knew if you kept fuckin’ with me long enough them school girl ways would die down," Tamar laughed and hopped on the bed not giving a care that I was trying to rest.
"Whatever. Where is Tamarion?" I asked.
"He downstairs with Ron. Man come here, what's wrong with you? You still trippin’ on earlier in the car?" Tamar pulled the covers off of me and pulled me towards him.
"It's time you start taking things serious Tae."
"What am I not taking serious Roz?"
"When are you gonna hire more security? And not just them bums you picked up off the street and handed a couple of polo shirts."
"I'm looking into that. That's not for you to worry about."
"Oh it's not? Until you can ensure that them muthafuckas won't be back to snatch my son again or try something with me or you then it's for me to worry about!"
"What you saying I ain't man enough to take care ya'll and myself?"
"No, I'm not saying that! But you can't be everywhere all the damn time and at some point you need to realize that."
"I do realize that Rozalyn. I just don't see the point in wasting money on shit like that. I'm already paying them niggas to do the shit and look what happened."
"Well I talked to Dmitri and he agrees with me and he said he got some guys on standby just waiting for you to say the word. I told him you said it was cool so they should be starting on Monday."
"What? Since when the fuck do you handle business for me?"
"Since my son was kidnapped Tae! Since the people who did it are still out there! Since I found out that you paid them counterfeit bills!"
Tamar pushed me away and nodded his head up and down. He stood up from the bed and looked down at me.
"Did you really think I was gonna give my brother, pops, and your fuckin’ sister 20 million dollars of my hard earned money? Fuck them! I swear to God I won't sleep until each one of them muthafuckas is dead including your bitch ass boyfriend Brandon!" Tamar yelled. "Next time you go sticking your nose in my fuckin’ business I'm a beat the shit out your ass!"
"I swear you so fuckin’ stupid sometimes! I don't feel safe here and I don't feel it’s safe for my child or the one we have on the way!" I got up and walked to the dresser where all my clothes were and began to pull them out and toss them onto the bed.
"You pregnant?" Tamar asked calmly.
"Yes, I'm pregnant. That's what I was trying to tell you the other day when you came to Kevin's," I said not looking back at him.
"Is it mine?"
"I knew you were gonna ask that!"
"Do you blame me? You did open your legs on more than one occasion to my ex friend."
I stopped what I was doing and sauntered over to the nightstand where Tamar's phone was sitting. I picked it up and just as I was about to hand it to him to show him that his shit didn't smell like flowers either I saw another damn text message from Kari. Instead of kindly handing him the phone, I brought my hand back and as hard as I could I threw it in his direction. The phone just barely missed his head, hit the wall, and ‘caused a big ass dent.
Tamar rushed my way, grabbed me by my throat and slammed me hard up against the dresser. I brought my hand back and slapped him hard in the face; so hard that my hand stung from it.
"I'm trying my hardest to keep my hands off of you! You better check your attitude and calm the hell down!" Tamar yelled. He pushed me to the floor then turned around to walk out the room. I quickly got up and chased him after the room.
"You so quick to throw my faults in my face! What about yours? Where you going? You gonna go see that Kari bitch that keeps sending your ass them naked pictures?" I punched Tamar over and over again in his back as he walked down the stairs. I was hurting as well. This nigga had a baby in the damn hospital by my sister. He had bitches blowing up his phone and he act like I was the only one wrong. Not only that, he didn't seem to care about the safety of his family in fear of looking like les
s than a man. I stepped up and did something he should've done a long time ago and he wants to get mad.
Nigga please!
I stopped hitting Tae when he continued to ignore me and headed back to the bedroom. I was sick of shit happening to me and being told to suck it up.
Once I got back to the bedroom I picked my cell phone up and was about to send Starr a text message when I saw a text from an unrecognized number:
How is my baby doing? One love. See you soon.
"What the fuck?" I questioned quickly hitting the reply button:
Who is this and what baby? Wrong number.
I dialed Starr's number and asked her if she could find a way to come get me. We haven't talked since she walked out on me and Danesha the other day when I really needed her. It was time we talked anyway ‘cause I've never seen her act like that. Besides throwing a couple punches in a street fight I always thought Starr was just an ordinary girl with a few scars like myself. The way she handled that damn gun and was so ready to kill my sister led me to believe there were some things that I didn't know about her. She was so damn gangsta with the shit you would think she's killed somebody before.
I showered, changed my clothes and decided against packing my things up and leaving. Although I wanted Tamar to see how serious I was about my safety and the safety of Tamarion I didn’t want to leave him. Where was I gonna go anyway?
***
I purposely stayed out for hours, got my hair done, nails and feet, shopped, got my eat on and bullshitted around with Starr for a while. She never would go into details about her past and claimed to never have used a gun before and that Danesha just pushed her over the edge. I didn't believe the shit one bit but just left it alone. I would be sure to get to the bottom of it one of these days.
"Hey," I said walking into the house. Tamar was seated on the couch sipping on a beer while Tamarion slept next to him. He picked up the remote to the television and cut it off.