by Shan
"Rozalyn, where you at?" I yelled.
I walked into the bedroom and found her lying across the bed, cradling Tamarion close to her. He rose his head to look at me and smiled when I got closer to the bed. I lie down next to Rozalyn and held on tightly to her as she cried. Shit got out of hand and it wasn't supposed to go that way. The whole plan was to have Rozalyn get Brandon in the lot, talk to him for a few seconds then get in the fuckin’ car and leave. She wasn't supposed to see anything and Brandon was supposed to be the one dead not Keylan.
"Baby, it's gonna be a’ight. I need you to do me a favor right now," Rozalyn lay in silence with the only thing that could be heard was her constant sniffles. "Ma, I need you to call up Starr and tell her to come over. I know you ain't up to it but you got to."
Starr and Keylan had been going real heavy these past few months. He had made Starr his main chick, moved all her shit from Atlanta to his crib here in Miami, and even gave her the money to open up a beauty shop. All his side bitches had been tossed and from what he told me he finally knew what I meant when I said I had found the one with Rozalyn. Starr had done something to him in just a short amount of time and I was really happy for them. Starr was a cool ass chick no doubt.
I handed Rozalyn her cell phone and got up from the bed. I left her alone and headed back downstairs and outside where Money was now standing on the steps talking with Taron.
"Yo, help me get him out the car," I said as more tears fell down my face.
The hunt was about to be on. I wasn't stopping until I bodied B, my brother, and my pops. I was tired of having to fight muthafuckas in my own damn family over money and fame that obviously belonged to me.
42 LATOYA
Still my man
"That will be $6.22," I said to a customer after she gave me a $10 bill. I placed her money in the register and handed her the change. My phone had rung 3 times in the past five minutes from a number that I didn't recognize. I stepped to the side allowing another employee to take my place at the register.
"I'm taking my lunch right now and when you see Tabitha let her know she can take a 15 then I need her to open register 6."
"Okay," Vanessa said then started to ring up the next customer. It only took me six weeks after moving to Miami to find a job; I was the assistant manager at the Publix Super market in Miami Beach. I had to do a lot of readjustments to my life style now that I was no longer receiving the stacks of money that Keylan used to hand over to me.
Once I reached my private office in the back I took my cell phone out of my pocket and sat behind my desk. I propped my feet up on the desk, trying to get a little relief for my swollen ankles. I was currently 36 weeks into my pregnancy, with only a few weeks left to go. I was so ready to get this over with.
"Hello, did someone call this number?" I asked.
"Toya, it's Rozalyn...I.."
"Rozalyn? Wow, surprised to be hearing from you. Last I heard you were gonna get all in my ass the next time you saw me."
"Yea, well can you just take down Tamar's address and come over here please?"
"For what? I'm working and I'm not trying to get into no drama," I placed my hand on my stomach and smiled when I felt my baby kicking at me like crazy.
"It's about Key. Just take the address and come over as soon as you can," Rozalyn said followed behind sniffles.
"Keylan? What's wrong with him?" I could now hear the worry in her voice. I've consoled her one too many times to know when something was wrong. My heart began to beat so fast thinking about what could be wrong with Keylan. I hadn't heard from him since the last time I tried helping him with Brandon's ungrateful ass. I tried contacting him a few times to chill or go out to eat and he made it very clear that we were done and that Starr was where he wanted to be.
I jotted down Tamar's address and quickly grabbed my things. I left a note for the store manager telling them that I was having contractions and on my way to the hospital then left out of the office.
The whole ride to Tamar's house my mind was consumed with all the bad things that may have happened. I mean why else would Rozalyn be contacting me. We haven't even spoken since before she first came back to Miami and now all of a sudden she was calling me to come over to Tae's concerning Key. Something was definitely wrong.
I pulled up to the address that was given to me by Rozalyn and was stopped by two men with guns strapped around their chest. The first man signaled for me to roll down my window so I cracked it slightly.
"Who are you here to see ma'am?" he asked.
"Tamar," I said thinking maybe I had the wrong address. "Is this the right address?"
"I need to see your ID please," he said. The other man walked around my car looking inside the windows and then got down on his knees to check under my car.
"My ID? Why do.."
"I need to see your ID if you want to go through. Standard procedure; won’t take but a minute," he cut me off.
Better be lucky he fine as hell or otherwise I'd cuss his ass out for cutting me off. I thought as I reached and got my wallet out of my purse and handed the guard my ID. He walked over to a booth while the other guy walked over to my window and stood with his finger planted on the trigger. I see Tamar finally souped up his security ‘cause these fine ass muthafuckas was treating me like a damn terrorist.
"Hey boss man we got a Latoya Daniels here to see you," the first security guard walked back over to my car and slid my ID through the crack of the window.
"She good," I could hear Tamar say over the radio.
The second security guard reached for the handle of my door but was unable to open it. I looked at him like he was crazy, jerked my face back and gave his ass the screw face.
"Ms. Daniels, open the door and step out please," the second guard said. I looked at his name badge and saw that it said Walters.
"Open my door for what. I heard him say I was good." I rolled my neck.
"Ma'am you can either open the door and step out or back up and get the fuck outta here. Your choice."
I shook my head, undid my seatbelt, and stepped out of the vehicle. The second guard Walters proceeded to go through my vehicle, when the first guard whose name was Johnson began to give me a pat down.
"Okay, I can't believe this right now," I sighed turning around when Johnson motioned for me to do so.
"What you plan to do with this?" Walters asked holding up my pink .22 that Keylan gave me as a birthday present one day.
"Nothing unless I have to," I scoffed.
I watched as he removed the clip and checked to make sure there wasn't a bullet in the chamber. He placed the gun back into my purse and nodded his head for me to get back in the car.
"You can have it back when you leave. Thank you Ms. Daniels you have a nice day," Johnson said while winking at me. I couldn't help but smile as I got back into my vehicle and pulled through the gate once they opened it. Once making it down the driveway it was packed full of cars. I was so relieved to see Keylan's BMW parked behind an Infiniti that I knew was Kevin's.
Maybe they here to talk about the baby or something. I thought. Once I got out the car the first thing I heard was a loud pitch scream.
"Man, what's going on?" I said before ringing the doorbell.
"Hey, what's up?" a tall slim guy asked when he opened the door.
"Yea is...."
"Nooooooo! Oh my God no...noooooooo!" I was able to get a glimpse around the door to spot Kevin holding on to Starr. It was then I knew something had happened to Keylan. Her screams pierced my soul. I grabbed a hold of my stomach suddenly feeling weak in the knees. The guy at the door grabbed me before I fell and helped me on the inside.
"What....no...no..no! Who did this to him?" I screamed once I was able to see Keylan lying across the couch. He was dead, it was no denying that. The two small holes in the middle of his forehead told it all. His arms were folded across his chest and if it seemed as if he was resting so peacefully. I moved a little closer to him, reached out to touch him when
the cries and screams from Starr were directed at me.
"Bitch don't touch him! Don't touch him! Who the fuck called this bitch? Why is she even here?" Starr cried out.
Kevin was doing his best to hold onto Starr. Her arms and legs were flailing all over the place. I ignored her protest and continued to reach out to Keylan. I grabbed his cold hand and kissed him on the lips.
"Aaaghhhhh! Get away from him! Don't touch him!" Starr yelled. Kevin put her in a bear hug and carried her out of the room.
The rest of the room was silent besides the sniffling that came from Rozalyn and Ki-Ki. Taron and Tamar stood by the bar area tossing back drinks. You could tell that they've both been crying from the redness of their eyes.
This just didn't seem real; years I had spent with this man, loving him, and learning something new about him each day I was with him.
My baby girl wasn’t even here yet and I loved her so much, but now was one of those moments where I regretted ever fuckin’ with Kevin and possibly being pregnant with his child. Keylan was so sure that this baby wasn't his but I still held onto the small possibility that it was. Every day I prayed that he was the father; although it was slightly selfish I knew if it was his then there was a small chance I could win him back.
DING! DONG! DING! DONG!
The same guy that kept me from hitting the ground when I came here shot towards the door when the bell rang. I walked around the couch to where Rozalyn was sitting on the stairwell holding what I believed to be her son. I've never gotten the chance to see him besides a couple of pictures that Keylan had in his phone.
"Ummm....is that your son?" I asked not really sure what else to say.
She shook her head yes but never looked up at me, her eyes stayed glued on Starr and Kevin. "He's cute. Look just like his daddy."
"Thanks," Rozalyn said just above a whisper.
"I appreciate you calling me Rozalyn. I know you didn't have to do that so thank you," I said as stream of tears rolled down my face. She only nodded her head and continued to look towards Starr and Kevin.
Bitch faking and looking for some damn attention. Only known him for a few months and she acting like that. I'm still sporting the engagement ring when all she got was some dick. Bitch be for real. I thought to myself. Didn't want to be messy so I knew it was best that I bounced. I turned around ready to leave when I stood face to face with Starr.
“I’m..” I started to say but was cut off when Starr walked around me. She stood in front of Rozalyn brought her hand up and slapped the shit out of her.
“That nigga killed my man all because of your trifling ass! I told your ass to stop fooling with him! This is all your damn fault! Dumb bitch!” Starr ranted.
Taron and Tamar both ran towards us, Taron grabbed Starr and pulled her back as she continued yelling out obscenities at Rozalyn. Rozalyn didn’t even move; she just sat there holding her son who was now crying because of the commotion.
“You stupid bitch! This is all your damn fault! On blood I’m a murder you and that nigga!” Starr yelled before Taron pulled her out of the room out of the house.
Before leaving I walked over to Kevin and asked him to please keep me up to date on the funeral and he agreed that he would.
“Can you wait for me outside? I need to talk to you.” Kevin asked before I turned to walk away.
“Umm…yea I guess so,” I said. “I’ll be in my car.”
I said my goodbyes to everyone, glanced once more at Keylan's body then walked out to my car. A few minutes later Kevin walked out and got inside the car along with me.
For what seemed like minutes we both sat in silence; situation was awkward being we haven't spoke or seen each other since he confronted me before he moved to Miami. Pretty much told me that if I ever came at Ki-Ki again he would fuck me up and that the baby I was carrying wasn't his. It was then I knew that everything I felt was one-sided and Kevin had been playing me the whole time.
"Surprised you're here," I finally said breaking the silence.
"Yea, Tae told me what happened and asked me to come." Kevin sighed.
"Guess you happy now, huh?"
"What you mean by that?"
"Keylan being dead being he almost killed you."
"Nah, I was mad at first. Wanted revenge but when I found out what he did to bring Rozalyn home I got over it. I still didn't like that nigga but he knew he fucked up so saving Rozalyn was his way of making it right. I would have never wished death on that dude. That's my girl's people and shit we been working together these last few months."
"Working together? Doing what?" I questioned knowing the kind of work Keylan did.
"None of your damn business nosey. Just know I'm doing what I gotta do," Kevin laughed.
I smiled remembering what drove me crazy over Kevin in the first place. He was always so calm, cool, and collected. Even when he was mad he always stayed so damn cool. Shit was so sexy to me for some reason.
"I see Rozalyn is pregnant again, how you feel about that?"
Kevin shook his head disgustedly and sighed, "Shit, she married now and it ain't really nothing I can do about it. One day she'll see that nigga trying to pump her ass full of kids so she won't go nowhere. Hopefully by time she do, it won't be too late for her."
"She gotta learn on her own. What she having this time?"
"I don't think she know yet, just found out it was twins at her last appointment."
"Damn twins?"
"Yea, but anyway enough about everybody else. I wanted to holla at you about this baby and know if it’s really mine or do you not know?" Kevin asked.
"I have a feeling that it's yours but I guess there is a small possibility that it might not be. You can always get a DNA test done you know?"
"Yea, I will. Where you living at? Can I come see you tonight?"
I laughed, "What? Are you fuckin’ serious? You're engaged."
"Shit, it didn't stop you when you became engaged. Matter fact wasn't you at my house the next damn day slobbing all over my dick."
"My house you mean?"
"Yea whatever. Can I come through or what?"
"What's wrong with wifey? She not sucking your dick right?" I asked sarcastically.
"She sucks it very well but I need some pussy and she can't have sex until after my lil’ one comes. So what's up? I'm keeping it 100 and putting it out there."
"What makes you think I can have sex? I'm just as pregnant as she is. Anyway what makes you think I'll ever let you touch me again after the way you did me."
"Fuck it Toy. You had a nigga and I had a chick I just chose not to tell you about mine ’cause I know how females can be. Nobody told you to go getting your damn feelings involved. Did you really expect me to fall for you knowing you had a nigga? You made it clear a hundred times that you was never leaving Key for me so why the hell is you so salty about the shit." Kevin huffed.
"Look I can't even believe we having this conversation right now. My fiancé was just killed, laying in the house dead and you out here trying to get some pussy."
"Your fiancé?" Kevin laughed. "Guess you haven't noticed Starr done took your place. And from what I hear she just found out she was pregnant with that nigga baby this morning. She gonna be sitting real lovely while you still walking around talking about you his fiancé."
"Whatever Kevin, I couldn't get Key to even fuck me without a condom the whole first year of our relationship. So stop lying you know damn well she ain't pregnant."
"Yea, whatever. I'm a call you tonight for directions to your crib," Kevin leaned over and kissed me on the cheek then got out of the car. I shook off everything he said about Starr ’cause I knew Keylan. Knew him better than anyone. He would never even raw dog a chick that he'd only known for a few months. I wasn't worried about her ass; she'll back at home in Atlanta living with her crack headed ass mama in no time.
43 TAMAR
The Devil in Church
One week later
In the past week I don't think I've gott
en more than a few hours of sleep. I've spent most of the time in the streets trying to find Brandon and over at the condo. I just couldn’t be around Rozalyn; didn't even wanna see her face. At first I didn't blame her for what happened but after Starr pointed the finger it made me really think that none of this shit would've happened if Rozalyn never fucked Brandon. The main reason he was acting ill was because he wanted her; wanted what I had and because of it my boy was dead.
I was so close to going to the courts and filing for a fuckin’ annulment. I was too ready to say fuck this marriage and fuck Rozalyn too. The only thing that brought me to my senses was sitting in the corner of our dark bedroom and watching Rozalyn sleep. Just thinking about all the shit she went through because of my family; being shot, raped, and beat damn near to death by the hands of my blood. Shit wouldn't be right for me to leave because of one mistake she made. A mistake that she made most likely because I pushed her to it. My cheating and beating on her had to be intolerable to deal with especially on top of everything else that happened to her.
Truthfully, there were plenty of places to lay the blame of Keylan's death on. Maybe I could've handled things better and not beat Brandon damn near to death and maybe if Keylan would have killed Brandon like I told him he would still be here today. Hell, instead of overlooking Brandon's drinking problem and ignoring the fact that he was suffering from things that happened to him as a child we could've prevented the whole thing.
The type of things he went through as a child was far worse than what I had to go through because of my pops. His moms was a heroin addict and pops was a crook by day and a crack head by night. Often times when Brandon's moms would get mad ‘cause she had no way of getting her next high, she would beat him senselessly and when he cried too hard his daddy would do the same but far worse. They would piss on his wounds, starve him when he was bad or make him sleep in the backyard with the dogs.