by Tracy Brown
Sheldon was so impressed by the fact that Ethan had survived an attempt on his life, that he gained a new respect for his nemesis. He thought Ethan might have some grit deep down inside after all. Since Ethan’s return, Sheldon had made a conscious attempt to get along with him better than before.
In the weeks since then, Born and Anisa had enlisted the help of a psychologist who Maury recommended. Doctor Reilly specialized in child psychology and post-traumatic stress disorder. Ethan was a bit more withdrawn since his return, but he was coming around slowly but surely. Sheldon even sat in on a few sessions with Ethan, in the hopes that the two boys would bond over what they had been through together, and separately. What made Born especially happy was the fact that Anisa hadn’t objected to Ethan and Sheldon bonding, so long as Born was always present with them. She had resigned herself to the fact that Jada was the woman Born wanted in his life. Since Sheldon was her son, she reasoned that it was best for them to try to get along, if that was possible. She was so happy to have her son back safe and sound, that she stopped bitching about Jada and Sheldon. All she cared about was Ethan’s safety, happiness, and well-being.
Since their reconciliation, Jada and Born had gotten Sheldon under control. Born left no question about who was the man of the house. So far, Sheldon seemed to be accepting that. He and Ethan were getting along much better. It seemed that things might turn out well for their family after all.
During their search for a costume, Sheldon wanted something gross and ghoulish. Born heard him out, let him describe the blood-and-guts ensemble he had in mind. But when it came time for them to make the final choice, Born had convinced young Sheldon to embrace a different vision for himself. His class was having a costume ball. Sheldon, whose behavior had improved considerably this school year, was being allowed to attend his first school function in quite some time. Instead of showing up as the creepy monster everyone already thought he was, Born outfitted him as a king. Sheldon’s costume consisted of a long, plush red velvet cloak, a large golden crown, and a scepter.
“Ghosts, and monsters, and all that are tough. But kings are above other men. They reign over everybody, even the monsters. So when you walk in there with your crown dipped to the side, you gotta own it. You’re kings. Both of you. But you gotta act like it. Kings don’t raise hell, cuz they don’t have to. Kings have armies that do their dirty work. They sit on their throne and they play it cool.” Born sold Sheldon on it, and he stood tall in the mirror as he tried on his costume.
Now, as they rode in the car listening to the radio, Born rapped along to a Biggie verse on “One More Chance.” Sheldon watched him from the backseat with admiration. Born was cool after all. Sheldon had wanted to hate him. Despising Born had been fun for a while. But now he was enjoying the time they all spent doing guy stuff. Sometimes Ethan came along, and sometimes he didn’t. Sheldon didn’t really like sharing Born’s attention. But he was learning how to keep his impulses under control. When he hung out with his soon-to-be step-Pops alone, it was nice.
“You knew Biggie Smalls?” Sheldon asked.
Born laughed. “Nah, I never met Biggie. But me and your mother used to party with the rich and famous back in the day. We had a lot of fun together. We still do, that’s why I love her so much.”
Sheldon tried to imagine his mother and Born when they were younger. He had seen pictures of them in their youth. He also heard some of the stories when his mother and his “aunt” Sunny reminisced on the good ’ole days. But now they were moving into a whole new phase. Born had moved into their home, and was now a full-time part of his life. DJ was really famous now. Born had met a lot of stars in his role as his manager. Sheldon hoped that having Born around meant meeting some of his favorite stars, too.
“Are you really gonna get married?” Ethan asked Born. “You and Jada gonna have kids and all that?”
Born smiled. “Well, we’re definitely getting married. But I’m not sure about the baby part. We’re a lot older than we used to be. And I think we got our hands full with you two.”
Sheldon smiled, relieved to hear that.
“Life is fragile,” Born said. “I know a lot of people who had plans for their life, but life had other plans for them.” Born thought about Dorian. “All you really have is today. So you have to make the most of it. I want you guys to grow up with every opportunity to be great. You guys are kings. Not savages.”
Sheldon stared out the window. Kings. He liked the sound of that.
21
DAMAGE CONTROL
Baron and Misa lay entangled in the sheets on the king-sized bed. They had woken up early that morning and made love twice. Now it was 11:05 a.m. on a Sunday morning, and the lovebirds were discussing breakfast. Holed up for the past two days at the Hilton in Short Hills, New Jersey, the two of them had big plans.
Things had completely changed between them. Baron was, admittedly, in love with a murderous beauty. He understood Misa, and she him. The two of them were volatile, restless spirits searching for a center, something to ground them. Oddly enough, they had found that in each other. Baron’s brush with death, and Misa’s troubles with the law had bonded them together. They had come to each other’s rescue when it mattered the most.
“So when are we leaving?” Misa asked. I have to go home and pick up Shane, and pack a few things.”
“Don’t pack nothing,” Baron said firmly. “Get Shane, get your passport, your jewelry, and whatever little cash you got, and let’s go. I got the rest.” He gripped her chin roughly. “Don’t say good-bye to nobody. It’s not good-bye. We’ll come back when things calm down.”
Misa nodded as best she could under his firm grip. “I got it.”
He kissed her. “Come on, let’s order breakfast.”
Baron climbed out of bed, perused the hotel menu, and Misa requested pancakes. She stretched, smiling, and got out of bed. They were going to start a new chapter together. They were going to Miami and meeting up with Baron’s friends there. Once everything was set up, they would sail to the Bahamas, and get lost from there.
Baron felt like the family’s fall guy. He and others in the crew were being charged with major crimes, while Gillian walked away free. It had taken far too long for anyone to bail him out. It caused Baron to be suspicious of his sister and what her intentions were for him once he got out. Frankie had been calling, but Baron didn’t trust him, either. He just wanted to get away. And Misa was coming with him.
“I’m getting in the shower,” she said. “Can you ask them to send up some more towels, too? We used a couple last night.”
Baron smiled and nodded. The room service operator answered, and he placed their order. He was starving after working up an appetite with Misa all morning. Afterward, he called down and requested that fresh towels be sent up. Baron walked into the living room portion of their suite, and sat down on the sofa. He thought about his mother. She had no idea that he was leaving. She couldn’t know. If she did, she would have insisted that he stay and face it all head on. But Baron had made up his mind. It was time for him to go.
A knock on the front door brought him to his feet, and he strolled his sexy limp across the floor. He opened the door, expecting to find someone bearing towels. Instead, when he swung open the door, he came face to face with the barrel of a Taurus 9 millimeter. He glanced at the person holding the gun, and frowned. He opened his mouth to say something, but the words never surfaced. The shot came so quickly, that before he could register a thought, he was thrown back several feet. The shooter walked quickly down the hall before disappearing out of sight. Baron saw the blood seeping from his chest and felt the life slipping slowly out of his body. The room began to look blurry, and then his vision faded to black altogether. Misa came running, naked, to Baron’s side, screaming and crying over his bloody body.
“Oh my God, somebody help me!”
* * *
Frankie sat transfixed as he sat in the waiting room in Saint Barnabas Hospital watching Gillian wipe her
tears. He heard Celia’s cries mingled with Misa’s muffled sobs. He also noticed the detectives milling indiscreetly nearby. Frankie took it all in.
He wasn’t the only one watching everything closely. Camille had come to offer her support to her distraught sister. Misa had been so distressed by Baron’s shooting that the doctors feared she might have a nervous breakdown. Seeing so much blood flowing out of his body, and watching him slip in and out of consciousness had taken Misa close to the edge of her sanity. When Camille heard her sister sobbing on the phone, she had dropped everything in order to rush to her side. But the truth, which Camille would never admit to anyone, was that she couldn’t have stayed away even if Misa and Baron had not been an item. She couldn’t help herself. Part of her was fascinated to watch it all fall down. The Nobles empire was coming apart at the seams.
Camille held Misa as she cried on her shoulder. She watched Frankie sitting on the opposite side of the room, practically drooling as he stared at Gillian. Camille shook her head in disgust. Frankie clearly still had it bad for his former lover. Seeing Gillian cry, Camille did her best to look for signs that she was insincere. She wondered whether Gillian had sanctioned Baron’s shooting. Their encounters with one another over the years had never been pleasant ones. Gillian had been a fiery opponent, ruthless when she set her sights on something she wanted. And Gillian had wanted Frankie, and gotten him. She had wanted her father’s position, and gotten it. But, Camille wondered, was she capable of killing her own brother?
If she was, she was doing a good job of playing it off. No one had seen Gillian show this much emotion since her father’s funeral. To some, it seemed that the siblings had never been particularly close. Baron had been the prodigal son, always having to learn the hard way. Gillian, the doted-upon baby girl, had been the apple of her father’s eye. Their sibling rivalry had been understandable. Still, sitting there in the hospital waiting room, Gillian wept bitterly. It was a believable performance to everyone present. Camille couldn’t help but feel some empathy for the woman she had once despised.
Celia, too, was so distraught that the doctors had threatened to sedate her. Baron was her only child. As Doug Nobles’ first wife, she had experienced the first fruits of his hard work, and Baron was supposed to be the completion of their picture. He was their handsome son, groomed from the womb to be a hustler. But, to Celia, he was just her baby, her only son. The air was thick with heartache as Baron’s mother and sister wept for him.
Frankie caught himself staring at Gillian, and forced himself to avert his gaze temporarily. When he realized that he couldn’t keep his eyes off of her, he walked over to where she sat crying silently by herself.
She looked up when he stood in front of her, casting a shadow over her seat.
“Frankie,” was all that Gillian could manage.
“Are you okay?” Frankie’s sincere concern was etched all over her face.
Gillian shook her head. “No.” She took a deep breath. “I can’t go through this again.” Baron had clung to life similarly years earlier. At the same time, their father, Doug Nobles, had also been shot, and later died as a result of his wounds. Ever since his death, Gillian’s relationship with Baron had been strained at best. Knowing that he was fighting for his life again, Gillian felt incredibly helpless and full of regret.
Suddenly, a commotion could be heard as Celia tried to charge Gillian, while Camille and Misa struggled to hold her back. Hospital security had to step in to assist. Celia was irate, and determined to get loose so that she could attack Gillian.
“You privileged, spoiled, little bitch! You think because he’s gone now you can get away with it?” Celia’s lovely face was twisted into a mask of pure hate.
Frankie’s head snapped around, and he hurried over to Baron’s mother. The detectives were listening closely. Gillian got up and walked toward the exit.
“Miss Celia, calm down,” Frankie urged. Everyone present was riveted as they watched Celia come unglued. Usually so poised and classy, Baron’s mother was now hollering at the top of her lungs.
She wailed loudly. “That’s my son in there, Frankie! That bitch is gonna pay for this!” Celia battled to break free as she watched Gillian walk out the door, with Frankie now hot on her heels.
* * *
Zion and Lamin sat together in the kitchen of Lamin’s Brooklyn bachelor pad. Despite being lifelong friends, in recent years these types of visits were infrequent. The troubles between Zion and Olivia had put Lamin in an awkward position. Caught between his loyalty to his sister and the brotherly love he felt toward his best friend, Lamin had struggled to stay neutral. But now that Zion and Olivia had officially ended their relationship, Lamin felt free to resume the bond he and Zion had once shared. After Sunny’s death, Olivia had found a younger, newer model to be the face of her clothing line, Vintage. These days, she was putting all of her energy into advancing her career. And it was working. Vintage was quickly becoming a fashion staple. She was determined to solidify her position with her upcoming show during New York Fashion Week.
Zion took a swig of his Hennessy, while Lamin refilled his glass. “So how’s everything with you and Ava?” Lamin asked.
Zion laughed. “Me and who?”
Lamin looked surprised. “You mean after all of that, it’s over already?”
Zion shrugged. During his incarceration, he had come to the conclusion that his relationship with Ava was never going to be more than just a physical one. “I don’t think she’s cut out for the life I live.” He swigged his drink again. “To be honest, at first she was just a distraction for me while Olivia was drifting away. I liked Ava, don’t get me wrong. I definitely cared about her a lot.” In Ava, Zion had found the complete opposite of Olivia. Where Olivia was fiery and confrontational, Ava was calm and demure. It was refreshing. “But I wasn’t in love with her,” he continued. “Not yet. I was starting to worry that she was falling hard, though. It seemed like she wanted to get more serious. Then this shit happened.” Zion gestured toward his ankle monitor. “I think that was the final nail in the coffin.”
“What you mean?” Lamin asked.
“She wrote me a letter while I was locked up. She told me that this was all more than she had bargained for. She didn’t want to be in a relationship with somebody who was facing life in prison. She said she wasn’t cut out for curfews, or jail visits. Basically, she was like, ‘This was fun, but I’m out.’” Zion laughed. “It’s all good. I wrote her back, told her no hard feelings.”
Lamin shook his head. “Damn,” he said. “Any regrets?” Lamin wondered if Zion wished that he hadn’t ended his relationship with Olivia now that Ava was history.
Zion shook his head. “Nah, not at all. It was never about me wanting to leave Olivia to be with somebody else. I know she’ll probably never believe that, but it’s the truth. I was ready to move on. My relationship with your sister was beautiful while it lasted, but I realized that shit was getting so bad that I was falling out of love with her. All those years of arguing and fighting. It’s a relief to be free from that.” Zion smirked at his friend. “She won’t admit it now, but someday she’ll tell you how much happier she is now that everything is over between us.”
Lamin smiled, too. Olivia did seem much happier these days. It made him wonder if the two of them should have ended things a long time ago.
“I heard Baron ain’t doing too good.”
Zion shook his head, sadly. “They gave him another blood transfusion yesterday. Gillian said it’s not looking good for him to survive this time. Two shootings within the span of a few years? That’s a lot for anybody to pull through.”
Lamin eyed Zion to gauge his reaction to this next question. “You think Gillian had anything to do with it?”
Zion stopped mid sip and stared at Lamin. Truthfully, Zion did suspect Gillian, but his loyalty to her wouldn’t let him admit it out loud. “Hopefully, Baron survives,” Zion said. “Then he can tell us himself.”
* * *
Baron was in and out of consciousness, talking gibberish one minute, and then completely out of it the next. He had lost an incredible amount of blood before the paramedics arrived. The doctors were calling it a miracle that he was still fighting for his life. There was no way to know whether he would live, and if he did, what his quality of life would be. It was heartbreaking for Celia to think that she might lose her son for real this time.
Today, Baron was having one of his bad days. He woke now from what seemed like a bad dream, uttering words that made absolutely no sense to Celia. She came closer and pressed her ear to his lips so that she could hear him better. Then, she frowned, certain that she must be hearing wrong.
“Baron … what are you saying?”
His eyes looked like they would pop out of his head. He was struggling so hard to get the words out that Celia thought she should probably summon the doctor. But then he said it again. His words stopped her dead in her tracks.
“… shot me. Tell everybody … it was…”
Celia clasped her hands over her mouth in shock.
* * *
Gillian clung to the phone like it was her lifeline. “Are you absolutely sure about this?”
Maury toyed with the pencil in his hand. “I wish I could say that I wasn’t sure. I would love to be wrong about this. But there’s no question about it. It’s him.”
Gillian’s hands trembled with a mixture of fury and devastation. “My God!” She had called Maury after Celia had summoned her to the hospital. Gillian had been hesitant to go at first. After all, Celia had all but kicked her ass the last time they’d seen each other. To make it worse, Celia hadn’t divulged what the big emergency was. She’d only said that Baron was asking for her and that she needed to get there right away. With her own ears, Gillian had heard her brother tell her who had shot him. Even then, she wanted to believe that it was the medication that was making Baron delirious.