Love- a Forgotten Art

by Ivy Symone

  I watch as it all registers in both Dasani and Camryn’s minds.

  Camryn looks sick as the realization hits her. “What are you saying?”

  “Milani and I kept it to ourselves, but Walt Stevens is your real father,” I disclose.

  Camryn begins shaking her head emphatically. “No.”

  I nod. “Yes.”

  Dasani looks at her with disgust. “You’ve been fucking your half-brother in my bed and you got pregnant by him!”

  Camryn drops to her knees and start sobbing. “Nooooo!”

  D-Town sneers, “Bitch, you trifling.”

  “Oh, but that’s not why she’s devastated,” I say amusingly. “Is it, Cam?”

  She continues to sob. “Nooooo!”

  “Unc been dipping in the goods for a while now too, huh?” I taunt.

  “Shut up!” she screams. “Just shut the fuck up!”

  “Unc?” Dasani questions.

  “Tell everybody who Unc is, Cam,” I say.

  “I hate you!” Camryn cries.

  I state, “Unc is Walt. Unc is who Camryn calls on when she needs favors. Walt agrees as long as they get to fuck from time to time.”

  “Oh God,” Dasani whispers in disbelief.

  It’s time to wrap this up. I’m tired and I need to nurse my headache. “Enough with all of the revelations. I’m done. Y’all take care of these two. Make sure to dispose of them properly.”

  “Dispose!” Dasani says in shock. “Prime! I’m not—”

  I face Dasani and remain emotionless. “If I cared, I’d say this with much regret, but I don’t. You fucked up. When people fuck with me and my family, we can’t let them get away with it or else everyone else will try us. I’m a Mancuso, head of the biggest Italian Mafia organization. My father is Antino Mancuso. His brother is Luciano Pavoni. Their mother, my grandmother, is Isabella Pavoni. She is The One. Her blood runs through my veins. She would have made an example out of you and lodged a bullet in your head a long time ago. I mustn’t disappoint her.”

  I turn to walk out of the area, but suddenly I hear scuffling and commotion.

  Dasani screams, “Prime!”

  I turn around to see that somehow Camryn has managed to snatch Ammo’s gun off his person and has it pointing at me. Her hand is trembling, and the gun is shaking about. She’s distraught and scared.

  Ammo and Tahj try approaching her cautiously, but she turns the gun on them.

  She yells, “Stay the fuck back!”

  Both Ammo and Tahj throw their hands up in surrender showing their cooperation, while the others are clutching their pieces, ready to use them.

  Camryn points the gun back on me. She whimpers in a quiet voice, “You said you tried Daddy…So did I…I just don’t know any other way to be…”

  Her arm goes up and my guys whip out their guns. Shots are fired, and Dasani is screaming.

  Seconds later, a haze of smoke billows in the area. Dasani is crying and has knelt down beside Camryn. Life is quickly leaving her body as blood fills her lungs and oozes from her mouth. She clutches onto Dasani’s arms with desperation in her eyes. Her mouth moves up and down as if she wants to speak but nothing but gurgles sound. Her legs scrape against the concrete floor as her body succumb to death. She’s no longer moving.

  “You stupid girl,” Dasani chides through tears. “What about Ari?”

  “Ari will be fine,” I say. Dasani looks up at me with question. I give her my back and continue out of the area, but not before ordering my men, “Proceed with the rest of this mess.”

  I keep my composure for the next fifteen minutes as I make my way through the house. I make sure that everything is in order, my family is safe, and that my team and staff are doing what’s expected of them.

  I’m finally able to excuse myself and shut myself in my bedroom, where I allow myself to come undone. I let the tears fall and I cry out in pain. My soul weeps, and my heart shatters.

  My sweet, sweet Dasani…

  Epilogue: Dasani

  I wish this could be some happily ever after. I wish I could be finishing my story off with how Prime and I sailed out into the sunset with Beanie and the new bean growing inside my womb. I wish to be smiling and living my best life. I wish to be snapping up pictures and sharing every great moment with Prime via social media.

  But I’m not.

  Prime spared me that night. I’m not sure why. Maybe Cam dying was too much, or maybe he believed me when I said I had no parts of what went down. Maybe he simply had a change of heart. All I know is, Poodah came back and released me. Natalia had been waiting for me outside of Prime’s gated property. She tried to ask me what happened, but I couldn’t speak. I went home, took a shower, crawled into bed, and didn’t move.

  A couple of days went by before Natalia brought Mother Pearl over to convince me to eat. She told me I needed to be healthy for the baby growing inside me. I totally forgot that I was with child.

  I am with child.

  Looking down at my now protruding stomach, I thank the little bean head child that’s in there for reminding me that I still have purpose. It took a minute, but I slowly rose from the ashes. I dusted that depression off and got back to life. I’m now five months pregnant, and I can’t wait for these next four months to go by. I’m tired of pregnancy even though everyone feels a need to tell me how cute I am.

  Yummy, Meek, and Terri all tease me about being a pregnant dyke. I say fuck them! But it’s all in fun.

  As for Prime, I hadn’t seen him since that night. I try not to think about him, but I miss what I thought I had with him. It felt good to be loved if only for that little while. I’m still in love with what he represented and I’m optimistic that that kind of love is still out there for me.

  Natalia knocks on my office door and leans half her body inside, “You ready?”

  “Ready for what?” I ask.

  “Your gender reveal party. Did you forget?”

  Today is Thursday; Halloween to be exact. Damn, I did forget.

  “C’mon fat girl,” Natalia teases.

  I roll my eyes. “Whatever.”

  I take my time gathering my things and shutting down for the day. By the time I’m finished, Natalia is patiently waiting for me in the lobby.

  “C’mon slow poke. By the time we get there, it’ll be over with.”

  “I’m coming,” I groan. The pregnancy isn’t slowing me down. Having this belly hasn’t put much weight on me at all, and I definitely don’t have the pregnancy waddle going on. I’ve just gotten lazy and move at a slower pace.

  When we make it out to the parking lot, some of the other employees are getting in their cars too, I guess to attend the party.

  “You want me to drive?” Natalia asks.

  “You know I do,” I say heading toward her car.

  After getting in the car, and Natalia starts driving, she gets a call. I can tell by the way she’s giggling and the tone of her voice changing that she’s talking to Poodah. Yes, they’re still going strong however, she feels a need to not talk about him around me. She thinks it’s a hurtful reminder that Prime and I didn’t work out. I don’t mind that she’s in love with Prime’s right hand. I’m happy for her, but it does pain me sometimes that I’m without him.

  The party is being held at Rose Quartz Palace, a very lavish event space. I’m amazed by the number of attendees. The parking lot is full to capacity with several cars having to park on the grassed areas. I’m worried that Natalia won’t be able to find a spot, but surprisingly, there’s a spot reserved just for the mommy-to-be.

  I get out and stretch a little. I remark, “Uhm Nat, I didn’t think I had this many friends and family.”

  Natalia waves me off dismissively. “Girl, hush. You know you’re one of Jewel City’s special gems. Didn’t Mayor Thomas give you the keys to the city a couple of months ago?”

  I beam proudly. “Yeah, he did. Cousin, I did that.”

  “I know you did, now shut up and c’mon,” she says. She g
rabs me by my hand and pulls me along. On our way to the entrance, several people, nicely dressed, recognizes me and feel the need to speak to me.

  Inside the event hall, I’m completely mesmerized. The place is stunningly decorated in a cute Halloween theme: Ghoul or Goblin? I see people have been voting as they come in. Most of the votes are for Goblin. I think I’m having a boy too. It just feels that way. No one knows except the few people who put the party together; one of them being Natalia. I’ve been trying to get her to tell me since I went for my ultrasound the week before.

  Children that have come are all dressed up in costumes and even some adults. There’s a whole side of the space that’s set up as a candy bar. Parents do not have to worry about taking their kids trick-or-treating after this. Hell, they don’t have to worry about feeding them either because whatever is being served smells delicious.

  Once everyone realizes I’m in the building, the party hypes up and gets underway. Music is playing, everyone is eating, dancing, and having a good time. I’m being pulled this way and that way. Some folks want to talk business, but I’m not here for that. I just want to have a good time and…

  “Deuce!”

  I’m in the middle of laughing about something that happened at the warehouse with Mother Pearl, when I hear her little voice.

  I turn around and I see Ari running toward me. She’s wearing the brightest smile and her curly hair is brushed neatly into a top bun adorned with a yellow and black bow. She’s come as the cutest little Bumblebee. That’s not a bee bee I’m speaking of, but actual Bumblebee as in Transformers.

  My eyes wet up. I’m so delighted to see her. “Ari!”

  “Deuce!” She runs straight into my arms, and I lift her up.

  “What are you doing here?” I ask her.

  “To see you,” she says. She purses her little lips to peck me on my nose.

  “Aw!” I melt.

  “Hey Lil Ari,” Mother Pearl croons.

  Ari waves her little hand.

  I put her back down and ask, “Who are you here with?”

  She turns around and point in the direction she came running from. “My granny.”

  I look through the mix of people and expect to see Milani, but to my shock and surprise, it’s not; it’s Yahara. I’m so stunned my mouth just hangs open.

  Yahara smiles and I swear I can feel the warmth radiate to where I’m standing. She starts to walk in our direction and beside her I now see Beanie.

  I can’t contain my happiness. “Are you serious?”

  I start to walk toward them meeting them halfway. No words are spoken and we all just greet one another with hugs.

  It’s funny that even though I hadn’t been around them long, it still felt as if we became close and developed something special in those short weeks we did communicate.

  “I’m so happy to see y’all!” I shriek.

  Beanie grins. “Same here. And look at this belly!”

  Yahara reaches out and gently caresses and cups my stomach. “I know. It’s so cute. Oh, I think it’s a boy.”

  “Me too!” I exclaim. I ask, “How did you all know?”

  Yahara points to an approaching Natalia. “Your cousin of course. Once she told us you were having a gender reveal, I knew I had to be here. There’s no way I would miss it.”

  “Are you surprised?” Natalia asks as she throws an around my shoulders.

  “You know I am,” I say. “This just made my day.”

  “Who has the best cousin of all time?” Natalia jokes.

  “Nat, you know you the bestest,” I say.

  “What about me?” Bea seems to appear out of thin air.

  I scream with happiness and hug her tight. “I’ve missed you so much!”

  She returns the same sentiment and we rock back and forth in a tight hug.

  “You look so good!” I say to her.

  She rubs my stomach too. “You don’t look so bad yourself.”

  I’m then rendered speechless as Poodah walks up behind Natalia gnawing on a chicken wing.

  “These mothafuckas fye,” he mumbles in between chews. He looks at me and nods an acknowledgment. “’Sup Deuce?”

  “Hey,” I say quietly. I just have to ask the obvious. “How’s Prime doing?”

  “Shit, ask him yourself,” Poodah says. He steps aside and nod his head toward the west side of the room.

  “Yeah, he’s over there,” Yahara says with an encouraging smile.

  I look and I feel my breath catches. All kinds of emotions come rushing and I feel faint as I capture him in my sight. He’s over by the gift table speaking to who look like some other very important men. Then it dawns on me as I take a look around and notice that there’s quite a few people here that look like these…Wait a minute. These mothafuckas are Italian. Is his whole damn family here?

  I start to make my way to Prime when he notices me approaching. He excuses himself from the men and meet up with me.

  “Hey,” he says quietly.

  Looking at him now, I can’t believe he’s almost fifty-years old. He looks my age. I don’t see a gray hair in sight unless the locs do a fantastic job of hiding them.

  “Hey,” I say back.

  He gestures toward the dining area. “Would you like to sit and talk for a minute?”

  “Sure.” I follow him to one of the tables closest to the front where the parents-to-be are to sit in their majestic throne-like chairs.

  Once seated, he asks, “Whose idea was it to have a Halloween gender reveal party?”

  Sheepishly, I answer, “Uhm…me and Nat silly like that.”

  “Tell me about it,” he remarks. “Poodah and her together are almost intolerable.”

  I smile and look out at the party taking place because I’m too nervous to look him in his face.

  “You look nice,” he comments.

  I look down at myself happy that I decided to dress in regular clothes instead of the standard Mother Pearl company uniform.

  “Thanks. You do too.”

  There’s a silence that falls between us that’s awkward. This isn’t like the Prime I know. He’s always talking and keeping the conversation going between us. I sense this is hard for him.

  I decide to take a leap out there. “I’m not sure why you picked today to show up, but I’m happy that you did. I ain’t gon’ lie, I miss you like hell.”

  “Pride and ego,” he responds.

  “What?”

  He leans closer to me. “Pride and ego have kept me from you. It might not be excusable, but it sounds good. And I’m sorry for allowing it to get in the way.”

  “So why didn’t you go through with it that night?”

  “I never intended to do anything to you. I had been waiting on you to tell me your secret all that day.” He smiles and points to my stomach.

  “You knew?”

  He nods. “When you fell asleep in the truck after our lunch date that day, the test had peeked out of your pocket. I took a look.”

  “So, you knew I was pregnant and had me fearing for my life,” I say and slap his arm playfully.

  “That’s a part of the persona.”

  “But you believed I was a part of the whole scheme.”

  He shakes his head. “Deep down inside I knew you weren’t. But there was an inkling of doubt that made me think…what if Walt had put you up to it all. Like knowing where I would be that first weekend back into town. You just showed up at that sex party and sat right beside me acting clueless about who I was. When I thought back on it, it kind of made sense that it all could have been an act.”

  “On everything I love, on our child…” I grab his hand and place it on my belly, “…I didn’t know. I was nervous that night at the sex club because I was Deuce the Dyke looking for dick.”

  He laughs which causes me to laugh along with him. “It’s not funny, Prime.”

  He rubs my stomach. “Listen, I know now. I just needed these few weeks to sort all of this out. Besides, I’ve been watching
you and I can—”

  “Prime!”

  “What?” he asks innocently. “C’mon Dasani, you know I had to keep my eyes on you. I had to see how you moved afterward. On top of that, you’re carrying my child. Besides that…I’m still as obsessed with you as I was before.”

  I blush. “Really?”

  He nods. “Really. I’ve missed you terribly and I know even while apart what I feel for you is love. I love you, Dasani.”

  “I love you too,” I whisper.

  He takes my hands into his and he continues talking, but this time nervously, “There’s one more reason I had to set my pride and ego aside. Even though it turns out she wasn’t my child, Camryn believed I was and my not being in her life affected her in ways I didn’t want to own up to. I messed up then, but I don’t want to do that now. I feel like you are my second chance to make amends with who I am and be the father and husband I never tried to be years ago.”

  “But you’re a wonderful father to Beanie,” I say. “She respects and love you so much. And I’m sure you’ll be great to whatever this is I’m carrying.”

  Prime side-eyes me. “Don’t say it like that.”

  I giggle. “Well, we don’t know what it is yet.”

  “Okay, but as I was saying…Yes, I know Beanie and I are good, but it’s more because of who she’s growing up to be. I haven’t always been around her physically either, but I’m correcting that now. And first things first is I want to reunite Beanie with her birth mother. They both deserve to know one another.”

  “Does her birth mother want that though?” I ask.

  He nods. “Yeah, she told me she regretted not being able to raise her.”

  “You’ve spoken to her?”

  He looks at me with this tenderness in his eyes. He’s telling me something, but I’m not receiving it just yet.

  He nods his head in the direction where Beanie is. She’s teasing Ari as they stand not too far from where Yahara and Mother Pearl are now chatting it up.