Pandora's Box

by Coffee

  Boc! Boc! Boc!

  “Aahhhh! Aahhhh!” Most of the people began screaming. Everyone scattered. Some ran, taking different directions while others squatted behind cars to take cover.

  When BG realized he wasn’t hit at the first sound of fire, he pulled out his piece and started dumping on Chuckie, too. It only took seconds for Chuckie’s right hand man to see that surrendering was his only way out of it alive, he was too fat to get far if he tried running, so he got down, raising his hands as he did.

  With his arm extended, Munch continued running up, blasting on Chuckie from behind until he stood over him alongside his brother. Their spray of bullets caused his body to centipede.

  Pow! Boc! Boc! Pow! Boc!

  His baby moms muffled her screams with her hands as she watched on. She trembled with anger as she looked over to his mans do nothing to protect him, avenge him, so she reached for her .22. She came from behind a car she ran to when bullets started flying. And in an irrational manner, she yelled out in distress as she lifted her weapon to shoot.

  BG turned her way and sparked her up.One shot to the chest crumpled her.

  When the brothers looked over to where Chuckie’s partner waited his fate, Munch made eye contact with BG, nodding his head to the side of them as if to say, “Go handle that business.”

  BG walked over to him and stood directly in front of him with his gun pointed at the center of his forehead. “How you want it? Like a man or a coward, thuggah?” BG gave him the option..

  Remaining on his knees, he spoke angrily through the tight curl of his mouth. “I don’t got beef with you, bruh.”

  BG lowered his weapon and then glanced at his brother before looking back down at the man in plea position. “A coward it is.”

  Raising his gun, he blasted once.

  Pow!

  One remorseless shot to the dome, executioner style caused him to fall over and onto his side. BG knew it was either going to be Fat Boy now or him and his brother later because street life was never forgiving.

  When the smoke cleared, three were left slain, swimming in red pools. It looked like a scene from the Wild Wild West but it was just another day in the Wild Magnolia.

  From that day forward, the projects respected BG and Munch’s mind more so than before.

  Baby Goon was a G with his. He never started but he’d finish. And Munch, they knew that fucking with his BG was like signing their own death certificate and everyone including a Goliath like Chuckie could get it in blood with no questions asked.

  Thinking back on that day alone reassured Ace that if a death wish was what he had, Munch would be granting that for him.

  Munch stood to his feet and all eyes went on him. He looked them each in the face and then spoke his first words of the day.

  “He want me? Well, mu’fucka got me.” Munch walked out of the living room and into BG’s bedroom, slamming the door behind him.

  Chapter 31

  Late June…

  “Ahhhhhhh!” Samiyah yelled through gritted teeth. She was so exhausted from already having pushed out the first one but her intolerable contractions required her to continue pushing to get the second one out.

  “You’re doing great, Samiyah, just breathe and get ready to push on my go,” the doctor said as she saw his head crowning.

  She whined that she couldn’t do no more and unrealistically begged the doctors to take the wheel but Cedric stepped in to coach her.

  “You got this and in a little while it’s gon’ be all over.” He wiped the sweat off of her forehead. Then he looked to Lil’ Acacia, who was resting her head on his shoulder, “Mama got this, huh?”

  Samiyah answered for her. “No, I don’t. It’s hurt so bad. It hurts so…”

  “Push!”

  “Aaahhhhhhh!”

  Three months earlier…

  “Thank you for meeting me. I wasn’t sure you would.” Samiyah took a seat on the bench at Audubon Park where Cedric told her he’d meet her.

  “You said it was important, so I’m here. What was so urgent it couldn’t be said over the phone?”

  To answer his question, Samiyah removed Lil’ Acacia from out of her stroller. “Look at her?”

  “What am I looking at?” He glanced at the baby and then did a double take, staring at her harder this time.

  “What do you see?” Samiyah asked.

  He looked to Samiyah and then back to Lil’ Acacia, shaking his head. “How could that be? That’s impossible. I had a vasectomy.”

  “All I know is she’s yours and just so there is no doubt I’m hoping you’ll agree to a swab test to confirm it.”

  “Yea, but how in the—.” He agreed to take it but he knew she was a Melancon. He knew she belonged to him.

  Cedric reached for Lil’ Acacia and stared into her eyes. She looked just like his son who passed away, just like him. He couldn’t believe he was holding his flesh and blood. He never dreamed of being a daddy again but clearly she was meant to be.

  Cedric hugged Lil’ Acacia tightly as he smelled her baby scent. “This is my lil’ girl,” he spoke emotionally. I have a little girl!”

  Samiyah watched Cedric gaze at their daughter like she was a relic and wished it would have dawned on her sooner, so he could have loved her from the start and she wouldn’t have hurt Eli or Gerran, for that matter.

  “Damn! I love her already. But why are you just now telling me?” Cedric was baffled as he continued looking at the seventh month old in his arms.

  “Well, the story goes something like this…”

  Samiyah rotated her head from one side of the pillow to the other. It didn’t matter how many times she was told it would be over soon, it wasn’t happening soon enough.

  “The baby’s head is out. I’m gonna need for you to push one more good time on the count of three. One. Two. Three. Push!”

  “Aaaaarrgghhhh!” Samiyah’s face trembled as she pushed with mighty vigor.

  Moments later.

  “Waaahhh! Waaahhhh!”

  Samiyah cried tears of relief and joy as she heard the doctors confirming that both of her babies were healthy. Then two nurses walked on each side of her holding them up to her face so that she could see them.

  Cedric directed their daughter’s so she could get a good view of her mommy and new family. “Do you have names picked out?” he asked as he looked at her cuties.

  Samiyah looked at the first to be born. “Her name is Amiya.” Then she looked at the second one. “And his name is Amir.”

  The next day…

  Everywhere Minnie had to be, Yuriah was with her. One slip up could have cost him gravely had G’Corey been off of his rocker when he approached her some weeks ago, so Yuriah wasn’t taking any chances moving forward.

  Minnie knocked on the door and entered into Samiyah’s room with her husband behind her.

  “Good morning, second time mommy,” Minnie sung as she entered.

  “What’s up, Yah?” Yuriah addressed her with a kiss on the cheek.

  “Hey, y’all,” she spoke to them both before she looked to Minnie. “I’m so happy you were able to make it considering circumstances.”

  “I’m gonna step over here and make a call, a’ight?” Yuriah addressed Minnie before stepping away to leave them to their talk.

  “I know it’s been real hectic. I’m scared all of time and to know the guys say G’Corey is behind BG’s killing only has me that more paranoid. I don’t feel safe leaving my house at all. But I wouldn’t miss seeing you for the world.”

  “And that’s what makes seeing you so special. I love you,” Samiyah said tearfully.

  “I love you, too.”

  Samiyah then reached out for Minnie’s wrist, pulling her down toward her so they could have an intimate discussion. “I spoke with Cedric and he is prepared to put together a security detail that will keep you safe and give you peace of mind until Yuriah is able to do what he do with G’Corey. Will that stop you from moving away?”

  Minnie s
hook her head no. “That’s the thing. I don’t want to live like I need protecting. G’Corey has gone too far. His last few emails to me flat out said he will have me by any means necessary. I am scared out of my mind and since Yuri said he’d do anything to make me feel safe, getting as far away from New Orleans is what it’s going to take for me to feel that. I mean, we’ll still keep our house because I want to return to it one day but for now—”

  She cut herself off and silently broke down. Samiyah pulled her into her arms. Yuriah dropped his phone to his waist and attempted to head over to them but Samiyah mouthed that Minnie was alright.

  “I understand, friend. You have to do what you have to do. Me, Cedric and my children can always come to you when the twins are old enough to travel.”

  Minnie dried her face and sat up to look at her. “I just hope this nightmare ends soon.”

  “Me too, sweetie. Me too.”

  The ladies talked for a half an hour more but they ceased conversation when they heard the opening of her door.

  “Oh, my God!” Samiyah sounded displeased when she saw Gerran coming in.

  Minnie took his arrival as her que to depart. So, she said her goodbyes, promising to talk with her later as she and her husband left to give the troubled spouses their privacy.

  Samiyah rolled her eyes upward. “Who told you I was here?”

  Gerran walked over to her with a beautiful bouquet in hand. “Your mama called me.”

  Dang, mama!

  He handed her the flowers to smell but she didn’t reach for them, so he sat them on the table adjacent to her bed. Gerran then sat by her, taking her hand into his.

  “You don’t have to touch me to talk to me.” Samiyah snatched her hand back and used it to wipe under her misty eye.

  Gerran dropped his head. “I know this isn’t the best time to talk to you but you’ve been ignoring me.”

  She glared at him. “You played me from day one and because you have a mind to start reaching out to me, I’m supposed to jump for joy? Well, I’m not your Johnny-On-The-Spot. It doesn’t work like that.”

  “Look, I don’t want to argue with you.”

  “So, don’t!”

  “Look, Yah, I called you a lot of untrue names and said many unforgivable things.”

  “Yes. You have!” She looked the opposite way. She didn’t want to feel compassion for him.

  “I was hurt so I hurt you.”

  “You damn sure did hurt me.” His callous behavior was a sore spot for her.

  “Look at me, Samiyah.” She didn’t listen to him, so he shifted her face in his direction. “Look at me. I’m sorry and to prove it to you I don’t need a paternity to tell me those children are mine. I knew it from the dump but I just wanted to slam you for what you did in the past and I was down bad for that, I know.”

  It felt good listening to him eat the filth he threw at her, but his words came too little too late. “That won’t be necessary. I want you to get the test done so there’s no throwing it in my face later.”

  “Fair enough. Well, let’s work on us. Let me come home and we be a family again.”

  Samiyah frowned. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Why now? What’s changed to make you think I even want to try?”

  “Because you still love me just like I never stopped loving you. Yah, I know I did the fool but I was only…”

  Gerran snapped his head in the direction of the door opening and when he saw Cedric entering holding Samiyah’s baby, his jaw twitched. “What the hell is he doing here?”

  Samiyah looked at Gerran disgustingly. “He’s here because he can be. So, don’t start nothing up in here.” She looked to Cedric, who was unfazed at the anger in his eyes. “Do you mind coming back in a few minutes? I need to wrap things up here.”

  He answered her while looking at Gerran. “I can do that for you.”

  Cedric was over the beef from the brawl they had over Samiyah but the man in him had to let it be known that he’d take it there if he needed to.

  When Cedric walked out and the door closed, Gerran’s eyebrows drew inward. “So, he’s your boyfriend now?”

  “That’s your problem. You’re swift to assume things. No, we are not together. He’s Lil’ Acacia’s father.”

  “Wait a minute. I thought Eli was—”

  “Well, you thought wrong.” She shook her head. “You fought that man without knowing why he even showed up at the hospital that day. You’re so quick to stop me from making a fool of you that you’re making a fool of your damn self.”

  “Look, we not gon’ iron our issues out on our own. Let’s get marriage counseling and get back right.”

  “Just like that, huh?”

  “No, but it will be a start. I’ve been miserable without you and I can’t keep frontin’. I love you.”

  “Don’t say that.”

  “I know I haven’t shown you lately but it’s true. If you won’t try for me, do it for our children.”

  Ten minutes later…

  Cedric reentered.

  Gerran continued looking at Samiyah as if they were the only ones in the room. He kissed her on the forehead and then stood up to leave. “Think about it.”

  He walked past Cedric, glancing at the baby as he did. He missed her although he didn’t show that either. Gerran looked over his shoulder and caught her eyes before he walked out.

  Cedric eyed him as he did and once the door was closed, he walked over to Samiyah and took a seat next to her. “What was that all about?”

  “He wants to make us work.” She sounded exhausted by it.

  “What do you want?”

  “I thought for sure divorce but now I don’t know. I have children with him and—”

  “And a child by me since you want to bring up piecing families together. What about ours?” Cedric came out of left field with that, taking Samiyah by storm.

  “Cedric, you never mentioned this before, so why are you doing this now?”

  “I didn’t I had to mention it. Come on, nah. I’ve spent just about every day with you since you walked back into my life with our baby. You had to know nothing about the way I felt for you changed, ya heard me.”

  Samiyah covered her face. She couldn’t believe she was at that point of choosing between them again. Hands down, she still loved Cedric and he was a better friend to her than Gerran had been a husband over the last few months, but Gerran was still her husband.

  “I love you but if I don’t see this all the way through with him, I’ll never forgive myself.” Samiyah decided marriage counseling was what they needed to be able to move forward.

  ***

  Tracie was sitting in a small room, waiting to be called into trial. She was nervous about the outcome but she was willing to do what she had to do.

  She ran her hands over the last letter she received from G’Corey two weeks ago. It gave her the strength to do what she needed to do today. And although she read the letter to the point where she memorized it line for line, she still decided to reread it.

  Dear Trace,

  Your auntie told me that your trial date is approaching and my heart is heavy. A thuggah tried to get his money up but wasn’t nothing shakin’, ya heard me. I wanted us to blaze out on those bitches, but it didn’t work out the way we planned it. But have no fuckin’ worries because yo man got you.

  You know I ain’t never met a woman more down than you and I regret not seeing it until now. But I corrected that shit. You ask how? Well, read that muthafuckin’ divorce decree I sent with this letter. I had to let her go ‘cause she could never be you. You been tried to told me, ya heard me.

  Anyway, baby, I love you. I rarely said it before because I was trippin’ but I’m sayin’ it now. Stay strong and now that me and baby boy gon’ hold you down until we can figure out a way to get you from behind them walls.

  Love,

  Your G

  “I love you, too.” She kissed the letter.

  Just then her state attorney walked
in. “Good morning, Ms. Terry. Today determines your future. I have advised you numerously on what you should do but ultimately, I work for you. Have you made a decision?”

  She looked at the letter in her hand. She refolded it, closed her eyes and held it to her heart. “I’m gonna do what I said I would. G’Corey needs me and he’s all that matters.

  Chapter 32

  A few days later…

  Elias was feeling pretty damn good. The women in his life had things a little crazy for a while, like his uncle warned, but everything was kosher now.

  After having gone weeks without talking to Samiyah, they finally hashed things out with a heart to heart talk. It took him some time to accept that Peaches wasn’t his but she assured him that his place in her daughter’s life wouldn’t be dimmed. He found peace with that.

  School had been a slight challenge because he’d been out of the educational loop for years but he had been doing well with his business courses.

  But it had been Blu’s solid support throughout everything that was the cause of his upward mood and that’s why he had special plans for her that evening.

  ***

  Blu used her key to unlock the door of her parents’ home. As she stepped inside she saw her sister sitting on the sofa curled up with a book. She didn’t just want to walk past her although ignoring her was her first inclination, so she spoke. “Hey, sis. What are you reading?”

  “The Ultimate Betrayal.” She didn’t bother looking up.

  “Sounds like boo-coo drama.” She shook her head at it. “Who’s it by?”

  She was on a really juicy part and simply not interested in Blu’s attempt to make small talk. “Phoenix. Damn! You nosey.” La’Tasha rolled her eyes.

  “What’s your problem, huh? You always wear such a stank attitude with me.”

  She closed her book shut, tossing it next to her. “The problem isn’t with me. It’s with you thinking we cool. But we’re sisters, not friends.”