by A'zayler
“No, but I will be.” He raised the gun and shot a bullet through the center of Ornella’s forehead before anyone could see what he was doing.
He didn’t even look at her as he turned toward Taryn and Uzoma. “Ready?”
They both nodded and began walking in different directions. Taryn headed to the room to get Ayo while Uzoma walked to Paki. They spoke quietly for a minute before going out onto the porch where the rest of Ornella’s soldiers were. Taryn wanted to hear what was going on, but she would be filled in on that later. Right now she just wanted to leave.
Ayo was still in the bed sleeping when she walked in. She grabbed him from the bed, along with a few other things, and was right back out of the room. She met Demoto in the hallway and he grabbed Ayo and everything else that was in her hands. In the other hand he grabbed hers and led them from the house.
When they got onto the porch, Alias, Uzoma, and Paki were all standing on the stairs. Demoto stopped briefly and let them know that he was going back to the room to get Jacko then they were headed to the airport. Taryn couldn’t hear what Paki said, but Demoto shook his head and proceeded down the stairs.
The moment his foot touched the step, all of Ornella’s soldiers began to bow. Taryn looked around, trying to figure out what was going on.
“What’s all of this about?” Taryn asked, as the men continued to bow.
“Since Ornella is dead, I’m the next to the throne.”
“So, what does that mean?”
Demoto looked at her with a serious face. “I’m a king, Taryn.”
“So, would that mean I’m a queen?”
A smile tugged at Demoto’s lips. “Yes, Tee. You’re a queen.”
Taryn looked around and began walking with a little more confidence. Demoto just laughed at her and how easily she’d fallen into the role.
“So, what’s going to happen now?”
Demoto shrugged. “I don’t know and I don’t care. I’m getting my ass on a plane to Georgia. Cameroon is my roots, but this is most definitely nowhere I want to live, especially like this.” Demoto opened the door to the jeep they’d been riding in and helped them in.
A short minute later, Alias and Uzoma joined them.
They rode to the hotel discussing what had just happened and what was going to happen. Taryn was halfway listening because all she cared about was getting home. Once they got Jacko and all of their things, Alias took them to the airport. They were standing near their gate when Alias gave she and Demoto a friendly hug before letting Uzoma know he would be outside. He walked away and Uzoma stepped forward.
“Thank you for everything, fam,” Demoto gave him a brotherly hug.
“No problem. That’s what brothers are for, right?”
He and Demoto smiled before shaking their heads. “Yeah, you right. Hell, you need to make your way to Georgia and kick it with me.”
“Yeah, I’ll look into that. Not right now, though. Me and Paki got a lot of shit to clean up since you ain’t staying.”
“Hell no.” Demoto shook his head again.
“I feel you, brother. You have a beautiful family that you need to tend to.”
Taryn stepped up and gave Uzoma a hug. “You have been so amazing, thank you.”
“It was no problem at all, Taryn. If you find me a wife, then that’ll be payment enough.”
“I got you.” Taryn grabbed Ayo and walked toward the gate.
She took a seat and watched Demoto and Uzoma talk for a little longer before parting ways. It was another twenty minutes before they boarded their plane. Once they were on and comfortable, Taryn grabbed Demoto’s hand, kissed it, and fell off to sleep.
Chapter Seven
It had been almost three months since their little rendezvous in Cameroon, and Demoto was still trying to get into the swing of things. He had been trying his hardest to spend more time at home with Taryn and Ayo because she too was a little nervous, but he could understand that. Her safety had been compromised, and that wasn’t an easy pill to swallow. He did everything he could to help her get herself back together, but it was still taking some time.
He had been taking her on dates, taking Ayo out for playdates with Izzy on the regular, so that she could feel like her old self again. Like today, he’d just finished a contract, and he was heading home. Ayo was still at daycare so that meant Taryn was home alone. She was going on eight months, so she was showing and getting lazier by the day. He chuckled as he thought about how much she complained about everything.
Demoto grabbed his keys from his desk, threw his completed contract folder into the drawer, and left. He was in his car headed to the house when he decided to stop and get her some flowers. The florist was right up the street from their house, so it didn’t take him long. He paid for a bouquet of white and red roses and was back on his way home.
He beeped the lock to his car as he walked down the driveway to their front door. The very next day when they got home he’d found them a nice sized house and moved, which was another reason Taryn spent most of her time at home. She loved their new house. When he walked in the door, there were big pink balloons everywhere.
Demoto frowned as he slapped the balloons out of the way. “Taryn, why you got all this shit in here?”
She ran from the back with a hot pink shirt on that had Azmera Youngblood on the top with a picture of an ultrasound on her stomach. The pink circle on the black-and-white picture stood out along with the words, It’s a Girl! Demoto looked at her long and hard before bursting out into a smile.
“Yo, you wild, man.”
Taryn laughed at his happiness. “It’s a girl, baby. I found out yesterday, but I wanted to surprise you.”
“So, you and Kia both about to have girls?”
Taryn nodded her head up and down, still smiling. Demoto grabbed her and hugged her. “You had to make this big ass mess to let me know it was a girl? You couldn’t have just worn the shirt?”
Taryn fell over in laughter. He could tell by her giddiness that she was excited. She was hanging all over his arms smiling and laughing.
“I’m for real. Now we have to pop all these damn balloons and shit before Ayo gets here because you already know he’s about to get on our damn nerves with them.”
“You’re such a grouch.”
Demoto kissed the center of her neck. “I’m just fucking with you.” Demoto touched her round stomach. “I’m happy as shit that it’s a girl, though. I can’t wait to see what she looks like.”
Taryn rolled her eyes to the back of her head dramatically. “I hope she looks just like me. You already have Ayo.”
Demoto kissed her lips again. “I hope she does, too. She’ll be pretty as hell if she does.”
He released Taryn so he could look at her shirt again. “So, you want to name her after your mama?”
“Yeah, I thought since Ayo has a Cameroonian name, that her name could be Ethiopian. That way they both have a piece of us.”
“Yeah, that’s dope. I can fuck with it. Have you talked to your aunt and them?”
“Yeah, I talked to my auntie yesterday. You know she was still acting crazy about me not talking to her while I was away on my trip.”
Taryn had told her aunt that Demoto had surprised her with a trip to Cameroon to meet his family. She hadn’t been too thrilled with Taryn not showing up to the airport before they’d flown out the day following their lunch at Red Lobster. Taryn thought she was doing too much, so she brushed her off, but in a respectful way.
She went on and on about not being like her mother and how distant she became once she started dealing with her father. That little remark about her father had almost pissed her off, but Demoto convinced her that Habesha was just old and she didn’t mean anything by it. She piped her attitude down the best she could, but Habesha was still getting on her nerves.
“When’s the next time they’ll be here?”
“She said they’ll come down when I have Azmera.”
Demoto smiled at the men
tion of his baby girl’s name. “Azmera?”
Taryn nodded at him with a certain twinkle in her eye.
“That’s gon’ be Daddy’s baby right there. You can have Ayo’s ass.”
“Nigga, don’t fucking do him.”
Demoto fell out laughing as he sat down on the couch and kicked the balloon in front of him. “I ain’t doing that lil nigga. He does his own self. He stays up your ass.”
Taryn twisted her mouth to the side, trying to suppress her smile because Demoto was right. Ayo was so clingy with her. He loved Demoto like no tomorrow, but Taryn, now she was his love thing. He doted on her like she was his woman or something. Jacko and Demoto made fun of him all the time about him being the head of the house and being Taryn’s husband.
“Whatever, mean ass. What you doing home so early? I thought you had another contract?”
“I did, but I finished that shit so I can come get you out the house for a little while. You good with that?”
“Oh, but of course. Where we going?”
“Don’t worry about it. Just go put you on some clothes or something.”
Taryn looked down at her clothes. “What’s wrong with this?”
The pink T-shirt she was wearing with the dark blue jean maternity shorts on looked decent enough to her.
“Ain’t nothing wrong with it. I just figured you would want to change it. You know how extra your ass likes to act.”
Taryn rolled her eyes and walked to the back of the house, he assumed to put her shoes on. When she came back she had her hair brushed into a bun and she was wearing a pair of white Keds and her purse.
She stopped in front of him with her hands on her hips. “What?”
“Come on.”
Demoto stood up and grabbed his phone and keys from the sofa. He stood to the side so that Taryn could walk out before him. After locking the door, they walked to the car and got in. Taryn looked out of the window, not asking any questions. That was one thing he liked about her. She trusted him with the smallest things, even something as simple as a small date.
The parking lot of Babies R Us was pretty empty, which Demoto was happy about. He already didn’t like shopping, so if he had to shop, he at least wanted it to be in peace. When Taryn saw where they were going, she smiled and clapped her hands. As soon as they were out of the car, she grabbed his hand and followed him into the store. Demoto grabbed a buggy because he had every intention of buying Azmera whatever Taryn picked up.
He pushed the cart behind her as she strolled through the car seat aisle. When she stopped in front of a purple and white polka dot set, he just shook his head. Taryn and Azmera were about to kill him with that girly shit.
“Ooooh, Moto,” Taryn squealed.
He didn’t even say anything. He just walked around the buggy and picked up the box with the car seat, followed by the stroller.
“You might have to go grab another buggy. Ain’t nothing else about to fit in here.”
He laughed when he saw her two steps from a skip as she exited the aisle. He took it upon himself to pick up a baby bag that matched the stroller set, along with a few other items. When she came back she picked up the baby bag and smiled.
“So, Azmera got you shopping now?”
“I told you that’s Daddy baby.”
“I can’t with you. This bag is cute though and we can get her name monogrammed on it.”
“Whatever you want, Taryn.”
She stopped in her tracks and smiled at him. “See, that’s why you’re my husband. And to think, I thought about telling you no.”
“No?”
“Yep. You’re a dangerous little fella. I didn’t want to get in the middle of anything like that.”
“Now, you should already know better than that.”
“Calm down, Youngblood, I’m only joking.”
“Well, don’t joke like that. That kind of shit gets pregnant girls fucked up.”
“Oooh, yeah, fuck me up, Daddy.”
Demoto winked at her and continued down the aisle. Before long they had both shopping carts filled up and were headed to the register. Taryn unloaded everything that Demoto would let her lift and moved out of the way so they could get done. The total nearly blinded her, but Demoto looked completely unfazed. He paid for the things and they went to the car.
When they were crossing the street a truck pulled up alongside them and slowed to a stop. Demoto and Taryn both looked at the window to see who was driving. When the window rolled down and Jeremiah’s face came into view, Taryn picked her pace back up and continued on to the car.
“What’s up, nigga?” he yelled to Demoto.
Demoto smiled and stuck his hand through the passenger side window. “What’s up, bruh? What the hell your ass been up to?”
“Shit, you know me. Just out here trying to get it.”
“That’s what’s up. It was good seeing you.”
“You pumping her up with them babies, ain’t you?” Jeremiah nodded his head toward Taryn.
One of Demoto’s eyes squinted as he looked at Jeremiah. “Why it matter?”
“No offense, my nigga, I’m just fuckin’ with you.”
“I feel you.” Demoto pushed the cart to his car and began unloading things.
“Well, I’ll holla at you,” Jeremiah told him before driving away.
He beeped the horn at Taryn as she walked past, but she didn’t even look his way. She hopped right into the passenger seat of Demoto’s car and waited for him to get in. It took him a second to unload all the things that they’d bought before joining her in the car. When they pulled away, neither of them addressed Jeremiah’s appearance. Not that it was much to discuss.
Demoto drove a few minutes down the road until he was pulling into the parking lot of a park. Taryn looked over at him trying to figure out what he was doing.
“What we doing here?”
“We finna play. What else you do at a park?”
Demoto got out of the car before she could respond to him and walked around to her side. Taryn sat in the seat for a minute before making herself get out.
“If we were about to do something like this, then we could have stayed at home.”
Demoto walked up behind her and grabbed her around her waist. “That’s all you ever do is sit in the house. Get your ass out sometimes.”
“I be tired.”
“I’m sure you do.” Demoto kissed the side of her face and walked off in front of her. He jumped off the small pile of blocks that led to the park and turned around.
He waited for Taryn to get close enough where she would have to jump before reaching his arms up to grab her. He was about to pick her up and pull her down onto the flat ground where he was, but her silly ass jumped right off of the rocks.
“Aye Taryn calm your ass down. What you doing jumping around like that? You want to hurt the baby?”
“Be quiet, Demoto. Ain’t nothing gon’ happen to this lil girl. She’s almost big enough to come out anyway.”
He frowned at her and pushed the side of her forehead with his finger. “Stop fucking playing with me, girl.”
Taryn scooted around in front of him and started dancing. “What you gon’ do, Daddy? What you gon’ do?”
Demoto was smiling until she bent over and started twerking. Taryn had her hands on her knees and was shaking her butt in the middle of the park. Being that it had gotten so much bigger since carrying Azmera, it was moving like crazy. He wanted to fuss at her, but the way she was moving it had him smiling instead.
“Moto, you better get up on this ass.” Taryn stood up and moved her legs so that her ass looked like water as it moved around in her shorts.
Taryn smiled when she saw him covering his smile with his hand.
“Yo, you wild, Tee.”
“It pays that I used to be a stripper, huh?” She looked over her shoulder and smiled at him again.
“Don’t get fucked up today.”
Demoto walked around her and went to the swings. He s
at down and pulled the one next to him over and dusted it off so that she could sit down. When she sat down, he let it go so that she could swing. He watched her scoot all the way back before releasing her feet and allowing her body to float into the air. She kicked back and forth for a few minutes, going higher and higher.
He watched her, feeling the love he had for her bubbling up inside of him. He pulled his locs out of the ponytail that they had been in to give himself time to shake off the mushy feelings that were surfacing. He loved Taryn more than anything, and it still got to him on most days.
“I love you, Demotooooo,” she sang as she swung back and forth past him.
“I know you do. I love you, too.”
“How long you think we’re going to be together?”
Demoto looked at her with his face scrunched up. Sometimes he couldn’t understand where Taryn came from with her questions. They would be so off the wall it would take him a minute to answer them.
“Forever.”
“Yeah, that’s what I was thinking, too.” She showed all of her pretty white teeth when she smiled.
“What you think about Uzoma being my brother?”
Taryn shrugged. “He’s cool. I like him. What you need to be asking me is what I think about you killing your mama and your brother. Now that’s something you should be worrying about.”
Demoto stopped swinging and just sat on the swing. He was quiet for a few minutes, trying to think of how he wanted to respond to that. There weren't many things he could say because no matter what the reasoning was behind it, he had still killed his mother and brother. It was a difficult matter, even for him, but it was something that required some thought. He had been trying to sort it all out since leaving Cameroon, and it still made his head hurt.
“How you feel about that?”
“I don’t know how to feel for real. It’s like I trust you not to hurt any one of our kids or myself, but it’s still crazy because I watched you kill both of them, and Terry. I may be the crazy one.” She laughed as she kept swinging.
“That’s not funny, Taryn,”
“Yes it is, Demoto. I trust a killer not to kill me.” She burst out laughing again.