by Lucinda John
Chapter 30
Joey
I sat at my desk and waited for my dad to come from his meeting with the mayor. I knew he was going to tear me a new asshole. I was acting off of impulse and allowed my emotions to cloud my judgment. Since the day Stacks disrespected me at Joe’s, I’d been looking for ways to make his life a living hell. My men were supposed to inflict pain, make him suffer, but still follow the police protocol.
They failed to do so many things, most importantly when they arrested him, they forgot to read him his Miranda rights. He was beaten and not given any medical treatment and all of his request to speak with his lawyer were all denied. I was pissed at them for being so damn sloppy.
My father walked inside my office with his face screwed up. He slammed the door behind him and stood there giving me an evil glare.
“Where the fuck did I go wrong with you?” he rhetorically asked. “How the fuck did you manage to fuck up this bad?!”
“Dad…”
“Don’t fucking dad me! You are suspended without pay! Turn in your badge and gun please.”
“Let me explain.”
“There isn’t shit that you can say that can fix the fact that I have a thirty million dollar lawsuit sitting on my desk! I don’t know why I ever decided to give you this case.”
“Stacks will be the biggest bust yet. If we take him down, this could fix everything.”
“I said no! Stacks is not to be touched anymore! This investigation is closed. When you return from your suspension, you will be on office duty until I decide you are capable of doing your job correctly. Now, get the fuck out of my precinct.”
Handing my father my badge and gun, I gathered my paperwork and left the station. If he thought this was going to stop me from fucking Stacks’ life up then, he had another thing coming. Even if I wasn’t able to bring him down, I had enough power to eliminate his ass.
Picking up my phone, I called my brother Jimmy and told him that we had to put our differences aside because I was in need of his services. I set up a meeting with him then went to the bank to withdraw the money that he was requesting upfront.
Chapter 31
Lala
I woke up to a whole bunch of beeping sounds. Looking around, I could see cords and tubes all over my body. The last thing I remembered was my babies and then Tazz. Wait a minute, my babies. Where were they? I tried to speak up and say something, but my throat was to dry. Locating the call button, I repeatedly pushed it until a nurse came into my room.
“Hello, Ms. Williams, nice of you to finally join us. Let me go grab the doctor and I’ll be right back,” the nurse said and left the room. A few minutes later, a male doctor came in the room and removed the tubes that they had down my throat. The nurse brought me a cup of ice-cold water that I quickly gulped down. I pointed for her to pour me another cup that I gulped down, as well.
“Where are my babies?” I whispered still felling the rawness in my throat.
“What babies?” the doctor asked confused.
“My twins,” I hysterically began to cry.
“It’s ok, Doc, I got it from here,” I heard Lisa’s voice say as she walked in the room and wrapped her arms around me.
“I’ll be back later to check on you. If you need anything contact your nurse,” The doctor said and left the room.
“Lisa, where are my babies?” I asked in a childlike voice.
“Stacks is still out there looking for them. He’s going to find them,” she assured me as she rocked me back and forth. Lisa began to softly rub my back as I cried. The motion of her rocking me back and forth was enough to put me asleep again.
***
Three days of observation, I was finally released from the hospital. I knew Stacks was putting in overtime trying to find our kids that was why I didn’t trip too much when he didn’t come visit me. I wasn’t really able to walk, so I had to use crutches to get around. Lisa coming to pick me up from the hospital and not Stacks had me feeling some type of way. Not really wanting to talk about it, I just shut my mouth and tried my best to enjoy the ride home.
Anna met us at the door and helped Lisa carry my things in the house. All of my things were arranged in the guest bedroom that we had on the first level to avoid me having to go up and down the elevator.
I sent Stacks my fourth text message asking him where he was when Anna walked in the room with a bowl of homemade beef stew. It was one of my favorite meals, but I had no appetite to eat.
“Lala, I know you miss those babies, and I do too, but you have to eat. You don’t want them babies coming home scared of you because you look like a pile of bones.”
“Where’s Stacks?”
“He’s out looking for them babies, leave that man alone. Men are different from us females. When we’re going through something, we like to have an entourage, but when men are hurting, they like to do it in peace. He’ll be home.”
“Could you please grab me two Aleves? I have a terrible headache”
“Yes, as soon as you eat. That’s probably why you have the headache.”
I took a few sips of the stew then took the two Aleves. I grabbed a picture of my babies that was on the nightstand and cried myself to sleep.
“Lala.” I looked up and saw Stacks sitting on the edge of the bed gentlly shaking me awake.
“Where have you been?”
“I’ve been trying to look for the twins. Do you have any information that could help me?”
“It was Tazz.”
“Tazz?”
“Yes, Tazz,” I said thinking back to that horrible day. “Tavion. Oh, my God, that’s Anna’s son.”
“Wait, are you sure?”
“Yes, her daughter introduced me to him.”
“Ms. Anna?” Stacks yelled out.
“Yes baby?”
“I have to ask you a question?”
“I’m listening.”
“Do you have a son name Tazz?”
“Who Tavion?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Yes. Tavion is my adopted son, but I haven’t heard from him in months. He contacted me searching for money, but I refused to help him. He has always been a troubled child. Lord knows I love my babies, but I was happy when he finally turned eighteen.”
“Do you know his whereabouts?”
“No. Why?”
“Lala believes that he may have something to do with the babies disappearing.”
“Oh, God no! My adopted daughter, his biological sister still keeps in contact with him. I’ll give you her number and you can see if that helps.”
“Thank you very much, Anna.”
“Anything that can help bring my babies home. I’ll be in the front room knitting my babies some hats if you need me,” she said and walked out of the room.
“The therapist should be here tomorrow.”
“Where you going?”
“Back to a hotel?”
“Why are you in a hotel?”
“Lala, you lied to me.”
“Lied to you about what?”
“The fucking baby that’s what! You killed a baby that could have been mine and then lied about it. I would have respected you if you would have kept it one hundred, but now I don’t know if I can even trust your sneaky ass. You went through a lot of work just to get rid of a baby that I gave my word to be in its life even if it wasn’t mine. Then you sit up in the hospital boohoo crying and putting on a fucking show when you knew you purposely got rid of my baby!”
“Stacks, let me explain,” I began to cry.
“Go ahead.”
“I didn’t want to burden you with a child that didn’t belong to you. This was a very messy situation for me that I didn’t feel comfortable in. This was only going to cause a whirlwind of trouble that I wanted to avoid.”
“Don’t give me that bullshit, Lala. I’m a stand up guy. There was no way in hell I was going to leave you.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be, what’s done is d
one. I’m out.”
“Please don’t go.”
“I have to. I’m sick of looking at your snake ass!”
“So, just like that, we’re done?”
“You knew what it was before you even made this decision,” he said and walked out the door.
My heart began to feel real heavy. First, my kids were missing now my relationship was falling apart I didn’t mean for things to go this far. I made the decision to terminate my pregnancy because I was thinking of the future of my family and I didn’t want Joey fucking up our happy home.
Lying back in bed, I said a prayer for the safe return of my children. Pulling the comforter over my head I screamed at the top of my lungs and began crying my heart out.
Chapter 32
Ralph
“Do you really have to leave tomorrow?” Kandi asked me as we sat in Elven Madison Park and had dinner.
“Yes, I have to go home. I have to get back to the money.”
“Well, the baby and I really enjoyed the few days you were able to come out and visit us.”
“No problem. I wasn’t about to miss my youngin first official doctor’s appointment no way,” I said taking a bite out of my cheesesteak.
“I’m going to be done with school before the baby is done. I’m thinking about living up here permanently.
“Word?”
“Yeah. This city is filled with opportunities for an upcoming fashion designer as myself,” she laughed.
“Well, what about the baby?”
“I’ll work something out.”
“What about the plan of opening a boutique in Miami?” I asked trying to convince her to move back home. It was not that I wanted to be with her, I just didn’t want to have to travel back and forth just to see my kid.
“I have to have the money for that first.”
“Why you insulting me ma’?”
“What you mean?”
“It means if I got it, you got it. If you not having enough money to start up your business is what’s stopping you then, I’m willing to give you the money.
“Why?”
“Because you are the mother of my child. If you’re doing good then that means he or she will always be straight.”
“Thank you very much!” she squealed as she jumped out of her seat and onto my lap. She started kissing me all over my face and slipped her tongue in my mouth. I just sat there and allowed her to have her way with my mouth.
“How’s your relationship with Lisa?” she asked.
“We’re working on it?”
“What about what we talked about?”
“Just chill,” I cut her off not wanting to have that conversation with her.
I was trying my hardest to be cordial with her so she wouldn’t turn into a baby mama from hell, but she was making it too damn hard. Her feelings were so involved that no matter how much I was there that would never be enough. She wouldn’t be satisfied unless we were in a relationship.
Signaling the waitress for the check, I paid it then, we left to go maternity shopping. Kandi wasn’t even showing yet, so I had no clue as to why she wanted to maternity shop so soon. I knew this was just another one of her little tricks to get me to spend more time with her, so I just went along with it.
Nothing I paid for came from a maternity store, nor did she buy anything in a bigger size. Shaking my head, I continued to drop bands after bands on her until she was tired and hungry again.
Making a quick run to the Jamaican spot to grab her the curry chicken she was so badly craving, we finally made it to her house. As I was carrying the last of her bags in the house, my phone started to ring. Glancing at the screen, I saw Lisa’s name flashing across. I placed all of her bags on her bed and went outside to answer my phone.
“Sup sexy.”
“When are you coming home?” she replied.
“Why you missing daddy’s dick?”
“Nah I’m missing daddy’s face!” she laughed.
“I’m tying up these last few loose strings for Stacks. My flight touchdown in the A.M, you scooping me up?”
“Text me the information and I’ll think about it.”
“Man stop playing. I expect to see your ass there in a mini dress with no panties on.”
“Boy bye!”
“I love you too, night bae.”
“Good night, Ralph,” she said and hug up the phone.
I was finally able to get her to have a conversation with me, there was no way in hell I was telling her that I came to New York to spend time with Kandi. Lisa had zero type of understanding and it would be like pulling teeth trying to get her to understand.
Lisa’s way of thinking was for me to cease all contact with Kandi until a DNA test confirmed that it was my baby. My logic was a happy baby mama makes for a happy life and if there was a way for me to make Kandi happy without having to be in a relationship with her, I was going to do it.
“You done talking to your bitch?” Kandi asked as she came outside in a pink satin robe.
“Why she gotta be all that?”
“Because I don’t like her.”
“You don’t even know her not to like her.”
“I know she’s the reason why our baby will never get to experience a two parent home and for that I can’t stand her ass.”
“I’m going to always be in my baby’s life no matter who I’m with.”
“That’s not the point I’m trying to make. You grew up with just your mom. I know you always wondered how it would feel to have your father. I just wouldn’t want our baby to feel that way.” She began crying. Ever since Kandi got pregnant she became a hormonal wreck.
“That will never happen. As long as I’m alive, my child will never want to know how it feel to have a father because I am going to make it my business to always be there. We don’t have to be together to co-parent.”
“I don’t want to co-parent though. I want to be a family.”
“Shhhh, ma don’t cry, everything is going to work out.”
“You promise.”
“Ma trust me, I gotchu. Now, let’s go inside, so that I can rub them ugly feet.
“My feet are not ugly.” She laughed while hitting me on the chest.
Laying her down on her sofa, I grabbed the peach mango body oil and poured some in the palm of my hands. Rubbing the oil in my hand, I grabbed her feet and began rubbing them. I wasn’t in the mood to give her dick, so I planned on rubbing her feet until she fell asleep.
Twenty minutes into the foot rub, she was knocked out and softly snoring. I carried her to her room and placed her in bed pulling the comforter over her body. Grabbing a pillow and a blanket off the bed, I went to the living room and fell asleep on the sofa.
I was awakened in the middle of the night by the sounds of slurping and pleasure shooting through my body. Looking down, I saw Kandi on her knees giving me some of her fye head. I used her head and guided her so that she was sucking on the spots that made my toes curl. After busting down her throat, I bent her over the arm of the couch and fucked her until it was time for me to get ready for my flight back home.
Chapter 33
Lala
“Up. Down. Up. Down. Up. Down. Up. Down,” my physical therapist instructed as we did my legs exercises in the pool. This was my last week of therapy and I was glad because this bitch was starting to get a little too friendly with Stacks. She tried to get him to bring her home one night because her so called ride wasn’t picking up the phone, but I shut that shit down quickly by suggesting that Anna bring her.
I really didn’t see the need of her visits anyways. The boot was off of my leg and I was walking normally except for the slight limp that I had that the doctor assured would go away with time.
It had been three weeks since the day I got shot and the day my babies disappeared. No matter how many bodies Stacks went through, no one had no information on where my babies could be. Today made them nine months and instead of putting the cute little nine months sticker on their
chest and taking cute little pictures of them for their keepsake box, I was stuck here in my feelings. It was as if this Tazz character and my kids fell off the face of the earth because they were nowhere to be found.
“Ok, Lala that is all for today. You are healing very quickly. Only a few more days left and you’ll be done with therapy,” she said getting out of the indoor pool that we had built in our poolhouse.
“That’s good.”
“Well, I’m about to get going before my ride have a fit. Tell Stacks I said hi.”
“Ok,” I replied really wanting to wrap my hand around the bitch throat and squeeze the life out of her ass. It was like she knew Stacks and I were no longer together and was trying to throw that shit in my face on the sly.
“Lala, your clinic is on your office phone,” Anna yelled from the kitchen.
“Send the call to my cell phone.”
“Hello,” I answered.
“Lala, you need to get here quick!”
“Shelly, what’s going on?”
“With all due respect, could you hurry up and get here it’s important, please?” Shelly said before hanging up the phone.
I jumped up went to my closet and threw on a pair of jeans, a plain black t-shirt, and a pair of black Timberland boots. Pulling my hair in a high messy bun, I grabbed my keys and wallet and was out the door.
Hitting the alarm on my Range, I pulled out of the parking garage and headed toward my clinic. When I got there, police officers were everywhere. My heart started to pound in my chest as I hopped out my car and rushed to the front to see what’s going on.
“Oh, my God, Lala. I tried to help them. I just saw them here, who would do that?” She began crying hysterically.
“Ma’am, are you Lala Williams?” the officer asked.
“Y-y-y-yes why?” I stuttered.
“Can you walk with me please?” I followed the officer away from all the madness that was going on to a quiet location.
“Do you have pictures of the twins that you reported missing?”
“Yes, um yes, I do, but um, why?” I asked feeling myself about to have a panic attack.
“May I please see the pictures?”