Page 52 of Always Been You

Terror

I didn’t quite know how to approach the conversation, but at Dyami's urging, I asked my mother if I could speak with her about the information I had found out. I needed to hear her side of the story. She and I had always been close, but being a parent now, I knew you couldn’t tell your children everything.

This thing she left out felt a little too big for me to overlook.

I never told her much about the situation with Slash, but she was fully aware of what happened between Kole and me.

Why wouldn’t she tell me then? Was it her way of protecting me?

I wasn’t upset at her because, honestly, the facts wouldn’t have changed the outcome.

Either way, I couldn’t get the answers for myself.

I called her to the kitchen while the house was empty of everyone except MJ, who was down for his nap.

“Hey, son,” my mother said, walking into the kitchen and sitting across from me at the island in the middle. It was a late afternoon, and as always, she was in full diva mode. She had a face full of makeup, and her slim body was wrapped in a floor-length red dress.

“I need to talk to you about—"

“I know what you need to talk about, baby,” she said, pursing her lips together, grabbing the coffee cup she walked in with, and taking a small sip.

“How do you know woman?” I asked with my brow hiked.

“Let’s just say Dyami really cares about you. Ask your questions.”

“What do you know about Kole and Slash?”

“Your dad got locked up when you were young. Marvin, whom you call Slash, is his brother who he used to run with. Marvin has always been jealous of your father. He always wanted to be in charge, but your daddy was something I've never seen before. Nobody messed with him, and I was his number one lady,” she laughed and took a sip of coffee. She lifted her eyes upward as she reminisced. “The things we used to do together, a girl like me never even dreamed of. But like I said, Marvin was jealous, and he set his sights on me. He was trying to make your father upset, and as soon as I realized the connection, I backed off completely. Your father told me about their past, and it’s dark. One I can’t speak on fully.

That had been at odds for years, but your father always came out on top.

It did nothing but fuel Marvin’s fire. He set your father up.

He went to the police and told them where your father was receiving his drugs, and they closed in on him.

That’s when your father went crazy, and he killed them all.

Over twenty police officers he killed that night, and he took off and was on the run. ”

“Damn, pops was foolin’.” I knew he went down, but I didn’t know the whole story because no one ever told me. I wish I had known.

“He was indeed something. It made national news. The FBI and the Police were everywhere. They were trying to pin the drugs on me, saying that I knew something about it. They even found some in our house. I knew they were planted because your father never kept anything around me. He was meticulous and smarter than anyone I knew. I never found out who did it, but I’m sure it was Marvin.

When they threatened to arrest me, your father turned himself in.

I begged him not to. Told him I could beat the case.

I loved that man so damn much. Still do.

” She wiped a tear from her face, and I gripped her hand.

“I was pregnant with you, and he just walked right into the precinct and took a life sentence. He told me to make sure I raised you well. He told me never to come see him or bring you to him. I could never figure out why until recently. He didn’t want his brother to try to harm you.

I know he has something on Marvin, but I am not sure what it is.

Every so often, I would receive communication from him, instructing me on how to handle matters concerning you.

When to leave an area and what to do. Even from the inside he paid our bills all these years. ”

I was stunned. I never thought that all this shit was that deep. She was blowing my mind.

“So, is that why we moved to Florida?”

“In essence, yes. Your run-in with Lanky all those years ago put you on the radar. Marvin found us. Your auntie, his sister, had settled down there, so I figured we would start a new life. There was no getting away from Marvin. He was obsessed. He would back off and pop back up from time to time, but he never fully went away. I knew he was messing with you, so I told him that if anything happened to you, he would never have a chance with me. The older you got, the closer I wanted to keep an eye on him because I knew what you were up to. I never wanted that for you, but I know who your father is. I don’t want to see the things that happened to him happen to you.

You have a good thing going with the restaurant, and you have a woman who adores you by your side. I need you to focus on those things.”

“And Kole?” I ignored her plea because that was her way of asking me not to do what had to be done.

“He was a kid in all this, just like you. He is just a product of his environment, just like you were. But you do realize you are family.”

“What I’m doing is about MJ more than anything. He won’t stop, and MY son doesn’t belong to a man like that. The curse stops here,” I said, firmly grabbing her hand. She raised my hand to her face and kissed it.

“Have you gotten a paternity test?”

“I don’t need to,” I replied quickly.

“Do what you have to. Momma is ready to get back to life. This thang I’m sitting on ain’t caused no damage in a minute and she's ready!” she joked.

“Bruh, that’s nasty.” I shook my head and snatched my hand back.

Behind us, the door opened, and Dyami came through it.

My heart leapt in my chest. She was clearly exhausted from the day.

She barely made it over the threshold before she popped her heels off her feet.

She dropped her belongings on the nearest couch, forced a smile, and headed straight toward us.

Her beauty was unmatched. That brown skin that I pressed my lips and tongue against was radiating.

Her hair was in curls that bounced with her as she moved, and her sexy little work outfit clung to her curves.

I loved that she wasn’t a stick. She had something to hold on to while I was digging her out.

The thought of having her made me do a quick adjustment that wasn’t lost on my mom.

“Boy damn! Why don’t you just pounce on the girl then? You looking at her like you're in heat!” My mom’s words made Dyami’s face redden before she looked at the ground shyly. She would blush so easily.

“Let me see that pretty face. Ain’t yo’ fault you fine as hell,” I said, pressing a kiss to her lips and pulling her into my embrace when she got within arm’s reach.

“Hi, Momma,” Dyami greeted.

“Umm hmm. I ain’t gone say nothing because I been young before. As much as you two hump, I hope you're using protection.”

“Momma, I got this,” I chimed in, so my baby didn’t have to.

“I’m happy for y’all. I’m telling you, Mi, this man pouted and cried for weeks when we left. He loved him some Dyami baby!”

“How many times have you gone say that?” I asked.

“You know it’s true. And guess what? It ain’t a damn thing wrong with it. You're supposed to love a good woman. So you better treat her right and give her your last name before one of these other men finds out you're holding a gem.”

“Ain’t no other niggas. I got this,” I spoke confidently.

“Just like you had it in that hotel when she almost walked out on yo’ ass and made you cry?” My mom’s words made me look at Dyami, who turned to the wall and scratched her head. I could see the smile on her cheeks. I guess she and my mother had been talking a little more than I thought.

“Damn, I can see y’all gone double team me all the time already.”

“You damn right! I love me some Dyami too.” My mother blew her a kiss and left the room.

“Don’t be mad. Momma and I were just having a little girl chat the other day.”

“I can’t be mad at you. I’m glad you can get that from her. I know shit ain’t been so much with your mom, so I get it. How is she doing?”

“She is good. Just a little frustrated that her hands and legs are not coming along as she thought. We walked down the TV room and this big crazy guy flipped the hell out. Smashed a TV and all.”

“Damn, for real?”

“Yeah, she's ready to get out of there. And Crystal came and saw me.” She slid the last part in quickly and tried to walk by me to the fridge. I extended my arm to stop her.

“What you mean she came to see you?”

“Exactly that. She came to see me and said she wanted to see MJ. She has been trying to call you.”

“Hell naw! Especially after what I just found out.”

“I understand, but MJ loves his—"

“No,” I said firmly. Dyami looked away from me, and I felt her body tense in my grasp.

“I’m not saying no forever. It’s too much shit going on to allow her to see MJ right now. I don’t even know if she is working with that nigga or what.”

“I get it. I don’t trust her. I didn’t want to keep it from you.”

I kissed her again. “I gotta handle some stuff.” I tried to leave her embrace, but she tangled her arms around my torso.

“Be careful, baby,” she kissed me again and let me go.

I grabbed the keys and walked out the door.

I was pulling up on Slash tonight. Apparently, I owed him for old and new.

As I reached my car, my phone rang, and Crystal's name flashed across my screen.

I hit the answer with such force that I thought I was going to break my iPhone.

“What the fuck is your problem? Don’t ever go to my woman’s job!”

“Please don’t hang up. Please.”