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The sound of sniffling and crying woke me from my deep slumber, I looked up and there Poetic was lying next to me in a fetal position shaking and crying. I tapped him scaring the shit out of the both of us the way he jumped up. He looked around and his eyes softened at the sight of me. The tears were still running down his face and I could tell he was embarrassed.

“It’s ok, I’ll get my things and leave.” I said just above a whisper. He didn’t say shit he just ran off to the bathroom. I saw that we were in a hotel which was a good thing. I had no clue how we got here and who checked us in, but I would think it had to be one of his drivers that knew what type of rules to follow. I hurried and put my clothes back on and made my way outside of the door. Once I made it to the door it was two men standing outside of it.

“Good morning, Ms. Reece. I’m Jasper and I’ll walk you out the back of the hotel where no one will see you. Your car is here in the parking lot.”

“OK, Mr. Jasper, thank you so much.” I said while following him to my car. So much was running through my head, but I knew I had to take my time with this. I knew I couldn’t address this right away. I was going to have to wait for him to reach back out to me. The night we had was amazing we drank, we talk, and vibed with each other. We both were turnt from the liquor so we decided to leave the club together. After that I really don’t remember much. The way we were throwing them drinks back. I was sure we were going to be turnt. I didn’t know we ended up at a hotel. I felt like I had sex and I was naked when I woke up so I know what went down. I just hated that I didn’t remember how everything went down. Once I made it to my car. I turned to Jasper and spoke.

“Thank you so much and can you make sure he’s ok?”

“He will be just fine. I promise you just give him some time.” He assured me. Hearing him say that I assumed that he knew what was wrong or he had been around some shit that had to do with Poetic Pain. I got in my car and Jasper closed the door for me. I sat for a second trying to rap my mind around what just happened, but I really couldn’t make sense of it at all. I just knew that this shit had Carol Peterson written all over it and I was going to take that old bitch down if it’s the last thing I do. The sadness in Poetics eyes had me sad and I needed to go hug my mama, so that’s exactly what I did. I started my car up and headed straight to see my old lady.

After dodging in and out of traffic for about a half hour I was now pulling up in front of my childhood home. I parked the car and hopped right out. I knocked on the door and she opened it right up. The minute I saw her I pulled her in for a hug and started crying instantly.

“What’s wrong baby?” the woman who birthed me asked while pulling me in the house and shutting the door.

“I went out drinking with Poetic Pain and we ended up at a hotel room.”

“What the hell happened Tatum? Do I need to go grab my gun?”

“No mama, nothing happened that I didn’t want to happen.”

“Well, what happened? What has you so upset?”

“I got woken up by his crying and shaking. Mama I saw a grown ass man in a fetal position crying like a small child in his sleep. The shit hurt me to the core. I know Carol Peterson did something to him, just like she did Trent. I just have to get him to open up about it.”

“Tatum what are you doing? Are you playing with this man for a story?” My mama asked wearing a mean mug.

“I’m not even going to lie, at first that was the plan, but I think I like him.”

“If you think you can handle a damaged man like that then go for it, but just know it’s going to be some hard times baby.”

“I know, I need to take my time with him if I plan to pursue something. I know I just feel so bad that I couldn’t do anything earlier because I’m supposedly not supposed to know what’s going on with him. I wanted to hold him while he cried, but you know how men are.”

“Yeah, I do, but that man there is a different type of man. I know you feel like he’s weak because of the things he went through, but I don’t think so. That man is a strong man. He was able to stand tall and still keep his dream going. Now he’s a very successful man. He just have some darkness that needs to be brought to the light and you may be that person that can do that for him.” I sat and I listened to everything my mama was saying and I never thought about any of this. I just used to think of Poetic Pain as a sarcastic bastard that Carol Peterson took advantage of. But over the past couple of weeks, I’ve noticed a different side of him and I was now intrigued even though I knew it was a darkness in his past that didn’t stop how I was starting to feel about him after our second encounter.

“I don’t know if he will ever want to see me again, he was so embarrassed.”

“Give him his space and if you feel like he’s taking too long, go pay his ass a visit.”

“Do you think I’m crazy for liking him?”

“No, I don’t I think if what we think happened to him he deserves some good in his life and a happy ending one day. Nobody deserves to live in a dark past.” I swear I loved this woman and her gems she always dropping. I just wish my brother would have talked to her and let her know what was going on. She would have helped him get through it in any way he needed. We were my mama’s life and she would do anything for us both until her casket drops. I didn’t feel like doing anything today, so I decided I was going to stay here.

“Do you mind if I shower and get some rest in my bedroom?”

“Now you know I never mind that. When you get up we can have dinner and a movie night if you feel up to it.”

“Alright mama, that sounds good to me.”

“OK, good now go get cleaned up and get you some rest. I’ll be sure to pray for your friend.”

“Thanks mama I truly appreciate that.” I said while pulling her in for another hug and then heading to my room. I was exhausted and hope that I can get some rest. My mind was all over the place, but I knew I was tired and needed a nap.