Khia

Stepping out of the black limousine in my shades and my all black outfit, I padded my face with a tissue and prepared myself to step into the funeral home venue. My mom held my hand and squeezed it letting my know that she was there. A silver Audi pulled up next to the limousine and Marcus stepped out taking his shades off. He wore a all black suit with matching shoes. "Do you know him?",my mom asked me.

"Yeah I'll meet you inside mom",I told her walking towards Marcus. He gave me a hug and took my sunglasses off my face.

"Wow your eyes are red and puffy. You been crying?"

"Nah I've been laughing",I said sarcastically. He smiled and put my shades back on my face.

"I just saw him, he sends his condolences to you and your family but especially you",he said.

"I don't wanna hear all that. I just want him here",I said feeling tears flowing through my face.

"I know Khia. Look, I know your feelin all types of emotions right now but I got you. I'm here for you just like I'm here for my bro. Dry those eyes up babygirl, you got so many people out here that need you to be strong for them",he said wiping my tears. He led me into the venue and walked behind me in a form of protection. I sat in the front with my mom and Marcus sat behind me. I'm sure he was getting all types of looks because no one knew who he was. The ceremony began and I could see my father's body dressed nicely in the casket. I just kept having this scary thought that he would just open his eyes and come kill me. I didn't even feel right being here but I had to save face.

The director asked if anyone would like to say a few words but I couldn't manage to get myself up, so my mom went up to say a few words.

"That man right there knew how to talk a storm. He wasn't book smart but he was surely street smart",my mom started and the crowd laughed but I didn't cause it wasn't funny to me. I was so sad and numb at this pain because while on the stage with my mom, I'm trying to create something to say nice about my father who harassed me when I was a little girl. He robbed me of my innocence when I was a teen & no one knew that but him and I. I thank God I wasn't pregnant but I was sad because my first, was my dad and not the man of my dreams. My mom handed me the mic and I said something brief along the lines off he was brave, ain't scared of nothing and nobody. He was a hard worker and can't nobody hustle harder than him. He is gone but will never be forgotten in my heart. People may think that's something sweet but I saw it another way. Yes, my father was gone but he really won't ever be forgotten because I'll never forget the pain he brought me. As I looked at him in the casket, I had flashbacks of him being on top of me about to rape me two weeks ago. The director gave everyone in the audience a flower & told them to keep it with them and bring it to the cemetery. My mother and I closed the silver casket at the end of the service and allowed them to carry it to the first limo parked out front. Marcus was with me the entire time consoling me, making sure I was straight. He left his car parked there and rode with us in the second limo to the cemetery.

"Man this is why I can't do funerals or weddings",he said.

"Why?",I asked him.

"Too much emotions everywhere and I ain't with it."

"I'll remember that when your getting married",I said jokingly.

"Ain't no time soon, I promise you that. Santiago's family called and said they'll meet us at the cemetery",he said looking at his phone.

"Okay."

"They said they didn't want to come and create a scene being that Santiago you know",he said.

"Right. That's understandable",I said and laid my head on his shoulders.

"How you holding up?"

"Well I'm eating and I went to work, I'm doing double shifts because I need to get a place soon."

"That's wasup. Stack ya bread up."

"So is Santiago gonna Get his job back when he gets out?"

"He never lost it. I've been holding it down for him."

"Okay. What would he do without you?"

"Probably be in jail a lot longer than expected. He my bro so I always gotta have his back."

"You think he's in there cause of me? Like am I a bad influence on him?"

"Nah. He in there cause of a decision he made and Nah not at all. Santiago always been a hot head. He seems to listen to you though. You've tamed him in a way."

I smiled.

"But you gotta Get a hold of him though. No more of that jail shxt cause next time, he won't be off the hook",he said.

"Yeah I will."

Arriving at the nice cemetery, Marcus got out the limo and helped my mom and I out. Everyone stood in a circle and the workers were there ready to put my dad 6 feet under.

"As everyone comes forward, you will place your flower on top of the coffin as a sign of love and farewell."

Everyone did as he said and I went last. Marcus whispered, "you okay?"

I shook my head and braced myself for what's gonna happen next.

"Everyone step back please",the director ordered. As they lowered my dad, I felt my heart sinking down with the casket. Tears flew down my face and I yelled historically for my father. Marcus held me back to keep me from going to the grave. I cried and cried and cried as they kept lowering him. I turned my back to the grave and cried onto Marcus's chest. I felt like my heart was broken and I couldn't stop crying. I love my dad no matter what because he was still my dad. Santiago's parents came and surrounded us. My mom held my hand. From a very far distance I can see trey. He knew better than to walk over here because Marcus would've chewed him out for even being here.

After I managed to calm down, everyone went back to their cars and followed the limo to the reception place.

It was nicely decorated in black and white.

There was a chandelier up hanging.

"Hey",I looked behind me and it was trey dressed in his black slim dress shirt and slacks.

"Hey",I said plainly.

"Are you okay? I saw you crying",he said.

"I'll be okay. You didn't have to come."

"I know. I wanted to."

"Aye backup homie you gettin a lil too close",Marcus said interrupting. Trey looked at him and then at me and said,

"See you around."

"Yea. Thanks for coming."

I turned to Marcus and said, "what was that about?"

"If he did that in front of tiago, it would've been a fight up in here. Better be glad that's all I said. He has no idea what we got planned tonight."

Tonight was the night that Marcus was gonna have someone do the break in to get the papers for me to get Santiago out by tomorrow morning.

"You think everything is gonna go through?",I asked him while grabbing a plate and putting fruits on it to eat.

"I know it'll go through. I got too much money on this guy for it not to go through."

"At least something is going right in my life right now",I said.

"Santiago's a lucky dude. I'll tell you that."

"I'm sure he knows."

"I keep asking you if you gotta sister but you keep curving me."

"Marcus I don't have a sister. I'm an only child",I said laughing. Just then music came through the speakers and Elle Mai's boo'd up' started to play and I swayed back and forth while eating my fruits.

"I got a surprise for you",Marcus said.

I looked at him weirdly cause right now I didn't need any surprises. He handed me a white envelope. I opened it and it was a handwritten letter from Santiago. I smiled from ear to ear while reading it. Some of which it said, he loves me and when he gets out he wants us to get married and have a future together. That brightened my day and caused me to sing along to boo'd up cause I sure was.