Same day

"What the hell happened to yo lip?" Jamel asked looking at a pissed off Lincoln.

"Red ass clocked me in it." He answered walking towards the back.

"Red?"

"Shorty name." King clarified as he scanned the living room.

"She in the bathroom." Ace announced helping Trouble pick up the money.

"What'd y'all do to her?" Ty asked as King headed down the hall.

Approaching the bathroom door, he knocked lightly.

"Babygirl it's me." King spoke then knocked again.

Hearing the lock turning, he twisted the doorknob then pushed the door open.

Walking in, he closed the door behind him and joined Renae inside the tub.

"What happened?" He asked.

"I don't wanna talk about it." She mumbled looking down at her hands.

"This tub kind of small ma, you know I got long legs." He joked and she smiled softly.

"Talk to me, you want to go beat someone up?" He asked earning a soft laugh from her.

"No... I just freaked out." She replied folding her arms then sighed.

"Tell me about it."

Taking a deep breath, she looked over her finger tats.

"I just had a flashback to killing that guy and kind of went all crazy on them." She told him.

"They asked if I killed someone."

"It triggered you?" He asked and she nodded.

"One moment I was here and the next minute I was gone."

"Do you want me to take you home?" He questioned.

"No... kind of embarrassing to freak out on the first day of work like this."

"Das normal, this something you ain't used to." He reminded.

"You see what I mean when I said I get crazy when I'm alone for too long?" She asked and he nodded.

"You're not crazy though, just trying to get through the storm." He assured.

"I thought I had it together." She mumbled.

"There's always gonna be some setbacks, life never goes as planned ma." He told her.

"I'm realizing that now." She replied laying her head on his arm.

"I think I should take you home Nae."

"No... I'll be ok here I promise." She assured.

"Aight, let me go holla at dem real quick." He replied and she sat up.

Climbing out the tub, King helped her out and she sat on top the counter while he left out the bathroom.

"She aight?" The twins asked. "She'a be straight." King replied as he headed into the living room.

"Aight look." He started as he looked at the guys.

"Keep da questions to a minimum. Don't invade her personal space and whatever extreme shit y'all wanna ask run it by me." He told them.

"How we supposed to get to know her?" Dylon asked.

"When she's ready nigga." He replied giving him a look.

"I hope we don't got a crazy bit-." Before he could finish his insult King snatched him up.

"You like having all yo teeth nigga?" King asked and he nodded quickly.

"Watch yo choice of words bout her." He warned letting Dylon go then looked around at the other guys.

"Anything y'all wanna get off your chests?" He questioned.

"She cool wit me." Ace spoke.

"Me too." Lincoln added.

"Aight then." He said as he made his way out the living room and towards the bathroom.

After checking in on Renae one last time, he and Jamel them left out.

"You think she'll be straight?" Ty asked.

"She'll be fine."

**

February 1995

"You're pregnant? Really E?" Tamia asked after putting Keenan down for a nap.

"Out of all the people you let that wack ass pimp of yours get you pregnant?"

Ignoring her, Egypt tossed the ultrasound to the side and just stared at hers and Tamia baby photo.

"You ever miss being a kid?" She asked.

"All the damn time, but at some point you have to grow up E."

"That's not what I asked though." She replied and Tamia laughed.

"Truth hurts huh?"

"Are you gonna judge me or congratulate me?" She questioned and Tamia sighed.

"I can't congratulate you if you're still snorting that shit." She stressed and Egypt laughed.

"You think I would do that while pregnant?" Egypt asked and Tamia gave her a knowing look.

"You lied to that man and told him you aborted your first child and let his ass force you to snort that shit every fucking day. So yes, I do think you would do it again with this one." She semi snapped and Egypt sighed.

"I was scared and wasn't sure if I wanted to keep it... after losing it then getting pregnant again I realized I wanted this one."

"How far along are you?" Tamia asked.

"Three months as of last week."

"When are you due?" She asked.

"August or September." Nodding, Tamia began to calculate.

"How are you gonna hide this shit from Ahmed?"

"I need help, I picked up double shifts at the hotel so I can avoid him." She said and Tamia just stared at her.

"I'll call Bryson to see if he can help us, but E if you so much as get back to snorting and lose my niece or nephew so help me God, I will forget you're my sister and I will personally beat your ass."

"I guess we'll both just be in this bitch fighting." She replied and Tamia laughed.

"Do you want to tell mom? Does he even have a family?"

"I don't care and yeah I think so... just haven't met them yet." She answered and Tamia shook her head.

"Y'all been this weird couple for almost two years and you don't know if he has family?"

"It wasn't supposed to happen like this that's why." She replied and Tamia laughed.

"Who's fault is that? Didn't I tell you to leave his ass alone yes or no?"

"Yeah."

"So why in the hell did you get caught up in that life knowing how hard it is for you to quit?" She asked and Egypt shrugged.

"I didn't think I would fall for him, like I did."

"And now you're pregnant with another one of his babies who didn't ask to be here." She told her.

"I don't have time to be lectured, I should've just got a damn abortion when they asked."

"See.. look at you, running away from your problems afraid of the truth. You want me to help and that's what I'm doing but wrong is wrong and I love you but E it's time for you to grow up." She stated and Egypt only nodded.

"If you can help me, I'll be fine." Egypt replied.

"I can do that."

**

8 that evening

"How much money you got saved?" Rello asked Dajon as they sat in his car waiting on their buyer.

"Eight hundred." He answered sending Renae a goodnight text.

"What'd you do with the other three?"

"Gave it to my pops, he's still mad at me for doing this." He told him as a black Sedan pulled up.

"How's your sister?"

"She's doing good, I think that's the niggas right there." He said nodding towards the car.

"Yeah that's them niggas." Rello replied grabbing the weed before he got out.

Dajon reclined his seat back and let out a breath.

"Gotta get up out of here." He mumbled then jumped upon hearing gunshots.

"Fuck!" He cursed watching Rello's lifeless body fall.

"Shit." He whispered getting out the car and made a run for it.

"Aye!" The guy yelled getting back inside the car while the other chased behind Dajon.

"Fuck." He cursed cutting through the alleyway.

Heart racing, adrenaline rushing, he tried ignoring the branches hitting him in his face, Dajon hopped the fence and stopped to catch his breath.

Hearing footsteps, he looked back seeing the guy running his way.

Cursing, he picked the pace back up and ran down the black trail.

The car pulled up just as he was crossing the path.

"Shit!"

Back tracking, Dajon ran smack into the other gun man and earned two shots to his chest.

Hollering, he stumbled back just as the other guy let off 3 shots into his legs.

Falling face down, Dajon groaned as he tried to keep his heart beat steady.

"His ass dead." The first shooter spoke seeing Dajon eyes close.

"Let's check the car for the money."

**

"Damn... hold up." King panted slowing down as he picked up his phone.

"I told you to cut it off." Renae stressed grabbing her robe and put it on.

"Where you think you're going?" He asked putting the phone to his ear.

"I'm thirsty." She spoke heading out the room and he laid back placing his hand on his chest.

"Helluh?" He answered.

"Where's Zuri?!" Bryson yelled, pulling the phone from his ear King stared at the screen for a moment then chuckled.

"Look, I like you and all Bryson but don't be talking crazy on my line." He told him as Renae walked back inside the room with her glass of water.

"I don't care about none of that, Dajon is in the hospital in critical condition! Somebody killed his friend and left him for dead damn it!" He yelled and King sat up slowly.

"What?" He asked and Renae remover the cup from her lips slowly.

"What?" She asked.

"He got shot Kingston... twice in his chest and a few times in his legs and he has a bullet in his back... he's in critical condition.. he may not make it." Bryson stressed.

"Send me the hospital y'all at."

"No, I don't want Renae here for this... not until I know he's okay." He replied and King sighed.

"I can't do dat."

"Just wait on my call." Bryson spoke before hanging up.

Putting the phone down, King ran his hands down his face and released a deep breath.

"What? What happened?" Renae asked putting her cup down and headed his way just as her phone started going off for the 8th time.

Grabbing his sweats, King put them on quickly and tried to get her phone.

"Don't." King spoke reaching for it but she stopped him.

Laughing, she backed up as she answered Tamia's call.

"Move King." She laughed swatting his hand away.

"Hello?" She answered shoving King back. "Renae...." Tamia called then sniffled.

"Yeah? What's wrong?"

"It's DJ baby... somebody shot him!" She croaked.

"W-what?! No, Auntie no!" Renae cried shaking her head repeatedly.

"They shot him Nae... they shot him." She told her just as one of the nurses walked over towards her.

"What?! No no no! Not my nephew! No you're lying!" She screamed.

Renae nerves were already bad and hearing that just made thing worse.

"What?! What?!" Renae asked frantically pushing King off of her.

"I-I do— don't know.. oh my God.. Jesus no... she said he's dead." She answered and Renae's heart dropped.

Dropping the phone, Renae clutched her chest and let out and agonizing scream.

King caught her before she could drop to her knees and wrapped his arms around her.

"Not him... God no!" She cried rocking back and forth.

Afraid to ask any questions, King sat on the carpet with her and just held her tighter allowing her to cry out.

What he assumed, he prayed was wrong.

It had to be.

*

*

*

Aw damn...

Thoughts?