"Ryan! Where have you been?" My mothers voice rang in my ears.

"Getting me," I said and she turned around and stared at me. "What? No hello?"

"Do I know you?" She asked with attitude.

"Mom, now is not the time," I gave her a hug and she laughed.

"How was your flight? You came with Andre?" She asked and I shook my head. "Why not?"

"He's dead," I simply said.

"What?!" I heard three different voices. I looked around to see my brother and sister with their mouth hung.

"How?" Dread asked.

"He killed himself," I shrugged.

"Good," Renee added then left the room.

"Why'd she say that?" I asked and my mother sighed.

"When Rico first moved here, he had nightmares then he showed us what Andre would do to you," My mom said.

"He never showed me," Dread said with his face still in shock.

"Ryan, that's because your never here," my mother rolled her eyes. "I would say I'm sorry but I'm not and by your demeanor, you aren't too,"

"You're right," I sat down. "How long until Rico gets here,"

"He's sleeping right now in my room," my mom smiled. "He reminds me so much of you as a child, so helpful but that mouth,"

"Yeah I was very rude," I laughed. "I guess after Andre I changed," I looked at my freshly manicured hands, something I haven't seen in years.

"You were always quiet but now it's like your tense all the time," my mom sat next to me.

"Except for when she's with Mr. Columbo," Dread (Ryan) teased. My moms eyebrows raised and I rolled my eyes. Seems like I'll be rolling my eyes a lot.

"Shut up," I threw a pillow from the couch at my little brother.

"Who is that?" My mom asked.

"My boss," I said with a straight face.

"Mm," was all she said. "Was he the reason you were getting your ass beat?" She lifted up my shirt and gasped.

I pulled it back down and shook my head. "I didn't start working with him until after. I didn't know who he was until after," I lied.

"Your sister got her visa," my mom said after staring at my shirt. "Maybe she can-"

"I don't have my own place yet, I've been staying with a friend," I cut her off. "I told Renee, when I get my own place then she can come,"

"Okay," My mom didn't push it. I think she's still in shock after seeing my bruises. But that's nothing compared to what my body used to look like. I haven't been beaten in a week, my body has had time to heal a little and I don't stay bruised for long.

I stood up and went towards my mothers room. I stood in the doorway at my baby boy slept in peace. I walked over to him and ruffled his hair that is now cut short. His colored eyes opened and then closed. He began blinking and then he finally opened his eyes and it widened.

"Mommy?" He sat up and I smiled.

"Hey baby," I whispered and he jumped onto me and hugged me as if his life depended on it. I hugged him back and we rocked for a while. Tears collected in my eyes and soon fell rapidly on my cheeks.

"I've missed you so much," he told me and then smiled.

"I've missed you so much too," we sat down on the bed and he stayed in my lap.

"Where's daddy?" He asked and I looked away. I figured that he wouldn't care about his father but he's a child, they always do.

"Your father isn't here," I said.

"Why not?" He looked up at me under his eyelashes.

"He's on vacation, a long one," I told him and he nodded. "I got you some stuff!"

"Really?" His eyes lit up. I nodded and told him to stay on the bed.

"What're you doing?" My mom asked and I held up my index finger. I brought the suitcase for him into the room and put in down on the floor.

"Come look," I helped him off the bed and we unzipped it together.

"Woah!" He began grabbing all the toys as I knew he would. I took out the clothes and put them on the bed then the shoes on the floor.

"All those toys," my mom commented. "And you even bought him church clothes," she smiled. "Do you go to church?"

"Mom, not the time," she's trying to pry into my life but I know she wants to know how I bought all these things. Dro's chauffeur refused to take me to an economically reasonable children's store, so all of these big name brand clothes spewed across the bed got her attention.

"Did you get anything for us?" Dread asked and I looked at him.

"Of course I did," I brought another big suitcase in the room and opened it. My brother got clothes and shoes, my mother got more clothes than shoes but the shoes she got were killer (Dro picked them out).

"Where's Renee?" My mom asked and she came out of nowhere with her phone in hand. I handed her the rest of the stuff and she giggled.

"Thank you!" She hugged me tightly. "I wanna live whatever life you're living,"

"Or sleep with whomever you're sleeping with," My mom stood with her hands on her hips. I stood up and hovered over her a bit.

"Mom! I'm not doing this with you! I'm not sleeping with anyone," which is true. This is a big part of the reason why I don't want Dro doing anything for me. "You know what? I'm leaving," I folding two outfits for Rico and put one of his shoes in my bag.

"Where you going?" My mom asked as I picked up Rico.

"To grandmothers," I did in a high pitched, sarcastic voice. "Dread, drive me please," I carried my suitcase and bag to the car.

"Mommy, I'm hungry," Rico whined as we started driving. I turned around to him in his booster seat, whining.

"We're gonna get something to eat," I told him and handed him my new phone to watch videos on. "Ryan, why must she do that?"

"You know that's how she is," My little brother shrugged. We rode in silence until we got to KFC and ordered food.

"Why're you so silent?" Ryan asked as we all ate.

"She just continuously gets under my skin, part of the reason why I left. She only sees me doing bad things; sleeping with people to get money or cheating my way through school. She never believed in me," I bit into a chicken drum. Jamaican KFC is the best, it's seasoned right and all.

"Yeah, I don't know why she looks for the worst in you, she's been doing it for as long as I can remember," Dread nodded. We didn't speak again until we got to the hotel. Dread got my bags while I got Rico.

"Mama!" He ran into the hotel leaving us behind. We walked in after Rico and I thanked Ryan.

"It hasn't even been a day," I heard my grandmother say.

"She's doing it again," I simply said and asked for a room.

"Grace, you know you don't have to pay," my grandmother said as I pulled out what few I had. My grandmother sighed and got a key for me with Rico in hand.

"I want to," I said. "Ryan follow mama into the room I'm getting,"

"Gonna check on your boss?" Ryan teased me.

"Dread! Leff mi alone nuh?" I laughed then went into the direction of Dro's room.

I knocked on the door and it was silent. I knocked again and nothing. "Boss?" I called out and then I heard a sigh.

"What do you need?" He only showed his head at the door and I shook my head.

"I was just checking on you sir, I'm sorry," I ran my hands through my hair and turned to leave. He grabbed my arm and pulled me into the room.

"It's more than that," he said and I turned my back to him.

"I didn't mean to interrupt," I didn't know he had a girl in here.

"She's helping me pick the menu," he slyly said and I cracked a smile. She's wrapped up in his sheets and he has no shirt on.

I looked over my shoulder to see her trying to put on her clothes. "Not a lot of options on that menu," Dro laughed and she girl kissed her teeth at me.

"Thanks for the help," Dro smiled at her and she flipped her hair over her shoulders then left.

"Your weave stinks!" I shouted after her and Dro laughed.

"You're so carefree here," he smiled at me.

"So are you," I commented. He shrugged the pulled on a tank top.

"It's because of you," He sat on the bed and waved me over. I sat next to him and he looked at his watch for a while. "We have to leave by tomorrow night,"

"Why?" I asked.

"It's important," Dro said and I played with my hair. "I know you wanted to spend time with your son but-"

"It's okay, thanks to you I saw him. Even if it was for a day," I nodded. I'm grateful to even see him, so I can't get mad. We sat in silence and he soon laid down.

"What did you mean by I'm the reason why you're so carefree?" I asked and as soon as it came out of my mouth, I regretted asking.

"Seeing you with your family is like seeing a whole new person, it's refreshing," He smiled at me.

I nervously laughed. "I'm sure you're like that with your family,". He didn't say anything, his gaze went from me to the long window and he stared at the beach. I guess family is a touchy subject with him but he's around his grandfather a lot.

"This is the first time in years that I've smiled so much, and relaxed," He finally said.

"Why is that?" I asked and again he didn't answer. "Wanna go to the beach?"

"How far of a walk is it?" He asked and I laughed.

"Bout half a mile," I shrugged. Growing up I used to walk to the beach just to watch the sunrise and sunset. It's probably why I'm fit now but living in America I don't walk as much. Yeah, New York I'd walk a lot but the times that I had to be at school and work wouldn't make sense for me to walk.

"Okay," he nodded and slipped on sneakers. This is the first time I've seen him in something other than his fancy dress shoes and suit.

"I'm gonna get Rico," I smiled. "Meet me in the lobby,"

She wants me to meet her kid? I've never been around kids like that because I'm an only child and so were my parents. I'm sure I have an uncle or an aunt somewhere on my fathers side but he never knew them and neither did I.

"Okay," I told her and she left the room. "Rico," I chuckled. I'm meeting a kid. The basketball shorts and tank top that I have on is enough for the beach. I grabbed a towel and my room key then headed to the lobby.

"The boss," I heard a sweet British voice. I turned around to be greeted by Graces grandmother and a girl in a red two piece. "This is my other granddaughter, Renee-"

"Graces sister," I held my hand out and she looked at me from under her eyelashes with a smirk. She came in for a hug and her butt jiggled as she did so. Her butt is huge, but not bigger than her older sisters. She let me go and smiled.

"Renee?" Graces voice rang in my ears and Renee ran over to her sister.

"Girl he's fine," she commented before I heard her being silenced.

"Rico this is Mr. Columbo, say hi," Grace held a little boy with blue eyes and tan skin. He waved at me and gestured for Grace to hand him over. "You're too big to be picked up," She set him down and he frowned so I picked him up.

"Hey Rico," I smiled at him and his eyes widened.

"How do you know my name?" He asked and I laughed.

"I'm a magician," I smiled. Grace smiled at me then looked at her sister. "Ready to go to the beach?"

"Yes!" He yelled then jumped out of my arms and took off towards the front door.

"That was nice," Grace said to me and I shrugged. "I'll be back, we're going to the beach,"

"Couldn't invite me?" Renee asked and Grace rolled her eyes.

"Sure come," Grace rushed her. "But we're walking,"

Renee made a face. "I'm not walking and neither is my nephew," she jingled a set of car keys and went towards the door where Rico was standing.

"I guess it's just us," I smiled at Grace and she shrugged.

"Mama we'll be back," She said to her grandmother and we began walking.

"Can I ask you a question?" I asked and she nodded.

"How did you fall in love with someone like him?" I referred to Andre. She looked down at her feet and sighed.

"I told you before," she looked up at me "He wasn't always a bad guy, he used to be nice and loving and never would've put his hands on me. Jail and drugs messed that up,"

"How did he end up going to jail?" I asked and she shrugged.

"Something about drugs," she looked at me. "He put me in a position that I don't want to be in again. Having my home raided and my things taken," she shook her head.

"I don't even know why I'm telling you these things," She laughed. "I mean, you asked but I could've said that it's none of your business but I didn't,"

"Grace," I said as she suddenly stopped. She stared at a house that we were passing by and shook her head. "Grace?"

"Wanna race?" She asked me and I was going to say no but she took off running. I quickly caught up to her but I'll admit that she fast for her size. My legs are longer than hers so it's easier for me at over six feet to run.

"Grace!" I yelled as we ran but she ignored me until I saw bright blue water and the sun sparkling off of it.

"Beat you," she smiled then went to where Renee was.

What the fuck was that about? Why was that house making her run? This girl is full of secrets and something in me want to uncover them all.