😗sorry for any mistakes

Houston, Tx

April 18th

Wednesday

"I'll see if something changes in the next week so you can go see him. It's gonna be okay hun" Nadia hugged Caydence after walking her and Kacey outside.

Caydence lowly sighed, hugging her back "Thanks" She mumbled, pulling back from her. That is not the news she wanted to hear. She wanted to hear that she can finally see her dad after three weeks.

Three Weeks ago, Quincy got jumped by three other inmates. Them trying to jump him didn't work because he overpowered all three of the men. He gave two of them a concussion. He broke the other man's nose and arm. Now he was in solitary meaning Kory and Caydence couldn't visit or even call him.

It had been taking a toll on Caydence, she was scared and just wanted to know he was okay. But she had to stay strong for Kory who kept crying and having attitudes the past few weeks on not being able to see him.

But Nadia, his new lawyer and also Kacey's stepmom was trying to get as much information as she could. She was currently trying to get him out of solitary since he didn't start the fight and was just defending himself.

"Y'all get home now befo' this storm starts. Y'all kno' they said on the news everyone needs to be in the house tonight" Nadia said as Kacey and Caydence walked off the porch.

They said bye one more time before walking up to Kacey's Santorini Black Metallic with black tinted windows 2023 Jaguar.

He walked around to the passenger side door, opening it like he always does when they're together. "Thank you," She said, getting inside. He didn't say anything, he waited for her to be all the way inside before closing the door.

She rolled her eyes at the attitude he called himself having with her. She waited for him to get back into the car "You still mad?" She tucked her lips from laughing. It wasn't funny because he was really mad but she couldn't take him seriously at the moment.

She didn't think it was that deep for him to have an attitude.

He ignored her still, putting Benji in the back seat and turning the car on. She rolled her eyes and started to put on her seatbelt. "Well, you can drop me back off at home since you wanna be a mad ass" She spoke, pulling her phone out from her pocket.

He knew she didn't get any sleep and knew regardless of her not getting any sleep she was still going to work. She didn't understand why he was mad now when she's been doing this since she met him.

He just turned the music up as Teach me a Lesson by Bryson Tiller played.

After 10 minutes of driving, Caydence glanced up from her phone and frowned when she saw he was going in the direction of Kory's Primary school. She sucked her teeth "I said take me home. I could've got her myself" She grumbled now with an attitude because he had one with her.

He ignored her again, turning the right blinker on. She was starting to think he turned his hearing aid off.

She shook her head, choosing not to say anything else. She knew Kory has been wanting to see him anyway since he was gone on 'business' all last week.

_________________

"Bookie. I'm not finna play wit' you right now, cut it out" Caydence gritted, at Kory acting out and throwing her food on the floor.

"Leave me alone Caydence" Kory rolled her eyes, picking at the food from chick-fil-a that she begged Kacey to stop and get.

"Stop throwing this food on the floor then. Actin' like you ain' got no home training" Caydence scrunched up her face, picking up the french fry she tried to throw at Caydence.

"Give me my Ipad den!" Kory yelled, with a hard mug on her face.

Caydence jerked her head back "Who the fuck you yellin' at Azure? You ain' gettin' nothing, be lucky you got this food" Caydence huffed.

She's been dealing with Kory's bad attitude and bad behavior in school since last week. It was getting very frustrating since she knew she was only acting out because of their dad's situation.

"You're not my mama! Stop trying to act like it" Kory snapped back, throwing a chicken nugget at Caydence. It didn't hit Caydence though, it hit the floor.

"Bi— Ain't nobody tryna be yo' fuckin' momma. But throw something else at me again tho. I promise you Ima throw yo' ass threw fuckin' the wall" Caydence snapped back at her. She had her all the way fucked up today.

That was Kory's favorite line when she wanted to have a yelling match with Caydence about how she wasn't her mom.

She didn't know why she brought that up. She should be lucky she had Caydence instead of Shelby.

"Stop talkin' to her like that. Look dumb arguing with a five-year-old" Kacey shook his head, getting up from his seat to get Kory who was now crying.

"You shut the fuck up talkin' to me nigga. You ain' say shit ta' me all day, keep it like that!" Caydence snapped at him making him flinch at the sound of her voice bassing throughout the house.

"What is goin' on?" Kapri came into the kitchen after walking inside with Dee, Ro, Mya, and Trey behind her. "Why she cryin'?" Pri frowned, giving the grocery bag to Dee and walking over to Kory. She was crying even louder in Kacey's arms who was trying his best to calm her down.

"C'mon bestie" Trey grabbed Caydence's forearm to remove her from darting her eyes at Kacey. He wasn't saying anything before but chose to say something when Caydence said something.

She snatched away from him, grabbed her phone from the table, and walked towards the back door.

"Why the hell do we come at hea' when it's about ta' thunderstorm?" Ro frowned, closing the door after he walked out of the house.

"Ain' nobody told y'all ta' follow me" Caydence muttered, flopping down in one of the chairs she and Kapri had in the back.

"You was yellin' at my brother?" Ro squinted his eyes at her, sitting beside her and Trey sat on the other side of her.

"And did. He should have shut the fuck up like he's been doin' all damn day" She scoffed, with her leg bouncing up and down.

"Aww, bestie" Trey fake pouted "Are you about to cry?" He asked.

Caydence looked at him with the hardest mug on her face "Trey. Shut the fuck up because I got time ta'day and I'll go dere" She held the same mug on her face.

"Damn so you jus' gon' take yo' anger out on everybody huh?" Trey teased.

She rolled her eyes, "She started wit' me first and I ended it. She has been on 100 since last week." She vented.

Ro started laughing "Cay, she's only five. You talkin' about finishin' an argument with a five-year-old bruh" He shook his head.

"Yes. She be havin' so much attitude and thinks nobody gonna take it there wit' her but I am" She shrugged carelessly. She knows Kory is only five, but sometimes she forgets because of how bad her mouth gets.

That's her little sister and she knew she had to be the bigger person because she was older but Kory had the mouth of a grown lady.

She's the bigger person any other time but Caydence just snapped today. She was frustrated, annoyed, tired and her body hurt. She started back working at the club 2 weeks ago and she's been working nonstop since she got a day job too at Burlington.

"But you gotta remember bestie, she is only five and doesn't kno' how to control most of her emotions. Gotta be gentle" Trey said.

"I am gentle. I have always been the gentle sister so she doesn't have to—" She sighed and shook her head at her about to tell her business. "Never mind but I kno' what you saying."

"Why you were yellin' at Ace tho?" Ro questioned.

Caydence sucked her teeth "Your brother gets on my fuckin' nerves. He hasn't said anything to me all day we've been together. Literally, he took his hearing aid out his ear in front of me when I was tryin' to talk to him" She heavily rolled her eyes.

They both busted out laughing "Nigga so childish I swear" Trey laughed, pulling a pre-rolled blunt out of his pocket.

"On God. Nigga be usin' that deaf shit to advantage. If he doesn't want to hear it, he gon' take that hearing aid out" Ro laughed.

Caydence chuckled a little, Kacey did that to his advantage. She would do it too if she was deaf.

"But yeah, he hasn't said anything to me. Then he was sittin' there not sayin' shit and laughing when she was throwing food at me and on the floor. Then wanna call me dumb for sayin' something back like boy fuck you," She spoke, getting annoying all over again.

She knew Kory was just a child but she felt like if he wasn't going to say anything he should've kept it that way.

"Awe not fuck him" Trey chuckled, passing her the blunt.

"Yep. He can never talk to me again since he wanna do too much" She rolled her eyes before taking a long pull from the blunt.

Ro sucked his teeth "Come on now, it wasn't that deep." He reasoned while she blew the smoke out through her mouth.

She shrugged "It wasn't but he made it that way so keep it like that" She took another long pull and then passed it to Ro.

Ro shook his head, taking the blunt from her "You cap but aight"

"Big cap" Trey co-signed.

She frowned "How? I didn't kno' him before and trust it's not hard to go back like I don't kno' him" She stated. You could be sitting next to Caydence and she still will at like you aren't there. It's something she had to easily master when she lived with her mom.

"Yo grumpy ass is mean ta' everyone BUT Ace. You ain' really gon' cut him off." Ro spoke after blowing the smoke out. Trey nodded in agreement.

"Watch dis"

_________________

"So y'all would've bought ha' kids Mcdonald's even tho' those ain' yall kids?" Trey asked as Caydence lit the last candle in the living room making it lighter.

All the lights had gone out and the governor put everyone on an emergency lockdown. The streets were too flooded for anyone to be driving so everyone just decided to make tonight a sleepover at Caydence and Pri's house.

It was really coming down outside, the thunder slightly scared her but she was surrounded by enough people not to be scared. She was glad she purchased all these candles and flashlights when she did.

Everyone had eaten and Caydence got Kory to go to sleep since she liked sleeping to the sound of thunder. Now everyone was just talking about topics on social media or asking would you rather questions.

"I kno' it was jus' a skit but I'on know. I feel like he should have brought those kids Mcdonald's. They're innocent" Mya stated.

"Hell nah. Innocent or not, those ain' his kids. Why couldn't their daddy bring them food? Why he gotta prove food for kids that ain' his and when they mama could provide them with food." Dee shook his head and Pri nodded in agreement.

"Okay but a real man gon' buy his child siblings food and not let them suffer. You gotta be the bigger person sometimes" Mya frowned.

"Girl shut up ass up talm 'bout 'real man' " Ro rolled his eyes, mushing his head to the side. "Y'all stay hollering about a real man but a real woman gon' buy her kids food and not depend on nobody"

She sucked her teeth "So say it was us in the situation, you wouldn't bring our child siblings no food?" She questioned, with her eyebrow raised.

"Hell nah. Fuck dem kids that's not my kids." Ro scoffed.

"Right. Now if y'all were together then yeah. He should've brought them some food 'cause you datin' her and the kids. But if not, then hell nah." Trey said and everyone nodded in agreement.

"That's jus' like you buying yo' child a new Ipad. You gonna buy their siblings Ipads too so they won't feel left out?" Pri questioned, raising her eyebrow.

"That's not the same" Mya waved her off "We're talkin' about food. Mcdonald's at that. Could've got all of them something off the dollar menu" She shrugged.

"That's unfair to me. Now the siblings have to watch and to resent the siblings that are gettin' Mcdonald's and stuff that they aren't" Mya added.

"Again, that's not his responsibility. I never felt like that was right for a sibling to hate on another sibling just because the other parents were doin' right by them. If you're gonna be mad, be mad at yo' mammy for not watching who she lays down wit' " Dee spoke bluntly.

"I agree. And if you were really that mad about him not gettin' your other kids Mcdonalds, pack them, kids, up and take them to get some. Don't sit around mad and try to argue with someone else about what they not doin' for your kids when it ain' they responsibility" Pri said.

"I feel that. She coulda been callin' the other baby daddies askin' why they are not coming to bring their child food. But my heart would make me get all the food so they wouldn't be left out" Mya frowned.

"Yeah, but she was makin' it seem like he was obligated to do it when he wasn't" Dee shook his head then leaned over onto Pri's shoulder.

"Aight. Would you rather be scratched or get your hair pulled during sex?"

"Nigga what?" Ro busted out laughing along with everyone else.

"When you fuckin', do you want yo' girl to pull yo' hair or scratch the hell outta you?" Trey chuckled. "Me personally, I'on like neither but I do like that slappin' shit" Trey nodded with a smirk on his face.

Everyone started dying laughing even more at him "Nigga you want yo' shorty to slap the taste out yo' mouth?" Dee laughed, holding his stomach.

"It's not slappin' the taste out yo' mouth but a slap, hell yeah." Trey laughed "Ima slap her too. Don't knock it until you try it" Trey puts his hands up in defense.

"Nigga y'all abusing each other at that point" Ro chuckled.

"Nah check this out. I had this one little shorty, I'm beatin' her shit in missionary. I'm talm 'bout bow, bow, bow killin' her shit, killin' her shit. Yo' next you know, shorty slapped me while I'm in her shit. I almost beat the fuck outta her cus who she slappin'? Then she was like, 'I want it rougher' " He mocked in a girly voice, leaving everyone in tears at that point.

"So I slapped her and put a pillow over her face then went harder. 'Ahh, Ahhh, my stomachhh' was all I heard muffling in that pillow." He finished with a shrug. "But I can't be doin' that unless we in love, you kno' shorty had the audacity to not let me leave for a week?" He drew his head back and then shook his head.

"You so damn stupid bruh" Mya laughed, trying to catch her breath.

Caydence chuckled, shaking her head. Trey always had them weak, he could turn sad moments into funny ones. She could tell he was really the glue to all the boys.

They all talked some more until Caydence got up from her spot on the couch. Her social battery was low now, even though they were still telling funny stories.

She quietly walked towards her room but stopped in her tracks when she heard little paws following her. She turned around and she could see Benji's doggy figure in the low lighting. She sucked her teeth "Go back boy" She tried to sho him away but he didn't move.

She didn't understand why he liked her so much when she literally didn't like him. He always tried to be around her or close to her when she was around him. Caydence didn't understand it, she told him many times she didn't like him.

She huffed, going back to walking to her room. She was about to close her door before he could get in but he slipped inside anyway. "Eww no get out" She whined, trying to push him about but he ran further into the room.

She sighed, just allowing it. She maneuvers around the dark room to get the flashlights she had. Once she felt them on her bed, she turned them on letting the big light shining in her room.

Caydence almost jumped out of her skin when turned around to see Kacey's tall body figure standing behind her. "Oh my God." She put her hand on her chest "What is wrong wit' you?! You can't be sneaking up on nobody like that" She fussed, looking at him crazily while trying to slow her heart rate down.

Kacey just blankly looked at her. She rolled her eyes "Get yo' dog and get out of my room" She frowned and pointed her index finger towards the door.

"Why are you still mad at me?" He signed with confusion written on his face. Caydence scoffed, walking around him to put the flashlight on her dresser.

She was putting her locs in a sloppy bun, not wanting to look for her scarf or bonnet. Her body tensed up after she felt arms wrap around her body "I'm sorry Mami" He whispered into her ear. Caydence felt a shiver go down her spine.

"Move Kacey. We ain' cool nomo" She mumbled, trying to move his arms but he wouldn't budge.

"Don't say that. I said I'm sorry" He said, sounding sad.

She rolled her eyes again, trying to hold her ground. He was just so darn cute sometimes, she couldn't help but to give in. "You wanted to ignore me, remember? Keep it like that." She tried to move his arms again. He released his arm, only to turn her arm and pick her up.

"Kacey! Put me down" She whispered yelled at him, not wanting everyone to hear her but she was about to get frustrated. He carried her to her bed, ignoring her fussing to be put down.

He placed her in the middle of her bed. She didn't move, she just watched him take his shirt off, and black cut-up jeans. He was left in red basketball shorts with no shirt.

Caydence admired his chest tattoos and full arm tattoo sleeves he had while he got in the bed with her. He got in between her legs and laid his head on her stomach. "I'm sorry Mami. You jus' made me mad earlier " He spoke up after they sat in silence for a few minutes.

"How did I make you mad Bubba?" She asked, running her fingers through his locs that were down. She took a note to her that she needed to do his retwist soon.

"Why would you get another job knowing you already don't go to sleep?" He questioned, looking up at her.

She squinted her eyes at him "That's why you're mad? Really Kacey?" She asked. Just like she thought at first, she didn't think it was that deep to be mad about.

"Yes. You don't sleep at all. You don't see how bad it affects you? You look drained around Mami. Now you gonna be more stressed tryin' to do two jobs" He explained.

She shook her head "Burlington is only a part-time job. I work there three days out of the week. I only work for 6 hours too. It's not that bad the way you thinkin' " She stated.

"It is when you don't get any sleep. You work at the club at night and come home to get Kory ready for school. Then you go to Burlington to work then get off to go get Kory jus' to feed her and all that. Then go back to the club at 8 or 9 at night. That's a lot and no sleep." He frowned.

"It's more money Kacey" She mumbled.

"It's also damaging your body, Mami." He huffed. "Sometimes you forget to eat too. You care about everyone else's health including mine but not your own. That's why I was mad." He sighed.