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❦

Being awoken from my nap by my vibrating phone, I groaned, feeling around the bed that didn't belong to me for my phone. Seeing my aunt's name flash across the screen, I answered.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Dri. I'm so sorry about that, it was like back-to-back work with your mom gone." My aunt Trinity uttered out. "I'm on the way home now though, where are you?"

I hesitated about telling her about the fact that I was sleeping in her coworker's son's bed. I figured it was best not to tell her.

"A friend picked me up from the airport. I'm at their house now, I must have fell asleep."

She sighed. "Ugh, I'm so sorry, Dri. I'm on my way to the house now, you can head there."

"Okay, I'll be there."

Hanging up, I looked to my right seeing Angel's sleeping body. Looking back at my phone, I realized it was only going on 9 pm.

I didn't even remember falling asleep, to be honest.

Part of me felt bad for having to wake him to take me to my aunt's house, but the other part of me didn't want to risk spending the night and having Ms. Juliet call my mom or aunt about it.

It's bad enough that I was here now unbeknownst to my mother and my aunt. They're all co-workers so they're bound to find out, I'm just hoping it's no time soon. Or at all.

"Angel." I shook him.

He didn't move.

Pushing him a little harder, I tried again. "Angellll."

"Hm?"

"Can you take me to my aunt's house?"

He looked over at me still half asleep. "What's wrong? You can't sleep?"

"It's not that. I was sleeping, but my aunt called and said she's headed to her house now."

"What that mean?"

I smacked my teeth. "That means I need to get to her house."

"But why though?"

"I can't risk your mom going to work and telling my aunt that I was here when she woke up or calling my mom and telling her. I would get in trouble."

"I feel that." He put his legs over the side of the bed. "I'on want you to get in trouble then."

Following his lead, I got up from his bed. Going over to my bag, I made sure that my charger and my wallet was in it before throwing it over my shoulder.

"C'mon." He motioned his head towards the door. He reached his hand out for me to grab. Reluctantly, but not that reluctantly, I put my hand in his.

It was a small act, but it made me smile.

After a couple of wrong turns, and circles, we finally made it to my aunt's house. I had a bad memory, but I knew for sure this house was 5 times bigger than the one we used to stay at when we came to visit.

"Thank you, Angel." I sighed, unbuckling my seatbelt.

He licked his lips. "What you always thankin' me fa'?"

"Becauseee." I drew out. "You went out of your way a lot for me today. I want you to know that it was appreciated. You're appreciated."

"I know it was, ma. It ain't nothin'."

"Why can't you just say you're welcome?"

"Because then that make it seem like I'm expectin' you to say sorry."

I furrowed my eyebrows. "Uh, not really. You could just easily say-"

"You welcome, Audriana."

I smiled, feeling accomplished. "Thank you."

"You welcome."

"Okay."

"You welcome."

Side-eyeing him, I smacked my teeth. "Okay, Angel."

"You welcome."

"Stopppppp." I whined, making him laugh.

He shook his head. "I'm just doin' what you asked."

Taking in each other, a silence came over us. It was a comfortable silence though.

"Gon' and go inside. We got school in the mornin'."

I nodded. "You're right, let me take my ass inside."

Going to open my door, I looked back at him when I realized he wasn't moving.

"Get out so I can hug you, boy." I chuckled.

Going over to his side, I set my bag on the ground so I could give him a real hug. His arms wrapped around my waist, my arms wrapped around his neck.

Kiss his good-smelling, fine ass.

Pulling away, I cupped his cheeks in my hand, placing my lips onto his. Pecking him a few times, I smiled as a smirk crept up on his face.

"Goodnight, love. I'll see you in the morning."

He nodded, licking his lips. "Goodnight, ma."

"Drive safe, let me know when you make it home."

"I will."

❦

"Hey, mom." I answered my mom's FaceTime call as I climbed in the car with my aunt. "What are you doing?"

I could see her moving around the hotel room. "I just got out of the shower. I'm supposed to be meeting with Detective Wisden and Mrs. Loreaux in a minute. Just to get an update on what's going on. What are you guys doing?"

"Auntie has to run some errands and then I'm going with Uncle Michael. Have you heard from Kenz?"

"Not today, not yet. When she calls, you know I will call you so you guys can talk."

"She can literally just call my phone."

My mom gave me a look. "We're not even supposed to be having as much contact with her as we do so it has to be super limited. You know this, Audriana."

Knowing that she was right and there was nothing we could do about it no matter how many times I asked, I just didn't say anything in response.

"Actually." My mom started. "Detective Wisden is beeping in on the other line. Let me answer and see what's up and I will give you a call back later."

I simply nodded. "Okay."

"Alright, honey. I love you guys."

"Love you too, sis." Auntie Trini responded first before I did the same.

Once the phone call hung up, I laid it on my lap.

"You okay?" Auntie Trini questioned me.

I shrugged. "Yea. I'll be fine."

"It's okay not to be okay, Dri."

"Trust me, I know." I laughed. "But I've also realized that me crying, moping, and being sad about it doesn't help anything go any smoother nor faster."

"True or not, keeping it in doesn't help either. It makes it worse for everyone."

I shrugged again. "I really am okay though. At least for now. But do you know where Uncle Mike wants us to meet him at?"

"Yea. It's not too far from the house. I just have to run by the post office and the bank and then we'll head there."

Today is the day that I'm hanging out with my Uncle Michael so my Auntie Trinity and I were about to on the way to meet him. They both decided it was best if neither knew where the other lived so they were meeting at Walmart to pick me up and drop me off.

After all this time that they've been "broken up", you would think little things like that wouldn't matter but I guess it did. I wasn't going to question it though.

Their lives, their business.

I was originally going to have Angel take me to my Uncle Michael's house, but I realized it wasn't the best idea because of who my Uncle Michael is, what he's capable of, and how he feels about his niece interacting with boys.

As soon as my aunt finished up at the bank, my uncle was texting me that he was headed to Walmart so we were doing the same.

There wasn't much traffic today so we all happened to make it at the same time.

"If anything changes, let me know." My aunt said to me as I was stepping out of her car.

I waved. "I will. See you later."

"Love you."

"Love you too!"

Walking over to where my uncle was parked, I listened to my aunt's car pull off once I made it safely to his truck.

"What's up, niece?" He reached over the middle, pulling me in for a hug.

I leaned in, hugging him back. "Hey, Uncle Mike. What are we doing today?"

"You gettin' straight to it, huh?" He chuckled. "But I was thinkin' maybe go pick up some lunch and then we can head to the mall and do some shoppin'?"

"Sounds great to me."

If it was one thing that my dad and my uncle had in common besides their parents, it was that they were both willing to spend whatever on me whenever. I knew that when he said he wanted to help take my mind off of things it was going to involve money.

He let me pick where we were having lunch at so I decided on Chili's. Ever since working there in Vegas, I haven't been to one but I was craving it today for some reason.

I was currently pigging out on their egg rolls as my uncle was tearing up some wings.

"So." I started up a conversation. "Not to be nosey, but why didn't you show up for Auntie Trinity's surprise party we had for her at the house?"

He raised his eyebrow, chuckling. "Why you bringin' that up so late?"

"I don't know." I shrugged. "I'm just curious. And nosey."

"If you must know, I had to work late that night. I let ya mom know and I told her to send my wishes, but I think it worked out for the best."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't think ya aunt and I bein' under the same roof with drinks in our system woulda' been the best thing."

As much as I wanted to dig into it a little more, I decided to let it go. Before I could switch the subject though, my uncle did.

"Enough of about me." He sipped his drink. "What's up with you? How was ya flight back home?"

I thought for a second. "It was good, but, uh, something actually happened at the airport that I haven't told my mom about yet."

I actually haven't told anyone.

"What? What done happened?"

"Well, I ran into this dude- like literally ran into him, knocked his wallet out of his hand and everything. He didn't look familiar at all, but he asked me if I was 'T' daughter." Uncle Mike furrowed his eyebrows. "Yea, I know."

"He family on ya mom's side or somethin'?"

I shook my head. "No, he didn't look familiar at all. I even asked him was he family he said no, but when I asked him how he knew my dad as 'T' he just ran off and said he had a flight to catch."

"Word? What he looked like?"

"Um, I honestly don't really remember. He was a little chubby, light skin, colored eyes- I think. I just know they weren't your typical brown or black. That's really all I can remember." My uncle's face held an expression that I couldn't really read nor understand. "Sound familiar?"

"N-na." He quickly shook his head. "I'on know- na. That don't sound familiar." Just then, our server came up to the table. "Can we get the receipt?"

❦

"I just really miss you guys." McKenzie sniffled on the other side of the phone.

I sighed. "We miss you, too, Kenz. So much. But, we all have to stay strong. My mom is getting ready to meet with Detective Wisden and Mrs. Loreaux. She said it can't be discussed over the phone so let's hope it's good news."

"I've been praying so much, Audri. I hate it here. I can't do anything, I feel like I'm in prison or something. There's so many kids here, but there's this one girl, I feel so bad for her."

"Really? Why?"

"I just feel for her, you know? She was telling me about her childhood and it's so fucked up. Like, how could you put a child through so much. She's sixteen, the same age as us, and she's been through entirely too much."

I shook my head, not even wanting to know the details of the girls' life. "Some people don't deserve to have kids."

"Tell me about it."

My mom came out of the hotel's bathroom, telling me to rap up the conversation so she could get her phone and head to the meeting.

"You hea' me?"

"I hear you."

Angel licked his lips. "Aight then. Stop stressin'. I'on like seein' you like that."

"I'm trying not to, but she's been gone for four hours. I texted her and called her and got nothing in return."

"Maybe she just tryin' ta' figure out some shit, mama. You gotta relax, baybeh."

I fell backwards on the hotel bed. "I know, I know."

"What you doin'? Otha' than drivin' yo'self crazy."

"I was working on our bio packet, but I said fuck it a long time ago. What are you doing?"

I could tell he was in the car, but he wasn't driving.

"Waitin' on 'Mere ta' bring his ass on."

"Where are you guys going?"

Angel smirked. "Stop bein' nosey."

"I'm not, I was just curious."

"Yea aight. Curiosity killed the motha'fuckin' cat."

I smacked my teeth, about to say something until a call from my mom came in on the other line.

"Hey, Angel. I'm going to call you back, my mom is calling."

"Aight, ma."

"I love you."

"I luh you mo'."

Hanging up the FaceTime call with Angel, I answered my mom's call.

"Hello?"

My mom sighed. "Hey, I'm coming up. I lost my key."

"Oh okay."

"I'll be at the door in a second."

"Okay."

I could tell by her voice that things still weren't going well. As much as I wanted to contain my nerves and relax like Angel instructed, I couldn't. I was nervous.

A few seconds later, there was a knock on the hotel door. Bracing myself, I took a deep breath, opening the door.

Tears instantly filled my eyes at who was standing in front of me.

"MCKENZIE!" I yelled, jumping into my best friend's arm. Looking up at my mom, she held a happy grin on her face.

"Oh my goodness. How? When?"

Wiping my tears that fell, I stepped backwards so they could step inside. My mom closed the door behind her, sitting on the bed.

"So, you know how I just told you I was going to a meeting?" I nodded, answering her rhetorical question. "Well, it wasn't necessarily a meeting. I requested an emergency hearing the day you left. The judge found Lola guilty for child neglect, child abuse, and a bunch of drug charges so she's able to stay with us until I finalize the paper for us to officially be her foster family." My mom smiled, pulling Kenz into her. "I was hoping to have her here as a surprise for you before you came back, but this works too."

"Okay, so before I get my hopes up, there's no possible way that she can get taken from us right now, correct?"

My mom sighed happily. "Correct. They reached out to her father who gave permission for me to take custody of McKenzie. She has no other immediate family so."

I mentally thanked God. "So where do we go from here?"

"I have to do the paper work, which Loreaux started for me a few days ago. After they finalize that, we go back to Florida, they make sure our home is under safe living conditions for McKenzie, and then everything is done."

The rest of the night was filled with tears and laughter. We finally felt like something was falling in place for us, for once.

Honestly, we deserved it. McKenzie deserved it.

Finishing up in the shower, the shampoo bottle flew off of the shelf and onto my foot. Refraining from getting scared, I knew exactly who it was.

"Hi, daddy." I chuckled. "I know I haven't talked to you much lately, but I haven't forgot about you. I could never forget about you. We've just been going through some things lately as you can see.

I miss you." I felt tears starting to form at the brim of my eyes. "I miss you so much. I feel like this would have been so much easier if you were here. Life would be so much easier if you were still here. Mom's doing a good job at holding up, but she told me she hasn't been seeing you in her dreams anymore. You have to visit her, dad. She misses you."

Feeling myself about to start rambling, I decided to finish it up. He was probably up there rolling his eyes at me right now. "I know I've already said this, but I miss you so much. And I love you so much more. We finally got Kenz, I know you would have been happy about that." I let out a breath. "Alright, dad. I'll leave you alone. Keep watching over us. Oh, and can you watch over Angel too. I'll explain that situation another time. I love you." I laughed, quickly saying the last part.

Before finishing up in the bathroom, there was one more person I had to talk to before leaving out and getting ready for bed.

"God, I want to start off by saying thank you..."

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