"Where we going?" Christian asked for the fifth time.

He act like his irritatin ass mama with all these damn questions. If it ain't whea we goin, it's whea we bout ta eat at or who all gone be thea. Like damn, enjoy the ride and shut up fa a couple minutes.

"Fuck I just say? I'm not gone say it again, I said pack ya bags, not question me." I said sternly.

He pouted, walkin away from me ta go pack his bags.

Runnin ma hands down ma face, I groaned already knowin I was gone have ta apologize ta him later. Christian inherited a lot of Sarah's traits. Being emotional is one of them. Fa a growin lil boy, I needed him ta stop cryin at every single thing. He could hit his knee inna wall, he cryin. Got diarrhea, he cryin. Flu, he cryin. He need ta hurry up and grow outta that shit. He gone cry, understandable, but at every little thing? No, nigga. I couldn't take it and that shit drove me crazy.

Sighin, I continued ta pack ma bags befo I had a call. Grabbin ma phone from the dresser. I seen the incomin call from Sierra. I slid the icon over ta answer the call.

"Hey, ma." I said.

"How you doin baby?" She asked. "I never called after your session with your therapist, so how was it?"

Groanin, I took ma time answerin the question. "It was aight."

"Is aight good or bad?"

"Aight is I don't wanna talk about it." I unintentionally snapped.

"August, what's wrong?" She asked.

"Ia tell you when I drop Christian off." I mumbled.

She sighed and I knew she was shakin ha head ta refrain from sayin some shit ta me. "Alright, I'll see y'all when y'all get hea."

"Aight."

We said our goodbyes and I quickly hung up. I was in no mood ta deal with anyone. My plan was go ta Houston, get ma lady and head back hea. I ain' got time fa no side interactions or distractions.

Since we were drivin thea, I was tryna leave as early as possible. That's sixteen hours from Atlanta ta H-Town and a nigga ain' tryna be out all damn day.

"I'm done packing, August." Christian said. I knew he was a bit scared of me seein how he called me August and not daddy or dad.

"Come hea, man." I motioned fa him ta come in the room. Once he stood directly by ma bed, I gave him a hug. "Look hea, yungin, I ain' mean ta snap and cuss at chu. I'm stressed out and I let ma emotions get the best of me. I apologize fa scarin you and making you sad. That's ma fault, man. Can you fagive me?"

He nodded his head, but didn't smile. "Yeah."

I sighed. "You ready ta see grandma?"

"Yeah. Am I spending the night?"

"Yeah. I gotta go out of town fa something, but I'a be back in two weeks, okay?"

He pouted. "How I supposed to talk to you then?"

"I'a call. Come on, man, you know I can't go a day without talkin ta you." I grabbed him, puttin him in a little headlock.

He screamed, punchin ma arms. "Let me go!"

I let go, laughin at him. "Gone man."

He threw his hood on, slumpin his body down a lil. "Don't do that no more, blood."

"Who the fuck taught you that?!" I yelled, gettin off the floor.

He laughed, "My uncle."

I shook ma head, "That nigga crazy."

Gettin the rest of ma shit tagether, I began ta think on Houston and Sarah. Was I gonna be able to see ha? Was she alive? Did she miss us? What was she doin all this time without us? I missed ha, a lot. I wonder if the dreams and nightmares I've dreamt about ha was compatible? I've been havin dreams bout ha, but the nightmares came months ago, prior to me gettin the call sayin she alive. It's like something in me knew she was alive, but my body wanted ta feel sad so I mourned. I mourned ha death, ha kidnappin, and ha the life she had ta endure in our absence.

"Let's go, man."

He grabbed his one bag full of clothes and walked out the house. I grabbed ma bags and left as well. Lockin the doors, I sighed. I wasn't ready fa Houston. If Sarah was alive, I wasn't ready ta see ha either.

I was anxious.

I let out a deep breath, walkin away from the door ta ma car. I watched as Christian opened the car doors and threw his bag inna car. Once his things were all in the car, he got himself in the car, bucklin his seatbelt. I grabbed ma bags and threw them in the trunk. Closing the trunk, I got inside the car, closing the door. Startin the ignition up, I quickly pulled off.

"Where you going again?" Christian asked.

"Texas."

"Oh." He got quiet, then perked back up again. "Ain't that where that man live?"

"What man?" I said switchin lanes so I can take the side streets to Ms. Sierra's house.

"That man on the movie. You remember that one time we watched that one movie and they was in Texas and that man killed them people? It was like Texas something something."

I chuckled. "Boy, you talkin bout Texas Chainsaw Massacre?"

"Yeah, him!"

"Listen hea, ya pops may be a lot of things, but scared of a regular ass nigga ain't one. You gone come across a lot people who want you to fear them, but let me tell you something. First off, yo daddy will beat the fuck outta any nigga or lil ass kid tryna pick on you and second, the God we serve is the only man we need ta fear, ya heard me?" I said.

I turned down Sierra's street, lookin in the rear view mirror at Christian.

He nodded, "Yes. Can you beat up Uncle Simon? He called me ugly."

I smiled. "Hell yeah. But not taday. Me and ya unc goin ta Texas tagether and I can have him lookin rough while he with me. I might go ta jail."

He laughed.

Pullin is in the driveway, I cut the engine off and exited the car. Christian soon did the same, after grabbin his bag.

Walkin ta the front door, I knocked onna door. Within seconds, Simon opened the door.

"Ready, nigga?" He asked.

The minute I told Simon bout the call I got from them folks out in Houston, he was already on board with the shits. He ain't have much a relationship with his sister, but I know he wanted one with ha, a close one at that. So the nigga was willin ta do anything ta get ha back.

"Yeah, lemme holla at mama really quick." I said, walkin pass him.

As I'm walkin into the livin room, I see Ms. Sierra sittin down, watchin ha lil show.

"Hey, mama." I said, givin ha a hug.

"Hey baybeh, how you doing?"

I pulled back from the hug, "Straight. We gotta hurry up and go before it gets too late."

"Where are y'all going? I sense the urgency in your voice and also in Simon's actions."

"Simon ain' tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"Come on, man." I mumbled, shakin ma head. "Aight, so I got a call from some couple out in Houston and long story short they think Sarah alive."

She seemed taken back by what I said. She kept ha eyes low as she put both ha hands up ta ha mouth.

"August, my baybeh still breathing?" She slowly began ta cry.

"I don't know. That's why I need ta go so I can find out and bring ha back hea."

She sniffed, quickly wipin ha tears. "Go get my chile, August. Please bring ha back."

"I will. Make sure nothin happens ta ma yungin. I'm trustin you. You know him and you know his allergies. I'll call y'all every day when I got the time to. If he needs any extra clothes or whatever, I gave him a copy of ma house key. It should be in his bag." We gotta go."

She nodded, callin Christian in the room.

"Yeah?" He appeared.

"Give your father a hug so he can go." Sierra said.

He ran up, huggin ma legs. "You gone call me, right?"

I crouched down ta meet his eye level. "Yeah, yung, I gotchu. I love you, aight. I'll be back, I promise."

"Love you too." He hugged ma neck.

Standin up, I began ta tickle his sides. Burstin out in a fit of laughter, he fell on the couch.

"See you later, alligator!" He yelled, smilin from ear ta ear.

"Inna while crocodile." I waved at him before exitin our the door. "Ready, nigga?"

"Fasho. Let's roll out."

He put his suitcases inna trunk, before hoppin inna passenger seat. Closing the door behind me, I started the car up before pullin out of the driveway.

"They sent you the address?" Simon asked.

"Yeah. When we get thea, I ain' playin friendly fa shit. I'm givin maself three weeks ta get ma baybeh and in that three weeks, Sarah's ass better come up or ima shoot some shit up, on God."

"You think we can trust them?" Simon asked.

"Niggas ain' stupid. If they fuck with Peter, they know ion play and if they not, niggas know about me. I might sing about love like ima sappy ass sniffs, but befoe that shit, I use ta dead niggas ova one dollar. Nigga know not ta play with me. Nights betta call around and shit. I'm with all that shit. I'm a fighter not a lover."

"I feel you bro. Let's see what them people on, if they on some bullshit, ima dead everybody walkin right along witchu."

Noddin ma head, I zoned out and began ta pit ma focus back on drivin. Anxious wasn't the word I'a describe what I'm feelin. I was nervous, but ready fa anything ta happen.

A major part of me absolutely wantin Sarah back and thea's another part of me that wish that goofy ass nigga was thea. I wanted ta see Peter. I pray that nigga is thea, alive and well because I wanted ta off him. I want that nigga inna grave fa what he did ta Sarah. He think he crazy, but on me, that nigga ain' seen crazy yet. Ima real ass nut and niggas gone learn ta stop fuckin with me and the people I love. I don't know why he continued ta test me and ma patience. Afta the ass whooping I have in at his office, nigga should've stopped thea, but nah. Nigga wanted ta continue ta try me. I got something fa his ass and Lord knows ima be happy as fuck when I see him.

"Are the guest room clean, love?" My husband Malcolm asked.

"Yes, baby. Did you get a text or call from Mr. August?"

"Yeah. He said they were arriving in an hour or so." He replied, pacing the floor.

"Malcom, relax. You're gonna burn a hole in the floor if you keep walking back and forth." I laughed, walking over to him to give him a kiss on the lips.

"I'm just so anxious. I wanna help so bad and this whole situation is just crazy." He sighed, resting his head on my shoulder. "I just wanna help the young lady find her family, you know?"

"I know, baby and you will. We will. Look at what you're doing. You contacted the young man and he's on his way. You got most of those people that shot that young lady in jail. You're helping, baby and she's gonna be found and back at her home with her family. Don't stress and don't worry."

He looked down at me, smiling. "You know I love you, girl."

"I love you too, my love."

He gave me a hug, kissing my cheek. Mid kiss, we hear a car pull into our driveway. I could feel my heart beating through my chest. I was so anxious to meet August and I know Malcom is too. I peeked out the window and saw who I'm guessing is August and another guy walk to our door with their suitcases in hand. Knocking on the door, I quickly looked behind me at Malcolm.

"They're here, love." I smiled, with fresh tears in my eyes.

He bit his lip and nodded. "Go clean yourself up, no tears today. I'll answer the door."

I nodded and walked quickly to the bathroom upstairs. I wiped my tears, taking a deep breath. Once I felt like I was okay enough to come back downstairs, I walked slowly back to the living room.

"And this is my lovely wife Rose Hamilton."

"This is August and his brother-in-law, Simon."

Shaking their hands, I smiled, returning back to my husbands side. "Hello."

"How you doin?" August asked.

"I'm fine. Did you guys have safe travels? Would y'all like any thing to eat or drink?"

"We did, thanks. And I'm good."

"Yeah, I'm starving." Both of them said at the same time.

"You just ate, nigga." August said, making me laugh.

"So. Mind yo business. I'm hungry, Mrs. Hamilton."

"You can follow me. I made roast beef, cornbread, and some greens."

"Yes, Lord." He said, following close behind me.

🥴