it’s not like I’m not there with you on purpose. I had to—”
I cut Angel short. “Angel, it’s all good. Just get Jaz on the phone.”
“Damn you, Tasha,” Angel mumbled, as she put me on hold.
I paced back and forth across the kitchen floor until I heard Jaz’s voice. But to my surprise, she was crying. “Jaz, what’s the matter?” I asked her.
“Shit’s so crazy for us right now. I feel so bad for him!” she cried.
“So bad for who?” Angel and I asked at the same time.
“Faheem. His son. They shot and killed him.” She started bawling.
I gasped not wanting to believe what I heard. It was fucked up because Faheem had just met his son a few short months ago.
“What happened? Who shot him? Where were they?” Angel asked before I could.
“Some drama his son’s mother got him caught up in. On top of that, he’s in the hospital with a broken leg, and the police beat him down and then arrested him. I’m at the hospital now.”
“Oh, my God. Can this conversation get any worse?” I asked. “We didn’t even get the chance to meet his son.”
“I know. He was adorable. We didn’t even get a chance to get used to him.” Jaz blew her nose. “What’s up? I gotta go and get myself together. As you can tell, I am a nervous wreck.”
“Nervous wreck? I am devastated.” And I was. “Why did this have to happen to him?” Faheem has such a big heart. I only saw good karma surrounding him. So why did this happen?
“I don’t know,” Jaz responded.
“Well, maybe what I have to say will cheer you up just a little bit. You ready for this? Kyra. She’s here, at the hospital.” When they didn’t say anything, I said, “She’s alive, y’all! She’s here in California.”
“Tasha, don’t play like that.” Angel said.
“Angel, don’t get on my nerves. Do you honestly think I would play about something like this? Rick is getting ready to take us up there.”
“Rick?” Angel screeched.
“You mean to tell me all of this time, she’s been with him?” I could hear the shock and disbelief of Jaz’s voice.
“No. He found her on my doorstep. It’s a long story. Anyway, y’all need to get up here as soon as y’all can. For real, I don’t think I can face this by myself. I understand y’all not coming here for me, but the both of you need to be here for Kyra, especially you, Angel. She is your cousin. Even if it is for only one day.”
TRAE
Damn. The federal government be on some bullshit. Giving niggas fake funerals and shit. Rick was full of surprises. I attended his memorial and even shed a few tears. Now this nigga shows up on my doorstep. He told me how he was working as a detective in Atlanta and fell for this chick named Nina, who could pass for Kyra’s sister. He said she was a true hustler and that they robbed some people, and now he was living with her in Tucson. She already had three kids and was five months pregnant with the fourth one, which was his. But now that Kyra was back in the picture, he admitted that his head was all fucked up.
We tried to kick it and catch up right quick about things that were going on in each of our lives. He was glad that I took Marvin out but pissed off because he wanted to dead the nigga himself. He said he was a pussy for leaving Kyra for dead. I told him those were my thoughts, too. Just for that and for causing my wife so much grief, I took care of him. It was the principle of the matter. Rick told me how Marvin and his crew caught him slippin’, and because of that, he almost lost his life. I warned him not to tell Kyra about Marvin. I would do that myself when it came up and when the timing was right. I knew I would have to eventually face Kyra and Marvin’s daughter. Aisha came up to me at least every other day and asked out of the blue, “Where is my daddy?” Or “Has he called yet?” And I couldn’t say that it didn’t bother me.
4
ONI
“Please Lord, oh please Lord bring him back!” I heard myself scream as I rocked back and forth, squeezing myself tight and wishing that I could hold my son one last time. My eyes were swollen shut from