Page 6 of On Everything 2
"Jehovah, that is not you in this photo. It was a baby that was supposedly his with another woman."
"Huh? He had other kids."
I looked harder at the picture now, grabbing a napkin from the spool in the middle of the table to wipe the dust for a better view.
"No, that isn't you. At that age, you were much chunkier, and when this picture right here was taken, you were a couple years older."
"So, he was living a life I didn't know about? Taking photos and shit with other families. Why don't I know these people?"
"Well, your father didn't want that picture ever taken in the first place. He only had a copy of it because that girl kept leaving them on his door, cars, wherever she could to antagonize him. She forced him into taking the picture in the first place. That's why he looks so mad on there. You know your father was headstrong, so him and crazy women never mixed."
"So, who is she?"
"Her name is Regina.”
“Regina who?
"I don't remember her last name. I don't even know the name of the baby. Your father didn't talk about them much"
"So where is the baby now? Did they take a test for him?"
"They did, but his mama was so crazy and so unhinged, your dad wanted nothing to do with her or the baby. I toldhim not to give up on his kid, but at the time, Papi was young, reckless, and his only concern was you."
"Damn, so where does Regina live now? Do you know?"
She shrugged her shoulders.
"All I know now is that the money he gave her worked because she has never tried to come back around."
"Damn, so I have a brother out there that I don't even know. That shit doesn't sit right with me."
I leaned back in the seat, thinking about all the bombs that had just been dropped on me. This was one situation I don't agree on with my pops. Shit Cashmier is a piece of work, but I would never give up on my child because of her. If anything, I would get rid of her and keep my seed with me.
"Uh, Oh. You're not about to go try and find these people, are you? Just leave well enough alone now because you don't want anyone feeling entitled to anything you have. We don't know who that little boy in that photo grew up to be."
"Entitled to what? Pops didn't leave me anything of value here. It all went to his white wife, remember."
"You know the street business is just as lucrative as any assets he left. I'm just asking you to be careful on that. Sometimes, leaving well enough alone is the best thing to do. Uncle Gio and your father should show you that blood doesn't make you get along."
"Yeah, but they also showed me how not to be with your family. It's too many potential enemies out there to be beefing with blood. I would like to know who he is."
" I understand that baby but just be careful. That's all grandma ever asks of you."
“Of course.”
When I stood from my seat, I leaned down and kissed her on her cheek.
I would do anything for this lady, but one thing I can't do is let it slide that I may have a sibling out there somewhere. With a world full of snakes, I'm starting to see I need family close to me. Maybe finding someone I share blood with will put a little more loyalty in my corner.
What can it hurt? My throne is secure.
Chapter 3
Ciara
When my phone rang on the counter next to the stove, I hurried up and forwarded Hov's number to voicemail. Today was the first day in my entire time employed at the assistance center that I had to call in. When my eyes opened this morning, thinking of the commute to work sounded like too much work. Ever since Kairo came back here, I've had this irritating feeling in my head that I couldn't get rid of. I'd taken an Advil, one of the ibuprofen 800s I had from a toothache, and still nothing. I'm more than sure that the cure to my headache will be getting rid of Kairo. Nothing else will work.
Kairo had been on the phone all morning, calling different people trying to recruit a team because he knows he will need one after declaring to take down Hov of all people. He'd told me earlier that the feds plan on giving him thousands of dollars over the next two months to make it appear that he is on the come-up. He's telling everyone that I claimed the gun in the house, so he's free because of that, so no one will think he's a rat. My guess is that once he has enough money, he will approach Hov for some product. He doesn't know that Hov is way too smart to fall for a loser like his ass.
