Official Girl 4 (11 page)

             
I need a damn vacation. These kids are going to send me to an early grave. I noticed a gray hair growing the other day and that is not acceptable, I’m too young, fly and sexy for all that. My kids are in a lot of shit right now from paternity issues to being stalked by lawyers; on top of that, MJ’s ass possibly could have made me a GREAT-grandfather. What type of shit is that? It was so much easier to deal with these issues when we all lived in the same place, but Neicey and Mykell just had to run they asses down south.

             
The one I’m worried about the most is my baby girl, Le’Lani. She liked to go MIA, not answer her phone or call nobody for weeks at a time and I didn’t like that shit. I told her a long time ago that nigga wasn’t no good for her. I know I have to let her make her own mistakes and learn from them but what she needs to realize is, I’m her daddy and I wouldn’t lie to her. She can talk to me about whatever is going on, but she would rather be a hard ass about it. She reminds me so much of her mother, it’s crazy.

             
I grabbed the phone and dialed her number hoping that she would answer. It rang five times and right when I was about to hang up, she answered.

             
“Hi daddy,” she said softly. That sent up a red flag because Lani is the farthest thing from quiet or soft-spoken.

             
“Oh, so you know who I am? And you recognize my number?” I asked sarcastically.

             
“Don’t go there daddy, I’ve been meaning to call you. I’ve just been real busy, but then I got a crazy ass phone call so I’m stressed.”

             
“That phone call is what I want to talk to you about.”

             
“How do you know what phone call I’m talking about?” she asked.

             
“Ramone came to see me. So what are you going to do now that you know what happened?” I asked.

             
She sighed. “I already knew,” she admitted.

             
I took the phone away from my ear thinking I heard her wrong. “Say that again?” I said.

             
“Zamier told me he paid to have the results mixed up a couple of weeks ago.”

             
I thought that my daughter had officially lost her damn mind. I took a deep breath to keep me from saying everything I wanted to say. I felt my temper rising, so I changed the subject. “When you coming to see me?” I asked.

             
“I promise I’ll come see you when I get the time,” she said.

             
“Well damn, I have to make an appointment to see my own daughter now?” I asked, half-jokingly.

             
“Daddy,” she whined.

             
“Alright Le’Lani, I’m just messing with you. Call me when you can,” I said.

             
“Okay daddy, love you.”

             
“I love you too.”

             
I just shook my head. I wasn’t too worried about what’s going on with her because sooner rather than later, it would come to the light and I had a very funny feeling that the shit was going to hit the ceiling fan.

             
It had been a living hell since I’d been back in Michigan. I really wished I would have listened to Mykell when he told me not to come back, but there were just some things I had to take care of before I just up and moved down there. At least I haven’t seen or heard from Zamier since I’ve been here and that’s a plus. My brother had thought I ran back up here to be with him but I had to let him know that that was not the case.

             
Since I’ve been back, the girls and I have been staying at a hotel. Since Nyla is older, she liked to ask a lot of questions, she wanted to know why we’re not staying at the house and I kept having to tell her that we weren’t staying here that long, so this was only a temporary thing.

             
We had just left from getting the girls some ice cream and I was running low on gas so I stopped by the gas station. Ranyla just insisted in going into the gas station with me so that she could pay and feel like a big girl. I took her out and grabbed Zyla. While I was unbuckling Zyla, I heard Ranyla scream.

             
“Daddy!” I looked up to see her running to Ramone. He looked shocked at first then smiled when he noticed his daughter. I rolled my eyes,
I don’t need this shit right now.
I took Zyla out and put her on my hip. I looked up and noticed some light skinned chick standing extra close to Ramone and grinning at Nyla.

             
I walked right past him like he didn’t exist and went to pay for the gas. From inside, I could tell Ranyla was asking him who the girl was. I wanted to know myself but I already knew our daughter would give me the run down. After I was done, I walked out and tried to walk past him again but he stopped me this time. It was the middle of November and too chilly to be standing here socializing.

             
“Nyla, hug your daddy bye and get in the car,” I said, not looking at him.

             
Zyla smiled and reached for Ramone and he reached his arm out for her but I turned her from him and walked away, headed towards my car. Ain’t no way in hell I was going to let him touch my daughter after all this time when he was acting funny towards her and mistreating her. Now that she could possibly be his, he wants to hold her.
He can go to hell.
I thought as strapped Zyla back in her car seat.

             
“Le’Lani!” Ramone said, walking up to me with Ranyla in his arms. I ignored him and walked to the pump to get my gas and leave.

             
“Nyla, I said get in the car. Tell your daddy you gotta go,” I said.

             
“Bye daddy,” she said sadly.

             
“Bye princess,” he said kissing her. She got out of his arms and got in the car.

             
“Lani look…” he started but stopped when the girl that was standing by him earlier walked up.

             
“Hi, I’m Maya,” she said and reached her hand out. I looked at her hand then back at the monitor making sure I didn’t go over my amount. “So you’re Lani, huh?” she asked like she was amused.

             
“It looks that way, don’t it?” I said, looking her up and down. My eyes shifted to Ramone and he was standing there looking like a lost puppy. After I was done, I walked past both of them and got in the car. I tried to shut the door but Ramone grabbed it.

             
“I want to see my daughters Le’Lani,” he said.

             
I laughed. This nigga is a trip, now all of a sudden Zyla is his daughter. “You mean daughter? You see Ranyla right now don’t you? As far as Zyla goes, she has a daddy and don’t need another one. Now move, I have some place I need to be and your girl is waiting on you,” I said, shutting the door and pulling out of the gas station in the Beamer he bought me without looking back.

             
As soon as we got back to the hotel, I called Mykell and vented. He’s the only person I’ve been talking to because he’s the only person that knows my situation. He’s been making good on his promise by not telling anybody. I know it’s killing him not to say anything, but it’s for the best.

             
“I’m telling you Kell, that nigga ain’t shit!” I fumed pacing back and forth.

             
“Lani, calm down. You said it yourself that he didn’t introduce you two; she had to do it herself, so what that tell you?” he asked.

             
“That tells me that his ass was stuck on stupid because he wasn’t expecting to have to tell me. Nyla already told me that the bitch introduced herself as her daddy girlfriend. I’m not even mad about that because I’m not even feeling him right now. I’m mad because he went crazy on me for moving on with Zamier and moving in with him, but he goes and gets a new bitch.”

             
“Baby girl, listen to me, she is only a temporary thing. You know all you have to do is play yo role and that nigga will be yours again.”

             
I took the phone away from my ear and looked at it crazy, thinking Mykell could see me. “Mykell, did you not hear me the first time I said it? I do not want him; I’m so over him and his shit right now.”

             
“Whatever, but look, Neicey want y’all to come down here for Thanksgiving. She wants the whole family down here so that means you too. That’s only four damn days away so bring ya ass down here, Le’Lani. I don’t want to have to come show my ass,” he said.

             
I laughed at his goofy ass. Leave it up to him to say something to make me laugh when I’m pissed. “Alright I’m coming….I love you Kell,” I said to my brother.

             
“Tell me something I don’t know.” Mykell laughed. “Naw but I love you too, knucklehead.”

             
After I got off the phone with my brother, my phone started ringing again. I looked down to see Zamier’s name pop up. I thought that was weird because I haven’t spoken to him in weeks. Against my better judgment, I answered it. “Hello?”

             
“He’s gone Lani! They fucking killed him!” his voice boomed through the phone.

             
“Wait, slow down. Who are you talking about?” I asked, confused.

             
“They fucking killed Marco and I didn’t even have a chance to save him,” he cried.

             
“Calm down, where are you?” I was really concerned. I had grown real fond of Marco. He was a great friend to Neicey when she needed him and he was a real cool down to earth dude.

             
“I’m at the house. I need you Lani, I fucking need you,” he cried some more.

             
I sighed, I was conflicted. I wanted to stay far away from him as possible.
It won’t hurt to see him for a few minutes.
“I’m on my way.” I had plans of going in, saying some kind words and getting out.

*  *  *

              When I got to the house it smelled like a damn liquor store. All the lights were off and it was pitch black. I was carrying a sleeping Zyla in my arms and Ranyla was holding my hand tightly. “Mommy, I can’t see,” she said.

             
“Hold on baby.” I went to turn the light on and damn near jumped out of my skin when I saw Zamier sitting on the couch cradling a Hennessey bottle. I walked upstairs and laid Zyla down then turned on cartoons for Ranyla in their old rooms.

             
I came back downstairs and could tell that he was drunk already. The bottle was more than halfway empty and I didn’t want to get too close to him because his ass turns into a different person when he gets drunk.

             
Before I could even open my mouth, Zamier spoke. “They shot my damn cousin down like he was a damn dog. He wasn’t doing nothing but minding his own business and they took him from me. I couldn’t even react because by time it started it was already over,” he said looking at me. “I would have been able to react if my mind wasn’t fucked up,” he said, getting up and dropping the liquor bottle in the process.

             
“What are you talking about?” I asked getting defensive.

             
“If yo ass knew how to act instead of being so fucking stupid, my mind would have been right,” he said as he lunged towards me. I tried to run but he grabbed me by the hair.

             
“Zamier stop! You’re fucking drunk!” I yelled in pain. His hold was so tight, it felt like my hair was about to detach from my scalp.

             
He pulled be back and slapped the shit out of me. “You told that nigga about Zyla? Huh?” he said, slapping me again.

“WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!” I screamed.

              He pushed me down and I tried to crawl to the broken glass on the floor but he kicked me in my back. I fell to the ground and he just started punching me. I reached my hand out and grabbed a piece of the glass and reached back and sliced. I didn’t care where I cut him just as long as I got him.

             
“AHH!” he screamed.

             
I hadn’t noticed Ranyla came down the stairs until I heard her screaming. I looked back to see that he had her by her hair. I grabbed one of the lamps and hit him in the head right when he was about to hit her. He hit the ground with a big thump. I grabbed a crying Ranyla and kissed her. “Baby, go run outside and get in the car. I left the door unlocked.” She nodded her head and ran out the door.

             
I ran up the stairs and grabbed Zyla and ran back down the stairs. I felt for a pulse and he still had one.
Good, I’ll let Mykell kill him,
I thought, running to the car with my daughter. I sped out of the driveway, heading straight for the highway. Florida here I come.