Bernice
Manhattan, NYC
A Month Later

I walked out of the bathroom grabbing my Balmain heels that were sitting on the bed putting them on then lacing them. I was currently getting dressed because Robb and Belinda are finally having an engagement party. Things have been so hectic with everybody it was pushed to the side. Dave walked back into the room looking at me funny. "Is that what you're wearing?" He asked with a stank face.

"Is that what you're wearing?" I retorted knowing he looked damn good. I grabbed my YSL clutch saying, "Belinda picked my outfit, so I'm wearing this for her. My sister wants it, she gets it."

"Whatever. Tummy all out with my baby in it," he said rubbing my flat stomach. A couple of weeks ago we went to the doctors to find out if I'm really pregnant and I am. I'm actually almost two months, which caught me off guard. Besides feeling a little nauseous and sleeping a lot I had no morning sickness. I'm happy, excited, all that, but it's a bad time only because of all the drama. We also went to court to get the judge to sign our separation reversal papers. We're now Mr. and Mrs. Brewster once again. I looked down at the tube top and matching skirt in confusion.

"My stomach is barely out. You're exaggerating." I watched as he put on his Fendi sneakers when both Kai and Ro came running into the room. I rolled my eyes seeing Ro was in a different outfit. "Kai, did you help her change her outfit?"

"No," he lied through his teeth.

"Then how is she in a different outfit? When I left that room she wasn't in this. She didn't do it herself, you helped." I had her in a dress and now she was in a jacket, jeans and wheat timb's. Such a tomboy. "Whatever, at least it looks good. Let's go," I said putting my black duster coat on. I picked Aurora up then we left going to the hotel it's going to be held at. We walked into the hotel going to the rented out ball room they got.

As soon as we stepped foot into the room Aurora was kicking to get out of my arms. "DayDay!" She yelled pointing at Sade. I put her down and she went running to her cousin as they hugged. She gave her double kisses on each cheek, which made me laugh. Too grown.

I went over to Benito who was sitting down at a table as Shakur was in his lap. I bent over hugging him giving him a kiss on the cheek. Ever since Demetrius went off to school and he got a little girlfriend he's been off the radar. I don't bother him though as long as he comes around for the important events. I looked down at Shakur who Benito had standing up as he held his hands. "Look at you! Stuntin!" I said looking down on him placing my hands on my hip.

He laughed as I kneeled down kissing his cheeks. Once I found out I was actually pregnant it did make me realize I do want a boy. I'm just scared because of what happened last time. I just need to make sure I'm as healthy as possible this go round and stress free. Then God willing I'll give birth to a healthy baby with no problems.

"He can walk now without falling," Benito said as I hugged Shakur. I didn't want to let go. My baby. All of the kids are my babies, but he's the sweetest in my opinion. Maybe because he can't talk yet.

"Really? Let me see," I stood up straight backing up a couple of feet. I held my arms out enticing him to walk as Benny let go of him. I smiled watching him waddle. "Go boy! You got the pimp walk down pact," I said chuckling. I kneeled down as he got closer as he came into my arms. I picked him up cooing, "Good job!" when I heard a voice clear. I turned around to see Belinda. "Okay, sis! Shut it down!" I said snapping.

"You come in and don't even say hi to me," she said pouting as we hugged.

We carried on in conversation when we heard a mic screech. Everybody hissed turning our attention towards Robb holding a mic. He looked down at his watch then said, "It is 7:10. This thing was supposed to start at 7:00 and y'all standing up conversating-"

"Conversing," Zeek yelled correcting him.

"You know what the fuck I'm tryna say! Like I was saying...Y'all up TALKING instead sitting your black asses down so we can start." When nobody moved he said, "C'mon, find a seat! Chop, chop!" Shakur started screaming making baby noises while he opened and closed his hand getting Robb's attention. "Eek! Eek!" He said mimicking Shakur's scream. "I love you too. If y'all didn't know what that meant in baby talk." I died laughing as I handed Shakur over to Belinda.

"This man. I call myself trying to marry this fool. You, Dave and the kids sit at this table." She said pointing to the table in the front Benito was sitting at.

I waved Dave over who brought Kai then I picked up Aurora who was trying to crawl under a table. "What are you doing?" I asked going back to the table.

"DayDay I play hide n seek!"

"Well, not anymore." I said sitting down sitting her in my lap. Toya got on stage to do her hosting duties. Usually the parents host, but that obviously wasn't going to happen. Both of their mothers are deceased and they both don't have good relationships with their fathers. Toya volunteered to be the host because she loves doing stuff like this. I was kind of relieved because I just wouldn't have had the time to put this together.

After eating Toya got on stage again grabbing the mic. "Now if you would like to say a few words to congratulate the couple this is your time. Only a few people though because we have other activities."

"And she means a few," Robb said grabbing the mic. "Keep it short too."

He handed the mic back to Toya as she said, "You may line up-

Robb jerked his head back making an irritated face, "Line up? I said a few. Ain't no line." I chuckled. I know he's agitated because he doesn't like stuff like this. Really formal events.

Toya continued, "But first we have Belinda's nephew on Skype from Kentucky."

I smiled as his face popped up on the big screen in the front of the room. Ro got excited pointing and saying, "Meechie!"

"Am I on?" He asked looking around confused as we laughed. "I'm on, ayyy!" He said doing a dance. He cleared his throat continuing, "Okay, for real. I just wanna say congrats to my Auntie Belle even though she's really like my big sister since she's only 6 years older than me. Over the 4 years you lived with us we grew super close. Like you really held it down with feeding ya boy. At first, I'm not gon lie, I didn't wanna like Robb. I was like he's light skin, so he's gonna break my sisters heart, but he grew on me." I laughed at him because he really feels like she's his sister. But I guess he could be like our little brother. "I just wanna say though...Y'all trifling as fuck. Y'all would think I was in my room asleep because I had school in the morning, but I heard y'all fuc-" just like that the screen went black.

"Okay, very sweet words from her nephew." Toya said clearing her throat. "Would anyone else like to speak?"

Zeek jumped up as a woman in the crowd handed him a mic. He cleared his throat tapping the mic. "Aiight, can y'all hear me?" He didn't even wait for us to answer proceeding, "Good. I just wanna say congrats! Y'all real cute even though you're daughter is evil. She kicked me and called me stupid, so for that she gotta catch the fade. Sade, I'm talking to you! Meet me outside when this is over to square up," She giggled burying her face into Belinda's chest. "Robb, just be glad she said yes." He looked down at Brittany sitting next to him. I pouted thinking aww. I don't know why Britt turned down his proposal. They're still together, so why not?

Somehow the mic got passed to me. I quickly passed it over to Dave as he gave me a look. "Go!" I mouthed as he stood up. How awkward would that be if I stood up and said something when Robb's my ex? I know we're cool now, but I'll pass. People not close to us are probably already thinking we like to keep it in the family. What would I say? Congrats! Girl, I know his dick is good so I'm happy for you. You get that for the rest of your life, so I know you'll be happy. Like no.

"I guess I could use this time to make the announcement?" I looked up at Dave furrowing my eyebrows up. I looked towards the stage to see Robb nodding his head. What the fuck is he talking about? He better not be telling everybody we're pregnant because I'm only a couple of months and it's too soon. I like to wait until I'm showing. "Obviously we know Robb and Belinda are engaged. Well also, Bernice and I are back together. We decided to have a double wedding to sorta say. Ours will be a vowel renewal ceremony and theirs will be a wedding. So yeah...get ready." Dave passed the mic off sitting down as I looked at him like he was crazy.

"Who decided that?" I asked leaning in towards him.

"Me, Robb and Belinda."

"How come nobody told me? Do you really think they want to share their wedding with us?"

"They agreed. They were just going to go to the courthouse, but they liked my idea because the cost gets split. We already hired a planner and everything."

"What the fuck!? How come I was left out of the loop?" I whispered as I patted a sleeping Aurora's back.

"Because you would've said no and now you can't. We already hired a planner and everything's in motion. It's going to be something small, so it should be happening in 3 months."

"Three months?! Dave-"

"You don't really have a choice. I want to do this."

I sighed in defeat. "Fine. I guess it's cute you're so excited to be back with little ol me," I said pinching his cheek. He pushed my hand away as Kai shushed us. Both Dave and I jerked our heads back.

"You be quiet!" I retorted. "Don't shush me, little boy!" Dave laughed shaking his head when I noticed someone standing up and grabbing the mic. I froze when I saw Shoota. What the fuck is he doing here? It had been forever since we've seen him. I honestly thought he was gone for good. "Who invited him?" I asked Dave. He just shrugged looking just as confused as me. Even Belinda and Robb looked confused. At this point my heart was beating fast. I was getting nervous at what was about to come out of his mouth.

"I know you guys don't know me or at least that well, but I'm Shoota. I'm Dave's friend. And since I'm his friend and I see so many of his friends and family have become close to Richard Burrell I think you should know some information about him. About five years ago Dave's cousin, Malik was killed. Murdered. His family and friends didn't know much about his case or who did it and how it happened because, well, detectives don't do their jobs. You wanna know who did it? Richard Burrell."

I looked on in shock as Robb stood up from his seat as his jaw clenched. "Don't come up in my shit making accusations you can't back up or prove, bruh!"

"Does Malik Carter sound familiar?"

Robb

I literally froze as this guy held up his champagne glass saying, "Everyone enjoy your night." He put the mic down leaving as I just stood there. Of course I remember that name. Those names were etched into my memory for eternity. I was charged with the murder of George DeLeon, Tyrin Givens, and Malik Carter. I knew the other two because they were two of Bernice's regulars at King of Diamonds and pretty big drug dealers in Miami. I was constantly getting into fights with one of them because I just felt like he was too disrespectful when it came to Bernice. I understood it was her job, but he always took it too far with the touching and flirting. The other guy was his right hand man and went everywhere with him. I didn't know the third guy. I had never seen him in my life. I didn't learn his name until I was charged. All I knew about him was that he wasn't from Florida and he had a baby on the way when he was killed...when I killed him. Malachi. How did I not put two and two together? I mean, Dave never talked to me about his cousin, but still.

I could feel everybody staring at me. I wiped down my face hopping down from the little stage. "Where are you going?" Belle asked touching my arm.

"Smoke break."

"You said-"

I cut her off saying, "I know I said I would quit smoking. It's just one. I'll be back." I weaved through the dinner tables and before I knew it I was being punched in the face. Everything turned into a blur as I was pushed onto a dinner table as all of the dishes crushed under my body. I realized quickly it was Dave. I just put my hands up guarding as punches flew my way. I didn't even feel the need to fight back. I heard screams for him to stop, but it was no use. He was going off.

"Get off of him! The kids are here! The kids!" I heard a female voice yell repeatedly as a fist flew hitting me in the mouth. I was pulled up from the table and pushed behind someone, Buddha.

"Stop, Dave!" He yelled guarding me. My mouth had a pool of blood collecting in it. I wiped my nose to see blood smear across the back of my hand. I looked up to see Dave yank away from his father. He had the look in his eyes as if he wanted to kill me.

"He killed my cousin and y'all looking at me like I'm the bad guy?" He yelled pointing at himself. "This nigga killed my cousin, b." His angry eyes now read sadness as turned the other direction. Bernice tried to touch him, but he just held his hand up in her face leaving.

Belinda tried to touch me, but I moved back. I spit the blood in my mouth on the floor saying, "I'm good. Don't touch me. Where the fuck are my kids?" I said looking around.

"Mrs. Janice took them out." I pulled my shirt up wiping off my nose and face. My eyes connected with Bernice's, but she just looked away leaving too. She warned me, but I didn't know it was this. I just want to know if she knew I killed his cousin. Dave's fighting me like Bernice isn't the one who set me up in the first place.

Zeek

I followed Dave outside as he paced back and forth beside his car. I leaned against his Porsche just waiting for a good time to speak when he slammed his fist into the top of the car causing a dent. That's his car, I hope he remembers that while he's sitting up here damaging it. "You need to calm down. You did that shit in front of your kids...his kids."

"He killed my cousin, your brother and you're telling me to calm down. You should've been decking his ass too."

"I'm looking at the bigger picture. You know the story. You know he was set up by your own wife. At the end of the day it was self defense. Do I wish my brother was still here? Hell fucking yeah! But I gotta ask myself what the fuck was my brother doing in a situation where he was involved in somebody's set up for pay? That doesn't sound like my brother. This shit don't add up. The story we were told is that he did a drop for somebody he didn't know out in Florida and that they robbed and shot him. So who the fuck fabricated that story? You just chin checking niggas and weren't even for sure if what your so called friend said was true."

"I didn't have to. It was written all over his face. Look the shit up then. Look it up! Because it's public record." I pulled my phone out going to google typing in Robb's real name and murder. Clear as day in several articles it talked about him committing three murders with my brothers name listed as one. "Exactly," Dave said probably seeing my body language change. "I'm leaving."

"What about Bernice and-" before I could finish my statement he was slamming the door shut speeding off. I stood there looking down at my phone again then locking it stuffing it into my pocket.

I walked to my car leaning up against it when Buddha came up to me. "Where's Dave?" He asked.

"He left. Man, something isn't right about that Shoota dude. He comes uninvited, drops a bomb like that that could tear this circle apart then leaves. If that's not weird I don't know what is. And I think I know where I know him from..."

"Where?"

"I think he was there when I got shot. Not the shooter, but the guy who initially tried to rob me."

"That's not possible. He's been locked up for five years. You got shot 2 and a half years ago."

I shrugged, "Then I don't know. Maybe I just want it to be him, but his mannerisms and voice are the same as the dude."

"Well, Shoota does have a younger brother who does look just like him. His name is Keenan. No, Keelan. Yeah, that's it. They used to call him Key around the hood. I think he's around your age. He was in that street life too, probably only because Shoota was." I think from the way Buddha acts you'll easily forget he's from New York and has really been around the block. He didn't talk like a New York nigga or dress like one. His aura was different. He's been knowing Dave since Dave was 19, so he knows everything. It also helps he has good memory. "I can ask around to find his whereabouts."

"Just figure out his timeline. Like if he was out and around New York when I got shot. Even about this so-called Profit." All I know is something ain't right with this Shoota character and I'm going to find out what it is. If we find Profit and he knows Shoota and Keelan I know Shoota on some funny shit.

Dave
2:23am

I laid in my bed in the dark staring up at the ceiling watching the fan spin. Thinking is all I could do. I rolled my eyes when I heard banging. I already knew who it was. I continued to lay there a minute, but when I realized she's not going anywhere I got out of my bed going to the door. I leaned against it sighing as I snatched it open saying, "What?" seeing Bernice standing there. Since I left after fighting Robb my phone has been off. I didn't want to talk or see anybody. For once Bernice and I not living together came in handy. Even though we're back together we have yet to move back in together. It honestly hasn't even been brought up because we're always together when we can whether it's her place or mine.

"I just wanna talk," she said in a low voice standing there in pajamas.

"Where are the kids?"

"Your parents took them after-" she trailed off. "I brought ice cream and red velvet Twinkies," she said putting on a smile holding up the tub and box. I sucked my teeth loudly opening the door wider. She came in going to the kitchen while I went to the living room flopping down on the couch. I grabbed the remote turning on the tv putting it on old re-runs of The Wayans Bros. Bernice came into the room extending me a bowl of vanilla ice-cream with the Twinkie at the bottom how I like it. I took it as she sat on the couch next to me.

"The kids okay?" I asked putting a scoop into my mouth.

"Yeah, your mother got them out as fast as she could. I just had to explain to them that fighting isn't okay. Funny coming from my mouth," she said chuckling. "You left us, D."

"I'm sorry. I just had to get out of there. My mind was all over the place."

"You know Robb wasn't the one you should've been fighting."

I looked over at her to see her staring at me. I knew exactly what she meant. "I know, but I can't hit a female. Can I? No, I can't." I looked away looking back at the tv.

"I'm really sorry. You know I never intended for that to happen. I just-" I looked over at her to see her with her eyes closed as tears fell down her cheeks. "I know how much Malik meant to you."

"Let me be honest with you...I need a little space from you. I tried to give you the benefit of the doubt for your reasoning behind setting Robb up, but that was before I knew what I know now. I know it wasn't intentional, but my cousin got killed because of that. I'm not saying it's over, but I need space. We can still plan the vowel renewal too. I just need space at least until the tour is over. I might even be good before then. Who knows? Alright."

"I understand. I should probably get going."

"Did you walk?" I asked looking at the time.

"Yeah."

"What have I told you about walking this late?" I scolded.

"It's not even a block away, Dave."

"I don't care. You're sleeping over here," I said getting up going to the kitchen to put the bowl and spoon in the sink. "Couch or the bed in Ro's room?" I asked her.

"Ro's room is fine."

"Goodnight," I said walking out going back to my bedroom. Two steps forward then two steps back.

Hmm, who should Dave be mad at? Robb, Bernice, nobody, everybody? Comment / Vote🌹✨