Climbing the 600-feet white river cascading waterfall, the tour guide leads the pack of twelve people. They're currently in Jamaica at the Dunn's River Falls as a part of Pandora's birthday celebration. Pandora had singlehandedly held it down in some way for a lot of people this year, so they wanted to make her week special.

"I'm rethinking this relationship. Look at Gee. He's being a gentlemen and helping Gen up the rocks," Pandora complains as she trails behind Colby.

Gee has been holding Magenta's hand the whole time making sure she gets up each rock safely. On the other hand, Jux got fed up with his girlfriend a long time ago.

"Look! I don't have time for your dramatic ass slipping and tripping at every turn. All that screaming and going on," Jux gripes.

There were a few slippery spots, but as long as you were paying attention and looking where you're stepping you'd be fine. Also, the tour guide tells you where to step to avoid slipping. She's just clumsy and not listening.

Pandora proves his point when she slips and falls. Of course she has to scream at the top of her lungs drawing attention. "Ahh! She fell!" Gen narrates like everyone can't see.

P splashes water as if she's fallen into the deep end of a pool even though it's shallow. Her wig is wet and all. "Help me! Where were you? Why didn't you catch me?!" She asks Colby who stops to turn around.

"How the hell I'ma catch you if I'm in front of you?"

"What about you, bitch?" she looks at Gen as everyone's trying to hold in their laughs.

"Get your ass up," Jux pulls Pandora up.

"Whew, I was almost outta there." P has to laugh at herself while others would be embarrassed.

The trip consists of their usual group of friends. This time Choice actually joined them. Something he hasn't done since Chandrika passed away. Everyone was surprised when he actually wanted to come. It was under one condition...

He gets to bring Inandi and everyone play nice with her. That's easier said than done for some people. Some is mostly Magenta. Her and Inandi haven't seen eye to eye ever since she disrespected her mother. Mainly because it continued to happen.

Inandi's all around bad vibes to Gen. She doesn't like her for her brother. She tries not to get too involved in her siblings love life, so that means being fake cool to keep Choice around.

Magenta looks at Choice and Inandi maneuver up the rocks hand in hand. She can't help but make the comment, "She had to do voodoo or a love spell on him. It doesn't make sense."

"Maybe your brother is actually happy..."

She shoots a glare at Gee for trying to be a voice of reason. "Nah, I know witchcraft when I see it. She definitely put matches under the mattress, period blood in spaghetti, something!"

"You're gonna have to let it go, baby." Gee pauses and looks at her, "How do you know that? You did that to me?"

"Everybody knows that if you have a real down south granny. We have kin from Louisiana. I have a cousin who did that shit and it backfired. I don't play with that. The bitch is just weird. She gives me witchy vibes," Gen shrugs making him chuckle.

"You really believe in it?"

"You're laughing, I'm serious. She probably casted a spell to make the car flip that night and make Drika not pull through. I was looking at the pictures from the wedding. She was a guest. Gotta be careful who you have lurking around thinking they're their to celebrate with you."

"You're taking it far now. Come on," he stops so she can go up a rock first while shaking his head.

"You never believe my conspiracy theories. I bet Pandora will agree with me. P Thang!" She yells to get her attention. That small distraction makes Pandora slip and fall once again. This time Gee doesn't hold in his laugh as he lets it out loudly. While trying to get up P's hand lifts and she sticks up her middle finger.

They complete the walk up the waterfall then after they go ziplining over the Dunn's River Falls and the rain forest. Gee can admit going on vacation with this group can be exhausting. Sometimes he needs a nap and they want to keep going to fit in as many activities as possible.

So after stopping to eat, they head for one of those horseback riding tours on the beach. Of course Magenta's the most excited. While waiting on their turn, Gee decides to go sit by Choice who's off to the side by himself.

"What up?" He approaches Choice who smokes a blunt.

"Nothing, my brotha." He silently extends the blunt towards Gee who shakes his head and sits. "Ain't you off probation?"

"Yeah, still don't partake though."

Choice shrugs. "More for me. This that Runtz. You know that's the good shit. I'm an advanced grower and I'm still tryna get this strain perfected."

"You're like a mad scientist. Trying different weed wherever you go."

"That's how I got rich and how I'ma stay rich."

Gee looks in the distance at Cortlen before asking, "Y'all still aren't talking?"

"Not really. He's living his life and I'm living mine. For once I think he's living for himself."

"He seems happy."

"True freedom will do that to a man. It's better than being trapped and imprisoned physically or mentally," Choice blows out smoke.

"What about you?"

"It's no good living in a world at peace if your own head is at war with itself."

"That was you with Caprice?" Gee asks bluntly.

Choice nods quietly not even denying it. He knew someone around them would eventually figure it out. "Me and Destin."

"Since when did you know Destin like that?" Gee narrows his eyes.

"Didn't and still don't really. Only knew him through you. He reached out to me after your birthday. We got to talkin' and we had a common want with both Kross and Caprice," Choice tucks his bottom lip under his top teeth making a whistle sound.

"Kross was him?"

"There was money involved."

Gee's in shock. "I know your reason. What's his?"

Choice shrugs. "Didn't ask. I told you Kross would get his karma."

"Why are you trying to go to war by yourself? You didn't tell anyone about this."

"Had to keep my distance so no one can say you or my sister are connected."

"Big Bleak?" Choice only nods. He racked up seven bodies within months.

"Everybody could get got behind my baby," he says coldly.

"This is out of your league," Gee whispers. "What happened to not letting your emotions control you to the point you hurt yourself or those around you?"

"Cognitive dissonance. You don't know who you are until you're pushed to the edge. Is it emotions or passion? Revenge is passion."

"Vengeance is not the point, change is. The problem is that the thought of victory and punishing the enemy coincide. You're only turning the anger in on yourself. On the surface it may be directed at someone else, but it's a recipe for arresting emotional recovery. Revenge can't become your life's purpose, Choice."

Choice runs his thumb and index finger down his nose bridge. "I thought if I got financial freedom, that's the key to absolute freedom. No more worries. Cause shit, they said money didn't buy happiness, but when I had it I felt damn good. I'm finally seeing that shit now. It means nothing. Cha though? She meant the world to me. ChaCha was my soulmate."

"So what's Inandi?" Gee asks the question itching at a lot of people.

He shrugs. "I just want a family. I've always wanted to get married and have kids."

"So you're settling?"

They say most men end up settling because they let 'the one' get away. Either they weren't ready, cheated, or were immature. In Choice's case the one couldn't stay here on Earth. Choice has no option but to move on. That means being with a woman who checks off a 'just good enough' list. He doesn't need to be in love.

And because Inandi thought she'd be married with kids by now she'll accept a man who only views her as an okay option. They're both using each other.

"I could get married next week and I'd still be in love with ChaCha. No one can say shit about it. They don't know what me and Drika had. The conversations," he says with more passion. He's tired of people judging how he chooses to grieve. "Fuck the relationship, she was my best friend. We couldn't live without each other and now I'm being forced to-"

Choice dials it back allowing Gee to say, "But are you coping in a healthy manner? What you're doing won't make that hurt go away."

"I go to grief counseling. You should check 'em out. It helps."

"Does it help that much if you're out here saying murder, murder, kill, kill?" He's serious, but it makes Choice chuckle.

"It does. It doesn't matter if your Pop's died yesterday or a year ago. It's always good to talk to someone. Your brother came to a few sessions with me..."

"I hope you didn't drag Seven into anything."

"I didn't. I've been looking out for him. He may have walked in on me and saw some dropped bodies..." Choice mumbles hesitantly. "I told him to leave and he did. He hasn't helped me on anything."

Gee rubs over his face. "That boy has seen more bodies in one year alone than I have in a lifetime. I'm starting to think he was better off going back to Louisville than coming out to Texas with me."

"You don't have to worry anymore. That's it. No more looking over our shoulders. Y'all have your whole future ahead of you," Choice uses the blunt to point at him.

"Y'all? You have your whole life ahead of you too."

"Maybe," he blows out pessimistically. "Drik comes to me in my dreams almost every night. She said she'd never leave me and she's standing on that. She keeps me protected. I don't know if it's enough though. Not everybody gets real connections like that. I probably sound crazy-"

"You don't." Deep down to Gee it sounds like Choice would rather be wherever Chandrika is. It's concerning.

"Energy doesn't lie and it doesn't die." Choice cracks a smile with a light laugh. He stares at Magenta in the distance who pets one of the horses. "When a woman's in a happy relationship with a man who treats her good, it shows. She's like a new person," he points out.

"I can't take credit for that. That's someone who did that on their own. She was  making sure she went to therapy and group sessions regularly. She put her fears to the side. She did the work."

Gee grows quiet making Choice ask, "Why do you sound sad about that?"

"Not like that, but I think about what happens after the trial? What if she doesn't need me anymore? Or what if she wants to separate herself from anything that reminds her of this time period in her life?"

"I don't think she'd just drop you like a bad habit," Choice shakes his head.

"People grow and feel like they can do better, especially when I have my own issues."

"Then you do the same work you see her doing. Whatever that may look like. More anger management, therapy, grief counseling, doing it on your own. Gotta put the effort in then you don't have to be paranoid about that."

"During the first trial we got into an argument. She said I love the fact she needs me during a hard time. That I like her being emotionally fragile and vulnerable..."

"Was she right?"

"Yeah, in a way," he admits. "Don't get me wrong, it's not the sole reason I love her or why I'm still around. Does it feel good that she needed me? Yeah. I thrive off other people needing to lean on me. I need people to need me. I like taking care of others even-"

"When you're not taking care of yourself," Choice reads his mind. "My problem now." Gee knows that's exactly what made him have an anxiety attack.

"So when Gen makes a decision like going to talk to Caprice without me, I feel like she doesn't need me. Maybe because when we first got close I naturally fit into a protection role. I beat up so many niggas behind her," he laughs reminiscing. "I was wildin'."

"You're scared of losing her. You also like the respect and admiration that comes with taking the lead. Twinkle isn't that timid, soft-spoken person who needs others to speak up for her and fight her battles. She's stronger. You have to recognize she needs room to grow, to maker her own decisions, to be."

"I know I apologized and we fixed it, but I'm getting it now. She's trying to regain her power in every way possible. Then me, you, or Cort swoop in trying to be Superman stealing her shine."

"Damn," Choice twirls his beard. He knows he acted impulsively with the shooting. He was so mad Caprice had the audacity to hurt his sister then show up to the baby shower with all their family like it was all good. "It's time to cut the cape."

"She's not a damsel in distress and we're not knights in shining armor."

Choice looks out at the ocean. "Magenta's like water. Water needs its own space to flow freely. You can't try to control that flow for the sake of your own feelings towards life. You fuck up the source and the chance to replenish. Just because she moves on her own doesn't mean she won't bring you along."

"Your sister's go with the flow and sometimes I don't know where all this is leading. I'm not tryna fall off any cliffs, especially if I don't have a boat or life jacket," he makes Choice laugh.

"I learned a long time ago when you love someone you can't operate on fear. You gotta love full throttle with no doubts. Just like Magenta doubted how could you truly love her when she's dealing with this, she eventually stopped pushing back. That's a woman who's loving at her fullest capacity. It always works out in the end," Choice sighs.

He's right. For men that ego and pride gets in the way. The thought that a woman should be thankful because you're willing to sacrifice your freedom, career, and wellbeing to save them. That a woman should always be dependent on them. He should be happy about who Magenta's becoming, not scared.

Gee gets up walking over to Gen who's mounting one of the horses with a guides help. "You see me?" she smiles noticing him approaching.

"That horse looks good on you, but I knew it would. That reverse cowgirl has always been serious," he can't help himself.

"Almost made me a mother a couple times," she laughs bashfully.

"That's you not getting up. Ride game been different. That check engine light don't be coming on or nothing. You just get on and go. Really you got the best pu-"

"Alright!" she covers his mouth even though she'll take the compliments. "I think I'm gonna buy a horse or start horseback riding lessons."

"You don't need any," Gee slides one more in.

"Babe, if you want me to squat on it when we get back to the villa that's all you have say. You always wanna talk freaky in public."

"Glad you offered. That's the only way to shut me up," he gives a sneaky smile making Gen shake her head.

By nightfall they're back at their resort in Montego Bay. With his laptop open Gee checks his dashboard to make sure he turned everything in that's due this week. Despite being on vacation he needs to make sure he's not slacking. It's almost the end of his first semester back in school and he wants to finish strong.

After checking his grades, Gee diverts his attention to his phone. Realizing he has some missed calls from earlier he looks to see which ones could be important. He calls back the pathologist, Suzanne, not knowing if she'll answer this late. She has a tendency to call him at night with eager updates, so he decides to try.

When she answers he says, "You called?"

"Yes. I have some updates."

It's been a few weeks since the process started. With a couple hunches Suzanne put her entire lab to a halt to focus on Gee's father. The investigation has been time consuming and expensive, but he's not sparing anything. It's been thousands to have his father exhumed, transferred, and now the tests. The last test she did cost $2,000 and involved two outside labs. Gee doesn't care as long as they find the answers. Hopefully, they're doing their job and not just sucking money out of him.

"What'd you find?"

"The last laboratory test we did was for Oleander, and it confirmed your father died from Oleander toxicity. We found it in his tissue."

"What's Oleander?" He asks with furrowed eyebrows.

"It's a potent poison taken from the brightly flowered plant that's actually common in a lot of gardens. It causes the heart to stop beating that's why it seemed like he could've had a cardiac type of death. It's considered one of the most toxic plants from the milky white sap to the sweet aroma from the flowers, to the foliage on the plant. The ingestion of a single leaf can kill an average sized man," she explains.

"Wait, so he was poisoned?"

"I don't know that yet. He could've consumed it on accident. Although, in most cases where it was an accident it was a child or animal who ate it not knowing what it is. With adults he could've handled the shrub without the proper gear not knowing it's poisonous. He could've burned a bush in his yard to get rid of it. There's multiple scenarios for it getting in his system."

"So, where do we go from here?"

"Talk to your private investigator and see if they've learned anything new. If we can find a motive or a person of interest linking it to poisoning, we'll go from there before we rule it an accident."

"Okay, thanks." They hang up and Gee sits there for a second thinking to himself before dialing his P.I.'s number next. Once he answers he explains everything the pathologist just said. "Have you found anything?"

"I followed that gambling lead. Turns out your father was deep into it. He would bet money on anything. Dice games, dominos, football, basketball, baseball, and horse racing. Some people said it'd be fair to say he had an addiction over the last year."

"What?" Gee scratches his head not knowing this. It's hard to when you don't see your parents in person often since he moved out of state. He'd talk to his Dad everyday, but you're only going to know what a person tells you.

"Yeah, he was making big bets too. Always over $5k. He started off winning, but good luck doesn't always last. Some people said he owed them money, but he'd always find a way to get it. Do you recall giving him big lumpsums of cash?"

"Nah, he never asked for more than what I offered."

"Maybe he was borrowing it from someone else. I'm going to look into it more. Also, apparently, there was non-medical evidence that should have alerted county investigators. Two weeks before his death your father had been physically attacked, indicating he had enemies. There should have been more suspicion from the police that it could be foul play."

"Attacked?" He's racking his brain trying to figure out how he didn't know any of this.

Clearly, he had his head stuck too far down in his work. Before his father died he hadn't visited his parents in months. That's when guilt starts coming in and you begin feeling like a bad son.

"Yeah, the police were called, but he didn't want to press charges or file a police report. Denied medical attention too. Two weeks later he was dead..." The man pauses to look for a piece of paper. "It seems in his last months alive he spent a lot of time with a man named Rueben Dent. Do you know who that is?"

Gee clears his throat. "That's Destin's dad."

"Did you know he knew him?"

"Yeah, I introduced him to him. I knew Destin's family and he knew mine—I trusted him. His parents would invite mine to do shit like yachting in St. Bart's, to the casino, the Hamptons, football, and basketball games. I didn't think anything of it. I was glad to see them finally living life to the fullest and not stressing."

"Did you know what type of guy his father was?"

"Not really. Why?"

"Reuben Dent was a hall of fame baseball player who played for the Yankees, Dodgers, White Sox, and Rangers. He's currently a manager for the Yankee's-"

"I know that."

"Outside of that he has a history. When he played baseball he was linked to multiple Jewish mob figures. Throughout the decades he was seen socializing with them. Later it was revealed it had to do with gambling in pro sports. They claim they would fix games. You know, purposely win or lose, so they can win money."

He keeps going, "According to FBI records, Reuben was best friends with a mob boss who ran prostitution affairs in the 1980s. This same man managed music acts and strippers. Reuben would give these mob guys access to the Dodgers' clubhouse. He was connected to organized crime and gambling, but he was never implicated in any wrongdoing..."

"That's until two years ago. In 2020, Reuben was accused of soliciting prostitution at a spa. Surveillance video showed him receiving sexual services. He was arrested with 20 other people in a sting for human trafficking. Then the charges disappeared. Nothing. Never talked about again."

The first thing any person would assume is that this must be connected to Caprice.

During Amil's trial she revealed she was involved in human trafficking. There's a circle where women are clearly being sexually exploited. If you follow the ladder starting at Caprice it most likely leads up to Destin's father and men like him.

It's all tied together. That's why they've been working so hard to make this go away. Destin's been trying to protect his father.

And it makes sense why Destin would want Caprice dead outside of the money he'd get. Caprice is getting more women coming out and new charges added every time you look up. At some point, Caprice might start giving details to save his own ass. It's better for him to be dead then he can't speak.

Gee's just trying to figure out how his father got involved. Genaro didn't deserve to die. So, he wants to know why Kross or whoever, did this to him.

He takes some time to process before getting up. Going to the balcony door of their villa he can see Magenta's still on the dock talking to Pandora. Gee walks out there deciding to smoke.

Hearing his footsteps the two women look over their shoulders. "I'ma get out the way soon," P says as both their legs dangle over the water. She smokes a joint while Gen drinks a glass of wine.

"I'm not trippin'," he waves her off. "I just got off the phone with the pathologist and P.I.. They said they found Oleander in my father's system.."

"What's that?" Magenta asks.

"The plant, right?" Pandora answers.

"How do you know that?"

"Kross had a shrub in his backyard. He treated that shit like it was a child. Always watering and tending to it. I've never seen a nigga like him be such a plant daddy. He'd trip out if I got near it."

"That's 'cause it was poisonous." They're both speechless. That small detail confirmed the who to Gee. One thing he knows is that behind every big fortune is a crime. Now they need to figure out the how and why...

"If it's a calm flex, then I bring the Crocs out. Might tek a gyal man, I know the opps out," Magenta raps to herself quietly while getting ready. The song plays from a speaker as she does her makeup in the bathroom. Meanwhile, in the bedroom and living room of the suite the other women of the trip are also getting ready for Pandora's birthday dinner.

Gen's completely relaxed. This trip was much needed. Earlier today they went on a bamboo raft tour where she got a full-body limestone massage.

Another thing that plays into her relaxation is the contentment she's had since sitting down with Caprice. The constant anxiety, paranoia, nightmares, flashbacks, nausea, and panic attacks that plagued her for months have stopped or slowed down.

Coming face to face with the person who assaulted her was a part of her recovery process. Where, when and how played a big part. It was on her terms – as opposed to nearly running into him randomly where she either froze or fled.

Going into it she was prepared on what she was going to say and ask him. And he gave her the answers she was looking for. It helped her process things. It made her feel lighter, rather than drained.

What Gen did is usually called restorative justice. It's an approach where one of the responses to a crime is to organize a meeting between the victim and the offender. She just did it on her own.

That doesn't mean she still doesn't want him in jail. She simply has enough sense to know it'll be years before that happens. With the case becoming bigger an official court date hasn't been set despite the mistrial happening 9 months ago. Before she knows it, it'll be a year since the first trial. Justice is slow, but the peace of mind she got that night was an instant gratification.

"Everything get fucked when I reach. .16 bun up bwoy skin. Head top buss up and split-" Before she can say the next line her phone rings once again making the song pause. She looks at the unknown number and quickly declines it.

"If you gonna be getting all these calls let someone else connect their phone!" Glow yells from the next room over where she's doing Pandora's makeup.

"It's cool," Gen puts her phone on do not disturb.

She's been getting calls from unknown numbers and she knows it's people connected to Caprice. He knows she recorded their conversation because she sent him a 20 second clip of it to fuck with his head.

He's been panicking not knowing what she's going to do with it. Using someone else's phone he left a voicemail saying he trusted Magenta and it's fucked up. He then left another message saying he was lying during the meeting and he was off a bunch of pain pills after being shot.

She doesn't care. It's only a matter of what she does with the recording...

It's a good thing Texas is a one-party consent state, so she didn't have to tell him she was recording. She also has the power to disclose the content to the general public if she wants. She can either put it on her Youtube channel or keep it to herself.

The D.A. was completely aware of her going to have the conversation with Caprice before it happened. They made it clear that it's the perpetrator who must not allow the no contact order to be violated, and a victim won't be criminally punished for aiding a violation.

As far as the confession being used as evidence in the trial that's still up in the air. It was submitted for review. She's hoping the exceptions work in her favor because the recording is proof regarding the crimes he was charged with.

"Who was blowing up your phone like that?" Pandora asks when Gen comes out of the bathroom now that she'd finished.

"Nobody... It's your birthday, bitch!" She says excitedly making everyone get as hype as her.

"Let's take a shot before we go."

While Gen's pouring them, MiMi speaks up to ask, "Y'all let guys spit in your mouth?" It's random, but she looks at her phone screen as if a guy asked her about it via text message.

"Yeah," Pandora and Magenta answer at the same time.

"Y'all nasty," MiMi turns up her lips.

"Let me clarify... Not every guy. Just my man," P points.

"You gotta do it the right way. Not hawking a big ass loogie," Gen explains making MiMi fake gag as the women laugh.

"But you let niggas spit to start that pussy, I bet," Cortlen's girlfriend, Ivy, adds in.

"Don't do me! I got that wet wet. I don't need that," MiMi defends herself. "Y'all freaked out!"

"A guy spit in my mouth out of nowhere and I was so disgusted," Ivy says.

"Oh, nah. Mine asks first," P says matter-of-factly.

"I had a guy that I'd let spit on me," Glow shrugs finally not too embarrassed to join in.

They all become silent and look at her in distaste. "On?"

"What? I thought we were sharing with no judgement?"

"We didn't say all'at. You date white boys. That seems a little demeaning," Gen shakes her head. "Imagine a mayo monster spitting on your face.. It's giving you can't sit at this counter. Straight civil rights movement. Uh uh!"

"Our ancestors would be ashamed," they joke as Glow smacks her lips.

"Why y'all kink shaming? I was kidding."

"Nahhh, you meant that," Pandora says as they all laugh.

"So I'ma tell this guy no based on the consensus," MiMi's long acrylic nails tap her screen.

Once they're all ready they meet up with the guys, so they can go to the restaurant where Pandora's private dining event will be held.

"My best friend's so pretty," she admires her as everyone's trying to find a seat around the table...

Everyone spends time looking at the menu before ordering. Gen looks over at Gee who has been quiet during the the entire day. She tries not to be a bug-a-boo by asking him 'what's wrong?' a million times. She knows if he's withdrawing he's usually trying to figure whatever it is out.

"You okay?" she keeps it simple. He shakes his head to be honest with her knowing it's not the place. She knows a million scenarios are playing in his head about what happened to his father. "We'll talk later," Gen kisses his cheek.

That quick everyone's attention is grabbed by Cortlen about to try an oyster for the first time. Someone hands him one from the seafood tower they got for the appetizer. He barely gets it into his mouth before pulling back and saying, "Nope."

"C'mon!" Someone yells to encourage him.

"Hell naw! I don't like the texture." Gen shakes her head and she sees Gee crack a small smile.

After eating, Magenta stands up to walk around the table.. She instructs some of the guys to grab Pandora's gifts in preparation for giving them to her. Gen taps her glass dramatically to get everyone's attention, so she can give a speech.

"I just want to say happy birthday to my best friend, my soulmate–"

"Then what am I?" Gee interrupts making people chuckle.

"You can have more than one, baby. As I was saying... –to my sister. You're so special in my life. Without you I wouldn't have made it this far. Where I'm weak, she's strong. No one can buy the type of bond we have. You've supported me through my highs and lows. I hope you know that I'll always be there for you. We made it so far. From the trenches to here. We were really beatin' bitches up wherever. The park, the 'partments, the school bathroom, the mall. Always had my back, never ran, never left me."

"And was! Draggin' 'em!" Pandora adlibs.

Gen laughs hugging her. "You deserve the world. I love you."

"I love you too." Magenta grabs the first box from Cortlen sitting it on the table. Seeing it's Chanel, P's already clapping and dancing in her seat.

"You know my best a rich bitch," she brags. Undoing the ribbon she opens the box. "I'm scared," she breathes out slowly opening the paper. She moves it to the side, but looks up confused.

"What is it?" Someone asks.

"Hoe, what's this?" Magenta immediately laughs knowing the box is filled with only paper. Pandora digs her hands through it wearing a mug.

"Remember when you showed up to my birthday late, barely got me anything, fought your ex, and then tried to fight me?" She lists on her fingers.

"Stop playin'. I made up for that. I apologized," she pouts.

"Fine. I got you a little sum' sum'. Your real gift," Gen puts the box on the table. They got her a bunch of stuff after everything she's done for everyone. She got anything you can think of. Clothes, shoes, perfume, bags, jewelry.

After receiving a Rolex from Choice, Pandora holds up her wrist as he records her. "It's a real niggas birthday. A real gangsta!" He shouts mostly because he's drunk. He's been drinking a lot of rum and smoking weed the whole trip.

"He'll really beat you up for me. Ah!" P yells in excitement.

"Facts. Real demon time. Everybody get shot behind her. Everybody dead! In front of the courthouse and all," Choice says making Gen's eyebrows raise.

"Wait. Nah, don't post that," Pandora holds up her hand making him end the video. "You drunk as hell, gang. Loose lips sink ships," she tries to laugh it off. Magenta and Gee both shake their head. He's lost it.

Choice's shenanigans don't end there. It was very clear why he had been throwing so many drinks back. He was trying to knock the edge off for what he's about to do. He knows he's about to make a mistake, but he does it anyway...

"Where's my woman?" he looks around for Inandi who sits at the table looking annoyed. Even if Choice's antics are ridiculous she's all in all negative energy never wanting to have fun. He holds out his hand, so she gets up coming to him.

When everyone sees him lowering to one knee some of them gasp. He pulls out a box opening it to reveal a fat ass ring. "Will you do me the honor of being my wife?" He slurs.

"Oh, un-un! I know y'all aren't doing this on my birthday of all times?!" Pandora interferes. "Getcho ass up. Get up!" she says what Magenta's thinking.

"What's the problem?"

"First of all, we don't even know this bitch like that." P looks around wondering if she's tripping for this reaction.

Inandi screws up her face. "Bitch?"

"See, we don't know ha. If we did she wouldn't be offended because I call everyone bitch. It's my favorite word."

"Come on, P," Jux tries to step in knowing how his girl can be.

"Come on nothing. Where they do that at? What happened to decorum? He's using my birthday dinner, the nice decorations as backdrop, my photographer and videographer... and ain't pay for nan nothin'. I love you Choice. You're like my brother, but this ain't it. He's drunk as hell too!"

"Let's try this again tomorrow maybe. Do it at the beach. We can talk to the resort employees. Plan something real nice. Sober you up. I know you meant well, but you know Pandora..." Jux tries to reason. "I'm the one who has to deal with her mouth when the doors close. Do me a favor," he helps Choice up from the ground.

"I heard that!"

"Fine. I thought y'all would be happy for me and we could celebrate together," Choice smacks his lips.

"Take him back to your room. He needs to get some rest," Gen says quietly to Inandi who seemed to be all for the proposal.

"I don't understand why you all had to ruin our moment," she responds with attitude.

"Is this really how you want to be proposed to? He's drunk off his ass. I don't think so."

"You may not like me, but you need to come to terms with the fact your brother loves me. One of the reasons he loves me so much is because I proved many times that even when the smoke clears, I'm here to stay."

"Well, if you're here to stay another night won't hurt anybody. Now get my brother a bed and some water. Goodnight!"

Magenta can tell she's fuming, but she leaves with Choice. Of course everyone's whispering once they're out the door.

"He's making the biggest mistake of his life," Gen vents to Cortlen as they leave the restaurant. They're all going back to their villas to change so they can really party.

"How's he proposing? I've been with my girl longer than him. You and Gee have been together longer than them. He just met the chick," Cort states.

"Someone needs to talk some sense into that boy. It's like he's trying to replace her. It's not right."

It falls quiet and Cortlen slows down making Magenta look at him. "I need to get something off my chest..." he starts.

"What?"

"Before Chandrika died she came to my hotel and we almost hooked up. That time Gee saw her getting off the elevator," Cort reveals with shame. Gen closes her eyes not even being able to look at him. "It didn't go passed kissing. We stopped, but the guilt it's been weighing on me."

"Why are you telling me this now? I don't want to know this, or be in between you and Choice."

"I needed to get it off my chest. That's why I didn't put up a fight that he's distanced himself and doesn't want to fuck with me."

"So basically, Choice shouldn't feel bad at all for moving on so fast? Everyone's making him feel like shit, including me, but his wife slept with his brother years ago. Now you're saying you kissed her when they were still married? Here people are expecting him to be a loyal to a dead person who couldn't give him that in life," she hits her brother's arm.

"It was a mistake!"

"Those were intentional choices," she corrects him.

"Should I tell him?"

"For what? For him to carry around that anger because he can never get closure or answers from ChaCha because she's gone? A dead person can't absolve their sins, Cort. I can't believe you!"

He sways his head stuffing his hands in his pockets. "I'on like when you're disappointed in me."

"This man has been a walking disaster. He's been walking around with guilt blaming himself for her death. Looks like he's not the only one with a guilty conscience..." She looks Cort up and down. "He looked up to you so much growing up. They took you when we were in high school and his first year of college. We were just tryna survive and he stepped up as the second oldest. Y'all both were only trying to support this family in the absence of our parents. You did it all for us. He did it all for us. What are we now? We're not even a family anymore," her voice shakes.

"I know," he mumbles. "I fucked up."

"I don't know how you'll fix this, but you better figure it out..." Without another word she walks away.

She doesn't have time for this. She wants to have fun. They're on vacation. Magenta quickly changes out of her dress and heels in exchange for a bikini top, some Jamaica shorts she bought while out here, and Hermès sandals.

Heading for their next destination, Gee trails behind her watching her walk. She doesn't even hear him breathe out, "oof," as his eyes are glued to her. "Now you know.."

"What?" she looks back at him. His eyes dart down and she chuckles. "One thing about these thighs and cheeks they gonna eat up some shorts."

"That BBL is workin'," Gee pokes fun knowing that'll annoy her.

"Please! This is Texas made straight from my Mama. You know better," she smacks her own ass making him smile.

"Do that again."

"Move," she laughs grabbing onto his hand continuing to walk.

With everyone else they enter an area where people from the resort are partying. The music is loud and the vibe is in the air. The first thing they all want to do is get drinks in their system.

She has half a drink before hitting the dance floor with Pandora. Together they're always going to have fun. "Scream louder I can't hear ya. Gyal, how you so fat in dat area? Mi affi give ya long tip cocky 'till ya tear up," the music becomes the backdrop to her whining hips.

Gee only watches wearing a smile because she seems so happy and free. It's drastically different from how she was a year ago when he came back into her life. It seems like yesterday she was fighting Amil at Pandora's last birthday. She was cold and shut off.

"Come here princess, and take off your tiara. From ya see mi know ya horny. Lips dem fat ya pum pum call me, coming for ya nani, nani, nani." Magenta puts her hands on her knees throwing it to match the beat as P cheers her on. "Gyal mi love how you bubble upon me, upon me," Gen drops down into a split making everyone go wild. Gee only laughs to himself letting her do her thing.

After five days in Jamaica, the group takes a private plane back to Texas. When they land, Gen stands up from her seat with a stretch. She glances at Inandi seeing the big rock on her ring finger glimmer. Choice still decided to propose with just them two and she said yes.

Gen rolls her eyes about to grab her carryon, but Gee takes it from her grips because he's never let her carry a heavy bag. Everyone's exhausted from the trip.

Descending down the steps of the plane, she squints at the bright sunlight. She's only expecting to see their drivers waiting on them. Instead she notices multiple people wearing vests that say ATF police.

"What's this?" Pandora whispers to her.

They wait for everyone to come off the plane before approaching. To no surprise they ask, "Which one of you is Choice Thomas?"

The agents were monitoring his movements after obtaining a search warrant allowing them to track the location of his cellphone. Choice knew this was coming as well, so without a word he steps forward and they begin putting cuffs on him.

"You're under arrest on suspicion of murdering-" They begin listing so many names it sounded like jumble to Magenta. By the end they said five names, including Big Bleak's birthname.

Ever since the missing person's report had been filed the police were investigating. He was the last person seen with them so he became a person of interest.

Inandi looks confused beginning to cry and ask what's going on. The agents read Choice his rights then place him into the backseat of a car. Magenta's eyes connect with her brother's through the window. There's not an ounce of regret or worry behind them...

_______

Gee finding out what caused his father's death? What the P.I. said about Destin's father?

Choice proposing to Inandi? Him getting arrested?

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