53. Four
Four
Isat on the steps of my brother's porch, which he shared with his wife, and waited. I didn’t need to call him and let him know I was here.
He knew the moment I pulled into his driveway.
My sitting here, waiting, was out of respect for his home and marriage.
A black Porsche Cayenne drove down the driveway, and I leaned back, resting my elbows on the step behind me.
The driver parked, then the car turned off, and the driver's door opened.
Trey looked over the hood of the car, his eyes locked on mine.
“We had an agreement,” he said, and I nodded. We did, but it didn’t matter anymore. I needed answers, and he was the only one who could give them to me.
The passenger door opened, and Trey’s wife, Purpose Blackmon, got out of the car.
Even though she wore dark sunglasses, I knew that she was watching me.
If I had to pick a woman for Trey, it would’ve been Purpose.
She was strong, stubborn, smart as fuck, and quick on her feet.
Her being in the FBI was also a plus. She closed her door, then walked to the back door and opened it.
A little girl, younger than Judah, got out.
She took her time, not rushing, determination on her face, embedded in her eyes.
Once she was out, she leaned against the car and caught her breath.
Trey walked to the back, popped the trunk, and pulled out a pair of forearm crutches.
He brought them to her, but she shook her head and pushed them away.
“Reason, you’re tired,” Trey said. He bent to try and help her put them on, but she pulled her arms away. “Use them. You’ve been strong all day.”
“I got it,” she told him, pushing the crutches away. Her little voice was filled with so much determination that it made me smile. “I can do it, Daddy.”
“I know you can, but I don’t want you to tire yourself out,” he said, trying to reason with her.
“I’m not tired,” she told him. She turned and looked at Purpose. “Tell him I’m not tired.”
“She’s not tired, Kenbral,” Purpose said, trying not to laugh.
“Thank you,” Trey said, shaking his head.
Reason nodded, then turned and started towards the steps.
Her eyes locked on her feet, making sure that she didn’t trip.
She stumbled once; I leaned forward, ready to move in case she fell.
She was moving too fast. I could see it, but I wasn’t going to stop her.
She was determined to make it on her own.
When she got to the steps, she stopped again.
This time she grabbed the rail and then lifted her foot.
Slowly she moved, making sure she was balanced before taking the next step.
When she got to the step I was sitting on, she noticed me.
Her little face lifted, her green eyes sparkled against the sun as she narrowed them.
“Who are you?” she asked.
“My name is Four,” I answered.
Her eyes widened, and she moved as quickly as she could while being safe. She moved to me and threw herself into my arms. “You're my daddy’s little brother!” Reason squalled in excitement. Her arms went around my neck. “I heard about you before! Daddy talks about you all the time!”
“Really?” I hugged her back and looked over at her shoulder to my brother.
“Yeah,” Reason said, pulling back.
“Now you know my name, but what’s your name?”
“Reason Strong, but Daddy calls me Eleven,” she said, laughing.
“Eleven, huh?” I replied. “Do you mind if I call you Eleven, or should I call you Reason?”
“Eleven,” she answered with a bright smile.
“Okay, I can do that,” I told her. “So, Eleven, what did your daddy tell you about me?” I cut my eyes to my brother before turning back to Reason.
“He said you live far, but he was going to take me to visit you soon. Mama too. She has a brother. I’m meeting everybody.
That’s why I’ve been tryin’ real hard at PT.
I want to get on a plane and meet everybody.
” Her little head bobbed up and down as she nodded.
The black KC Queens hat she wore that was obviously too big slipped off her head, and that’s when I noticed her red hair.
“You look like One,” I said, taking in her full appearance. There was no denying she was a Strong. She looked like our women cousins spit her out. She was the perfect blend of Six and One. “Damn.”
“Daddy says that too! He says I look like One but have a smart mouth like Six!” she laughed. She looked over at Trey, then back at me. “I want to meet them too.”
“Alright, Eleven, let’s go inside so your daddy and uncle can talk,” Purpose said.
“But I want to stay and talk,” she pouted.
“I know, but you need a bath and dinner,” Purpose replied.
She approached us and put her hands out to Reason.
I thought she was going to push her hands away like she’d pushed the crutches, but instead she put her hands up for Purpose to pick her up.
Purpose whispered something into Reason’s ear that made her smile and nod. “Good seeing you, Four.”
“You too,” I said, moving out of their way. Purpose walked up the remaining steps, then went into the house.
“She was born with spina bifida,” Trey said once the door closed. “We knew before she was born. Her mama wanted to abort her. I said no. It was after I went back in with Robert. The only thing I could think of was to keep her safe. He wouldn’t have cared about her disability. He would’ve…”
“Tortured her to death,” I said, nodding in understanding.
“Purpose was the only person I knew would protect her without thinking twice. You had too much baggage. Too much pain.”
“That’s why you married her?” I asked him. “It wasn’t about the case y’all were working on?”
“Yeah.”
“Does she know that?”
“Nah, she thinks I married her because of the case,” Trey said, shaking his head.
He wiped his hand over his mouth. “She’s here for Eleven.
Tells me all the time too.” He dropped his head, chuckled, then put his hands in his pockets.
“No matter how much I show her I’m a good nigga.
That I fucked up and it won't happen again. She doesn’t love me enough to stay. ”
“Her life is in KC,” I reminded him. “Her brother, he’s there. Eventually Gift is going to start asking questions, and we both know that nigga ain’t the calmest when it comes to his sister.”
“I know,” Trey replied. He lifted his face to look at me. “She’s all I got though. You know? They're the only two people in the world that see me and not all my baggage and shit.”
I looked back at the house then nodded. Yeah, I got exactly what he was saying. They were his Cori and Judah.
“You told Purpose about our childhood?”
“Yeah, which is probably the only reason she ain’t divorced me. Besides Eleven, that is. She loves her like she birthed her,” he replied.
“Bring them around,” I told him. “That’s the only advice I got for you.”
Trey nodded, then cleared his throat. “You didn’t come here for no reason,” he said, and I chuckled. “What’s up?”
“Javien Walters Jr.,” I replied.
Trey’s jaw tensed. “What about him?”
“I talked to him.” I stood and then walked down the steps.
Trey may have told Purpose everything, but Eleven was in the house.
I knew how sneaky kids were. She could’ve been hiding behind the door listening for all I knew.
This shit didn’t touch her, and I wanted to keep it that way.
“He said there’s a video from that night. I want it.”
“I-“
“I want the video,” I cut him off. “Either you or your wife in there is going to get it for me. The Kilmore’s are watched by the FBI, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Use that badge and get me the information.”
“Four-“
“I’m not asking Trey. I’m telling you what I need from you.
I only came here to get it from you in person.
If you tell me no, I’m going to go to KC and have Cross and Nine hack into everything.
It’s going to tip off Robert and this shit right here.
” I pointed to his house. “It's going to come crumbling down.
Your family won't be protected. Robert will find them and come after them because you hid them from him.”
His jaw clenched again, then he nodded. “Alright. Come on.”
***
I opened my eyes to see Eleven standing in the doorframe. Her little eyes scanned me from head to toe. She was hesitant, but I could see the excitement in her eyes. I wiped my hand over my face, then sat forward, resting my elbows on the top of my legs and watched her.
“You’re not scary,” she said, and I smirked. “Daddy said you can be scary sometimes.”
“I don’t mean to be.” I shook my head and looked around the living room. “You know how to tell time?”
“Yep,” she nodded. “Mama taught me.” Her gaze went from me to the big clock on the wall. “It’s eight thirty-seven.” She looked back at me with a triumphant smile. “You were asleep for an hour.”
“How’d you know I was going to ask that?” I laughed.
“Daddy always asks me how long he’s been asleep when he wakes up from a nap,” she answered with a shrug. She adjusted the arm crutches and leaned against the wall. “You didn’t mean to fall asleep, did you?”
“Nah,” I answered. “What are you standing over there for?”
“Mama said to leave you alone while her and Daddy worked.”
“They finished?”
“I don’t know,” she answered with a shrug. “Mama is still in the office; Daddy is cooking dinner.” She looked over her shoulder. “You stayin’ for dinner?”
“Yeah,” I replied. I stood, stretched my arms over my head, then rolled my shoulders. My bracelet beeped, and I looked at it. My heart rate was within range, but the battery was about to die. “Show me where the kitchen is?”
“Come on,” Eleven slowly said, waving me over. I took my time, making sure that I didn’t outpace her and let her lead the way. I didn’t know much about spina bifida, but I was going to research the hell out of it when I got back home. “Daddy!”