20. Gemini Black #2
I didn’t respond to what Amina said right away because I knew she wasn’t finished. I could see it in her eyes that she wanted to use this moment as an outlet to just release, so I was going to sit back, and allow her to do that.
“My father was the sweetest man in the world, Gemini. He wasn’t soft by any means, but he treated my mom, and I like queens.
The way you love me, pour into me, and handle me with great care, that’s how he handled my mom.
You remind me of him in so many ways. As a little girl, I lived my life doing things that I knew would make him proud.
When I would make good grades in school, I couldn’t wait to come home to show him my report card.
I thought that he was the coolest person in the world, and they just fuckin took him from me.
Like his life meant nothing, they… they just took him from me,” and that’s when she broke.
I knew it was coming, and that’s why I was allowing her to have her moment.
I could tell that Amina was a daddy’s girl.
Even though we didn’t do a lot of talking about her father, I know when I’m in the presence of a woman that had a good father in her life, even if his existence in her life was cut short.
Amina was so sure of herself. She was so confidant, strong-willed, and intelligent.
Hearing her cry like that broke me a little bit. I wanted to be the man in her life that could fix all her problems, but I knew that this was one thing that I simply couldn’t fix. I couldn’t bring her father back.
I reached over for her, lifting her up out of the seat like it was nothing, and I placed her in my lap.
I pushed my seat all the way back, and I had her straddle me, while she laid her head on my chest, and she broke down.
I put a hand in her braids, massaging her scalp, and like she was a baby, I bounced my legs up and down a little bit, so that she could bounce, and I could use this moment to sooth her.
I didn’t need to say anything right now. The main thing that I was trying to accomplish was getting her to calm down. It worked because in about five minutes, she wasn’t crying so hard anymore. She was still sniffling though.
“I don’t want to make you cry again, but did they ever find out who did it? Why did they do it in the first place?” I wanted to know.
Amina didn’t answer my question right away.
She took about two minutes before she removed her head from my chest and sat up.
I removed the remaining tears that were lingering on her face, while I stared into her beautiful brown eyes.
She twiddled with her fingers, as if she was nervous and using that as a distraction, and then she sighed.
“Yeah, they found out but it wasn’t until almost two years later.
My mom went so hard to get justice for my dad.
Even with us moving to London, she still did her part, and she wasn’t going to rest until she found out who murdered her husband.
As far as the murder goes, my father was the lead architect on a big project that they were doing in Miami.
I remember when he showed me the blueprint for it.
It was going to have luxury apartments, retail spaces, the whole nine.
The project was going to be hundreds of millions of dollars,” she started, and I sat back, eyes glued to her, holding onto her every word, trying to see where she was going with this, even though I already had a feeling the direction that this was headed.
“They had to bid over the location. Ultimately, my father ended up winning the bid. There was another owner of another firm that wanted the location just as badly as my father wanted it. It’s so much more to it, but he hired a hit man to kill my father.
With all the land in Miami, that offers so many spaces for other firms to build, you would think that he would have just found another location.
So yeah, that’s pretty much the story,” she finished.
Even though she breezed through it, I had a full understanding now of what happened to her father. It was fucked up. All that because another nigga couldn’t stand rejection, and he didn’t get his way.
“Damn baby. That shit is foul. I hate that I don’t have the kind of magic powers to fix your problems. You know that if I could have it my way, I wouldn’t want you to bear any kinds of problems, but I can’t fix that part of you.
I’ll just do what I can to try and heal that part.
Even though you only got thirteen years with him, he did well with you.
I think one of the parts of you that’s so dope is that you followed in his footsteps, continuing with his legacy.
I know that he’s able to rest peacefully knowing that you’re doing that,” I let her know, and she gave me a small smile.
“I hope so,” she said, ending it by kissing me on my lips.
Amina stayed on top of me until someone came out to switch the tire.
I had her get back in the passenger seat, while I stood outside on the side of the highway with the worker, watching him as he placed a new tire on.
She was really traumatized about what happened with her father because before I stepped out, I had to give her a pep talk, letting her know that everything was fine, and that I would be back in the truck with her in no time.
The tire was changed, and after paying for the services, along with leaving a nice tip for him, I was able to hop back on the truck, and head out.
I texted the customer, letting him know that I was about forty- five minutes out, and he was quick in his response, letting me know that he was still home.
Amina and I made small talk during the ride. With the small talk that we made, and the steady flow of traffic, it wasn’t long before we were pulling into the community where the customer resided.
It was a nice area. One of those communities where I had to go through security at the front gate. I wasn’t let into the community until he called, letting the customer know that I was here, and once that was approved, that’s when I was let in.
These houses reminded me of the million-dollar homes back in Miami. One of my favorite neighborhoods back home was the Southwest Ranches area. Big ass homes in that area. As beautiful as they were, I refused to purchase a home there with it just being me. That’s why I had my luxury condo.
“These homes are so beautiful. Not just because it’s fancy and pricy, but this is the kind of home where I would want to raise a family.
A big backyard for the kids to run around in.
Something with a nice driveway, so we can store our cars.
A big kitchen, so that I can cook for you.
That’s the way that I imagine what marriage would look like,” Amina said, turning her head, so that she could look at me.
“I want those things too. The backyard gotta have a pool. Kids going to be five months old taking swimming lessons. In the summer, they can run around outside, jump in the pool, while I’m on the grill.
You going to be in the house, cooking in there, complaining about it being too hot outside,” I gave her my version, and when I finished, she laughed while playfully pushing me.
“Don’t do that. I’ve changed. You know I don’t mind being outside with you,” she defended.
“I know baby. I’m fuckin with you,” I said, pulling up to the home.
It was nice. I counted four luxury cars that were already in the driveway. The home looked to be the biggest home on the block.
As I was parking the truck in the road, I could see that the front door was opening, and a black man walked out of the front door.
He looked to be in his fifties. He was in perfect shape.
Walking out with his wife beater, gym shorts, and slides on his feet.
He walked down the steps, with his phone in his hands.
I could see the look of admiration in his eyes, as he stared at my truck.
I parked, and then grabbed the tablet, so that I could bring it with me.
“You going to get out?” I asked Amina.
“Yeah. I’ll stretch out my legs,” she said.
I stepped out first, closing the door behind me, and then I went over to her side. I assisted her with getting out and closed the door after her. At the same time, the man walked over, and once he was close enough, I extended my hand for him to shake.
“How you doing? I’m Gemini,” I said.
He was trying to keep his eyes on me, but they kept diverting over to Amina.
Nigga was damn near about to break his neck trying to get a good look at her.
Amina was too busy in her own little world, stretching her arms, while looking ahead of her, where his home was, admiring it, along with the cars that were parked in the driveway.
“What’s up, man? I’m Pete,” he said, shaking my hand firmly, finally taking his eyes off Amina long enough, so that he could look at me.
“Aight, Pete. I got your car in the back. Give me a second to get it down,” I let him know, and he nodded his head.
He nodded, and just like he’s been doing, his eyes shot back over to Amina.
“This your partner, or your girl?” this nigga had the nerve to ask me.
When he asked that, that’s when Amina tapped out of being in her own world, and she looked towards me.
“What that gotta do with anything man? The only thing that you should be questioning me about right now is this car that I have for you in the truck. Don’t worry about who I got riding in the truck with me,” I told him, and he nodded his head.
Crazy thing is that this man was standing there with a fuckin wedding band on his finger. He was married yet had the nerve to question me about mine.
“You right. Respect. Respect,” he said, throwing his hands up, as if he didn’t want any smoke with me.