Chapter 34
Lyric stood in front of the bathroom mirror while music blasted from her phone as she put the finishing touches on her hair. With the twins gone for the evening and the apartment finally quiet, she had spent the last hour getting ready without being interrupted every five minutes.
While in the middle of singing along to the music, her phone started ringing, instantly cutting the song off. Looking down at the screen, a smile automatically spread across her face. Propping the phone against the mirror, she answered the video call.
"Damn, you fine," Zaire said the second the screen connected.
"Thank you, handsome. How's summer camp?"
"Boring. I'm ready to come home. Where my kids?"
"Your sister just came and got them."
"Oh, so that's why you getting all fly and shit."
"Hell yeah. Mama gotta have a life too."
"Lyric, don't get fucked up."
"Baby daddy, please."
"I'm serious. But look, they calling me, I’ll call you back.”
"Okay."
Lyric sat the phone down and turned the music back on before finishing her hair. Once she was satisfied with it, she stepped back from the mirror and admired her reflection. After deciding on a pair of heels, she slipped them on and reached for her purse. Just as she did, her phone buzzed.
Kenya: Outside.
A few seconds later, Lyric was locking the apartment door and heading downstairs.
It was June nineteenth, and for the last three years, they celebrated the day with a huge gathering in Holy City. People who had moved away came back, family members showed up from all over the city, and the projects stayed packed from morning until long after dark.
As Kenya pulled away from the curb, Lyric settled into the passenger seat and looked out the window. Life was good, and for the first time in a long time, she wasn't stressed about anything.
Finding out Zaire was the twins' father had turned out to be the best thing that could've happened. In a weird way, it felt like a blessing. Not only did she no longer have to worry about Vonte, but she knew her daughters were straight forever.
Zaire had already opened checking and savings accounts for the girls and put Lyric in control of them.
His family treated Lyra and Ariya like they had been waiting on them their entire lives, and every time she flew to Oklahoma, she felt more welcomed than the trip before.
But most importantly, there was no drama.
"Damn, it’s lit," Kenya said, snapping her out of her trance.
As they rode through the complex, Lyric spotted her sisters standing with their friends near one of the buildings.
Kenya found a parking spot, and the two climbed out.
They made their way across the courtyard, stopping here and there as people called their names and spoke.
By the time they reached Harmony, Melody, and the rest of the group, Lyric was grinning and already caught up in the energy of being back around everybody.
For the next hour or so, they all stood around talking, dancing, and enjoying themselves.
The music was loud, people were grilling, and every few minutes somebody would walk over to speak or join the circle.
It reminded Lyric of why she loved Holy City so much.
No matter where life took people, they always seemed to find their way back.
"Come with me. I'm starving." Kenya turned to her and said.
Lyric followed her toward the grills where several people were fixing plates. While waiting in line, her eyes drifted across the courtyard and landed on Domo, who was standing with two of the cousins Melody beat up.
"If that bitch ain't have her son in her arms, I'd go spit in her face," Lyric muttered.
"I'll still spit in that bitch face… Baby in arms and all"
Kenya started walking in their direction while Lyric grabbed her arm.
"Nah. We'll all be in jail."
She sucked her teeth but allowed Lyric to pull her back. Just then, a familiar voice sounded behind her.
"Why the fuck you change your number?"
The smile immediately left Lyric's face as she turned around and found herself standing face-to-face with Vonte. Instead of answering, she looked away and continued fixing her plate.
"Lyric, I'm talking to you."
Still, she ignored him.
"Where the fuck my kids at?"
Those six words got her attention; she whipped her head around and looked him up and down before speaking.
"I don't know where your kids, plural, are, but there go your big-head, ugly-ass son right there." She pointed directly toward Domo.
A couple of people nearby overheard and started laughing.
"Man, stop playing with me." Vonte looked around and frowned.
"I'm dead ass serious."
"Where the twins?" he asked again.
"They with their auntie."
"Auntie? Both yo sisters over there. Stop lying."
"Me lying?" Lyric laughed before going on.
"Nah, I leave the lying to you."
"What the fuck that supposed to mean?" Vonte squinted his eyes.
Lyric took a deep breath and smiled a devilish grin before responding.
"Since I got you here in front of the whole projects, I think it's something you should know."
"Oh yeah? What's that?"
"Nigga... you are not the father."
"What?... What the fuck you just say?"
"You heard her, nigga. What Maury say? In the case of six-month-old twins, Lyra and Ariya, DeVonte, you are not the father!”
Before Lyric could get another word out, she felt a hard smack upside her head.
"What the…”
She didn't even get a chance to finish. Kenya had snatched the metal lid off a nearby grill and swung it at Vonte.
The hit caught him clean in the head and sent him stumbling backward.
Lyric immediately charged forward, but she barely had time to throw a punch before Harmony, Melody, Kenya, and their friends rushed in behind her.
They whopped Vonte so bad, you could barely recognize him.