Chapter 6 #3
“Look at my little G!” Ledge balled a fist up and brought it to his mouth as he took in Maze.
“You like that dripped-up binky, don’t you, my dude?
” Ledge played with his little fingers. The binky slipped from my son’s mouth, and he gave Ledge a gummy smile while drool slid down his chin.
“Aw shit, he like it. Yo’ first Cuban link is on me,” he promised, and I snickered while shaking my head.
This dude was one of the most savage ass niggas I have ever met, yet with my kids, he was soft as cotton.
He sometimes reminded me of a child. He was all man, but his reactions and thought process were often as simple as a little boy’s.
Clearly, he was trying to break the chilling temperatures in the room.
Harold Lawson
I arrived outside the gate to a massive estate.
Harmonie sat beside me in the passenger’s seat of my Mercedes.
Drumming my fingers on the steering wheel, I waited for the guard in the shack to make a call and then allow the gates to open for us to drive through.
There were cars everywhere. I had seen some lavish homes and traveled around the world to see them, but this was something else.
All the money Kutlass made making people vanish from the earth and this is what was produced.
“Looks like there is a party going on here,” I mumbled, glancing toward Harmonie. Awestruck, like she was visiting the home of a celebrity or something, she lowered the visor to check her hair while I parked.
“Talk about leveling up,” she mumbled, tussling some of her hair. “This is where she lives?”
“Maybe we should come by another time. If she’s got something going on—”
“Then even better for us to stop by. After all, we are family, right?” she teased, turning in her seat and giving her little brother her smile.
He was wide awake in his car seat. I wanted to see Harbor and try to hash things out.
After the story broke about her abduction, I got all kinds of offers to do interviews, telling the story from the point of view of her father.
Some news outlets were actually willing to pay top dollar for the full story.
I couldn’t see myself betraying her trust like that.
She had already been through enough. We piled out of the car, and Harmonie propped her brother on her hip as we approached the front door.
Before we could even get to the door, it opened, and there stood Frequency.
He was relaxed, sporting a Puma track suit with a white tee and matching velvet shoes.
In his arms, he carried a bouncing baby girl that looked just like Harbor when she was a baby, down to the upward-slanted eyes that focused on me.
“Can I help you?” he questioned, rocking the little girl who seemed so content in his embrace.
One of her little hands held on to his arm, and it was so natural that I couldn’t help but smile.
A gold bracelet dawned her delicate little wrist, and she was dressed in a black romper with gold detail and a matching gold bow adorned her thick, curly mane.
Harmonie was checking for Frequency so hard that the shit was obvious and embarrassing.
She had no shame whatsoever. It blew my mind how different she and Harbor were. Literally like night and day.
“I realize that the last encounter we had wasn’t exactly pleasant,” I acknowledged.
Frequency checked me out from head to toe, skeptical and unsure. I was being honest. Life was short, and I didn’t want to waste any of mine holding resentment toward someone I loved. At the end of the day, Harbor was my daughter, my flesh and blood.
“So why the fuck are you here now?” He was short and direct with me, and I expected nothing less.
With one steady arm, he bounced the little girl, and she showed no fear.
“Free, who’s at the door?” Harbor’s sweet voice questioned from behind.
Her face lit up when she saw me and Harmonie on the other side.
“What are you doing here?”
“This was all, Daddy,” Harmonie pointed out. “I realized a long time ago that you were selfish and dramatic.”
Frequency’s head sloped in her direction. The admiration that shined in his eyes was obvious to anyone looking at them. She checked him with her own gaze, annoyance but tolerance etched across her face. Harbor focused on Junior in her sister’s arms.
“We are kind of in the middle of something. But… if it’s okay with Frequency… I guess you can stay,” she reluctantly responded, giving him a pointed stare.
His shoulders relaxed, and he peered down at the baby in his arms. She seemed to be taking everything in, very calm and chill.
“What’s three more people when you invited everybody that Ivy knows,” Frequency relayed, and a playful smirk toyed with the corners of her mouth.
It was obvious that they were in tune with one another.
“She made the list,” Harbor pointed out, hands on her hips.
“Speaking of, they just called up again. The guests are starting to check in.” She reached for the baby in his arms. “This one is ready to lie down with her brother for a nap. Celine will take care of them. Come on in. Make yourselves comfortable,” she told us.
“Yeah, not too fucking comfortable,” Frequency declared, stepping aside so that we could pass.
“You need to perk up. This is a party, Daddy.” She toyed with him, and a spark ignited in him.
It was clear that his weak spot was my daughter. Her place in his life had softened him.
“Harbor, you had a baby?” Harmonie was shocked.
“I had two,” she answered. “But I am sure your girl at the hospital probably told you that a while ago. I can introduce you later. Right now, they need to rest.” She started up the staircase, and Frequency watched after her.
“Don’t go lurking around my shit. Kitchen, living room, bathroom.
” He pointed out all the places we were allowed to enter.
“If I catch you outside of any of those areas other than the backyard, that’s ya ass,” he warned.
“Have fun.” That last part he spoke with enthuse, and Harmonie studied him peculiarly.
“Let’s go.” I nudged her toward the kitchen. “I know you got a thing for men with big bank accounts and attractive looks, but do us both a favor and stay clear of Frequency. You understand?” I grit my teeth at her.
She was a hardheaded child, and it didn’t take much for her to get herself into trouble. I honestly felt like she went looking for it most of the time. Any kind of attention was good for Harmonie—good or bad.
“Daddy, what kind of woman do you think I am?”
“The kind that has no problem going tit for tat with anybody when she feels she has been wronged. This ain’t the time nor place for that right now, Harmonie.” We stepped into the kitchen together, and all eyes seemed to be on us.
“Hi,” a woman with brown hair and blonde highlights greeted us from the island counter.
“Hello.” I nodded.
“I’m sorry. I don’t think we’ve met.” Her forehead wrinkled, and she tilted her head at me questionably.
“I’m Harold, Lawson. Harbor’s father,” I introduced myself, and her brows went up with interest.
“Oh, wow. Nice to meet you. I’m Chevy, her business partner. And this is Ledge, my children’s father,” she noted, indicating the man beside her who stuffed his face with the appetizers were spread out.
“’Sup.” He gave me the nod and kept his focus on the food.
Something was familiar about him, and he tensed up a bit. It wasn’t something just anyone would notice, but with the line of work I was used to, I peeped everything.
“I’m just the sister,” Harmonie spoke up. “And this little guy is our baby brother.”
“Well, Harbor is like family.” Chevy smiled. “So welcome to the party. There are drinks, food, and rides outside. The birthday girl should be down soon to make her entrance.”
“We didn’t want to impose or anything. I had no idea an event was being thrown.”
“I don’t think anybody did. Harbor went all out for Ivy, but I’d expect nothing less from her.” I could tell that the love she had for my daughter was of a genuine place.
The natural smile that she carried said a lot.
“Please, there will be so many people around here—”
“Yeah, looks like you can get lost around here,” Harmonie acknowledged, eyes scanning the room appreciatively.
The ceilings were high, crafted with moldings like a castle. Every detail stood out.
“Harmonie, let’s go grab a seat outside.” I nudged her along, and we made our way onto the terrace.
There were several tables with umbrellas set up.
The airbrushed glass tops had a bunch of disposable cameras for pictures to be taken.
Each centerpiece was a large glass candleholder filled with black, gold, and white confetti, and in the center was a picture of a beautiful little girl.
I assumed this was Ivy, the birthday girl.
Her smile was like a ray of light, and her smooth milk-chocolate skin glowed.
“All this for a kid that isn’t hers?” Harmonie bounced a wriggly Junior on her lap. Seeing all the colors and different things he could mess with, he was got excited. “I see why she didn’t want to come back home. Look at this.” She waved her hand at the display of a carnival in the grand back yard.
“Harmonie—”
“What, Daddy? All this time and everything she’s done, and you still protecting her. Make it make sense.”
“You don’t understand.”
“What is it I don’t understand, hmm?” Anger had absolved her.
I always thought that Harmonie needed a little more attention than Harbor.
So I gave her everything I could because my time was limited.
It was the reason their mother would always leave.
She got tired of being lonely. After getting tangled up with Arrow and Kutlass through the years, the lifestyle slowly sucked me in, even when they weren’t around applying pressure.
The deep crease in her forehead and the dipping of her brows alerted me to her irrational state.
She had short fuses, so it never took much to take her there.