Percy
As Dio walked off, Zeus, his wife, and I stepped to the side, where the music didn’t hit as loud. I held my daughter tightly in my arms. This moment was something that was hard for me to do.
I cleared my throat. “I don’t know if Dio told you what was up, but I—” I paused. “Fuck man,” I mumbled.
Sasha came forward. “This is your daughter?” she asked as she reached out and touched her hand.
Breann smiled and giggled. The shit was breaking my fucking heart by the second.
“I’m trying to finish school, but I can’t do that and take care of my daughter.
I- I mean, her mother isn’t any help, and the help I had, which was my grandmother, she can’t.
Dio, he...” I choked up really bad this time.
Sasha’s eyes saddened. She looked at Zeus as he crossed his arms over his chest. “You’re asking us to take her off your hands?”
The tears fell as I looked at my daughter. “Yeah. I mean she deserves better, but a nigga can’t give her better like this. I’m not going to lie. I want her to have a good home, but the thought of not being able to get her back fucks with my head.”
Zeus clenched his jaws as he looked at his wife. “We are looking to adopt, but I cannot put my wife through having a baby taken away from her, just as you're standing here, not wanting your daughter taken away from you.”
Sasha smiled. “She is beautiful, but something is telling me you got this. You just need a little help. What kind of people would we be if we took the one thing you loved away from you, even if you think it’s best?
I can see the love you have for her, and trust me, although she would be in great care, there is nothing like a father’s love.
Zeus and I will pay for daycare. We will put you in a place, make sure you and her are good if you promise to bring her to see me from time to time. ”
I was confused. “Wait, what?”
Zeus’s hand landed on my shoulder. “Dionysus can be a piece of work, but the nigga got heart under there. He is still human. He told us what was going on and didn’t want us to take her, but he wanted us to help you. Any nigga who’s cool with my brother is cool with me. We got you.”
My head shot toward Dio as he moved with the line, strolling.
When he looked at me, he smiled widely and nodded as he continued.
I couldn’t fucking believe it. A person I’d only known for half the semester looked out for me in a way that my best friend, whom I’d known for three years, didn't. Dio wasn’t just the definition of a god; he was a real nigga with great integrity.
He was one of the things that Ms. Cecily preached about often: he was the mission.
I exchanged numbers with Zeus so we could meet up later to handle everything. They told me they planned to stay in Covana until they knew Breann and I were settled. In the meantime, I wanted to talk to Royce because although the shit I found out was insane, I wanted to give her a chance to explain.