18. Rayzor #3
Levi held on to Eris as she cried.
“Call the police. I want this bitch thrown under the jail,” Eris scolded.
“Eris, wait. Don’t do that. You’re taking it too far. Levi’s fine.”
“Bitch, she ain’t taking it far enough if you ask me. The police is too easy. I should kill your ass myself. How could you?” Suki spat.
Rhea looked over at me with pleading eyes. She couldn’t even cry because it was the truth.
“Somebody, talk to her. Don’t call the police. He’s home and safe. Let me call Phillip.”
“And what the fuck you doing with his number anyway?”
Rhea nervously dialed the number and he didn’t answer.
“Pick up, pick up, pick up,” she murmured.
“Come on, E. What other reason would a woman that envies you have your baby daddy number? They didn’t come up with this plan on a whim. That took some getting to know and some more shit,” City explained.
The voicemail came through her speaker. Rhea’s eyes went to me.
“He said he was on the way there… Tony!” she yelled, dialing her brother’s number and it rang until the voicemail picked up.
“No. Rayzor, what did you do?!” Now she was crying. She felt pain, but it was too late for anybody to feel sorry for her.
Eris’s eyes left Levi and up to me.
I nodded, answering her question without her asking.
“Get this bitch outta my house. Sit her on the curb ‘til the police come and put her ass in jail.”
Security picked her up, and she went kicking and screaming.
“Bitch that’s why I sold your wedding photos. You always thought you were better than me. That’s why I was fucking your baby daddy,” she yelled. “And Rayzor, if I go to jail, your ass is too. I know you did something to my brother.”
She didn’t even mention Phillip. That’s how you knew she fucked with him as payback.
I wrapped Eris and Levi in my arms.
“You were right. I should’ve never trusted that bitch.”
“It’s cool. We’re weeding out the snakes now, so you don’t have to feel that pain later.”
* * *
A week later
I checked the mail as I was heading in.
Thumbing through it, I set everything for Eris on the passenger seat while I went through mine. I looked back over the house. There was still security detail on the house, just not as much. Since Levi’s been back home, life was falling back into a normal rhythm.
There was a letter addressed to me with red stains on the small letter envelope, but there was no return address. It looked old.
I scanned the driveway before opening it.
The pages were off an old writer’s pad notebook.
It was my dad’s handwriting. I still remember the way he wrote. Very precise and crisp for a man. That’s another attribute I took from him. The pages were stained as well.
My eyes couldn’t even see the words because tears blurred my vision.
Dear Son,
If you’re reading this, I never got to tell you the truth. I’ve carried this letter around for months trying to see when I wanted to give it to you, or if I should at all.
Son, there are some things in life that, as a man, you’ll have to either get accustomed to or remove from your life. It’s always a hard decision to decide which is right. And I’m a man, proud of being one, but sometimes, son, I question a lot.
But one thing I’ve never questioned is my love for you and your mother.
When I found out she was pregnant with you, all I wanted to do was be the best father I can be.
And since then, it’s been my mission to show you what being a man is.
You’ve seen me work many shifts at the factory to take care of our family.
That’s my vow to you. But boxing has always been something that pulled me in.
I had to decide early on that I couldn’t pursue a career in it because I had a family to take care of.
So, when I was able to do it as a hobby, I was glad that you took a liking to it as well. Son, you have that natural gift; please don’t ever waste it. The world can use your talents. Even if it’s not boxing, take up football. You’ve always been great at so many things. I know you’ll make us proud.
Now, comes the part where I said you’ll have to choose wisely…
My eyes saw what was on those pages, but my mind couldn’t fathom it.
I sped away from the house, smashing the gas, skimming over the pages as I controlled the wheel. I gripped it harder, crinkling the pages as I switched lanes. The world zipped past my windows as I got up the road and onto the highway.
I drove my car onto Mama’s yard.
“Courtland, have you lost your damn…” Mama came out of the house, fussing.
“Maleek ain’t daddy’s?! You fucked around on him, and you got Maleek feeling like he’s honoring his legacy with boxing when he ain’t even his!” I shouted, pushing the letter in her face.
Tires rolled across the asphalt behind us. Ma’s eyes shifted between me and the road. I watched the color drain from her face as I turned to see a black truck approaching. The window slowly rolled down. She looked like she’d seen a ghost and froze, barely able to breathe.
“Who’s Maleek’s daddy? What else are you fuckin’ lying about?”
“Tick, tock,” a voice said from behind the glass.
… to be continued