Chapter 6
Jumbled emotions surged through Monae as the plane touched down.
Morocco had been the only place she’d known since birth.
It was home in every sense of the word, yet it had never been enough to quiet the curiosity that lived inside of her.
Her mother’s stories had painted pictures, and Google had filled in the gaps, but neither could satisfy the desire she carried to experience life beyond what she had been allowed to see. She needed more.
In her mind, she’d played her first words to her father in a loop because if first impressions were the lasting ones, and she needed hers to be nothing less than perfect.
Monae was a born leader, and though she was still young, she thought deeply, felt deeply, and understood more than most adults ever realized.
Seeing her grandmother didn’t stir nerves within her.
They were acquainted, and she had built a strong relationship with her through the countless FaceTime calls throughout the years.
That had been the one thing Macie allowed, though the reward didn’t come without a threat.
Nothing Macie gave ever came without a cost. Every call had been backed by a threat, and every moment of connection had been controlled.
She had made it clear in her own calculated way that stepping out of line would come with consequences no one would survive.
It was her style to lead with control, fear, and power.
However, despite how manipulative Macie had been, there had been moments where her granddaughter seemed to soften her heart, but those moments never lasted long enough to be trusted.
This act alone had humanized her, but was short-lived when Sienna realized it was just another chess move that kept not only her, but her parents under her control.
Macie wasn’t the typical queen who sat back and did nothing.
She didn’t just play chess, she built the board, placed the pieces, and decided who stayed alive long enough to finish the game.
She was beautiful, lethal, and strategic.
Macie had set her goal, studied the board, and had covered her steps.
From the time she’d staged her son’s home to make it look like an armed robbery, orchestrating Sienna’s staged death, relocating her across the world to Morocco and keeping her there under watch, to the moment she brought her back to New York.
Macie had anticipated it all, and had thought it through thoroughly before lifting one finger.
As they stepped off her private plane, the shift in the air was immediate.
New York didn’t feel like freedom to Sienna.
Every weighted step she took confirmed the devastation and destruction she felt deep in her soul.
Sienna stood somewhere between excitement, brokenness, and hope for a better future, even if Monae was the only one who lived to have a second chance at the life she deserved.
Abel, one of Macie’s most trusted soldiers, waited near the runway, standing beside two vehicles. His presence alone was enough to remind Sienna that nothing about this moment was coincidental…freedom was an illusion. Macie had purchased a brownstone for Sienna and Monae in Brooklyn.
“This is your car,” Macie said, handing Sienna the keys.
“The GPS has already been set to take you to your parents’ house.
I’ve already texted you the address to your new place in Brooklyn.
Your keys are connected to the key fob already.
I’ll be in touch,” Macie said, then bent down to kiss Monae’s cheek.
“You’ll be meeting your father in a few days. ”
Monae’s heart skipped at the words instantly. “Thanks, Mama Macie.”
“Come on, Monae,” Sienna voiced as she walked away with invisible shackles squeezing her ankles. This was control at its finest, disguised as provision.
Sienna inhaled deeply before pulling away.
Monae buckled her seatbelt, unbothered by the tension between her mom and mama Macie.
Music had always been like therapy for Monae; it was her way of tuning out everything that disturbed her peace.
Snoh Aalegra’s Do 4 Love streamed through the car speakers, resetting the mood.
Monae liked this song, but had no idea how much it resonated with her mother.
She had spent years protecting Monae from the truth, carefully constructing a version of reality that felt safer than the one they were actually living in.
But Monae was growing… and with that growth came awareness.
Questions. Curiosity that couldn’t be silenced forever.
So much guilt lived inside of her, and she begged God for clarity.
She repented all the time, begging for forgiveness because she was clueless as to whatever she had done to deserve going through such a hard trial.
The answers never came, but she needed the nightmare she’d been trapped in to be over.
“You've tried everything, but you won't give up.
And in my world, only you.
Make me do for love, what I would not do.”
Sienna sang along, blinking back the tears that threatened to race down her pretty face.
I’m coming back to you, baby. Please receive me.
Forgive me for all the bullshit that kept us apart.
Monae and I need you. Please save us. Choose us.
Save us, Sienna prayed inwardly as she switched lanes and merged smoothly onto the expressway.
Usually the drive from Manhattan to Brooklyn took no more than thirty to forty-five minutes.
It was Saturday, so the traffic was thick.
Sienna was quickly reminded of the fast pacing of New York.
She’d missed her city more than she’d put on, but it was one of those things she didn’t know if she could really trust until it became a reality.
Sienna had loved Monroe more than words could ever express, the love between them was so deeply rooted that even after years apart it was still as potent as the day they confessed their feelings for each other.
Sienna also knew that Macie would forever use her love as leverage against her to keep her bound.
The shit was crazy, and for the life of her, she couldn’t understand how something as pure as love could be used as a weapon.
Macie had succeeded in breaking Sienna’s spirit without raising her voice once, and the few pieces of her soul she held on to gave her hope.
“Mom,” Monae’s voice cut gently through the silence, pulling Sienna back from the weight of her thoughts. “Do you know what day I’ll meet my dad?” She asked, turning to face Sienna.
“It’s a surprise,” Sienna lied, and sealed it with a smile. “Just trust the process. Your time is coming, baby,” she offered reassurance, but also needed to buy more time because truthfully, she still needed to figure it out.
Monae sighed. “Okay. I’ve waited this long, I guess I can wait a little longer.”
Sienna reached over the center console and intertwined her fingers with her daughters. “I love you, Monae Symone Black.”
“I love you too, Mom.”
Their conversation faded, slipping into the background as the city took over.
The music switched, cars crept past them bumper to bumper, horns blaring in frustration while impatient drivers weaved in and out of lanes like they had somewhere more important to be.
Graffiti stretched across the side rails in bold colors, names, symbols, and stories left behind by people who needed to be seen.
Sienna barely noticed any of it. Her focus stayed straight ahead, hands steady on the wheel as Manhattan slowly faded behind them.
By the time they crossed over into Brooklyn, the traffic that crawled had loosened just enough to breathe, but the tension in Sienna’s heart lingered.
Somewhere between the silence and her thoughts, the drive blurred together.
“We made it,” Sienna revealed, placing the car in park. “Come on.”
Without saying a word, Monae unbuckled her seatbelt and stepped out of the car, ready to follow her mom’s lead.
She was amazed by the sight of all the brownstone homes that aligned the streets.
Her virgin eyes scanned the block, taking in her new surroundings with warranted curiosity.
It was nothing like Morocco. Everything from the structure of the homes and cars that were parked bumper to bumper.
It was both foreign and beautiful simultaneously.
Quiet as kept, Monae loved the water view that surrounded their home, but this was a change she could see herself getting used to.
As Sienna reached the top of the steps, she quickly tumbled through her designer bag to grab her phone, deciding to send her mom a quick text instead of ringing the doorbell.
Hey Ma! Are you home?
Mama: Hey Baby! Yes, I’m just sitting here reading a book.
I know that’s right! Ain’t nothin’ like a good book.
Mama:What’s on your mind, little lady?
I sent you a package. My notification just alerted me that it just arrived.
Mama: Checking now.
“I got her thinking it’s a package at the door,” Sienna told Monae, humor dripping from her tone.
Monae laughed. “Yes! We’re the package, ma.”
“Sienna Davis!” Her mother exclaimed in a hushed tone, breath hitched in surprise. “Oh my God, Muffin. Come here, my baby,” she said, beaming with open arms.
Monae smiled, and walked into her grandmother’s embrace. “Hey, Grammy. You look so pretty today.”
“Thank you, Muffin. You are one gorgeous young lady yourself,” she returned, standing to look at her daughter with a mixture of love and confusion embedded in her gaze.
“How you doing, Queen?” Sienna greeted with an infectious smile.
“Come here, girl,” her mom, Symie said, wrapping her in a warm embrace. “I’m so glad to see you, my baby. Y’all come on in here,” Symie invited. “Thank you, Jesus,” Symie whispered her gratitude to the Lord as Sienna and Monae walked through her front door. He had answered her consistent petition.