Chapter 16 Neha
“Wait, so they are a crime family?” Dinah asked.
She and I were on the back patio sipping coffee.
It was early Sunday morning. By the time we got back home last night, all I wanted to do was shower and get in bed.
Nayelli and I had spent all day with Kerrion’s family.
Watching the way they took to her warmed my heart.
Her grandmother loved on her every chance she could, and so did Mr. Hershel.
I could see why Kerrion loved him as much as he loved his father.
He was such a nice, sweet man, and he was so playful with the kids.
I’d watched him run around with Nayelli and his three in the backyard.
The man was out there doing backflips and all kinds of shit with them, and they were eating it up.
Kerrion ended up coming back for dinner and brought his sister and brother-in-law with him. I kept my distance from her when she walked in. I wasn’t afraid of her, but I had nothing to say after she threatened me. I had to remind myself that she was pregnant and that was her brother.
At one point during their visit, she cornered me as I was coming out of the bathroom. For a moment, she stood there with her arms crossed.
“I want to apologize for the way I came at you the first time we met,” she said, softly.
“I stand by what I said, but my delivery could have been better. Kerrion is my brother, my best friend. I saw firsthand what the impact of you leaving did to him. It changed him, Neha. Hardened his heart, and that’s never been my brother.
He has so much love to give, and I want him to be open to receiving that love back by the right person.
“I don’t know what’s gonna happen between you two in the future.
Should things change, . . . if you mean him no good, I need you to give him the respect he deserves and bow out the right way.
In doing so, don’t keep my niece from him.
Once my family meets her, it’s a wrap. She’s already one of us, and we don’t play about family. Ever.”
I nodded. “I’m not here to take anything from him.
Kerrion and I have spoken, and he understands why I did what I did and the part he played in it.
All I want is for my baby to be loved during this transition.
It’s just been me, her, and our small family for a long time.
She deserves to know y’all, and I won’t stand in the way of that.
I get you might hate me. I’m a big girl, and I can take that.
Just love my daughter and be good to her. She’s so excited to meet everybody.”
“You’re welcome to come to dinner tomorrow.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
She laughed. “We aren’t gonna jump you. I mean, that one that would fight you is also pregnant, and her husband isn’t going for that. The other one is out of the country, so you’re safe.”
I stared at her, not sure if she was joking or not.
“I’m serious,” she said, as if reading my thoughts.
“But like I said, you’re safe. My brothers and sisters-in-law all know about you and Nayelli, and they are excited to meet her.
Be forewarned, they can be a bit much, but that’s just who they are.
Over-the-top. Overprotective. Emphasis on overprotective.
I can’t tell you how many times my brothers tried to run my husband off.
Lucky for me, I found a man that isn’t a punk.
That’s how you need to be when you meet them. Don’t be no punk ass bitch.”
I thought about that conversation.
Kerrion also informed me last night that my presence was expected at Sunday dinner, and since then, I’d been a ball of nerves.
“Not really a crime family,” I answered. “More like vigilantes.”
Dinah snickered. “Ghetto Robin Hoods.”
“Basically.”
“How do you feel about that?”
Terrified, I thought.
I didn’t like it, but I understood why they did it.
There were some sick individuals in this world.
I watched the news and saw what was happening in our own backyard every day.
I couldn’t scroll social media without seeing that another woman or child was missing.
I read the horror stories of kidnappings and abuse .
. . Hell, I lived in one once upon a time.
Somebody had to protect those who couldn’t protect themselves.
The thing was, I was terrified that it had to be Kerrion. The thought of someone taking his life hurt me to my heart. Even if he was out here taking lives, he didn’t deserve that, and my baby didn’t deserve it either.
I shrugged. “Honestly, it scares me. What if he gets killed on one of these missions? How am I supposed to explain that to Nayelli? That would break her heart. She loves him already. I know she does. You see the way she looks at him. She adores that man, and I can’t blame her.”
Dinah smirked. “Be honest with me, Sis. You still care about that man?”
I took a sip of my coffee. “Maybe I do.”
“Do you still love him?”
I gave her a side-eye.
“Don’t look at me like that. You’ve been single since you left him.
You’ve barely let another man inside you, Neha.
Ten years is a long time to go without being loved and fucked properly.
Especially when you’re used to it coming from someone that owns your heart.
All these years later, I feel like he might still own it. ”
“That’s crazy, Dinah.”
She cocked her head to the side. “Is it though? I mean . . . look at him. The man is gorgeous. The face. The body. Those big, strong, tattooed arms . . . God, I know he used to curl your ass like he was lifting weights.”
“Are you fantasizing about that man!” I exclaimed.
She laughed. “See your reaction? You were real offended just now.”
“Because that’s your niece’s father.”
“Because that’s the man your ass is still in love with. Don’t worry, boo. I won’t step on your toes. Even if I were a triflin’ ass sister that would go after your ex, you’d have nothing to worry about, because I see the future. This time next year, you’ll have your man back.”
“Okay, Raven Baxter.”
She giggled. “Call me what you want. I know what I know.”
“Do you know that you are coming to this dinner with me?”
“You thought I’d send you to the wolves by yourself? I have my all-black fit ready.”
I shook my head because she could never be serious.
I was nervous as hell about this dinner.
Kerrion said we needed to be there around three.
He’d already sent me the address to his home.
He said he had something to show Nayelli, then we would ride up the road to his grandparents’ house together.
My nerves had been so bad that I barely got any sleep last night.
It was the reason I was up early this morning.
I’d come out here with my coffee, a blanket, and my gospel music to watch the sun rise. I said a prayer over my home, my family, and for Kerrion too. I needed him to be safe. I needed him to come home because I couldn’t bear to tell my baby that her daddy was gone so soon after meeting him.
Knowing what I knew now, I could see this shit driving me crazy when he had to be away. He wasn’t my man, but he took up a space in my heart that would forever be void if he left this earth before me.
Time didn’t change that.
I came upon the turn my GPS directed me to.
The was a short, paved road that led to a huge iron gate with a big ass D crest in the middle. Beyond the gate was the rest of the paved road, lined with a fence and strategically planted trees that blocked out the sun.
“Um, . . . Sis. This is a little creepy,” Dinah said looking around.
“Hell yeah it is,” I muttered.
“Mr. K said he lives on a compound,” Nayelli said from the back seat.
I looked at the keypad. He hadn’t given me a code to get in.
“I’m gonna call him,” I said, picking up my phone. “I don’t have a code—”
“It’s my birthday,” Nayelli said.
She put down her window and leaned forward, putting in the digits. The light flashed green, and the gate opened. Dinah and I looked back at her.
“What?” she asked, smiling. “Daddy said everybody has a code, and that one is mine whenever I want to come over.”
Dinah smirked. “Daddy’s gonna make sure his baby can get to him.”
Nayelli smiled with pride. “Yep.”
I sighed as I drove through the gate. The road was wide enough for two cars, and I could see cameras planted on every other lamp post as we drove in. Nayelli’s phone started ringing with a FaceTime call.
“Hey, Auntie Jaeda!”
“Hey, baby! I see y’all are coming up the road.”
“Yep. We just got here.”
“You’re watching the cameras?” I asked.
“I get a notification every time someone comes through the gate. It’s annoying but necessary for safety.”
“Auntie Jaeda loves computers,” Nayelli told me. “She’s a genius.”
Jaeda laughed. “Well thank you, baby. I’ll see you at the house, okay?”
“Okay. Tell Uncle Quaid I said hi.”
“I will.”
They hung up the phone, and I smiled. Nayelli had taken to them too. She spoke to her aunt as much as she spoke to her father.
We neared a clearing in the trees. As we drove through, my mouth dropped.
When I heard compound, I was expecting anything but what I was looking at.
This was a whole community all its own. Rows of beautiful homes lined the road.
Nothing but expensive cars sat in the driveways.
They had a big ass park for the kids to play in.
There was a community pool and basketball courts that looked brand-new.
From a distance I saw what looked like a huge stable.
“Wow!” Nayelli whispered.
“Wow is right!” Dinah exclaimed. “What kind of money do these people make, and where can I apply for a job? This is some shit straight out of a movie.”
“Tell me about it,” I mumbled.
The GPS directed me to make a left.