Little Tom was running through the park, being chased by the lovable german sheopard puppy that his parents had just got. Jazmine giggled as she watched and Huey sat beside her, reading a newspaper.
"See? Aren't you glad we got him? Look how sweet he is with Tom," Jazmine elbowed her husband. Huey heaved a sigh.
"I already told you I just don't want to have clean or walk him,"
Jazmine rolled her eyes, "Lighten up,"
He raised an eyebrow, his gaze not leaving the paper, "Hm. Okay. So where's Huey?"
Jazmine's head popped up as she searched frantically for their other son on the blue blanket they had left him on. He was no where to be found. She jumped up and scanned the grounds with her eyes, "Omygawd!! Huey! Where is he!?"
He gave her an eye, "Lighten up,"
"HUEY!"
He set down his paper and stood up. He looked about the area and when he came to the same conclusion as his wife, he started to get a bit worried himself. He looked at JAzmine and gave her a simple smile.
"Don't worry. He probably just scooted to go play with his brother or something,"
"Okay! You go look around! I'll stay here in case he comes back and is scared!" Jazmine said as if the empending death of their son was evident. Huey just shook his head and complied. So their son wanted to strech out his legs for a bit?
"Missing something?" A deep but craggily voice asked. Jazmine spun around to come face to face with an elderly man holding her son, who was currently munching on a new icecream pop, "Hoep you don't mind. The boy seemed hungry,"
Jazmine gasped and collected her now sticky son in her arms, "Oh thank God! Thank you sir,"
"No problem," The old man smiled, tickling the baby under his chin, "How old is he if I may ask?"
"He just turned three," Jazmine answered.
"Must be the replica of his daddy,"
"Oh yes, he is," JAzmine smiled, "Oh... I better go get him to stop looking now,"
Before Jazmine could turn to leave and find her husband, he was coming back, a very angry scowl on his face.
"Huey! This man found-" Huey cut her off by grabbing her hand, his gaze not falling away from the old man.
"We're leaving," He said, he then raised his head and let out a loud, "Tom!"
Tom ran over, his new puppy lapping at his heals. He looked up at his parents with an upset expression, "Aw, do I hafta go home now? Can't we stay for a little longer?"
"No," Huey told him, grabbing him with his other hand, and pulling them all towards the car.
"Honey...!" Jazmine said, leaning in to whisper into his ear, in respect not to undermine him infront of the children, "What are you doing? He found your son,"
"It's Dedrick, Jazmine. I don't want them anywhere near him," Huey whispered back.
"Dedrick!? Huey...!"
"We'll talk about his later,"
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"All I'm saying is it's been a long time," Jazmine said, taking off her earings and letting her hair out of her bun, "You could atleast have given him a chance. People change,"
"That's debatable," Huey told her, pressing the sleeping three year old close to his side as he held up his new book on his chest to read. He felt the bed adjust to the weight of his wife as she leaned on the mattress and crawled over to him to lay a kiss on his head.
"You changed," She whispered.
"Only because of you," He informed her, giving her a kiss on the lips. She giggled and lay down next to him, minding the snoozing toddler between them. She twirled her finger in his curly hair and stroked the smooth skin on his cheek.
"Huey," She spoke softly to her husband, "I'm so sorry for your loss... And I've never questioned you before... but... he's trying to make it right,"
Huey scoffed and looked away but had to look at her when she placed a hand on his cheek and pulled him to face her, "Jazmine... How can you ask that of me?"
"He's your father... and he's lived with the same pain as you... only his has more guilt," She told him and then smiled saddly, "The only way to make up for it in his eyes... is if you can forgive him... I think that's all he wants,"
Huey sighed and let his head fall back. He knew she was right. She was usually right when it came to matters like this. He groaned and gave her a look that made her giggle a bit. She kissed his temple and lay her head on his shoulder.
"Can I call Riley first?"
"If you think that is best,"
He sighed and closed his eyes, "Can I do it even if I think it's not?"
"Do whatever makes you happy, Huey,"
He groaned, "I hate you,"
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"Shit, you pussy whipped, boy," Riley said annoyingly, taking a swig of his beer. Huey rolled his eyes and tapped his fingers on his bottle gently.
"That doesn't excuse what's happening," Huey said slowly. Riley's face grew serious and he looked at his bottle.
"Aye... I get what she's sayn an all... but... 'membah what he said last time?" Riley's voice grew soft and quiet as if he was embarressed of anyone else hearing, "Mom di'n't want me. He raped her,"
"That doesn't mean anything, Riley," Huey told him seriously, "She loved you. Very much. I remember,"
"But she wanted you," Riley said with hurt in his eyes, "You said you remembah the time he left 'er room and she had a black eye. Was that when...?"
Huey's eyes lowered and his face furrowed, "I've thought about that alot since he showed up that day..."
Riley sighed and scratched his head, "So, why's he wanna be all daddy daddy now?"
"Jazmine says he's trying to forgive himself,"
"So whys he need us?"
"Don't be stupid," Huey told him darkly, "Look, either go along with it or not. I'm just trying to figure out what to do,"
Riley gave this some thought. He flicked a fly away from the nozzle of his beer bottle. His gaze went to Huey and then to the beer and then back to Huey. After what seemed like forever, he finally spoke, "I guess... Now dat he's an' ol' man he can't do nuthn,"
Huey nodded, "and... it'll end as soon as we want it to,"
Riley heaved a sigh and threw his hands in the air, "Okay fine. Lets meet tha bastard,"
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Huey and Riley found themselves sitting at the Olive Garden with the old man who claimed to be their father. He had changed a LOT over the years. His hair was missing at the top,and his long face had scrunched and was wrinkling around the cheeks. His eyes were hidden behind glasses and in his mouth sat a missing tooth where his left canine should have been.
"So... Huey... You're married... and you have kids, huh?"
Huey kept his arms folded over his chest, "Yeah,"
Dedrick looked down and cleared his throat, "uh... I see..."
Riley gave his brother a glance and then looked back at his...father, "Dedrick, uh... what about you? Uh... Are you... married?"
"Oh no," The old man smiled, "I uh... only loved one woman,"
This caused a flinch from both Huey and Riley but neither said anything. Riley cleared his throat and tapped his hand on the table top.
"Gee... I wonder where our waitress is..." He mused, looking at his watch, "I mean... how long does it take to-"
"So if you loved her so much then why did you do it?" Huey asked angrily, "I mean, rape and then kill her and her mother?"
Dedrick's face went blank as he tried to find something to say to that. He just shut his mouth and cleared his throat, "I know it's no excuse... but... crack does horrible things to-"
"Damn right it's no excuse!"
"Ehehe! Shoot, sure am gettn thirsty," Riley chuckled.
"Huey, if I could undo any part of my life... It would be ever meeting your mother," The man said darkly, "All I did was cause her pain...and I hate myself every moment of my life because I hurt her... and you both,"
"Then why do you keep finding us!? Why can't you just leave us alone?"
Suddenly, a young lady with a pen in her hand walked over to their table, much to Riley's delight.
"Oh look! The waittress! I bet she's here to take our drink orders!"
"What would yall like today?" The lady asked politely.
"Scotch,"
"Scotch,"
"Scotch,"
The woman smiled gently and looked at Riley who held up his hand polietely.
"Just bring us a few bottles,"
She nodded and tip-toed away. Riley sighed and leaned back in his seat. No way were any of them making it through dinner without some heavy liquor. He gulped and wiated for the arguing to continue, but to his surprise everyone stayed quiet. WHich, in his opinion was a good thing.
"I'm so sorry..." The man finally muttered, "I know that it means nothing now... But I'm sorry. I wish...sigh I wish I could make it all better. I guess I feel... like maybe if I can make it right with you boys... I can... forgive myself... and do right again,"
Huey's eyes narrowed and he looked at Riley who just shrugged. They were greeted by the waitress again who set down a few glasses and two large bottles of scotch. Riley leapt up and helped himself to one and gulped it down hard. phew. that was close.
Huey helped himself to a glass, and so did Dedrick. The awkward silence commenced.
"Do yall know what you want to eat?"
"Thank God!" Riley exclaimed, picking up his menu, more than thrilled to have the awkwardness delayed again, "I'll have the chicken pasta. Uh... extra chicken," he paused and gave her a wink. She smiled and turned to the others ordering.
"I'll just have a tomato soup," Dedrick said lowly.
"I'm not very hungry, thank you," Huey passed his menu slowly over to the waittress who gave him a sympathetic look.
Just as she took up Riley's menu, she slipped a folded up piece of paper into his shirt pocket. Smirking, Riley looked at his brother as the waitress left.
"Dats how I roll," Riley smirked, unfolding the paper, showing off the number he just got.
"I still don't understand how that happens," Huey muttered, sticking his nose in his shot of liquor. Riley had always seemed to have a sixth sense with women. He could flash a smile that would have them give him a bit more attention than any other man his height... and IQ. But, Huey figured he only went after women that he could actually get. Women with low paying jobs and more than likley bad ex-boyfriends.
Dedrick held back a smile and sat back in his chair, "You boys mind if I smoke?"
"Go 'head," Riley shrugged.
Taking out what looked like a cuban, the old man started puffing away. It wasn't until his arm came up, that Huey noticed the odd marking on his arm.
"Yo, wazzat?" Riley asked, gesturing to the small tattoo just under his wrist. The man's eyes softened as he touched the scarred over ink carefully.
Huey's eyes widened, the image seemed familiar, but it couldn't have been what he had thought. Could it?
"I got this," He started, inhaling and then exhaling slowly, "When I was in 'nam,"
"Mom had the same mark," Huey blurted out as if on accident. Riley and Dedrick both turned to look at him. Huey swallowed and adjusted himself in his chair, "It's just... it was... on her ankle,"
Riley glared and banged his fists lightly on the table, "You gonna start tellin the truth fo' once in ya life, man!?"
Dedrick's eyes widened and then lowered as if some realization came upon him. He took one last, long drag and crushed the rest of the cigar in the ash tray before his gaze fell back on the deceved boys. His eyes were broken and his face was unreadable.
"I guess... no harm in tellin ya,"
Huey and Riley looked at eachother and then waited patiently until he continued.
"Your mother and I... were...A part of this... special group," He said in his craigily voice, "It's... the...real reason she had to die,"
"I was never home because, well, one of us had to complete the missions at hand. I just couldn't let the mother of my children go about where there was so much danger. We couldn't tell her parents of course. We decided the best way to excuse my absesne... was to say I was a drug-head. A believable story for most black youth. But what happened that day...it was... it was all because I loved you all so much..."
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ahhh!!!!??!??! WHAT!??!
yall- "srsly spice, wtf!? MORE plot twists!??!?!"
me- "XD uh... reviews?"
Yall- "EFF YOU!!"
me- :(