URBAN 2

THIRTY SEVEN

Ashanti

Amaya noticed that I was feeling uncomfortable with what Eli had just said.

Do I really complain that much? Sorry that I go through the maddest shit, I didn't realise that I'm supposed to stay quiet about it.

"How have you been, Ti?" Amaya asked me, changing the subject.

"I've been good, I've been good, but I've been better as well..." I decided to just say it. I don't care if Eli thinks I'm complaining. I trust Amaya, plus she's family. "Someone kidnapped Azeria,"

"What?!" she looked at me. "What do you mean, kidnapped Azeria? Is she alive? Is she hurt? Do you know where she might be?"

"We-we've sort of figured out where she is, social services had her and we're gonna get her back real soon," I nodded. "And, from the file we read, she seems okay, I just know she's gonna be underweight..." I felt myself getting upset. "I just wish I was able to protect her from the kidnapper,"

Amaya rubbed my arm.

"It's not your fault, Ti, not at all," Eli reassured me. "You always keep your kids safe, you literally killed a man while you were in labour to protect your babies,"

I sniffed and nodded.

"Slow down... yo, you did what?" Amaya frowned.

"Keem was on the run when my water broke, we were tryna find him, your dad's gang was tryna kill him."

"My dad?" Amaya seemed uncomfortable. I remembered Keem told me about what their dad would do to her. I didn't wanna act like I knew cos I remember Keem said Amaya would deny that anything happened and I don't wanna, like, make her upset. "What did he do, isn't he in prison?"

I sighed. "Your dad was released from prison, Keem told me he set his dad up,"

"Keem's the reason dad's been in prison?" she muttered.

"Yeah, your dad found out and threatened Keem, told Keem he'd hurt me. We didn't think anything of it too tough cos Keem had, like surveillance on your dad. Then me and Keem fell out for a bit, my water broke and I called Keem, he said he was on the run from your dad's gang... ugh, then somehow one of the gang members came into our house and threatened to kill me and Eli so I shot him. He died,"

Amaya blinked twice. She was speechless.

"Ty got shot, helping Keem, and Jordan too, they were both in hospital. Ty's coming out in a day or so," I continued.

"Fuck... but... how did Azeria get taken?" she asked.

"One day, I was home with one girl I've kind of adopted, she lives with us sometimes. Anyways, we were with the twins then next thing I remember is that I'm knocked out, she's knocked out, Kelechi is crying and Azeria is gone. We searched everywhere for her, literally everywhere, but she was nowhere,"

"Who took her?" Azeria asked. "Oh, shit don't say-"

I nodded. "Keem went to your dad, said he was gonna kill him..."

Amaya looked shocked.

"I-I don't know what happened but... Keem killed your dad... you'll have to talk to him about all that... but Jamar as he was dying, said that Keem should check on his family then Keem came home and saw Zeze was gone,"

Amaya shook her head. "That is so fucked up. What is wrong with that man? What the fuck?"

Eli rubbed my arm. "You okay, baby?"

I nodded, feeling even more sad as I explained everything. This shit sounds like a movie. "No, you know, sometimes I wonder if this is gonna be my life forever,"