Soulmates (Revamped)

Chapter 2

Malik

Freedom

Is what I felt as I walked out the gate and towards my uncle's all black Escalade truck. I'd spent the last three years of my life locked away for a crime that I did not commit. I was set up, and I was determined to find Denise and make her pay for what she did.

For now, I was focused on getting my life together and rebuilding all that I lost. I was grateful that my probation officer cleared me to go to Jamaica with my friends and family. Since I didn't cause any problems, except for the fight I got into with my dad, he trusted that I would be good to travel. I still had to wear my house arrest bracelet and I had to check in with him everyday, but that was okay.

"Hey nephew! It's good to see you son." My uncle exclaimed as he engulfed me in a hug.

"Wassup unc it's good to be free." I said as he grabbed my stuff and we entered his car. The prison became a distant memory as we drove further down the road. I missed my uncle and the rest of my family and friends. They stayed down with a nigga while I was locked up; from putting money on my books, visiting, or writing letters. It's because of them I was able to survive in prison.

The only person who turned their back against me was Mel, and I didn't understand why. She was my heart and I swore I was going to marry her. I never felt that way about any woman besides her, and she knew that. She completed me, and there wasn't anything I wouldn't do to protect her. When I got locked up I tried writing to her and calling her to explain my situation. I knew she would be upset, but I needed her to understand that I wasn't trying to hurt her. She never returned any of my calls or wrote back, and when it came to my trial she wasn't there. After five months I blocked her out of my life, because I was hurt by her actions. Who turns their back against the people they love, I couldn't get down with that. After everything we had been through this is how she chose to do me.

Within a year of my sentence I met Kelly, my current girlfriend, and we began kicking it soon after. She worked in the prison as a volunteer in the different departments, and we met when she was helping out with one of our group sessions. She got my information from the system and started writing me letters and visiting me outside of work. One thing led to another and we began dating. She was loyal and she held me down, that's my baby for sure. I was happy to spend some time with her, even though I would be staying in a half way house for the time being.

"So man what was it like in there?"

"Hell mane. I don't ever want to visit that place again. You can't do shit when you want too and you can't trust nobody. You know I ran into Eddie in there, and me and him get to fighting the first day I saw him. He's some kind of OG in there so that caused issues for me. He wasn't trying to fight me or anything, but when I saw him all I could see was my mom begging for her life. You know he tried to talk to me, but I wasn't hearing that shit. When I saw him it reminded me of how much I didn't want to remain in there. Them niggas worship him, and they respect what he has to say. I don't need to be around that, especially after what he did. I'm just happy my lawyer was able to reduce my sentence, and get me out of there."

"I feel you son, I do, but maybe it's time to forgive him. You have accomplished so much without him, and yeah you had this setback, but look at how you came out of it. He killed my big sis and that's a pain I carry with me always, I miss her a lot. I had to learn how to forgive so I didn't punish people in my life, who wanted to show me genuine love. Forgiving him helped me to be a good father to my kids, and an amazing father figure to you. I promised myself I'd always look out for you and it hurt me seeing you in there. I'm just proud that you made it out, you know I love you forever nephew."

"I hear you unc...I do but I don't want to talk about Eddie or prison, how have you been?"

He spent the rest of the ride catching me up on his businesses and properties, until we made it to his house. I was going to hang out there for awhile before he dropped me off at the half way house.