S.E.A.L. II: Through sickness and Health

Chapter 33: Moment of Honesty

~ Li~

I gotta do this and I have to this now before we leave Atlanta. We told Jay she can't be afraid of shit so neither can I. I went in the closet to the very back of it and pulled out the box. This is the box of all of my pictures and stuff that Andre had ever given me, I kept it because I knew one day that I was going to have to explain this to them. I know Ro said we would explain it to them together but I need to do this by myself because even though Jay raised them, I am still their mother and some stuff needs to come from me and me alone. So I waited till they were all three busy with something and I kept the girls home from school today so that I could tell them this in private.

Lo! Vi! I said coming in to their room. I gotta admit they got a nice little set up somehow this house was built with these two rooms connected by a bathroom and a little hangout area in it, its like they had their own little apartment within the house. Hey mom what's up they said looking up from the TV. I sat the box down on the little coffee table they have. I need to talk to yall about yall's dad. When I said that, they looked at me like I had lost my damn mind. Uhh Sure mom Vi said cutting the TV off. They scooted over so I could sit on the couch with them. I know I've been putting off answering yall's questions about your dad for a long time and I want to say sorry for that I was being selfish and not considering yall's feelings in the matter. They nodded their heads.

Your father and I had a very turbulent relationship, when it was good it was real good, but when it was bad, it was extremely bad. How so mom, Vi said looking at me? As much as they looked like me they also looked a lot like Andre too and they even had some of his temperaments. When we first got together everything was great you know he was spoiling me, treating me like a  queen. But when his temper would flare up he wasn't the person I knew him to be. We would argue and fight like no other. He would forget all that I am his queen shit and get physical with me. You mean he put his hands on you mom, Lo said? Yeah he did more than once. I opened the box and pulled out the white envelope with the pictures of my face all bruised and showed it to them. Their faces when they saw those pictures about ripped my heart out but I needed them understand this.

 Mom how could you let him hit you like that? Vi I was so messed up at the time with stuff from my childhood and my own relationship with my dad that I just thought this is how he was showing his love for me. Mom that's not love! Bruising your body like that. I know that now baby trust me I do. I hate him, how could he do that to you! I don't know some folks just express themselves differently. Here give me those I said taking the pictures from Vi. Look at these. I handed them a stack of pictures of Andre and I smiling and acting goofy. This person right here is your father, not the man that put those bruises on me, the one that treated me like the queen I am. They were looking at the pictures. We look like him, Lo said tracing over the picture. Yeah yall do a lot.

Mom where is he? Damn now I know how Jay felt having to explain this to Santana. I took a deep breath before taking both of their hands. Ilori and Avari, you father is dead. Their faces dropped when I said that. WHAT! He's dead! I should of let the girls do this with me cause these two freaking out is too much. Yes he is. When did he die? Before, you two were born. They sat back on the seat processing what I had just told them. There's more Lo and Vi, I said looking between the both of them. He's dead because I shot him. YOU SHOT HIM!!!! They let go of my hand real quick and got off the couch. You killed our dad they said looking at me with disgust. Please let me explain this yall and how it happened.

~Jay~

I heard it all, I had come home early cause I forgot something I needed for the store when I heard talking so I went upstairs. I was sitting outside of their room listening to her tell the girls about Andre and how he used treat her. She left out somethings, but that was probably for the best she didn't tell them that. This last thing she told them though caught me off guard; she shot Andre and not Ro. I had my speculations but I thought maybe she'd surprised us. All these years Ro covered for Li shooting Andre.