G.A.B.O.S. (Original Version)

Chapter XXIX

With no intentions of attending Lynise's wedding and no other plausible reason to stay in Georgia, Tremaine found himself at his home in Miami two days after Heaven's funeral. Since Tamia and her daughter were out and about and Lynise had come to the conclusion that it was best that the twins stayed with her permanently given Tremaine's current situation, the house was dead quiet, and Tremaine was starting to realize that he hated the absence of his children's voices. Even so, he didn't mind the silence at that particular moment; he was actually happy to have it.

As soon as he made it back home ten hours earlier, he'd decided that December would have to be done away with immediately. For that reason, he'd been ignoring all of the phone calls he received. He didn't respond to any text messages. He didn't answer the door when people knocked. He was too mission-oriented to think about anyone other than December. He didn't even look at his cell phone until he had to pick it up.

After clearing his notifications, he went into his list of contacts and went down to the V section. Once he'd located the name he was looking for, he called the number and put the phone up to his ear. He waited impatiently as it rang, and he felt himself calm down when it finally stopped.

"What's up, Tremaine?" Val asked.

"Ain't shit, ma." Tremaine looked down at the SIG P226 on his bed. "You at home?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Are there any other women there?"

"No," Val said, her voice laced with confusion. "Everyone's gonna be out for the next few hours. Tremaine, what's going on?"

"Don't worry about it. Where's December? Is he there?"

"Yes. He's in his bedroom. Do you want me to put him on the phone?"

"No. I want you to get out of the house and stay out for a while."

"Wait. Why do you..." She paused as she mentally answered her own question. "Oh."

"Right. Get out of the house."

Val sighed. "I'm on my way out now. Be careful, Tremaine."

Without replying, Tremaine ended the call. He put his phone into his pocket and picked up the gun.

He exited the room and walked downstairs to the front door. Once he was within a few feet of it, it opened.

"If Jenay doesn't mind, I'll pick you up tomorrow, and me, you, and my daughter will go see a movie or something," Tamia spoke into her phone as she walked into the house with her daughter on her hip and sat the key to Tremaine's car on the coffee table beside the door. She paused, and then laughed after a few seconds. "I'm really excited to meet you too. After we leave the movie theater, we should..." Tamia's voice trailed off as she looked at Tremaine. "Ummm... we'll talk later. Hold on." She put Tania down and handed her the phone. "Talk to Auntie Maya."

After watching Tania skip away with the phone, Tamia gave Tremaine her full attention. "What are you doing?"

"Don't worry about that. I'll be back in a few hours," Tremaine responded. He attempted to step around her, but she placed her hands on his chest, preventing him from going any further. "What, Tamia?"

"Where are you going, and why are you taking a gun with you?"

"That's none of your business, Mimi. Move." He started to walk away from her, but he stopped himself. "And since this isn't your business, you better not do anything stupid."

"Do I have a reason to?"

"Just don't." He grabbed her shirt and pulled her toward him. "And I only plan to say that once."