BANDIT

•35•

Pain is a pesky part of being human, I've learned it feels like a stab wound to the heart, something I wish we could all do without, in our lives here. Pain is a sudden hurt that can't be escaped. But then I have also learned that because of pain, I can feel the beauty, tenderness, and freedom of healing. Pain feels like a fast stab wound to the heart. But then healing feels like the wind against your face when you are spreading your wings and flying through the air! We may not have wings growing out of our backs, but healing is the closest thing that will give us that wind against our faces. - C. JoyBell C.

2 Days Later...

Zee...

"Welcome to AGGIO's, can I start you two off with drinks?" The waiter questions. I look over at Sirod to order first. She orders champagne and I order Sprite with my order of food. I already knew what I wanted. I called Sirod because I had so many questions to ask at the moment. And I knew at the dinner two nights ago no one needed to know the answers but me.

"Big appetite huh?" She chuckles. I sigh heavily with raised brows, passing the waiter my menu.

"So it seems." I mumble. Sirod could sense my attitude so she changes the subject.

"So, what do you want to know?" She questions, sitting back. The waiter brings our drinks and I thank him, taking the wrapper off my straw putting it in my drink. I take a sip, sitting my glass down.

"What was wrong with me being pregnant at 17?" I question. Sirod jolts her head back screw face while shaking her head.

"What?" She questions in nervous laughter.

"When you found out I was pregnant at 17, and you just went in on me. Saying you would beat it out of me. They didn't ask to be here, it just happened." Sirod zones me out, staring out in space.

"My mother Zee, was a hateful person. When I got pregnant at 15, she beat the shit out of me. I literally cried traumatized. So when I seen that pregnancy test, buried in your trash it haunted me." She says.

"So you had to do me like your mother did you?" I question.

"I didn't mean to Zee believe me. It was a black out, I get those a lot. But when you hit me with that belt, it woke me up again. I realized I was doing the same thing to you that my mother did to me. Not to scare you but before you have that baby Zee, you need to get professional help. I know you're traumatized. I know I was." She mumbles, looking down in her lap. I knew I was going to need to get my self help. I figured that, but I don't mind getting the help if that means safety for my baby.

"I'll make sure to get the help I need." I tell her. She nods in response.

"Now about my name."

"Zee?" She questions as if I was talking of something else.

"Yea why not a normal name? Like Ashley or Evelyn?" I question screw face. Sirod sighs, adjusting herself in her seat.

"Well at the time when I was pregnant with you, I thought you were a boy. I was planning to name you Ezekiel, so your nick name could be Zee. But you turned out to be a girl like your sisters." I furrow my eyebrows. 

"Sisters? I have sisters?" I question.

"Yea and a brother. You have 4 sisters. 2 older, 2 younger and then Scrapp's 30 making him the oldest. Zara's 25. Zade's 24. And the twins Zoey and Zaire are 20." My eyes bulge.

"What the fuck? Wait how old are you? How did you hide the twins from me? Who's my father, do we have the same father? This is just too much." I blurt out at once.

"One question at a time girl, damn. I'm pushing sixty that's all I'm saying, black don't crack. And I started in my early 20's ending with the twins in the late 30's. You have the same father, I could never cheat on your father, I've been with him for 45 years. I can't explain all that here. It's too many people around. You never know who's listening." She looks over her glasses, scoping the place. Just then her phone rings, startling me as she answers.

"Now!...shit. Ok." She hangs up, standing to her feet as two guards enter standing beside her. She leaves a check on the table, closing her purse. 

"I have to go, we'll talk about this later." She says, walking off as she puts on her shades. 

"But—"

"I have to go Zee and you need to get out of here it's not safe." I sigh heavily, standing to my feet as well. I grab my belongings, ducking once I hear gunshots and glass shatter. I feel someone grab me, and it definitely wasn't Bricks. I knew the hands though. We run out the back down the alley, running as fast we can. We come to the curb and of course its rush hour traffic. I back up from him, jumping once I hear a gunshot.

"Come on!" Taylor pressures. Hesitant, but not trying to get shot I run behind him as my heels clack the cement. We come around to my car, and I get in while Tay tells me to go straight home as he keeps running down the block. I was confused as to what the hell was going on, but I don't ask questions. I just do as told.

Tay...

"Come on pretty boy, I just wanna kill you." Quento chuckles. I crouch behind the dumpster, seeing a metal bar laying on the concrete. I pick it up, slowly making way behind him as he walks the opposite direction. I creep up behind him, making home plate with his head knocking him out cold. His head leaks a little so I'm pretty sure he's dead.

"Never bring a gun to a knife fight nigga." I chuckle dropping the bar. I stop laughing when I hear a gun clock behind my head sighing after. Steno laughs hysterically as I turn to face him unbothered.

"I believe the saying is... Never bring a knife to a gun fight." And just like that, Steno was shot in the head in front of me. My eyes widened when Steno's limp body revealed Sirod. How the hell did she get back here so fast?

"More like never give bitch ass niggas a weapon. Come on here boy." She waves the gun, with the roll of her eyes as she bites into an apple. I look around confused, pointing to myself.

"No Bo-Bo Clown, of course you fool! Now come on, I got a flight to catch." Sirod mummers, walking off. I look behind me seeing the other niggas lurking behind the wall that's about a good 200 ft. flat. I step over, Steno's and Quento's body, hearing the sirens just now pulling up to the restaurant. I swear the ops wait till it's too late to even attempt to care. That's why we lose so many of our people.

"Come on. Come on. I don't have all day." Sirod rushes. I climb in the back of the SUV terrified of these four buff niggas in the back seat.

"You gone kill me?" I question.

"Not until you tell me what tithes you have with my daughter." Sirod snarls, putting a cigarette to her lips. I slouch down in the seat, shaking my head. What the hell have I gotten myself into?