California Love

Chapter 19

Marlow
    For the past couple of days Shae had been acting weird since her doctors visit. She wasn't making eye contact with me and she wasn't really talking to me. I even tried to make love to her this morning but she brushed me off like I couldn't figure out what the fuck I did to her. It was getting late though and I some important shit to handle. I had received a call earlier from Jah letting me know Bunz was supposed to be having some big meeting with the local dealers. I don't know why I had to find out from my lil soldier and he couldn't tell me where he received the information from either but he said the less I knew the better. He said he had a plan for everything and all he needed was for me to trust him. I didn't know what the hell that meant but I told him he had my word and that I was gonna meet with him tonight.
   When I pulled up on the corner where Jah made most of his money, he immediately recognized me and walked to my car. "What's up boss man" he say getting in dapping me up. "What's going on" I asked eager to find out what the fuck he was talking bout. "So look some nigga from New York hit me up back when you first found out about Zee asking me if I wanna make more bread. You know I don't trust easily though so I did a lil research you know how the streets talk but anyway he tells me the man he works for looking for Cutty because of a Job he did for Bunz or some shit." He say explaining making sure I'm following. "So I think Cutty is the reason Zee got shot and I think he up to some sneaky shit right... why tf would Bunz try to kill you after all these years?" He say looking for my answer. "So I set some shit up for you boss man and my plans been in full affect since the night of the big bash" he say lightning his blunt. I couldn't say shit I was speechless like I didn't know how the fuck to feel. He had been acting real strange lately but damn we used to tell each other everything. "So what you got planned" I asked curiously. "Let's just say pussy is the easiest way to set a nigga up" he say laughing then passing me the blunt. My phone began to ring interrupting our smoke session and I knew it was Shae. When I answered the phone she was crying and yelling into the phone I couldn't understand what she was trying to say so I sped off back to the house after telling Jah I had to go. When I got there I found her in the laundry room holding all four of the kids and rocking them consistently while saying a silent prayer over and over. "What's wrong baby" I asked kneeling down on my knees. She wouldn't say anything to me she just continued to rock and pray so I sat down in front of her until she was ready to tell me what's wrong. In some strange way none of the kids said anything either they rocked in her arms quietly and listened to her pray.
   She finally stopped and said she was ready to move away and start over because she had seen enough and lost too many people in her life. All I could do was look confused I just wasn't following what she was talking about. "Baby I watched a bullet fly through this house that almost hit Mariah but she hit the floor just in time and I know it wasn't nobody but god baby I KNOW!" She say kissing all the kids and holding them closer. "Where the hell a bullet come from?" I asked trying to stay calm while grabbing Mariah from her arms. "I don't know someone shot into this house and they're probably still watching this house" she said sounding scared. Just then Jah sent me a text "JUST FOUND OUT YOUR BM IS SLEEPING WITH THAT NEW YORK NIGGA... how TF SHE KNOW THIS NIGGA" I closed the text and called Amari and told her to get her ass over to the house ASAP.
    Two hours later I had put all the kids in the bed with Shae so they all could get some sleep. I had been waiting on Amari forever so I tried to call again but no answer. I heard the doorbell ring so I hurried to the door and pulled her in looking to see if anyone followed her. "I don't know what your up to but please leave the kids out of it... they didn't ask to be here" I said as if I was tired of the back and forth with her. She looked at me confused and dropped her head low shaking her head. I realized she was crying and I couldn't remember the last time I actually seen her genuinely cry. "Marlow I love my kids and I would never hurt any of them but you wanna know what hurt most? You thinking I would of all people" she said between tears. "I need to tell you something that I've never told no one" she said sitting down at the end of the couch. "I was raped by this man ... this real scary man ..." she paused and began to cry more as if she was reliving her past. "He's Zee dad... I never got to lose my virginity Marlow it was taken from me and I was given a baby in return... I didn't know what to do with a baby... I was still young but that doesn't mean I didn't love her." She said wiping her eyes looking up at me. "That shit really fucked me up inside Marlow I couldn't trust a man after that all I knew was how to get what I want and disappear but I fucked up when I let you walk away." She say covering her face. "So who is this man that did this to you" I asked sitting next to her putting my arm around her and laying her head on my shoulder. "Bunz" . Her words echoed in my ear and I couldn't believe it. "Marlow there is more..." she said looking at me scared of what I might say. "I'm really pregnant with your baby... when I found out I was scared so I went to New York and tried to make some quick money to give this baby what I couldn't give the rest of them. I just wanted you to see that I'm not the trifling baby mama that you think I am and that I was just trying to be independent in my way." She explained. Just then Shae walked into the room holding her stomach crying too. "Since were all being honest I might as well tell you that the other day I went to the doctor and I found out I'm having twins" she said sadly. Me and Amari both looked confused at what she was trying to tell us. "The doctor told me I have two different due dates like a month apart... meaning I was already pregnant for Cutty before I got pregnant for you" she said wiping her eyes. I never even thought about the baby even being mine hell this whole time I thought she was pregnant by Cutty. I looked at the both of them and they both looked at me. "Come here Shae" I said holding out my hand for her to sit on my lap. "I just want the both of you to know ima love all three of these babies regardless but I want the three of us to be a family... I just want these kids to grow up right and that starts with us." I said looking at them. They both nodded their head at me and smiled at each other to let me know they understood. I kissed Shae forehead and Amari's forehead but then Shae leaned in to kiss Amari forehead also and Amari embraced her hug. I didn't know what I had just created but I do know I just wanted my family together regardless of how abnormal our family was going to be.