All night, Tre was up thinking about what Nicole had told him about Elijah. He didn't go to sleep until 4a.m. Around 6 o'clock , his mom woke him up.
"Get up boy", his mom said. "Time to get ready for church"
He could barely keep his eyes open.
"What time did you come back home, Tre?", his mom asked.
Tre fell back asleep.
"Tre!", his mom shouted.
Tre quickly sat up.
"Boy, what time did you go to bed?", she asked.
"I don't mom. I fell asleep studying", he said lying.
His mom looked around. "I don't see any books", she said.
Tre didn't say anything.
"Listen, because I don't want you falling asleep in church, you can stay home and rest but we'll talk later", she said.
Tre lays back down. "Alright, mom", he said.
She got up and walked out his room and shut the door behind him.
Tre starred at the ceiling for a moment then grabbed his phone.
—————————————
That morning, Nicole woke up around 8:30a.m. because KJ was wide awake and telling her to get up.
"I'm up KJ", Nicole said as she rises up from the bed.
"hungry", KJ said.
"Okay", Nicole said as she got up. "Come on, lets go to the kitchen"
Nicole grabbed her phone and walked out the room with KJ. They walked into the kitchen.
"Go sit at the table", Nicole said as she checked her phone.
KJ walked to his kiddie table and sat down.
Nicole looked at her phone and saw a text from Elijah.
MESSAGE:
Elijah: didn't know your pops was an O.G. , hopefully our secrets are still our secrets.
Nicole read the message and wondered how he knew what her dad used to do. She ignored the message and began fixing breakfast for KJ. Sooner or later, she got another text.
MESSAGE:
Tre: hey, you good?
As Nicole began to reply back. Her dad came through the kitchen because he wanted to grab something to eat before work.
"Ya know, that boy didn't have to hide from me. He is the dad. He can come in as long as I'm here", Josh said as he grabbed a apple.
Nicole didn't say anything.
"Y'all be safe iight", he said. "I'm running late"
"Have a good day", Nicole said.
"Thanks", Josh said before he left.
Nicole grabbed her phone and texted Tre back, asking him to come over.
MESSAGE
Tre: is that cool with your dad?
Nicole: he went to work
Tre: is that cool with your dad tho?
Nicole: boy just come on
Tre: alright fine
An hour later, Tre comes to the house and Nicole lets him in.
"Daddy", KJ said.
Tre picked KJ up. "Hey", Tre said.
Nicole was looking at Tre and she could tell something was wrong.
"What's wrong?", Nicole asked.
Tre looked at her. "Nothing", he said. "Just tired"
Nicole didn't say anything.
Tre put KJ down and KJ went back to playing with his cars. Tre sat down and Nicole sat next to him.
Tre put his arm behind her but instead of sitting his arm on her shoulder, he sat it on the couch. "How about you?", he asked.
"Im fine", she said. "I got through it once. I can do it again...besides the first was worst"
"...I remember you telling me about it. Hurts just to think about it", he said.
Nicole sighs.
"Why don't you wanna say anything this time?", Tre asked.
"...because of the consequences", Nicole said. "...I asked my dad if I could transfer and now he knows something is up"
"Transfer?", Tre asked. "Back here?"
"Yes. The school you always wanted to go to. Not to New York", Nicole said. "I still can't believe you did that just for me and KJ"
Tre looks down. "Well does he hit you", he asked.
"He hasn't hit me yet but his grips do hurt", Nicole said.
"Do you know your dad and step dad? I mean like they could-"
"Could get murdered like my brother? My dad just got his life together good. Jamal has two young daughters and trust me I know what it feels like to not have a father", Nicole said.
"...you're right", Tre said.
"I'm handling it", Nicole said. "...he knows how my dad is. I mean like he knows what my did used to do and I don't understand how"
"...where is he from?", Tre asked.
"Georgia", Nicole replied.
Suddenly, Nicole and Tre heard the door twisting. Tre stood up and waited to see who is was and it was Josh.
"Sir, I-"
Josh cuts him off. "I'll talk to you later", Josh said as he walked to Nicole. "Send a picture of that boy to Jamal"
"...why?", Nicole asked.
"Because I said so", he said angrily.
"What's wrong?", Nicole asked.
"I didn't ask you to question me. I asked to you to do what I said Nicole. Right now", Josh said.
Nicole sends a picture of Elijah to Jamal. As she did that, josh looked at Tre.
"Why are you here while I'm not?", Josh asked.
"I told him you said he could come", Nicole said.
"Not while I'm gone", Josh said.
"Dad , we aren't together. We aren't going to do anything in your house", Nicole said.
Josh gets a phone call from Jamal. "Hello?", Josh answered. "....you think it's him too?... I knew it!...Nah fuck that I'm coming up there ASAP", he said before he hung up in Jamal's face.
"...what happened?", Nicole asked.
"That boy you talking to is the same boy that shot your brother. Jamal is good at remembering faces and Jamal is the only one that saw the boys. He was one", Josh said.
Nicole suddenly felt heated. The same person who killed her brother was the same person who killed her self esteem. At this point, she wasn't even thinking about the consequences. She just wanted Elijah to suffer.
TO BE CONTINUED...
YOU ARE READING
Second Chances: Sequel to Til Death Do Us Part
General Fiction***You don't have to read "til death do us part 1 and 2 but to better understand the story and who people are it may be be good to read them because it's kind of a sequel. In this book, Nicole will be the main character instead of her mom, Asia. Ni...
