𝐀 𝐇𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐞 - 𝐏𝐨𝐩 𝐒𝐦𝐨𝐤𝐞

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐓𝐨 𝐋𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭

"I thought the mother always gets custody though, isn't that how it works?" I ask.

"Not all the time. Haziel is very sneaky and manipulative. He can lie like no other. And the fact that I was homeless and couch surfing and then to now go into prostitution made it even worse. The judge didn't think I was fit enough to get some type of custody agreement over you three. I tried Beba...do they still call you that?" She asks.

"Y-Yeah, everyone calls me that. Never knew where it came from so i'm guessing you gave me the name?" I ask as she smiles and nods.

"Yes, I was going to have your middle name be that but I second guessed myself and just let it go as a nickname," She laughs as I crack a smile, "So.. are there any questions for me? I mean like as far as where you come from and who you really are? I mean of course they kept your name, nickname, and everything right? Ciela la fe amarís Fuentes."

"What? No?!" I laugh, "They said my name was Ciela Amoy Fuentes.." I look at Cameron, "Like birth certificate and all!" I laugh, "I just feel like I've been living a lie. Like I don't even know who I am. When dad picked us up from social services four years ago, I was given—," I look at Cameron, "We were given a whole different story. I'm just not getting it."

"Wait what's my name?" Cameron laughs.

"Cameron Aman Fuentes. Aman is of trini origin and also, Ciela 'amarís' is trini origin. I wanted to interpret your background into your names so.."

"I been told I had no middle name. This is fucking crazy yo.." Cameron laughs, "Sorry..didn't mean to curse but why would they lie to us?" He looks to me.

"Does your father still go with Lucinda Gonzales?" She looks at Cam then back at me.

"Y-Yeah why?" Cam says.

"That's your reason why. After Malik was born, me and your father broke up because he had found Lucinda. In the beginning, your father never came to visit me nor Malik. Never offered up money, never offered to buy food, just nothing. Then it would get to a point where he would just come back to bother me for sex, and i'm being honest. That resulted in you two," She holds her hand out to motion, "But that's it. He never manned up to take care of his three kids and me being me, I was young and stupid and uneducated. I never grew up with a father figure in my home and being that that happened all my life I went looking for the love I never had from a guy," She shrugs, "I'm assuming when you guys went into Haziel's custody.. he never said anything about me to you.."

"Nah never," I shake my head, "No one actually. I mean, meeting you and finding you never occurred to me up until I met my boyfriend so.."

"You got a good one right here," She smiles, "How long have you two been together?" She asks.

"Few months," I answer.

"¿Estas enamorado?" She smiles making me smile.

<<Are you in love>>

"Sí," I answer, "Pero, puede.." I look up at him then back at her, "que no dure mucho porque es un rapero ahora.." I trail off.

<<We may not last long because he's a rapper now>>

"I have a feeling you two are gonna be just fine," She smiles making me smile.

"How about you Cameron? Anything you want to ask.." She softens her tone.

"I just feel like I never grew up with neither a mom or dad."

"Why do you say that?" She furrows her brows.

"I mean, I was a baby when you gave us up and the foster home I was in.. I always felt left out from the other kids being that I was the only spanish speaking kid there. Then like dad and Luce were never active parents in my life. You know he owns the bodegas and he's a cop on top of that so he's always busy. Luce is a nurse so she's busy. I mean they cook for us and make sure we're good but as far as actually being in our lives.. they're never there," He shrugs.

"He's right. I mean since we came to live with them, Malik was the caregiver. Always looked out for us. Brought us everywhere. Gave me my first car. Taught me how to drive. Then after he had uhm," I look down at my hands, "After he passed, I stepped in his place."

"I know.." She trails off, "I know he passed away."

"How?" Cameron asks.

"I came to the funeral. The burying part. After everyone had left, I had some time by myself. I was never too far from you guys. I couldn't physically talk with you guys because of our case but I was definitely watching over you."

"For how long?" I ask.

"Since the day you came home. Of course they notified me when you were going with Haziel and where you guys would be living but I wasn't able to contact you three. I actually followed Haziel home after he picked you guys up just to know where my kids were living. But I havent been around all the time this is my first time seeing you so grown up. I have a life of my own and work of my own so I wasn't able to look over you as much as I wanted to."

"Is that why the waitress said you were a regular here?" I question.

"Mhm. I've been seeing you on social media dating this," She nods to Pop, "Famous rapper and from the moment I saw your eyes and your mouth I knew you were my Ciela. I always watched from a distance but wanting to know how you sounded and who's accent you took after. Always wondered what was your favorite color. Favorite show. Favorite movie. How your life is now. What you do for work. And I've seen you happy. I-I ," She sighs, "I was actually close to you one time..back in February. I had seen you and a little girl and him all at the skating rink in Brooklyn."

"You were there? No one knew I was there.. never posted it or anything.." I trail off.

"Trust me I was there. And I could tell you were happy. I wanted to talk to you right then and there but I was scared of confrontation. I wasn't ready yet. I had to build up my momentum before coming to sit down with you and talk things out. Make things right. But I seen you were happy and wondered if I should step in your life now or never. Thought you'd be better off not knowing me."

"Yeah.. I mean no," I catch myself, "I mean, I never wanted closure or clarity on anything up until Pop convinced me so.." I trail off.

"Yeah I mean," He clears his throat, "I was like 'you gotta find her' like you're missing out on like a whole nother part of your life you know what i'm saying?" Pop says, "And I told her I was gonna back her up and be right here with her," He throws his arm around me.

"Aww," She smiles.

"It gets worse trust me, these two are ode with the lovey dovey ness," Cameron laughs making us laugh.