"We therefore commit this body to the ground, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust. May God bless this beautiful soul and may God bless the lot of you who came to see our dearly beloved sister Saca off to the gates of Heaven. Amen." Reverend Bishop said his words and before we knew it this was the end.

"Amen."

"I got you Jayda." Cato whispered in my ear giving me a tight squeeze. I sniffled trying to withhold any more tears. I scanned the crowd that was slowly dispersing.

"Are my eyes deceiving me?" I mumbled to myself as I stared at the tall slender body on the other side of the casket being lowered. He stood with red eyes and a little boy next him and a tall woman in a knee length black dress next to him. I rolled my eyes underneath my shades.

Couldn't forget that long ass neck of hers.

I tossed my rose before blowing a kiss.

"Thank you for everything Saca." I whispered hoping she could hear me from the sky above. I sniffled trying to hold back the tears, but they just kept on coming. Arms wrapped around me to keep me from falling over into the grave with her.

"Are you ready to go or do you need more time?"

"I'm ready. Say goodbye to grandma Justyce." I pulled her next to me.

"Bye bye grandma." Her bottom lip quivered. She knew she'd never see her again, at least not in this dimension. It was pretty hard for me to explain to her what was happening.

"Ari and the guys send their condolences." Cato mentioned on our walk to his truck.

"I know she inboxed me the other day. Tell them I said thank you."

"Jayda." The familiar voice called my name.

"Get in the car Justyce." I pushed her into the backseat. Cato buckled her up on the other side of the truck looking just as handsome as he wanted in his expensive Armani suit. It's been two weeks since that whole situation with Sylvester happened so Cato wouldn't dare let me out of his sight. He claims I'm still too fragile to be on my own.

"Well isn't this a damn surprise." I chuckled to myself. God has got some jokes today. Never in a million years would I have thought Tayvon would show up. Not even to his own mother's funeral.

"I know it's kind of a surprise."

"Very. I'm guessing life in California is treating you so well that you didn't even have time to visit your mother while she was alive."

"Look I'm already fighting myself about the way I've been handling things, but I just came over to talk about Justyce—"

"No you didn't. There's nothing for us to discuss. You made yourself very clear two years ago. She doesn't need you so take your fake ass tears, find a bucket and wash your ass with them because we've been through with you Tayvon." I pointed a finger in his face.

"Bullshit your personal feelings ain't got shit to do with this. I want to make amends with my daughter. You probably haven't even told her who I am."

"Why the fuck would I Tayvon?" I shouted loud enough for others to hear as they were getting into their cars. "You ran out on her and said she wasn't important enough to you. That shit still hurts, but she's cool."

"Jayda this doesn't have to be harder than it should be."

"Tay you okay over here?"

"Yeah baby I'm fine just talking about Justyce."

"Oh. Hey Jane right?"

"You must think I won't fuck you up in this cemetery. Think again you llama looking bitch."

"You still jealous? Let it go bitch."

"Jealous? Bitch if you knew the new me you'd be green in the face right now." She continued trying to run her mouth until Tayvon made her go back to the car. Bitch.

"You cool Jayda?" An arm slithered around my waistline.

"I'm fine Cato. Let's just go please." I rolled my eyes allowing him to turn us around to walk me to the passenger side of his Benz truck.

"Cato." Tayvon surprisingly acknowledged Cato.

"Tayvon." I could practically hear the smirk in Catos tone. I watched in the rear view mirror carefully as Cato slowly walked himself around the big body Benz of his. I chuckled to myself because all he was trying to do was get under Tayvon's skin.

"Do you erm think you can talk to her? I just want to sit down and have a talk about Justyce nothing more nothing less." I heard him through the tinted window.

"Ima need you to fall back. Nobody in this ca' need you boi." That was Cato's response before he got in the car.

"I forgot that nigga existed,"Cato spoke once the door shut.

"Can we not talk about that butthole?"

"Okay. My place or yours?"

"Mine. I just want to undress and wine down."

We made it to my house with little traffic and I was just glad that was over with. I can't stand funerals.

"Don't worry about Justyce I got her. I got you a bath running."

"Aww thanks Catora you didn't have to do that." I smiled gently while removing the earrings from my ears.

"I wanted to. You've been through a lot this past week. Your eyes is looking better too." He studied my fading bruises which were left after the swelling went down with the help of some ice and Benadryl.

"So Cato you know that I have the restaurant and whatnot in several locations. But right now I am in the process of opening up one in New York, but I want this one to be like a marijuana spot too. You know marijuana infused foods and drinks, bring your own blunts and whatever. Just as a cigarette smoker can come in and smoke in a restaurant you know?"

"Right. Shit I'll be your first customer." I chuckled shaking my head.

"But it's like I also plan to build a school for disabled children here in Chicago. You know I was really close with a special needs friend growing up, but she didn't have the proper caregivers at home and the schools didn't have the proper tools to help her either and eventually she fell into the streets and died." My eyes watered with tears because I often times think about her. She used to get picked on because of her looks and needing extra help in classes and you could tell she was strong minded, but of course the words from a bunch of cruel middle school kids can get to you. 

He wiped the tear that streamed won my face.

"So you trying to open both at the same time?" I inhaled deeply folding my arms and putting my weight on one leg.

"See that's my problem. I figured if I open the marijuana spot, I'll make enough profit within the next two three years and that'll be enough to open the school, but at the same time the location that I want the school, scratch that, where I need the school to be is on the market and the seller told me straight up that there's another buyer who plans to buy the property within the next three months."

"You're really invested in this shit huh?"

"Yeah I'm very passionate about it and I won't feel complete until I do these things." I shrugged twiddling with my fingers.

"So what's so special about the location it's a lot of disabled kids in the area or something?"

"Something like that, but mostly I just feel that people tend to forget that, there are not only poor people in the neighborhood, but poor and disabled people. They need just as much opportunities as the average person and this school should be their safe haven if things at home aren't right. These parent's need help and I get so enraged when these people are looked over and treated differently." I took a deep breathe because the subject was getting real personal for me. 

"Bottom line is I need to make a decision and determine whether to just wait for another property nearby to become available and do the New York thing, or go with my gut and do this school thing."

"I say open the school because it seems like your heart it more in that project. Like you can open a restaurant any time you want, I know you got the money you feel me. And if you need anything you know I got you whether it's money or moral support." 

"Thanks Cato." I pulled him into a hug. 

"Now, are you gone tell me what you've done with Sylvester?" It's been a week since Sylvester "disappeared". Cato refuses to tell me whether or not the man is even still alive. Or if he even caught him.

"Don't start Jayda. What y'all want to eat?"

"Wendy's Wendy's Wendy's!" Justyce chanted running into my room. I chuckled at her jumping up and down in the jingle bell house shoes I got her for Christmas last year.

"Wendy's, it is babygirl." Cato swept her off her feet, tossing her in the air before catching her. She giggled before removing herself to go back to her playroom.

"Now you can be sad all day today, but tomorrow Ima need you to perk up." He jiggled my arm making me whine and jerk away from him. He knows I hate that, my arms are already fat as hell.

"I am perked up." I rolled my eyes at him.

"Oh I know you is," he took a glance at my breasts. I sucked my teeth at him causing him to laugh. "I'm just playing."

"I know you are."

"I love you."

"I love you too." We hugged. It felt good to be back close with him. I missed him. We pulled away from the hug when his phone started to ring.

"Who was that?"

"Nobody but Alexis asking when I'm coming home."

"Oh y'all live together."

"Hell no. I couldn't allow that shit to happen."

"So why'd you just say home?"

"Force of habit." There was a short line of silence while he typed away on the phone.

"Alexis. How'd you meet her again?" I broke the silence, curious about this Alexis character.

"You don't like onions on your burger right?"

"No and you know that. Cato why aren't you answering my simple question." I sang.

"I was finna answer it. I just had to ask you a more important question first. But yeah I used to go to school with her."

"Oh so she's like your high school sweetheart. I guess you could never get over those huh." I joked.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing geesh so defensive." I looked at him weirdly. "How'd y'all meet again though? The strip club?" I cracked another shady joke.

"No, we bumped into each other at a party."

"You're lying, but okay." I rolled my eyes. He karate chopped at my neck making me scream because I'm ticklish there. I fought him off before he quit annoying me.

"Why you so interested in my relationship all of a sudden anyway lil girl?"

"I'm just trying to make conversation and take my mind off of today's events. I didn't know it was a crime, but I'll stop."

"No you good. I just didn't think you'd be comfortable talking about my relationship given our history with each other."

"I'm over that Catora. We're friends, you can talk to me about anything. Even if you don't want to tell me what you did with Sylvester." I raised a brow seeing if he'd give me a straight answer.

"Okay I'm going to get y'all some food and I'll be back." He walked out of my bedroom. I sighed. Every time I bring up Sylvester he shuts down because he doesn't want to talk about it. It's not like he's the one who got pistol whipped.

I looked at myself in the mirror checking myself. Running my fingertips over my breasts my brows furrowed when I felt a ripple on my left breast. I let out a shaky sigh getting worried so I checked some more around both of my breasts. I don't think anyone in my family has had cancer, not that I'd know of.

I quickly made an appointment with my doctor which was scheduled for next weekend. I wish it was for tomorrow, but her schedule was capacitated.

I was relaxing in the bathtub when a knock sounded on the door.

"Cato?"

"Yeah it's me. Your food is on the counter. I'm about to head out for a minute. You good?"

"Yeah," I sighed disappointed. I didn't want him to leave, but I knew he had to. I guess he has a girlfriend to tend to. I didn't trust her, but I am his friend. "Wait Cato?"

"Yeah."

"Come in for a second." I quickly moved the shower curtain forward and stuck my head out the side.

"What's wrong?" He rushed in.

"I just got to run something by you right quick. I know it isn't my place to be all up in your business, but when I was in Jamaica I saw Alexis there,"

"I know I paid for the damn trip. What else?"

"I saw her there with some Cuban looking man. They seemed close. Close enough for him to touch her in places only you should be able to touch," I spoke slowly for him to catch on. "That's unless y'all have the kind of relationship going, though I didn't take you for the type."

"Nah you're right. The guy she was with is a business partner I just made, and he's very touchy and flirty. But that's what she had to endure to get us in good with the man."

"Wait so you put your girl in harms way and sexual assault in exchange for some drugs and some money I'm sure you can go without?" That didn't sound like him at all.

"No it's not like that stop fucking playing with me Jayda," he raised his voice at me. He rubbed his face apologizing. "Alexis isn't new to the game. She already knew stuff prior to me and it was more like she persuaded her friend to get in good with me. This game is almost all about persuasion." He kicked himself up off the bathroom wall before walking over to the bathtub I was in and kneeling.

"I know you probably see me as some monster, but you deciding to be my friend was you accepting this side of me right?" I started laying on my arm on the arm of the tub staring at him. I nodded yes.

"Okay. Well then you should know there's a lot of things I won't tell you, simply to protect you. Alexis knows more than you because she probably knows more than me. I know we were once closer than ever so I'm telling you don't let me keeping you in the dark discourage you."

"Okay." I kept it brief. Like he wanted me to.

"See that right there is why."

"What?"

"Why I fell for you in the first place. You're just so understanding when you want to be." he grinned widely.

"Well I have to be. Everything in my life needs a little bit of perspective. From my child to the customers to you." I smiled. He sat in the corner directly next to the tub with his head tilted next to mine, nearly touching mine. In silence.

Time passed. And eventually my water started to get cold.

"You might wanna get going. I'm sure Alexis is throwing a fit." I hurriedly spoke up before I let my feelings get a hold of my words. This would've been the perfect moment too. The vibes were just so right. But us together, it wouldn't be right. And I don't tolerate cheaters. I just don't see how girls can take back a cheating man...

"You sure?"

"I'm sure. Goodnight."

"Goodnight." I closed my eyes when he kissed me in the forehead. And before I knew it the smell of his cologne disappeared, but I didn't open my eyes. I didn't want to believe he was gone for the night. I wanted him here with me.

💕

Hehehe COUSINNNNS☺️

It's been so long how y'all been?

💕