Chapter 40

Bartley's pov

This is one situation I don't know how to get out of, I lick my lips and tried to push Dean from off my lap again. "Yuh know sey you a one real problem dwo, get up offa mi an' min' yuh mek di man come see wi suh nuh! Duh!" I exclaimed telling her.

Where did she get her strength from or was I really that weakened I wondered as we stared angrily at each other. "Mi friend a goodaz, yuh know yuh nuh want har leave har alone, wey di fuck yah a hurt har feelings for? A wha happen to yuh idiot Alkaline?" She said and ask arrogantly.

How Straight-dut manage har man I wonder looking at her face twisted with anger, she was a determine little- I don't even know what to call har. "Cum offa mi," I told her crossly and tried to get up.

"Sidung! When I send Adajay di video of us in this position an' tell har wey mi wan tell har, yuh and har done fah fi good," she stated angry and seriously.

"A'right mi sorry fi mek yuh man tek wey yuh phone but mi did really waan talk to har," I apologise telling her.

She skinned up her face then began to wine on my lap and I got up with all the strength I could muster pushing her off my lap, she draped me up and I hiss looking down at her.

"No sah!" I exclaimed as I took several deep breaths.

Dean was an exquisite little fireball, she had a temper and determination one would not see by just looking at her and at this moment I wish it wasn't directed at me. I looked around up in the corners of the roof for the camera and saw only the house security cameras, then my eyes behold another and I flung off her hand and went for it.

We tussled and when I finally manage to hold both her hands I realize I was lying on top of her, I really should not have came down here alone I said in my mind. Then push off of her with all my strength and ran right out of the house and into my car. I started the car driving it to the gate as she came out and stood with her hands folded on the verandah, then I remember the gate I was locked and I needed her to open it.

"Oh shit!" I said with a depressed sigh.

She turn and went inside and I sat in the car pondering what to do, mi ina problem wid di law, mi woman, mi woman friend and maybe mi get ina problem wid di most dangerous don right now. I hid the gadget camera and and got out locking the car door, I needed to go before the man come and a wonder why mi dey a him yard suh long- afterall him just sey fi drive come round yah an' gi har di phone.

"Dean?" I called standing at the verandah step.

The gate open suddenly and Straight-dut's jeep that was coming in reversed back away, Dean came out and I went into my car and drive out. It was not him at the steering though and I breathe a sigh of relief, it was Demar. I carried my window down and hail him then toot my horn and drive off, all the way home I could not stop thinking how Dean had manage to have a upper hand over me.

I got back in my car and drive to the tastee restaurant where I haile a security guard and ask him to purchase a bowl of soup, patties and food. He looked in at me and I said to him.

"A me man, a Alkaline."

"Jah know mi artist," he said his eyes filling with tears.

I carried down my window and took his hand. "Heart a love mi bredda," I said.

"Fi real, mek mi guh get dem thing yah fi yuh," he said and I release his hand so he can go.

I felt a bit emotional and wondered how I have affected people, did they still rate me or did they see me as just a murderer who has fallen from grace. I have worked hard to reach where I had been and the Seaview Gardens don just wanted to end my life because I wasn't handing out a large sum of my money to him.

Why does it have to be this way?

Why?

I've done nothing but hold my own in an industry that gives and takes, I give of my best putting my all into my performances and my music, yet at times I was unappreciated, dissed and unaccepted for all the effort that I had put in. I have committed the crime and the only penalty was to be arrested and sentenced, it makes me wonder if I myself has ever condemned anyone that was only trying to stand up for themselves. How many people were suffering and wasting their lives away behind bars for protecting themselves or loved ones

The security brought the foods I had ordered and I thanked him, I told him to keep the change and he said "respect."

I drove back to my mom's home and park at the gate then began eating, I needed back my energy and I could run inside to the toilet if I needed to. I just sat in the car after I was done, I played my songs and dropped back the seat while I hold a meds. I gave life to the hopes forming in my head, telling myself that if ever I was given the chance again I would pay more attention to my fans and I would not get into any lyrical clashes with fellow artists and I will lay low. I would be more humble because I just want to live before I die.

That evening on the news the women held because of us were charged and said to be release after paying the fines, I gave Righteous two million dollars so that he can give the lawyer to help pay the fines for all three women and ask him to thank Shanae for not spilling. I change my chip that very evening and texted everyone who was supposed to have my new number, by the following day everyone else responds except for Adajay and her father.

With a positive outlook I ordered the truck to be packed with my furnitures and things and went to Capture Land, I change every lock on the grills and had the gate oiled and the passcode reset. Righteous and Quefer said the first thing they wanted to do was build wall fences and I encourage them to do so. The yard was still in an ok state due to Mr. Maurice's visits but the flowers wanted water and the gardens needed to be weeded.

The first morning back I took it on until the sun got too hot for me to continue, Quefer came over from his unfinished house sweating and thirsty.

"A wey yuh did a do?" I ask him.

"Mi a clean up round a di side wey di block dem a guh drop," he replied.

I walk to the kitchen with him trailing behind me, I wash my hands then took out a bottle of fruit drink and two glasses and we drank quenching our thirst.

"Yow di sun hot yuh fuck bro," Quefer said.

"Yuh think a joke," I agree.

We spend a boring evening together after cleaning up under the tree we normally sat and building up a new bench. I water the plants and we talk about clearing our vegetable garden at the back behind the fence and fixing the fencing. Lance and his friend came and we played some dominoes while we reasoned, his friend said he knew someone who does gardening and would link the man.

Mr. Maurice came the following day and I let him stay outside the gate for a while before opening it and letting him inside. When he drive in I continued to rake and sweep up the leaves, heaping them up to carry to the back and burn.

"Morning," he stated in a not too please tone of voice.

"Morning sar," I greeted in turn with a not to pleasant tone also.

He looked around outside then he went inside and was in there for a while before he came out and said. "Mi a leave."

"Safe travel," I told him shoveling up the pulled up weeds and dry leaves into the wheelbarrow.

I hissed after he drove out, saying to myself can bet him a guh call him daughter now. I comforted myself in cleaning up the place and making the place feel clean and comfortable again. That evening Hot-Grabba came with the new mops, brooms, cleaning items and the rest of the grocery items I had told him to get and I set about cooking. When Lance came that evening him and Righteous and a falling out, I spoke to Righteous infront of him because I didn't want Lance to feel like we were being hypocritical.

"Righteous, yuh cannot vex wid di man if him nuh waan tell yuh wey him sista dey, now mek wi play some game and drink some drinks," I stated.

The two of them began to talk again before we call it a night and they left.

To be continued...