Page 95 of Love & Vendettas
“Oh, hey, girl.”
“I was just checking in to see if you guys have heard anything.”
“No, honey. I wish that we had. I’m assuming you just saw the news too.”
“I’m sorry, girl. Yes, I did. I just got off the phone with Trina earlier before I saw the news, and she said that she still hasn’t heard anything. That’s not like Riley. She always calls Trina.”
“I know. I wish that I’d known that she was on that damn Inflogram Live that morning. I’d have called her and begged herto come back over here if I’d known just how distraught she was.”
“I know you would have. Hell, if Trina or I had seen it, we would have called you.”
“Have you seen the video?”
“Just the snippets they’ve been playing on the news since they’ve been looking for her. But someone at work said they’d seen the entire thing and said she was talking crazy about Essence Hamilton,” Alicia shares.
I press my lips together to keep mute on the subject.
“Well, you know I’m praying for you guys. I saw your daddy and mama yesterday.”
“She’s getting sick with worry, and I’m worrying about her, Licia.”
“I know you are. I just hugged her and told her to stay positive that Riley’s probably having one of her depressive moments where she shuts the world out,” Alicia states.
“Yeah, that’s the same thing I told her when I saw her yesterday afternoon. It’s not getting through to her, though. I don’t think anything will until she sets her eyes on her and sees for herself that Riley is okay.”
Zaire walks into the kitchen with a grim look in his eyes, a firm jaw, and his shoulders back. Damascus is walking into the kitchen behind him. I see the dread and the compassion in Damascus’ eyes and the pain etched on Zaire’s face.
“No . . . no. Noooo!” I scream, breaking down as the phone drops from my hands and clatters to the floor.
Zechariah is behind me, instantly lifting me as I fall. My sweet baby boy holds onto me as my world crumbles. His father pulls me from his embrace and lifts me into his arms, even as I continue screaming.
“Dad, please,” Zechariah says behind me as his voice breaks.
Zaire buries his face in my hair and shakes his head, and I keep screaming. He holds me tighter to him, and I hear Zaccai crying behind me.
“C’mon, little man, let’s go for a walk,” Damascus tells Zaccai.
“Nooooo,” I continue sobbing.
“What’s going on?” Zayn asks from somewhere behind his father.
“Ohmigosh! It’s Ms. Riley, isn’t it?” I hear Shana ask.
The rumbling of feet has me pulling from Zaire’s arms. I look over his shoulder to see my sweet, sometimes thickheaded middle boy running down the hallway with Shana on his heels.
“Oh, God. Zayn! Go see about him,” I tell Zaire.
“No. I’m not leaving you, baby.”
“I got him, OG,” Zechariah replies, clearing his throat.
Zaire’s arms wrap tighter around me, but no matter how tightly he squeezes, he can’t keep my world intact. There are too many empty spaces and too many broken pieces for him to keep me whole.
Maybe someday, but not today.
44 – A NEW DAY
THREE MONTHS LATER
