DEADLY DECISIONS III: The End (6 page)

Sincerely, KC

Monique was in awe as she read the letter. She wished Cameron would have been honest with her in the first place and showed her the letter the night the baby was left on their doorstep instead of trying to pull one over on her. Of course it would have hurt her to learn that her husband had cheated on her, but things wouldn’t have gone to the
extent t
hat they did. Many questions and thoughts ran across Monique’s mind.
Did Keisha write this letter? Or did Cameron’s lying, cheating self have his sister or one of his cousins write this letter to justify his actions and make him look better in the situation? This almost looks like his sister Tonya’s handwriting. I’ma call her, because Cameron could be trying to bamboozle me
. Monique reached for the house phone, but then stopped herself when she noticed the signature on the letter. Monique concentrated on it.
This letter is from Keisha!
Monique recognized Keisha’s signature from an old Valentine’s Day card that she had read and then thrown away when she moved in with Cameron.

Monique looked at Cameron. He was telling the truth, and it revealed itself in his eyes. Cameron had no knowledge of the baby, but the fact that he cheated on her with Keisha was something that she knew that only prayer and couple’s therapy would pull them through. Monique wanted to make her family and marriage work. She loved Cameron, but how? She mentally struggled inside, trying to figure it out. How would they explain the baby?
Monique knew her parents would never approve of it. She didn’t want them to hate Cameron or disown her.

Cameron sat beside his wife. “Now do you believe me?” He looked her in teary eyes, breaking the intense silence.

Monique nodded her head yes. She was at a complete loss for words.

Cameron continued, “I never, ever wanted to hurt you. But he’s my son, and you’re my wife. What’s a nigga to do?” He sighed in distress.

Monique continued to look Cameron in the eyes, dying to know two questions. His answer would let her know if everything she would be sacrificing would be worth it in the long run. She didn’t want to live with any regrets. “Are you still in love with her? And did you marry me to get over her?” Monique grabbed Cameron’s hand before he could get a word out of his mouth and said, “Lying to spare my feelings will only hurt us more. I don’t wanna live a lie, so please be honest. No more secrets.” Monique pinky-fingered Cameron, reminding him of his
vows
to her.

“Nique, I’m not in love with Keisha. I’m in love with you, and I married you because I can’t imagine my life without you. I didn’t marry you on the rebound or to prove shit to Keisha,” Cameron continued. “If anything, marrying you made Keisha understand who I wanted to be with and where I wanted to be. No one makes me happier than you, Nique.” Cameron held Monique’s hand tight and then kissed her on the lips.

“I believe you.” Monique hugged Cameron. “Everything from this point forward will be worth it.”

Cameron kissed Monique on the lips. “Now tell me what you have to tell me, Nique. I’m all ears; no more secrets.” He sat on the edge of seat and gave her his undivided attention.

Monique went right into it. “I know that you want two more kids, but I won’t be able to give them to you.”

“What?” Cameron was confused. They had agreed to two more children.

“I never told you, but after I delivered our son, I had to have an emergency hysterectomy to stop the bleeding.” Monique had delivered early. Cameron was out of town, which was how she was able to keep the information from him. Her mother was there with her when she gave birth. “I’ve been wanting to tell you, but I just didn’t know how,” her voice cracked.

So that was her motivation behind accepting my son,
Cameron wanted to say, but he decided that the topic was too sensitive t
o touch on. Monique accepting his son was good enough for him, but he wondered why she had kept her hysterectomy a secret. “Why didn’t you tell me, Nique?”

“I couldn’t bear crushing your dreams of having a larger family,”
Monique continued. “But it all worked out. You have two beautiful boys that’ll be raised in the same home. They will have each other and us. Once that drug lord gets ahold of Keisha, who knows, adoption might even be in our future. And I promise you that I will raise and love your son just as my very own. He deserves it.” Monique paused before looking up at Cameron. “But under one condition.”

“What’s that?” Cameron replied, struck by Monique’s
harsh
words toward Keisha.
What she mean
once that drug lord gets ahold of Keisha?

Monique cleared her parched throat. “Your son is going to have to get a name change, because there can only be one Cameron Jr…and that’s
our
son.” Monique stood up and started to the stairs. “I’ll figure a way to break the news to my parents. My mind is cluttered right now and I need a shower and to get some rest before the babies wake up.”

“Monique!” Cameron called after her. He wanted to talk to her about her harsh approach to Keisha. Not only did he think her remarks were distasteful, but he was offended by them.

“Yeah, baby?” Monique stopped at the bottom of the stairs, afraid that Cameron would contest his son’s name change.

“I’m sorry about the hysterectomy. Everything is gon’ be alright.” Cameron decided against confronting Monique about Keisha after seeing the worrisome look in her eyes. They had both been through the wringer and he wanted to defuse an already bad situation.

Feeling water works, Monique’s eyes teared up. “Thank you, baby, I needed to hear that.” She walked up the stairs.

While Cameron’s mind should have been fixed on his wife and their marriage, the possibility that Keisha could possibly be murdered became real. There had never been a doubt in Cameron’s mind that Keisha and her team wouldn’t come out on top and that in due time she would come back for their son. Cameron didn’t want Keisha to die. He couldn’t even wrap his mind around it, and the thought of losing her caused his stomach to turn into knots. Cameron loved Keisha more than he liked to admit, and although he married Monique because he loved her, somewhere deep inside he also married her to spite Keisha. He hoped that marriage would get him over and past her, but Keisha never left his heart. Cameron couldn’t be honest and tell his wife the truth when she asked him because he had been in denial about his true feelings for her for a long time.

Suddenly, guilt began to plague Cameron for his lack of support and concern for Keisha during her time of need.
I have to do something. I owe it to Keisha and our son.
Cameron started up the stairs to console his wife. He knew that Monique’s heart was heavy and he wanted to do what he could to lift some of the weight.

Having made good time to the airport, Big Pope Dog rented an SUV to drive back to Miami. His connect wasn’t able to fly them back to Miami due to prior engagements, so driving back was their next best alternative. In the car, Keisha
had beg
un
snorting line after line of cocaine
.
Gutty tried to tell Keisha to slow down but nobody could tell her nothing.
“
Let me be
,
my nigga, I got this,
”
she kept telling him as she peered out the back window of the SUV to assure they weren’t being watched or followed.

With two hours to waste, Big Pope Dog rested his eyes while Gutty drove, trying to convince Keisha to eat before her neck caved in. She was getting too thin and was beginning to look sickly.

“Pull over at the gas station, fam. I have to use the restroom,” a wide-eyed Keisha said from the backseat.

Gutty pulled into the gas station and climbed out of the SUV. Keisha shook Big Pope Dog awake before going inside. “I’m going inside to use the restroom. Keep an eye out, G.”

Big Pope Dog opened his eyes and peeked at his surroundings. After one glimpse at Keisha, he replied, “You look wide-eyed enough for the three of us! And while you’re inside, why don’t you get rid of that white bitch? We don’t need that heat rolling around the south.”

Keisha stopped mid-step and then turned to Big Pope Dog with attitude. She was tired of his sly comments. “Well, I gotta be that second and third pair of eyes while you’re cat-napping, nigga…feel me?” Keisha continued to vent her frustrations.

Big Pope Dog shook his head in disgust.
This bitch is starting to be a pain in the ass
. He sighed intolerantly and then got out of the van to pump the gas, thinking of Keisha’s older sister Ryan.
I guess the apple don’t fall too far from the tree.

Inside the mini mart, Gutty told Keisha to grab herself some items to eat. “You haven’t been eating, Lady G.” Gutty loaded nacho cheese over a carton of nacho chips.

“I can’t eat right now. I’ll grab a few beverages, though, fam.” Keisha started down the aisle, peering monstrously at the customers entering the convenience store.

Gutty felt a huge sense of responsibility to take care of Keisha and he wanted to help her before the drugs made her tap out completely. Keisha was thinning, and although she kept her physical appearance intact, she was beginning to act like a psychopath. She whispered a lot. When Gutty noticed Keisha peeking at customers through items on the shelves, he set his tray of nachos down and started towards her. Keisha was making a fool of herself and it was embarrassing. “Lady G, you tripping.” Gutty grabbed her by the wrist to grab her attention.

Keisha quickly reached for her pistol, causing a scene until she realized that it was Gutty. Through gritted teeth, Keisha whispered, “I’m here, my nigga, but I’m not. You can’t be creeping up on me like that, at least not while I’m ready to pop a nigga.”

Gutty ushered Keisha back to the concession stand to his tray of nachos and tried to briefly explain to her how bad she was making herself look in public. “I give more than a fuck about you, so I gotta keep it real with you.” He looked Keisha in her wired eyes. “You tweaking, Lady G, and you need to eat. I get that you don’t quite have the appetite; mine’s not that great either. But the bones in your neck is showing, your face is staring to sink in, and you’re just not looking healthy.”

“I’ll eat after I get my son, a’ight? I know you looking out for me, Gutty, but I just can’t right now,” Keisha told Gutty and then started towards the restroom. She didn’t care about how she looked and she was getting tired of Big Pope Dog and Gutty riding her coattails.
I ain’t paying these niggas to counsel me
!
Piru, they got one more time and then I’m gon’ show my yellow ass!
Keisha fumed inside.

After Keisha used the restroom, the realization of what Gutty said dawned on her. She looked in the mirror and felt like she didn’t know who she was anymore. She felt herself about to cry, but instead forced her tears back.
Don’t cry now, bitch! Ain’t no tears gon’ fix or change this shit. Move like a boss!
“I will not be defeated!” The words flowed freely out of Keisha’s mouth. She was done with being a sad-ass case. Keisha made her way out of the restroom and made herself a hot dog. Gutty smiled, happy that his point had been taken.

Inside the van, Keisha forced herself to eat the hot dog and she gulped down bottles of Gatorade. Both Big Pope Dog and Gutty were happy to see her eating.

On the way back to the airport, Keisha received a call from Niya explaining that she had gotten in touch with Cameron and that she had seen the baby and they were both just fine.

The news sent Keisha into happy tears. It was a bunk mission, but it was worth every second of her time as far as her children were concerned. “I love you, Niya. Give me the number.”

“No…well, not right now. I told him if you didn’t call him by tomorrow afternoon, that I’d meet up with him and call you for him. I just wanna see my godson; he’s so darn cute.”

Keisha smiled. “It’s probably safer that I speak to Cam on your phone anyways, Niya. So if he’s willing to meet up tomorrow, that’s bool. It isn’t like he has any plans on getting out of town. But make it tomorrow morning, not afternoon. It’s crucial that I speak to him,” Keisha stated.

“Cool, tomorrow morning, early.” They ended the call.

Keisha explained the news to Big Pope Dog and Gutty, and although they were happy that Cameron and the baby were safe, they both wished they had learned the information before going through the trouble of getting to Houston.

“Nigga got us on a fucking wild goose chase, blood,” Big Pope Dog interjected. “Well, let’s head to a hotel. I haven’t had more than ten hours of sleep in the past seventy-two hours.”

Keisha spring up from her seat. “Fuck that shit, blood, Piru, let’s lay that nigga Tre down NOW, while we have the opportunity,” Keisha expressed aggressively.

“Keys,” Big Pope dog interrupted, programming the route for a hotel into the navigation system. “We gotta stick to the plan and do it right, so if you plan on living to see another day, to see your family and kids again, then I suggest you stay focused, homegirl. This is life on the run, and planning and timing means everything,” he stated firmly, heading to the nearest hotel.

“Yeah, a’ight,” Keisha wore a mean mug on her face. “All I’m saying is that we kill that bitch nigga while he’s under our scope.” Keisha sucked her teeth, ready to go into beast mode.

Big Pope Dog chuckled. “When the dope game get too boring for you, Keys, you should consider jumping on my team as a hitgirl. I’m beginning to think that you like this shit.”

“I’m straight, my G. I’m only willing to put a nigga to rest for me and mine,” Keisha replied. “And I’m hot right now that we can’t get this nigga while he’s within easy reach. But I’m just a dope girl. I’m in your world right now, Chief…you do this shit.” Keisha shifted angrily in her seat.

Thirty minutes later on the outskirts of Houston, Texas, the trio had checked into a double queen suite. After Big Pope Dog secured the room, they all placed their pistols underneath their pillows before lying down to rest.