Real Riders Never Die 3 (11 page)

“Forever.”

“Yeah, that’s what I was thinking, too.” She showed all of her pretty white teeth when she smiled.

“What you think about Uzoma being my brother?”

Taryn shrugged. “He’s cool. I like him. What you need to be asking me is what I think about you killing your mama and your brother. Now that’s something you should be worrying about.”

Demoto stopped swinging and just sat on the swing. He was quiet for a few minutes, trying to think of how he wanted to respond to that. There weren't many things he could say because no matter what the reasoning was behind it, he had still killed his mother and brother. It was a difficult matter, even for him, but it was something that required some thought. He had been trying to sort it all out since leaving Cameroon, and it still made his head hurt.

“How you feel about that?”

“I don’t know how to feel for real. It’s like I trust you not to hurt any one of our kids or myself, but it’s still crazy because I watched you kill both of them, and Terry. I may be the crazy one.” She laughed as she kept swinging.

“That’s not funny, Taryn,”

“Yes it is, Demoto. I trust a killer not to kill me.” She burst out laughing again.

Demoto looked at her, trying to see where she came from. She was truly one of a kind.

“For real though, Demoto, it’s cool. I ain’t worried about it, babe. I know you did what you had to do. Don’t let my silliness throw you off.”

“It ain’t just you, Taryn. I’ve been trying to think of the same thing for a while now. I just can’t figure it out. I know both of them did some pretty fucked up things, but what kind of person, or animal for that matter, kills his mother and brother? I’m a really fucked up individual and you’re even more fucked up than me because you stay with my ass.”

“And I’mma keep staying with you.”

“You better.”

“I just hope it’s not some kind of crazy gene in y’all family that turns people into murderers. I don’t want Yo-Yo and Azzy running around town choking out kids at daycare and shit. You see, Ayo already starting.” Taryn slapped her forehead and closed her eyes. “Lord, my poor baby.”

Demoto tried to keep a straight face, but couldn’t. Taryn was really a character. “Man, shut your ass up.” His laughter made her laugh even harder.

“I’m for real, bae.”

“Man, them kids are straight. I wasn’t born like this. They made me this way. Had my mama been the mother I needed from the beginning, I probably wouldn’t even have these attachment issues.”

“What makes you think you have attachment issues?”

“I know I do. Look at the way I am with you. That shit ain’t healthy, Taryn. I don’t care what you say.”

“You love me. What’s wrong with that?”

“I love you too much, that’s what’s wrong with it. Anytime I think about not being with you or you leaving me, I be about to go crazy. Like, I literally be feeling my blood pressure rising or something.”

Taryn stopped swinging and got off of her swing. She walked to him and sat on his lap the best she could. He wrapped one arm around her and held onto the swing with the other one. He pushed back on his foot and began swinging with her in his lap.

“I try to focus and think about life without you, but I can’t. Which is out of this world because you and I haven’t even been together that long, and I was just fine without you at first.”

“I think it’s like a soulmate thing. Once you finally find them why would want to live without them?”

Demoto shook his head. “That ain’t it.”

Taryn looked off into the distance as she held her arm tightly around his neck. “Whatever it is, I’m fine with it so you should be too. I don’t think I could live without you either. Not saying I would run out and kill other people to make sure that doesn’t happen or anything like that, I’m just saying.”

She laughed as he held his head down in embarrassment.

“I’m just saying you’re not alone in this. If you die, I die.”

Demoto’s hand went up to her stomach. He rubbed his hand around in a circle. “What about the kids?”

“Jacko and Kia can get them, or my daddy. He’s been talking about marrying some woman for the last couple of weeks, and we don’t even know who she is. He claims he doesn’t want me and Kia to run her off before he gets her to say yes, but whatever.” Taryn waved her hand dismissively. “She can help him raise the little Youngbloods.”

“Who the hell Buck been caking up with?”

“Your guess is as good as mine. You know my daddy a player though, so it ain’t no telling. I wouldn’t be surprised if it's somebody me and Kia’s age.”

“You think Buck would fuck around like that?”

“I don’t know. I don’t care as long as she makes him happy.”

Demoto played with her ponytail. “You love Buck, don’t you?”

Taryn nodded as her eyes misted. “Yes. I love him so much. Like you just don’t understand.” Taryn wiped her eyes. “He has been there for me like a real father should be, and I never even had to ask for that. He just saw my need and fulfilled it. I ain’t never had that before. Out of all the foster homes and stuff I’ve been to, I never had love like the love Mr. Buck gives me. He’s the best father in the world. Then the way Kia just accepted me…” Taryn held her head down as the tears fell from her eyes. “She ain’t have to share her daddy with me like that.” Taryn laid her head on Demoto’s shoulders as the tears continued to fall. “I love them so much because they loved me. When I needed it the most, y’all came in and loved me, and sometimes it’s still so unbelievable.”

Demoto made sure they kept moving as she told him her feelings. She never really talked about her feelings when it came to her family, so he listened intently. She spent a lot of time not even acknowledging it, but maybe Azmera had her in her feelings. Whatever it was, he sat with her until she calmed herself down enough to start back talking.

“Sorry. I just get so emotional when I think about where I could have been to where I am now.”

“No need to apologize, baby. You’re good. I understand.”

He really did understand because that was the exact way that he felt when thinking about Taryn and Jacko. They had been there through everything, never once turning their backs on him. Jacko had even risked his life flying to Cameroon with him, ready to put in work. Demoto damn near had to shoot him in the foot to keep him from going with him to his mother’s house when it was time to kill her.

Demoto had begged him over and over to stay just in case things went wrong. He didn’t want him to risk losing his own life in the midst of drama that didn’t even involve him. He couldn’t even find the time to gather everything Taryn did for him on a daily basis into a feeling large enough to fit the way he felt for her.

“We’re fucked up,” Demoto laughed.

Taryn kissed his forehead. “I wouldn’t want to be fucked up with anybody else, though.”

“Me either, bae.”

Demoto and Taryn shared a kiss before they decided to leave. It was getting close to the time that they had to get Ayo from daycare. They held hands as they drove. When they got there, they both decided to go in. He was in the corner playing with blocks when they walked in. Ayo was now in the three-year-old class, so Demoto’s little admirer had to see them both more often than she probably wanted to, like right then. She was grabbing Ayo’s things, trying her best not to make eye contact.

Taryn stood at the door with her arms folded across her stomach while Demoto stood behind her, leaning on the doorframe. Ayo still hadn’t looked up to see them yet, so they just watched him for a few minutes. Both more in love with him than they ever thought possible.

“Ayo,” Demoto’s deep voice carried through the small room.

His head spun around and his eyes got big as he smiled and held his arms out. He threw his blocks down and took off running straight to them. Taryn smiled and held her hands out to him, meeting him halfway.

Demoto signed him out. “Y’all act like y’all ain’t just seen each other this morning.”

Taryn kissed all over Ayo’s face as he held onto her head. “Heyyy, Yo-Yo.”

“Hey, Mommy. Bonjour, Papa.” He looked at Demoto.

Demoto grabbed him from Taryn and handed her his book bag. “What’s going on, baby Youngblood?”

Ayo giggled. “I not baby Youngblood. I Ayo.”

“Yes you are Ayo, baby. But your last name is Youngblood, so you’re baby Youngblood, too.”

“Noooo, Mommy, your baby is baby Youngblood.”

Demoto and Taryn looked at each other and smiled. All they could do was laugh at him. He was way too smart for his own good. He was always referring to Azmera as her baby. He never said his brother or sister. It was hilarious to them. When they got to the car, Demoto strapped him into his seat and they all left. Demoto sucked his teeth when they walked into the house. He had forgotten all about the balloons in the living room. He had wanted to get rid of those before Ayo got home.

Taryn noticed his facial expression and smiled. “Just go get the stuff out of the car.”

Demoto slapped balloons out of his way as he went back and forth to the car, bringing everything they’d bought from the store for Azmera into the house. It took him a minute, but since Taryn was busy in the kitchen cooking anyway, he went ahead and began setting things up in her room. They had already bought a brown crib, so now all they had to do was put her bedding in it.

Halfway through his task, Taryn came in and sat in the rocking chair. She rocked back and forth, watching him. She was about to say something when she heard the doorbell ringing. She got up to see who it was. She was surprised to see Kia and Jacko. Kia too was showing, being that she was just hitting her seventh month.

She looked so pretty and her hair was growing so long. Her daughter was definitely adding pounds on her petite frame as well.

“What y’all doing over here?” Taryn stepped to the side to let them in.

“What the fuck y’all got all these damn balloons in here for?” Jacko pushed one of them out of his face.

“I surprised Demoto earlier.”

Kia turned toward Taryn and screamed. “It’s a girl?”

“Yep! Now they can be sister cousins.”

“Thank God! It was taking you long enough to go find out.”

Taryn sat down on the sofa. “Bitch, did you forget that I was being held hostage or what?”

They looked at each other and fell out laughing. “Oh damn, I forgot.”

“I see… Moto! Kia and Jacko are here.”

Jacko and Kia sat down on the sofa and relaxed. A few minutes later, Demoto came into the living room with them. He pushed Ayo out of the middle of the floor and over into the corner.

“Hell y’all just coming from?”

“Target. I had to register. You know the baby shower is coming up.” Kia’s eyes got big as she turned to look at Taryn. “Oooh, now we can have it together. Since they’re both girls.”

“Yesssss!” Taryn squealed.

Demoto and Jacko rolled their eyes at the girls.

“What you naming her?” Kia asked.

“I know you see Azmera Youngblood on the front of this shirt.”

Kia covered her mouth and laughed as she finally paid attention to Taryn’s shirt.

“Oh damn. Well, good. Her name starts with an A like Alice’s.”

Kia and Jacko had long ago decided to name their daughter after Kia’s mother. Like Taryn, she hadn’t had the pleasure of having a life with her, so they would pay homage to her by naming their daughter after her.

“So, y’all both trying to be all extra and name y’all babies after y’all mamas and shit?” Demoto made fun of them both.

“Oh, Azmera was your mama’s name, Pretty-Lee?” Jacko said.

“Yep.”

“Oh, that’s what’s up. Y’all are lame for that shit, though.”

“Ain’t it. Too old for that shit.” Demoto stood up to grab his red phone from the table. Taryn pinched his butt as soon as he stood up.

He shot her a look before smiling and answering his ringing phone. He stepped into the hallway so that he could hear before saying anything.

“Yeah.”

“Taryn-Lee Youngblood. 6785 Forrest Road. Columbus GA. Friday.”

The world stopped. Breathing became a task in that moment. The beating of his heart and the exchange between his brain and the rest of his body ended at that moment. Demoto wanted to grab the top of his head, but even moving seemed to be impossible. The blurry specs of color floating around in his eyes clashed with the rapid spinning of his head, causing the power in his knees to give out and he fell to the floor.

“Demoto!” Taryn screamed his name. “Demoto! Get up!” She slapped the side of his face, lightly.

Demoto opened his eyes and tried to focus, but it was hard. He could see them leaning over him, but he couldn’t see their faces clearly. He tried to sit up and was able to with the help of Jacko. When he was seated with his back against the wall in their hallway, things started to clear up. He rubbed his eyes and looked around for a minute without saying anything.

“Baby, what happened? Did you pass out?” Taryn looked at him with concern all over her face.

He stared at her for a long time before looking around the floor to see if he could locate his phone. When he saw it still open and against the wall, he knew that it was real. He had just been hired to kill his wife. How in the fuck did that happen? Who in the hell wanted her dead? She didn’t even know anybody like that.