Epilogue
Two Years Later
Kylee sat out on her front porch, smiling, while looking out at the beautiful, clear blue water as Eli ran around the yard playing with his two daughters.
“Be careful, nigga, those are not boys,” Kylee yelled as Eli grabbed both girls in his arms and began swinging them around.
“I got this.” He smiled as both girls giggled.
“I’m glad Tionna let you bring Sy’onn over here,” Kylee looked over at Ja’Nay and said.
“I’m glad too. She was bein’ a bitch at first until Big Ness told her it would be fucked up if she didn’t let his daughter be a part of her daddy’s weddin’. I guess she started feelin’ bad and told me I could bring her wit’ me.”
“Yeah, man, that bitch do be trippin’. Eli told me when he first asked her, Edna’s miserable ass was in the background talkin’ shit about Sy’onn flyin’ to Jamaica wit’ a stranger,” Kylee said, shaking her head.
“Fuck Edna.” Ja’Nay laughed.
“That’s what I said.” Kylee laughed too.
“So, are you excited about the weddin’?” Ja’Nay asked, smiling, happy for her girl.
“I’m kinda’ nervous.” Kylee smiled.
“Don’t be, girl; you gon’ be a beautiful bride and I know Eli is gon’ be a wonderful husband. I’m so glad you finally found happiness. I remember when you used to be dead set against fallin’ in love,” Ja’Nay said.
“Thanks, Ja’Nay. I really appreciate you flyin’ over here to be a part of my weddin’,” Kylee said gratefully. “Eli’s family is being very helpful and supportive, but ain’t nothin’ like ya own.”
“I wouldn’t have missed this for the world. We been talkin’ about bein’ in each other’s weddin’s since I was gon’ marry Michael Jackson during his Thriller days and you was gon’ marry Prince during his Purple Rain days,” Ja’Nay said, laughing.
“Right.” Kylee laughed too forgetting all about their schoolgirl crushes.
“Are you gon’ invite I’reon and your parents?” Ja’Nay asked carefully.
Kylee thought for a brief moment before answering. “I haven’t spoken to them since I left Ohio. It’s been two years so I doubt if they would even come.”
“You never know.”
“You right, I won’t,” Kylee said sadly.
“Kylee, don’t be like that,” Ja’Nay pleaded.
“Whatever,” Kylee said, waving Ja’Nay off. “You just don’t know.”
“I know yo’ daddy would love to walk his only daughter down the aisle,” Ja’Nay said, smiling.
When Kylee was a little girl she had dreamt of having Vince give her away to whatever special man was lucky enough to become her husband. Knowing that she had been lied to and deceived for so many years by her parents made it hard for her to face them much less have them present on her special day.
“I can’t believe you didn’t come home when Tony died,” Ja’Nay said. “I just knew you would be there front and center. You loved your godfather.”
A little too much, Kylee thought.
Thinking and talking about Tony still stirred up sad feelings inside of Kylee. Even though she never got to speak to him before he passed, she still had a soft spot in her heart for him; he was her biological father.
“I didn’t wanna be around all them fake muthafuckas! So I just sent flowers. That was enough,” Kylee said, wanting to be there but unable to face her past.
“Man, that funeral was packed like a Lil Wayne concert,” Ja’Nay joked.
“I bet it was,” Kylee said, smiling.
“I feel so sorry for I’reon though,” Ja’Nay said.
“What’s wrong wit’ her?” Kylee inquired.
“Man, after Tony died, she just been depressed and shit. Every time I call her she in the bed, ’sleep. Even wit’ all the money and other shit Tony left her and this sister no one knew about, she still goin’ through it.”
“Sister?” Kylee asked. Damn, I thought me and I’reon were his only kids.
“Yeah, word on the street is Tony had another daughter no one knew about and he left her half his money, some property, and some other stuff. I heard she didn’t want anything to do wit’ Tony; that’s why she never contacted his estate attorney to claim her possessions,” Ja’Nay said, repeating the rumors that were going around.
“Damn, Tony got another daughter? That’s crazy,” Kylee said.
“Oooooh, and I heard he didn’t leave Sylvia shit! I guess she’d been messin’ around on him and Tony knew about it but never said anything, and when she went to the readin’ of the will, he left her absolutely nothin’. She had to move out the house and everything,” Ja’Nay said.
Karma, Kylee thought with a smile. “Sylvia was messin’ around? Wow, that’s crazy. Did anyone know who with?” Kylee asked.
“Naw, the streets ain’t singin’ no names, and yeah, that’s messed up she was cheatin’ all the time,” Ja’Nay said, shaking her head in disbelief.
“So, have you heard from Quann lately?” Kylee asked, changing the subject.
“Yeah, he called me the other day and asked me if I could send him a food box,” Ja’Nay replied.
“That nigga still in jail?” Kylee asked, surprised.
“Yeah, he got out and went right back like thirty days later. This time he gon’ be gone for about ten years,” Ja’Nay said uncaringly.
“So what you tell him about the food box?”
“I told him hell naw! I got a child to take care of now and if he woulda treated me like I deserved to be treated while he was out, I wouldn’a minded holdin’ him down while he locked up! He betta get one of them other bitches to get him a box. I’m done bein’ his dummy.” Ja’Nay frowned.
“I heard that.” Kylee smiled, happy that her girl had finally come to her senses.
“I need to take this; this Tay,” Ja’Nay said, looking down at her ringing cell phone.
“Ummm, he callin’ to check on his woman.” Kylee laughed.
“Whatever.” Ja’Nay laughed before standing up and walking into the house to answer her call. Kylee looked out at the girls as they had fun with their dad and smiled. She loved the fact Eli was a stand-up father when it came to his children. They wanted for nothing. At first, Kylee selfishly told Eli she wanted him to have nothing to do with Ja’Nay and their daughter. After the birth of Reign and the DNA coming back 99.9 percent positive that Eli was the father, Kylee knew it wasn’t right for Eli to not be a part of his daughter’s life.
Kylee continued watching Eli play with the girls. She knew she’d made the right choice by leaving the country with the man she loved. Eli made her happier than she’d ever been. She was more than grateful that he’d done everything he promised her he’d do. He made sure that every day of her life was spent happy. No doubt they had their ups and downs like any other relationship, but Eli went out of his way to make sure there were more ups than anything. For the past year he’d even tried to repair her broken relationship with I’reon and her parents. Being the stubborn person she was she always refused to do so. Eli still never knew the real reason behind their fallout, but he always stressed to her that whatever happened it couldn’t be that bad to where they couldn’t work it out. True enough, Kylee wanted to call her parents, but she didn’t know how they would react toward her. After Tony had died from a heart attack the urge had become stronger, because even though she hadn’t talked to them, the thought of losing them would still be too much for her to bear.
Tears filled Kylee’s eyes as thoughts of parents and not having the opportunity to say good-bye crossed her mind. She’d forgiven people for doing way worse; why not her own parents? In the end they were only trying to protect her, and Vince had never treated her any differently. It wasn’t their fault she’d been sleeping with her own dad, which was really the root of all her pain and turmoil. Kylee had felt so low and dirty she was unable to admit any blame in the situation that had been created.
Eli walked up on the porch and leaned down and gave Kylee a kiss on the lips.
“What was that for?” she looked up and asked, smiling.
“Just because I love you,” Eli said, smiling back.
“I love you too, Eli, more than you will ever know.”
“Trust me, I know.” He winked before walking back off the porch and continued playing with the girls.
Kylee was satisfied with her life, but it still wasn’t complete. Even with a fiancé who loved her to death, a beautiful home, and her best friend back, something was still missing. She pulled out her cell phone and dialed her parents’ home phone. Her heart pounded as she waited on one of them to answer.
“Hello?” they both answered at the same time.
“Mommy, Daddy?” Kylee said as tears formed in her eyes.
“Kylee?” they both asked, shocked. They were hoping this wasn’t a cruel trick; it had been so long since they had heard from their daughter.
“Yes,” Kylee said as the tears fell.
“Oh, my God, Vince, it’s our baby,” her mother cried.
Hearing her mother still consider her their baby brought a smile to her face. “I love y’all,” Kylee cried.
“We love you too, Kylee,” they said simultaneously.
After speaking to her parents and them agreeing to fly in so Vince, her daddy, could walk his baby girl down the aisle, Kylee was ecstatic. She hung up with her parents and knew what she had to do in order for her life to be complete: she called I’reon.
“Hello?” I’reon answered.
“I’reon?”
“Yes?”
“This Kylee.”
I’reon was quiet at first. Kylee thought that was a bad sign.
“Look, I know you probably mad at me but I’m sorry,” Kylee said.
“Bitch, ’bout time you called me. I’ve been waitin’ to hear from you for two years,” I’reon said happily.
Kylee was relieved. “I’m sorry, I was just goin’ through some things and I just wanna apologize.”
“Look, girl, I understand and I’m the one who owes you an apology,” I’reon said.
“What you do?” Kylee inquired.
“I had no business keepin’ a secret like that from you, but I promised my mom I wouldn’t say anything to you. I used to feel bad because I couldn’t tell you.” I’reon’s eyes filled with tears. “And I found out after dad had passed that y’all was messin’ around.”
“I don’t wanna talk about that,” Kylee said, feeling sick to her stomach.
“I know, Kylee, that it’s a touchy subject, but I promised myself that if I ever got the chance to speak to you I would tell you this.”
“What?” Kylee asked quickly.
“Dad knew you was his daughter,” I’reon said.
“What?” Kylee asked, not believing what I’reon was telling her.
“Yeah, he knew. Before he died he had wrote me a letter tellin’ me that you was his daughter and he was sleepin’ with you. He didn’t know at first, he found out by mistake, but it was too late so he continued sleeping with you ’cause he didn’t look at you like his daughter. That’s why he gave you a monthly allowance, trying to compensate for knowin’ he was fuckin’ his own daughter,” I’reon said, shaking her head in disgust.
Kylee was in awe hearing Tony knew she was his child. Kylee was done crying; that was all in her past. She was about to take the same advice she had once given to Tionna and many other females. She was about to focus on her future and forget her past and move on.
“So, I hear Tony had another daughter he left money to but she didn’t want it,” Kylee said, upset because he’d left her with nothing but ill feelings.
“That’s only because they couldn’t find her,” I’reon said.
“Well where is she?”
“Over in Jamaica,” I’reon said, smiling.
“What’s her name? Maybe I can help you find her,” Kylee said.
“She’s not lost. I’m talkin’ to her ass right now,” I’reon said, laughing.
“Who me?” Kylee asked, surprised.
“Yeah, you. Me and you were his only children,” I’reon said, laughing. “Nobody knew where you were at so your money is just sittin’ in a trust fund.”
“Wow, how much is it?” Kylee asked, happy.
“Let’s just say you’ll never have to work another day in your life, not that you planned on gettin’ a job anyways,” I’reon joked.
“You’re right about that.” Kylee laughed.
“It sure is nice hearin’ from you, sis.”
Even though I’reon had called Kylee sis for years, saying the word now and knowing that they really were sisters gave the word a different feeling. “I feel the same way,” Kylee said, glad that I’reon wasn’t mad at her for cutting her out of her life for the last two years.
Kylee and I’reon talked a few more minutes. She was happy when I’reon agreed to take the next flight out to be a part of her wedding. Kylee was even happier when I’reon said Shawn wouldn’t be able to come on such short notice. Kylee didn’t know how to tell her sister that Eli and his family weren’t big on gays anyways. After she hung up, Ja’Nay walked back out on the porch with a huge smile on her face.
“What you smilin’ for?” Kylee looked up at her and asked.
“I’m just happy that’s all. I got my best friend back, I got my baby, my man, and I’m just in a happy place in my life right now.”
“That’s wassup.” Kylee smiled, genuinely happy for her girl.
“I just wish I’reon could be here to share our happiness,” Ja’Nay said.
“Your wish will be granted ’cause her and my parents are flyin’ out tonight.” Kylee smiled.
“For real?” Ja’Nay asked, skeptically.
“Yeah, I’m for real.” Kylee smiled.
“When did you talk to ’em?”
“When you were in the house talkin’ to Tay,” Kylee answered.
“That’s what I’m talkin’ about,” Ja’Nay said happily. “This is the best day of my life.”
“Mines too,” Kylee agreed.
“What made you change your mind about callin’ ’em?”
Kylee looked over at Ja’Nay before she spoke. “It was just time,” was all Kylee said.
Ja’Nay smiled and shook her head in agreement.
Kylee looked over at Ja’Nay and smiled.She was happy to have her girl back in her life. It had taken time, but Ja’Nay and Kylee had rebuilt their relationship. It took Kylee time to realize, understand, and feel all the pain and destruction she’d caused on other relationships, including Tionna’s and Sylvia’s. Ja’Nay had been trying to tell her for so long that eventually karma would make her way back around, and without it being planned Ja’Nay ended up being the one teaching Kylee firsthand how it felt. How could she not forgive Ja’Nay for making a mistake when for years she’d been the sneaky, devious chick who men loved only because she’d been willing to do what ya girl won’t do!