CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

BAMBI

 

My husband was sitting on the edge of the bed with his head lowered. I knew we had to make moves after Camp’s death but he was in pieces from losing his brother.

I wasn’t sure if he was capable of an attack.

I wanted to say something that I thought would help get him through this moment. Something to give him strength now.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered.

He looked up at me, his eyes red and swollen. “This isn’t your fault, Bambi. I don’t want you thinking that shit.”

“That’s not what I mean,” I said softly. “I’m sorry for what I did to your aunt Bunny. I’m sorry for taking the one person you cared about outside of me and the kids and your brothers.” I paused. “I don’t know if it’s possible but I’m hoping in the future that you will be able to forgive me. And if not, I’m willing to die trying.”

His expression went from sorrow to something I couldn’t read. He stood up and walked toward me. I guess I picked the wrong thing to say because I felt like he was about to hurt me. Instead, he pulled me to his body and my face nestled into the center of his chest.

“You never said sorry, until now,” he exhaled. “That’s all I ever wanted, Bambi. I thought you didn’t care about how I felt. I thought I didn’t matter.” He kissed me on my forehead and my cheeks before moving to my lips. “Thank you, baby. You’ll never know how much your apology means to me.” And then he looked into my eyes, his lips quivering. “I…I forgive you now.”

And just like that, I could feel the tension that stood between us for so long disappear. It was as if all of the months we barely said two words to each other didn’t happen. As if he never left my side. My husband returned to me during his darkest hour and I was eternally grateful.

When he left almost two years ago, I took care of this family on my own. I was in charge of keeping my sisters moving forward even when I didn’t have the strength. When he came back I thought I didn’t need him.

I was wrong.

I was stronger with my husband, not apart from him and I would never allow time to pass between us again. Losing Camp reminded me that time was too precious to waste on bullshit.

I was a Kennedy.

And he was the man who chose me.

He placed both hands on the sides of my face and looked down at me. “We have to stick together. Shit is about to get thick and I can’t take something happening to you.”

Suddenly there was a frantic knock at the door. When it opened, it was Race. “You gotta come to the living room. Melo and Noah are fist fighting!”

 

****

 

When I walked into the living room only to see my sons brawling all over the floor, I thought I was seeing things. Noah was on top of Melo, pulling at the blue t-shirt he was wearing until he pulled the collar out of place. Because they were identical, he looked as if he were trying to kill himself.

Why were they fighting?

I was stuck, unable to make a move. Luckily, Kevin rushed past me and grabbed Noah’s white t-shirt before he came down on his brother’s face with a beer bottle.

Finally able to move, I quickly grabbed Melo.

“What the fuck is going on in here, sons?” Kevin yelled as he pushed Noah back so that he could not engage Melo again.

At this point, the entire family assembled in the living room.

“It’s nothing, dad,” Melo said as he paced the floor with his hands over his face. Sweat poured down his forehead and I saw the veins on his temple throb.

“Don’t tell me it’s nothing!” Kevin yelled. “I got eyes and what I see right now is my sons fighting each other! As if we didn’t just find out your uncle was murdered. As if we don’t have enough pain in this family already.” He paused. “Now what the fuck is going on?”

Melo held his head down and shook it. “He disrespected mama,” he said trying to catch his breath. He leaned up against the wall. “And I stole him in the face for it.”

I looked at Noah, trying to figure out what was going on.

“Is this true?” Kevin asked.

Silence.

“Son, answer me,” Kevin yelled at Noah. “Why are you disrespecting your mother?”

Noah looked at me with rage in his eyes. There was no denying that he hated me. My only question was what had I done wrong in his opinion this time. “This is all her fault,” Noah said pointing at me. “It always is and always will be.”

“What is her fault?” Kevin responded.

“That Uncle Camp is dead!” he yelled. “All she cares about is money and now my uncle is dead! I hate her!”

I bit down on my bottom lip, trying to prevent myself from crying.

“Son, your mother wasn’t responsible for my brother being murdered. She isn’t responsible for any of this shit! If anything, she’s done all she can to protect this family but shit happens. It’s the nature of the business and now we got to stick together and deal with it.” He alternated his stare between Noah and Melo. “And you’re both old enough to know what I’m talking about. No more sugarcoating. This family deals coke and as a result, someone we loved died.”

“Yes she is responsible!” Noah yelled. “Everything she fucking touches rots! She killed Aunt Bunny and she tried to kill you too, dad. Aunt Bunny laid it all out in the letter she wrote me before she died.”

I could feel Ramirez and Bradley look at me and I felt uncomfortable.

“Son, I don’t know why you think your mother would be responsible for killing Aunt Bunny but it’s not true,” he lied. “And whoever told you that, including your deceased aunt Bunny, is a fucking liar.”

Upon hearing Kevin’s response, my heartbeat increased. I had to look over at him because he was saying a lie that he knew to be untrue so calmly that if we hadn’t spoke about it, I would’ve believed him.

Noah wiped the tears from his face and looked at all of us. “One of these days, ya’ll are going to realize that Bambi is evil,” he said, calling me by my name as if I were not his mother. “When it happens I’m going to laugh in all of your faces.” He rushed out of the front door without another word.

I was about to go behind him when Melo said, “I’ll go get him, ma.”

I walked up to the door before letting him leave. Looking up into his eyes, I put my hands on the sides of his shoulders. “It’s dangerous out there now, son. Very dangerous.” I put one hand on his cheek. “Don’t leave the property, Melo. Bring him back but if he refuses to return, let him go alone. I can’t have something happening to both of you.”

“I love you, ma. Always will.” He kissed me on the forehead and walked out.

 

****

MELO and NOAH

 

Melo and Noah were sitting in a small bar in a rural area in Virginia. Both brothers were feeling a little buzzed since they took several shots of Hennessey. Although they were not yet 21, the bar only cared about money, not age.

Things were serene now.

As if they never got into an argument, they talked about everything from college to girls.

Melo knew his brother and he knew how to calm him down before having a tough conversation. Melo tried to adjust the collar on the shirt he was wearing. Since Noah pulled it, it was stretched out and hanging off his right shoulder.

“Here, man,” Noah said taking off the white t-shirt he was wearing. “Wear this.”

“I’m fine,” Melo said with an extended hand.

“Take the shirt, man,” Noah persisted. “You look ridiculous.”

They laughed.

Melo took his blue shirt off and handed it to Noah who sat it on the bar. He slid on the white one. A few more moments passed between them. “Why do you hate ma so much?” Melo asked. “For real.”

Noah looked over at his twin who had the same face and shook his head. “You really know how to fuck up a wet dream.” He scratched his chest through his wife beater before grabbing a beer off the bar.

“I just wanna know, man,” Melo continued. “Why the hate against your own mother?”

He sighed. “I don’t know.” He shrugged. “Maybe it’s the fact that she hates me back.”

Melo’s eyebrows rose. “She doesn’t hate you.”

Noah laughed. “Me and you both know that ma don’t fuck with me. I think I remind her more of dad and you remind her of herself. That’s why ya’ll get along so well.”

“So you calling me a female?” Melo chuckled.

“I’m just stating the truth.” Noah rubbed his jaw. “And you far from a female, nigga. You landed a good one on me.” He paused. “I didn’t know you hit so hard.”

Melo chuckled before getting serious. “Listen, man, ma is going through a lot. With Uncle Camp being murdered, she’s going to need support. You know she was an alcoholic and I don’t want her backsliding because she thinks we don’t have her back.”

Noah sighed. “She’ll be fine.”

“I’m serious, man,” Melo pleaded. “Just be easy on—”

Melo’s statement was cut short when a black bag was draped over his head. When he heard his brother yelling, he figured the same thing was happening to him.

Melo couldn’t believe it.

They were being kidnapped, in a public bar, in broad daylight.

 

****

 

Although the dark hood remained over Melo’s face, he could feel the damp grass against his knees. He was trying to connect to his environment. Doing his best to remember the slightest details in case he made it out of the situation alive.

After about five minutes, there was laughter amongst the kidnappers and Melo felt awkward. How could they be so lackadaisical while their lives hung in the balance? All Melo could do was worry about his brother.

He contemplated screaming but his throat hurt so badly due to the yelling he’d done hours earlier that it would be useless. No audible sound would exit his mouth.

When Melo heard a bottle of champagne pop, anger coursed through his body.

Iakov clanked his glass against Arkadi’s before pouring the drink down his throat. Iakov snatched the hood off Melo’s head. “Any last words, Kennedy?” he asked him.

“Yes,” Melo said as a single tear rolled down his face. “When my parents find out what happened to me you will experience the worst murder you can imagine. I guarantee it.”

Iakov laughed although something in his eyes told him that Melo believed every last word he was saying.

“Do it, brother,” Iakov said to Arkadi. “Kill them both and get your revenge.”

Before Arkadi shot Noah, he said something that rocked Melo’s core. He was unable to think about it long because after Noah was finished, Arkadi moved to Melo, putting a bullet in his head.