Triad Tourists

Epilogue

"Please remove your items. They will be given back to you after the visit." The police says.

I leave a bunch of things on the table an let him slide it away. "I can explain the blood. I'm a Surgeon nearby, and I just stopped by."

He shows his understanding. "It is fine, just don't touch anything."

I nod. "Sure."

He leads me to another officer, who leads me to a door. It let's off a loud beep and opens. There, I see many people gathering in tears and happiness in front of loved ones. I look around until I find the person I'm looking for, which isn't too hard considering she's the only woman in an orange suit.

She has her back turned, so I walk towards the woman with the puffy low ponytail. It was braided down the middle, meaning it was stopped because of this meeting.

I knock on the table, grabbing her attention. She looks at me with teary eyes and smiles. "Tallulah."

I take a seat across the table from her. I'm not here for games or anything, so my face is dry from emotions. I'm not visibly sad, or angry, or confused or hurt or anything. "Glad to be here.....Zestra."

I see someone touch Zestra on the shoulder. "How are you, baby?" They say.

"You interrupted an important conversation, Spida." I look at him. He smiles at my father, not noticing me for her large body. I force tears away and rest my face once again. "So you've been seeing my ex...still."

Lord, give me strength, don't cry girl.

Spida looks at me as if he saw a ghost. "Tallulah? W-what are you doing here?" He looks between us. "You've never come before."

"Can't see my Dad? Awe, don't keep him to yourself." I spit. "You took enough," my heart, my pride, my confidence, my -now dead- love for most men, "let us share this." I look to my father who wears sadness.

When he's the one keeping the secret.

"Take a seat." I snap. My chair slides from under me as I stand. I move it back to give Spida and the woman room. "This will be an interesting conversation." I sigh.

"What will be interesting?" I see Kelan walking towards us. It's easier to hear familiar voices for him.

I chuckle and glance at my uneasy ex-father. "Now that everyone is here:" I sit down in the chair. "Let's have a conversation."

Kelan searches for a chair and makes sure I'm next to him before sitting. "Dad?"

"I'm here, son."

Kelan does a double take. "...Dad?"

"It's me, I know I sound dif-"

"My nigga shut- mchht!" Kelan basically throws his cane to the floor and storms away from the table.

"Kelan!" I call, but he angrily waves me off.

"My nigga! Nigga don't play wit me right now fam!" He breaks down where he is: eyes balling, voice crawling, lip quivering breakdown. But he doesn't fall on his knees."Nigga played with my life to get a vagina! I can't believe this! Why would you bring me here T?!"

An officer, who I'm sure knows what happened, tries to comfort Kelan, but by the way I see it, the officer helps Kelan leave without his cane. "Son, you need a minute? We can let you step outside for a minute." He speaks to my brother with a comforting tone.

Kelan wipes his face, still unable to stop bawling in the middle of the meeting room. "Ye~s ssir r."

"Alright, I see you there your cane, so I'll walk you outside and we can talk. Ok?" Kelan nods in response. He grips the uniform of the officer, basically prepping to use him as a crutch. They quickly exit the room.

The couple looks at me with plea. I don't know what they expect me to do about him, he's grown. "I guess that's my que to leave then." I pick up his cane and start to leave.

"What about our conversation? You came to talk to Zest!" Spida calls.

"I've got a lot to tell you too!" Zestra calls.

"You mutha-duckas didn't just see KO walk outta here shell shocked? Nigga ion wanna talk!" I turn to them. "If Kelan doesn't forgive you, who am I to lie to myself and say I do? He's more of a victim than me. When he's ready, we're ready."

When I'm out of the room, I clutch Kelan's cane and let it out. I didn't expect it to go like that. Kelan knew about the situation in his coma, plus the year and change since Zestra went to jail. It's finally hitting me. Coming to terms with how bad my father is, coming to terms that my family is bleeding, coming to terms that my ex is in love with my dad, coming to terms with the days that keep going without me. Coming to terms with the fact that time ain't healing our wounds. Seeing her face, them together, and the way Kelan broke. I saw it in his eyes.

We're so sick of being sick! Kelan is my family, and Kyle, and Ki, and whoever else we love and who loves us back! Whoever loves us back.