LUCIOUS & COOKIE: TUG OF WAR II (REMASTERED)

WHEN IT ALL FALLS DOWN PT II

Hakeem

I locked the door to my dressing room while answering my baby girl Arianna as she tried to Facetime me...it's almost 11:30 and the concert is winding down...but it's way past her bed time I thought to myself.

"Surprise...Hey daddy, it's me Ari. How was your show?" Her excited high pitched three year old voice squealed at me, she was bouncing up and down on what looked like the bed in her mother's room while she spoke to me. I flopped down onto the couch in the corner of the room while the flat screen showed Mal and Skye finishing up the last versus of their song together. I chuckled at her excitement.

"I know it's you and I'm fine daddy's pretty baby. How are you and what are you doing up this late, it's past your bed time...where's mommy Ari?" I asked because our daughter calling me this late is very weird and I kinda have the feeling that Laura doesn't know anything about it. 

"I'm okay. Mommy's in the shower daddy." I heard my baby spit out while smiling and grinning into the screen. She's been beautiful and jovial since the very day she was born...Ari has the kinda spirit that's infectious...I mean even if you were in a bad mood and she came around, you'd more than likely leave feeling better and if you didn't then something was wrong wit ya ass.

I took a deep breath and popped a few pieces of Skittles in my mouth, the show had gone perfectly, no doubt we raised a ton of cash tonight and this will definitely be good for Empire in the public eye.

"Daddy...when are you coming to see me?" She whined next and I felt my heart sink because I'd been so busy with handling Gutta Life business, takin' care of Tianna, and getting ready for this concert that me and Ari have only talked to each other over Facetime these past four weeks. 

My baby loves me and with her little brother due shortly...the guilt of her not knowing all of her true family or her not even having my last name is starting to mount with each passing day.

I unleashed a frustrated breath as the crowd applauded while the wounded solider memorial video popped up across the huge screens plastered at the back and on both sides of the stage. 

"Baby, I promise that daddy will be by to see you real soon." I ran my had over my head because in a little while I won't be able to hide my daughter from public eye and I'll have to let the world know or at least my wife and family that is. 

"Baby girl, you still didn't tell me why you're up so late and how did you know about daddy's show?" I blurted next and propped both of my legs up against the cushions beside me.

"Oh daddy I heard my uncle and his friends with the bulls on their backs talking about you and a show tonight the other day. He told me to make sure that I called you at exactly this time." She nonchalantly tossed my way, and I was caught off guard cuz I'm pretty sure I know all of Laura's brothers and I don't recall any of them having friends with bulls on their backs. 

Hustle and bustle filled the halls outside of my dressing room door cuz we're streaming and broadcasting live around the globe, as my dad strolled onto the stage and grabbed the mic to wrap up the evening.

"You're uncle...what uncle baby?" I fished. 

"Uncle Laz daddy...he's been away in Cal-i-for-nia but when papa Estaban died he came back and has been staying with me and mommy." She told me and my mind screamed...UNCLE LAZ...What the fuck do you mean? The voice in my head chanted. 

At that very moment the building went black and then the power shot back on within a few seconds. The flat screen flickered then dad's face flashed before me once more but just as he brought the mic up to his lips, he was interrupted by a static filled screen attempting to come into focus on the jumbo screen behind him.