The Unusual Suspects Book 2

Charles

"I'm so full." Iris whined as we walked through the park. I laughed a little. "Don't be a dick Chuckie." She managed to get out.
"Hey this is your fault. You're the one who insisted on trying each flavor of cake until you could decide which one for the wedding." Man she did literally try 27 different options. I know her stomach had to feel uneasy.
"Hush! I needed to know we were making the right choice." She said attempting to defend her own actions.
"Tell your belly that, not me." She punched me in my arm as I continued to laugh. "All of that just to choose white in the end." I said as we sat down on a bench.
"I'm just saying: it's a classic that can't be fucked with." She leaned over and placed her head on my shoulder as we sat there quietly for a while.
I often felt like things moved so quickly and abruptly that we never could just be still. This moment felt good.
"This is a dope spot." I said to her.
"It is. Or maybe because I haven't felt this calm in a long time." She said.
"I'm surprised you know what calm is girl." Even she had to laugh at that.
"You're my calm place though. Even when everything around us is a whirlwind, you remain level headed and calm. We balance each other out. Which is another reason why I adore you."
"Likewise baby. I know we joke a lot about you being extra, but I wouldn't want you any other way Iris. You give me life for real."
"And now we can officially blend ours." She said as she grabbed ahold of my hand.
"That we are." I said to her. She abruptly sat up. "You okay?" I asked her.
"Babe...I have to be honest with you. This moment is not by chance, I needed you in this headspace for a reason."
"What you mean?" I asked her.
"She means that this was the best way." I heard a voice say that I hadn't heard in years. So many emotions just ran through my body but confusion was the most prominent. I stood up and turned in the direction of the voice and there he was. For the first time in about 5 years, I heard my father's voice. I didn't know how to feel.
"I reached out to them because I felt like our wedding wouldn't be right without them." She said to me and I just started shaking my head.
"Why? He don't give a fuck about me?" I said looking him dead in the eye.
"That's not true. I may not agree with how you're living your life; but you're a part of me that I care for deeply. Charles when I look at you, I see myself. I see exactly where I was at your age. Torn...you don't want the life your living. I know you don't." He said.
"And what life is that?" I asked him. "Hmm? Since you know everything, tell me what life is that?" I said as he came closer to me.
"This thug life. Son when I watched you play all those different instruments growing up, I knew music was your thing. So why still be in the streets? I saw the showing of your listening party. That was fantastic. Magical, one might say. Why would you want to jeopardize any of that?"
"What choice do I have? I can't fund that without that other money that I ma...wait! Why am I explaining myself to you? You haven't reached out a helping hand. You left me in the streets of Chicago to figure it out. You left me in the rain and now you disapprove of how I found shelter. You're one self righteous son of a..."
"I don't care how you feel about me nor how old you are, you better not even think of disrespecting me."
"I was gonna say gun. Son of a gun. See...not much has changed. You still always think the worst of me. It's easy to write me off, huh?" I said as I stared in his eyes. "It must be because in the end where have you been for these years?? Not a call, text, email, letter, smoke signal...just nothing. I'm just curious as to how do you just reduce everything to make it seem like nothing major at this point."
"You know when your mum was carrying you, I used to lay my head by her belly and pray with for you. I knew I couldn't be omnipresent, so I wanted to make sure you were covered. And each day since you've been on this earth, I've done the same. Son, I love you more than life itself. But I know I can't save you from this world. I love you and I care about you but I had to allow you to be who you were gonna become. I wasn't trying to be absent, I was trying to let you live on your own terms. That's something I can't relate to. I wasn't rewarded that, there were strict guidelines and regulations and I resented my parents for it. I didn't want that for you. So I had loosened the reins and before I knew it, I saw you out there being a thug. I blamed myself because I should've paid more attention to prevent it from happening. I didn't know what to do so I reached out to Widow. And the only brotherly advice he could offer me was to let you choose your own path. Sometimes I wonder was that real advice or did he just want you for himself. Be that as it may, I'm not proud of my actions or behavior but I'm here now. And I will remain here unless you tell me that's not what you want." This was all so unexpected and mind boggling honestly. I don't know how to respond or act but I still have a valid question for him. I just knew within myself I really didn't want this answer but I had to know.
"So just you though? You came alone. So are you the only one who feels this way?" I just needed to hear the words at this point. Enough is enough.