Nothing But A Tragedy

Chap. 26: Revelation

January 4, 2016; 6:30 p.m.

Anabella (Brandon's Mom)

"Peek-a-boo!" Lailani giggled and kicked her feet in the air, with her big brown eyes shining. I tickled Ashton and he giggled and squirmed around. I swear I love these two, Brandon has done a lot, but these two are his greatest accomplishments. Not only because they're adorable, but they don't cry and aren't hassling at all.

"Mommy!" Courtney ran into the room and turned the TV to ABC. "Courtney, I had Blues Clues on for a reason."

"We do not know who has been shot, but we do believe it is an African American woman or Afro-Latina woman. Again, if you are just tuning in a woman has been shot in one of the courtrooms of the United States District Court. We're now learning that the daughter of the victim is singer Roc Royal's girlfriend. We are now getting her name... Hernandez... Mrs. Jocelyn Hernandez is the victim. She was pronounced dead on the scene and it seems that she was shot following the verdict, apparently the shooter was trying to shoot a young male by the name of Brandon Carrasco, who is the boyfriend of the defendant who was released today. Now we have learned that Brandon was shot in the shoulder or arm, and rushed to the hospital. His condition is unknown as of now, however he left conscious and comprehensive. No one other than Brandon Carrasco is hurt, and sadly Mrs. Jocelyn Hernandez is dead."

I covered my mouth and quickly turned off the TV, confused by everything I just heard. Niyah's mother is dead, and someone tried to kill my baby? I got my phone and called Gia, waiting for her to answer.

"Mommy is Brandon okay?"

"Yes baby he is I'm checking on him now." I answered Courtney. The phone rang two more times until she finally answered.

"Hey mama. Brandon's on his way to Langone Hospital, he's with that Selangie girl." It was Niyah who picked up. I didn't know what to say, she just witnessed her mother being killed, what could I say. "Ma you there?"

"Yeah I'm sorry, I'm just.. so glad you're safe Niyah, I hope Brandon is okay." I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair. "I'm gonna go down to the hospital and I'll bring the kids with me... I'm sorry about your mother Niyah."

"Thanks, I'll be fine though. I'll meet you at the hospital and take the kids so you can focus on Brandon."

"Okay, I love you baby girl."

"Love you too." Then the call ended.

~

Everything going on brought back memories of my childhood, and how I lost my mother to a gun shot when I was 15-years-old. I remember that day like it happened yesterday, and I was so mad at her. I thought that maybe if she just wasn't a drug addict she wouldn't have gotten shot. I was mad at everyone, everything, and I didn't know what to do about it. But I found comfort in Brandon's father, and he treated me like a princess, I swear he did.

He was a drug dealer, I knew he was, and I hated drug dealers with a passion until I met him. They gave my mother the drugs, fed her addiction, they were killing her slowly. But not Cháto, that's what they called him on the block, he was a sweetheart, so charming and polite. Family oriented, and was only a thug when it came to business.

But one day, I heard him talking to his friend, and he was talking about something that happened years before. I was 17 and pregnant by this time, and the 2 years I built with him went away after this very moment.

"One time the boss told me to off this crackhead bitch. I was hesitant 'cause she was bad as fuck bro." I remember they started laughing and he took a pull from his weed. I hated weed, but I loved him so I dealt with it.