A Story To Tell | Book 2

.39.

:::VANESSA:::

The waiting room was so sad to be in. Everyone was emotional, crying, or just sitting there in disbelief that Lamont had gone. Chris couldn't take the tension in the room, so she'd gotten up and left out.

It was as if my world had came tumbling down onto my body and I was unable to breathe. His daughter is literally found today and once she goes into his room and talks to him, he just up and decides that it's time to drift on to God. It just didn't make any sense to me right now. I just wanted him back.

Dorothy, my mother and father, my uncle Pray and uncle Callahan were standing in the middle of the room talking about the funeral arrangements and trying to come to some kind of agreement. I was just too emotional to join them. I wanted no parts of my brother's homecoming celebration. I just wanted out.

Standing up from the seat that I was resting in, I didn't bother saying anything to anyone. I just grabbed my keys and walked out of the room to find Keira posted against the wall in crocodile tears.

As bad as I wanted to walk over to her and console her, I just couldn't find it in myself to run over and wrap my arms around her. It was just too hard knowing that she and the one that I loved were actually in lust with each other. Part of me wanted some understanding about the situation, but it just wasn't the time to try and claim someone during a family crisis. And rather I wanted to or not, I had to accept the fact that Keira's my niece and I couldn't just react due to my feelings. But I knew that I loved Chris still and I wanted to be with her.

I'd taken some time and thought about the situation. It may haven't been the answer that I was looking for, but it took my brother being sick to realize that life is short and if we go along judging others for who they are and what they wanted to be, we weren't going to get anywhere in life. Chris wants to be a man and she's trying to pursue those expectations of a man. I mean, she had me fooled. She treated me how a man is supposed to treat a woman. And because she doesn't have something extra between her legs, I'm going to be selfish and pass up a good thing? No. I shouldn't do that.

I know that I'm wrong, but I can't stop and just let go of Chris when I've built something so special with her. I wanted her and I don't care if she's into Keira or not. She was the love of my heart first. And I'm going to see to it that Keira knows that.

Instead of consoling Keira who was against the wall, I just turn the corner down the hall and walk through the double doors. When I walked out into the lobby, I saw Chris outside on the bench, pulling her phone away from her ear and leaning over to Keira's daughter's car seat to check on her for a moment.

Pacing myself before walking out of the lobby doors, I clear my throat and readjust my clothing before completely walking out. When the doors had automatically opened, Chris looked up at me and gave me a small smile. I smiled back a little and sighed, not wanting to walk away. Instead, I just walked over to the bench where she was seated and sat on the opposite side of the busy car seat. Chris sighed and looked towards me.

"Vanessa, I just wanna say that I'm sorry for your loss." She mentioned.

"Thanks." I say. "Keira's taking it really hard." I mention.

"I know. It's a sad thing when all you wanted was to be with your father and this is how you see him after longing for him. All she ever wanted was to be with him. It's a sad case." She shook her head.

"Yea. Lamont was my best friend. He knew everything about me. There was nothing I couldn't tell him. He was my teacher, my counselor, and my guidance. He was all of those things. I just don't know what I'm gonna do without him." I say, wanting to cry, but just couldn't find the tears any longer. I had most definitely cried them out these past couple of days. "He even knew about us." I mention.