Can't Change the Past

~5~

Shawn POV

"Carter, my office!" I looked up and the chief was motioning me to follow him. I got up and walked towards his office.
"Oooo looks like Carter is in trouble."
"Shouldn't have let that kid throw rocks in the lake man."
"Nah it was probably the old lady who was soliciting those birds with bread."
Everybody had jokes when it came to us rookies. I didn't really pay it no mind though.
"Yeah chief?"
"Take a seat Carter. I need to pick your brain about something." I sat in one of the chairs facing his desk. "What do you know about the Pérez case?"
"Well the guy has been smuggling drugs into the U.S. from Cuba since he was about fifteen. Y'all been trying to figure out how he does it for the longest and still can't figure it out. Now that Americans can freely travel back and forth to Cuba it's gotten worse."
"Exactly. He's been able to get more drugs here and faster than before. But he's recently hit a bump in the road." he explained. "And that's where you come in."
"Me?"
"See he knows...." The chief went on and on. The case was bigger than what I expected and now I'm apart of it. I'm glad because I'll be getting a huge advance but will it be worth the look on Beyoncé's face.

"Hey man, let's go grab a bite to eat before we have to head out." TyTy said. This been my right hand man since we came out here. He's a rookie with a lot of experience just like me.
"Alright man." I grabbed my keys and we left the station to go to Sparky's Roadside Barbecue.
"So what's up man? What the chief want?"
"He want me to go undercover for the Pérez case."
"That's what's up. He called me in about that last week."
"What you tell him?"
"I said hell yeah! That advance on top of my check is going to be nice."
"That's what I thought but we got to be gone for at least three to six months. Bey ain't going for that man."
"Dam man you right. See I ain't got a family at home so I took it with no hesitation, plus if I do good that's a possible promotion."
"See that's what I was thinking, long term. She'll just see me leaving her and King for a long time."
"I told yo ass to stop trying to keep up with me."
"Man you ain't about to move up like the Jeffersons and leave my ass in the projects like the Evans."
"Now you know I wouldn't do you like that Jay." He started laughing, "Plus y'all don't live in no dam projects."
"Yeah but its just been hard since my dad cut us off. We been living check to check and now she want to start school."
"Don't her classes start next week?"
"Yeah and I know she'll need to get books, paper and all that other stuff. College textbooks cost people their first born child almost."
He laughed, "Nigga you dumb. But I hear you. My sister used to talk about them prices but she was fortunate enough that her professors said she didn't have to buy them."
"Well Bey is the textbook type girl so she will want all the books regardless."
"Did y'all talk about finances and what y'all can and can't afford?"
"She knows our situation but still went ahead and registered for the classes. I can't tell her I can't afford the books now. You should have seen the look on her face when she was talking about it."
"Then she must have a plan."
"What?"
"I haven't known y'all that long. But what I do know is that one thing a black woman knows how to do is make a lot from a little. My mom used to make pennies into dollars for me and my sister to have nice things. We weren't poor but we weren't rich either." he said. "But whenever birthdays or Christmas came around it seemed like we were rolling in it."
"So what you telling me is that I shouldn't worry about her textbooks and school supplies?"
"Nah, if she needed help she'd ask. Since she didn't then she obviously already has things worked out."
"I'm still going to worry. I'm her man and I'm supposed to be there to support her dreams and make sure they come true." I said. "I can't do that with no money to help fuel those dreams."
"Listen, you got a family to think about. I get that."
"Yeah."
"You be at work all the time, providing for them. That's all good but one day you'll go home and ain't nobody going to be there to reap the benefits of that check."
I looked at him and thought about what he said. Maybe I should slow down.

I walked into the apartment around 10 p.m. I had to talk to Bey about this case. I don't want it to be too late before I tell her. I know she's not going to be happy but it'll work out in the end.
"Bey!"
"Shhhh! King finally went to sleep." she said holding him.
"Here let me take him."
She gave him to me then I walked him back to his room. I tucked him in, kissed his forehead and then left his room. "Now why were you screaming my name when you got here?"
"I missed you." I smiled kissing her lips.
"Mhm. How was work?"
"It was cool, nothing special."
"When you going back?"
"Not until tomorrow. I'm sticking to my normal twelve-hour shifts."
"Really?" she asked excitedly.
"Yeah, I told you I'm going to spend more time with you guys."
"But what happens when I start classes?"
"You don't have to go on campus everyday right?" she shook her head. "Then on those days it'll just be us three."
"Awww baby." she jumped in my arms and started kissing my lips over and over again. "I'm.... so.... proud.... of.... you."
"Thank you babe. So what we doing tomorrow?"
"We should take King to Animal Kingdom. Kelly and Michelle are flying out in the morning and invited me and King. Now you can come too. Oooo it'll be so much fun."
"For him or for you?" I asked laughing.
"Oh shut up. You know I love big animals."
"You want to see one tonight?" I asked smirking.
"Hmmm. Maybe, maybe not."
"Well I'm the zookeeper and I'm letting this beast out. You the only one who can tame it." She busted out laughing, "Too much?"
"Yes babe. But I love you for the effort." she kissed my lips.
"Come on, lets go to bed. Text them whatever you need to then come straight to bed."
"Oop. Yes daddy." she said biting her lip.
I'll tell her about the case eventually, just not now.

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