Out of the Shadows

Chapter 10

After everybody that was leaving left the six of us were sitting in the same room just chilling passing the blunt that Lucky had rolled up, Rome looked around the room.
“Ok lil mama I know who they are.” he said looking at me. “What’s your story?” He asked Nikki. Everybody looked at her and she blew a big breath out. 
“I knew this was coming and I’m going to have to tell this story again, but I don’t even know where to start. I mean I haven’t seen you in how long Jazzy?”
“About 10 years.” Jazzy response.
“So much has happened in those 10 years it’s crazy. Well you know Daddy didn’t really want me around Jo. He only let me see her because she hung around Niq. He thought she was good for her, you know Jo had problems. She was one of those females that thought a man would define her, make her who she was supposed to be. And he thought her seeing how independent the women in your family were would help her. I mean he knew what your family was about seeing how he worked for them. But daddy knew that they didn’t follow and take no shit from nobody. He also knew Niq always had a good head on her shoulders, took her family ties serious. You guys loved each other and took care of each other. After momma J died you guys pulled together like a family should. And he always admired that. He knew he was hurting me when he packed up and left but he said my sister was going to get herself and me killed doing the things she was doing. He wouldn’t tell me what she was doing, just that she was playing the hell out of crazy. Said she was reckless, his words not mine. I kept talking to her, with him not knowing. I would ask her about you guys all the time, she was cool at first but then she started accusing me of wishing you guys were my sisters. She became mean and agitated, so I stopped asking about you guys. Then over time she just stopped calling, she wouldn’t answer my calls either. When I finally told daddy what happened, he told me my sister was a selfish bitch and her secrets were catching up with her. I didn’t know what he meant, all I knew was I was alone. Without her, I didn’t have you guys anymore. Over the years, I thought about what he said. She was always reckless. All the times I was with her, I wasn’t really with her. I mean she was around and I remember being around her, but I was with you all the time Jazzy. Which means I was with your people. She was always off doing her own thing. Anyway, after I got over that daddy got sick. He was sick off and on for years, and a few years ago it all caught up with him. I think he just got tired of fighting the cancer. From there it all went downhill. I was a senior in high school, I was getting ready to turn 18 in six months so they tried to put me in the system until my birthday. So, I ran away. I ended up staying with the guy I was dating from school. Everything was cool for a minute but then he started acting all possessive and crazy. Then one night he came home super drunk and he raped me. He knew I couldn’t call the police, they would put me in the system. I couldn’t go to one of those homes, I was too old to adopt. I stayed, and it got worst. He eventually started beating me and taking all his anger out on me. Saying stupid shit like, I’m the reason he had to stay in this shit hole. He wanted to go home but for some reason he couldn’t. Don’t know what I had to do with that but it was what it was. Then one day I went to school and this bitch ass nigga hit me in front of everybody. And I don’t know what happened, but I just snapped. I don’t know where it came from but I went nuts on that nigga. And I don’t know if it was the shock or that he was just a weak nigga but I got the best of him and whooped his ass. I had a black eye and my lip was split from that one hit. But his ass won’t be forgetting that beat down for a while. I left school that day and never looked back. It’s been hard out here, but you know I did what I had to do. I had a little money saved up so I just been living off that plus I keep a job doing something. I never had to sell my body. And I’m a fucking lady at all times. Took me some boxing lesson for self-defense. And believe it or not it’s something I actually enjoy. I fight on an amateur level, but I ranked on the MMA circuit.” I tell them finally relaxing, it felt good to finally get that off my chest. Might as well tell the rest of it.
“But, I think I know why daddy had a problem with Jo.” I say to Jazzy.
“Why baby, what did she do?” Jazzy ask me.
“She was my mom.” I say looking her dead in her face. She didn’t say anything for a while, just taking it all in I guess.
“Yea, daddy adopted me when I was a baby because she didn’t want me I guess. Maybe she wasn’t ready, I don’t know. They’re both gone so I’ll never know what it was, but I’ve made peace with it.” I tell her.
“It doesn’t matter what happened in the past, you’re with family now and we’re not going anywhere.” Jazzy hugs me.
“I got you KiKi.” That’s what only her and her family called me. I pull away and smile at my sister. I haven’t been this happy in a while, I’m back with my people.
“Nikki, I don’t know what you’re doing after tonight. But know that you don’t have to go thru that shit again. Ever. We got your back now as well as your people do. Where you staying at anyway?” Jazz asks me.
“One of my home boys letting me stay at his place. That’s his car I’m driving.” She shrugs her shoulder.
“You fucking with him, what’s his name?” Jazzy asked me.
“Jabari, he’s one of the guys I met when I started taking boxing lessons. He’s like my brother, the brother I lost when I left y’all. He makes sure I’m good, not needing for nothing. Quite irritating most times really, but I wouldn’t change him for the world. Can’t wait for all you guys to meet, he’s going to be so excited I found y’all. He’s been telling me to find you guys for a while now, I was to scared to do that. He stuck by me when I was being a brat about the whole thing. But this is how it was supposed to happen.” I said to them with my head held high.
“You guys are going to love him. He’s fine as hell, sillier than a mafucka. And he reminds me a lot of Roc now that I think about it, he’s good people. And his niggas cool too, they all look at me like a little sister. Jabari, knowing him he probably threatened them and told them to stay away from me. He swears he somebody daddy.” she laughs.
“What he look like?” Jade asked.
“He’s 6’2 brown skinned, low Caesar cut. Both his arms and back tatted the hell up. He stays fly and he cool as hell. We’re gonna have to kick it, mix the old with the new.” I smiled at them.
“Nikki what did you say dude name was again?” Jazz asked.
“Jabari but they call him Bricks, why?” I answered.
“Shit, that’s gonna be a problem.” Lucky said mumbling.