"You think they know that we're in here?"Jermaine asked with widened eyes .
"I don't think they care. Especially not my momma. If I mention it She'll say something like "this my damn house."Amari laughed and looked straight ahead at the television.
"This isn't bothering you?"Jermaine sighed.
"Nope. I've learned to tune them out. They do this everyday."Amari replied nonchalantly, not caring that her parents were in the next room having sex very loudly.
"Your mom is so loud man. How can you not be bothered."Jermaine sighed trying to tune her out like Amari was.
Curse them for giving Amari them room next to theirs. They had no idea the walls were so thin.
"Ooh shit. Yes daddy, fuck."Damita moaned loudly.
"It's only because this room is right next to theirs, if we were in any other room we wouldn't be able to hear them."Amari turned up the television.
"Well, can we go down stairs? This is making me uncomfortable. It'll be weird for me to talk to your mom after this.
Amari just looked at him and rolled her eyes. "Relax, it's just sex. You doing too much."
"You know...you have the worse fucking attitude."Jermaine raised his voice and got up from the bed.
"So, you got mad just that quick because my parents having sex? You horny or something?"Amari started laughing at him.
"Everything a fucking joke to you dawg. I just asked if we could go downstairs because I was uncomfortable. You started it the second you caught an attitude."Jermaine grabbed his jacket as if he was about to leave.
"So you that mad? You finna go? Alright Jermaine, bye. Call me when you out your feelings."Amari laughed and looked down at her phone.
Finally, Damita's moaning had ceased and their bedroom door opened. Amari peeked out of the door to see her father dressed and walking out.
"Your momma went to sleep. I'll be back, if she wakes up before I come back I went to the store."Amaru explained and Amari agreed.
"You want me to bring you anything back?"Amaru asked.
"Uh. Can you get me a big bag of hot fries. I want the $3 bag."Amari requested.
"So particular, but ok princess. I got you. I can still call you that right?"Amaru chuckled.
"Of course,Daddy."Amari stuck out her head so that her daddy could kiss her on the cheek.
Amaru kissed her cheek and walked down the stairs.
"My Daddy is leaving, so if you wanna leave hurry up so that he can lock the door behind you because I don't feel like walking down the stairs and then coming back up."Amari yawned and laid back down in the bed.
"Hurry up nigga."Amari rolled her eyes and he sat back down on the bed.
Amaru had told Angie and Ava to meet up with him so that they could talk about Damita meet her birth mother in Paris.
"Aight So, I don't want my baby to get her feelings hurt. What if she slams the door in her face."Amaru sighed and rubbed his forehead.
"I agree. She's been going through it and I don't want this woman to hurt her feelings."Ava seconded Amaru.
"I know Marsha, I don't think she do that. She'd hear her out first."Angie tried to have her sister's back.
"You haven't seen her in almost 40 years Angie. People change, I don't want to sound negative but if she hurts my baby I'll fight an old lady."Amaru crossed his arms.
Angie and Ava were in a fit of laughter because they both knew he was serious.
Ava pulled a sheet of paper out of her briefcase and sat it on the table. "Well, I did some digging and I found her number if you wanted to —
Amaru didn't even give her time to finish before he snatched the paper out of her hand and started to dial her phone number. It started to ring and he got up from the table for some privacy.
"If you called to collect some money, You got the wrong goddamn number."She answered the phone.
Amaru chuckled. "Oh no ma'am, I'm no bill collector. I called to speak with a Marsha Cassidy."
"Oh hell, I haven't used the name Cassidy in years. Is this the FBI? I told you people I don't know anything"She started to go off.
"No ma'am. I'm not an FBI agent either."Amaru continued to laugh.
"Who are you then? Those are the only people that would call me from California."Her voice laced with confusion.
"This May sound a bit crazy, but my name is Amaru Shakur. My wife, Damita Shakur, her maiden name is Jackson. She just found out that you're her birth mother and wanted to meet you in Paris."
"Jackson....as in Joe and Katherine?"She asked in a tone that Amaru didn't like.
"Yes."
"No."
"No? Fuck you mean no?"Amaru furrowed her eyebrows. "Listen, my wife been through allot of shit this year. Meeting you is gonna make her happy so either you gone agree to meet her right now while we're on this phone or ima send somebody to you change your fucking mind."
"No need to get violent. We can't meet. Katherine will put me in jail if I come anywhere near her although she's 45 years old. I've wanted to meet her, there was so many times where I thought about driving to California to tell her the truth."
"Wait...what?"Amaru paused because he needed her to run back what she said.
"I'd rather not speak about it over the phone. When will the two of you be here?"Marsha spoke as if she paranoid.
"Around December 18. It's our Christmas trip. Us and the kids."Amaru smiled.
"Great. That's a great time. May I ask a favor of you.....what'd you say your name was again?"Marsha asked.
"Amaru, but what's the favor."He chuckled.
"Amaru....i like that. I hope it's not too much, but if you will, can you bring my sister? She's never been out of the country and I really miss her."
"You know what Ms.Marsha, I'll do that for you, but I need a favor from you as well."Amaru replied.
"Oh thank you. What's that?"
"Don't tell my wife I called? This sort of me looking out for her behind her back. I just had to make sure you weren't going to hurt her feelings. She don't need that."Amaru explained.
"I completely understand. You're a good husband Amaru. I look forward to meeting you all and your children."Marsha smiled through the phone and they hung up.
Amaru walked back into the room with a smile on his face. "Angie, get you a pass port. Your sister wants to see you. I'll have your ticket soon."
With that said Amaru walked out of the restaurant. He went to the store and picked up all the stuff his girls had requested them went home to rejoin his wife in bed.
"Where'd you go,daddy?"Damita snuggled up under her husband.
"I went to go get food. It's down there if you want it."
"Not now, I'm still sleepy. Can you rub my back?" She laid on his chest.
"Yeah baby, I got you."He chuckled and rubbed her back so that she could go back to sleep.
"Baby?"He called her before she drifted off into slumber.
"Yes daddy?"She replied in her low sleepy voice.
"You know I'd do anything for you right?"
"Mmhmm."She closed her eyes.
"I love you, baby girl."He kissed her forehead and allowed her to start falling asleep.
"I love you...daddy."She drifted off.
It was important that they said everyday. Just in case a time came when they had to apart again. He needed her to know that she was his heart, soul and everything else. That was his baby and although he knew she knew it he'd always remind her.
