III: The Redemption (Completed)

18: Puzzle Pieces

Alonzo Flemington

"I don't need this right now!" I yelled, beeping my horn as if it was going to do anything about this rush-hour traffic. Cody and Eazy had gone ahead of me, due to me having to stop to get London something to eat. I had dealt with a hungry pregnant woman in the past and it wasn't pretty, so I made sure I prepared myself before something I didn't want to happen, happened. What I didn't enjoy was having to drive her half way across the city just to get what she was craving, I thought I could get back in time but traffic was working against me.

"Babe, slow and steady. We'll get there." London said, as she munched on a cookie from Subway, meanwhile he pasta from the Cheesecake Factory along with the red velvet cheesecake she forced me to buy, sat comfortably, buckled up in the back.

"There aint no slow and steady when time is against you Lo. I got places to be."

"And you will get there, it's better you take your time and arrive in one piece." She said, with a nod as if she was speaking knowledge. I leaned my head against the steering wheel, trying my best to remain calm. Eazy was there already, so I guess I wasn't so worried despite the headache I had. To drown out London's obnoxious chomping I decided that it would be better to listen to music.

I turned up Canada Goose by Pressa, and reached into my cupholder for my spare box of cigarettes. I took one out and let my window down, to light it up. I let out the first pull and leaned back, bobbing my head.

It was now 5 in the afternoon and Samantha's safety was on my mind, it scared me to know what he has done to her already and what he might do. I needed to find her and I needed to find her fast, sitting in this traffic was doing nothing but shaving down the little bit of time that we had left. "How many more of those are you going to have?" London asked, letting her window down as well.

"I'm just stressed," I said over the music. "I haven't had any time to roll a blunt so this is what I have to keep me calm."

"Well make it quick, because I don't want no second-hand smoke. Keep in mind that I am pregnant."

"Yeah, we know London." I took a couple last pulls and let the smoke out the window before tossing it. I rubbed my temples and coughed a few times into my sleeve. I hated to admit it, but it was clear that I was beginning to pick up somewhat of a cold and I wouldn't be able to take care of it until I was through with this.

"I'm sorry for wearing that ring earlier, I really just wanted to see if I liked the shape of the diamond. Then it got stuck and I didn't know what to do."

"London..." I said low.

"Yes Alonzo?"

"Do you know what it's like to be in love?"

"Of course, I do, I love you. what kind of question is that?"

"No London... you don't love me. You're infatuated by the idea of me and that's fine... because I've been there before." I looked away from the steering at over at her as she sat looking at me hopelessly. "I never experienced real love until I met Samantha, I had been with a whole lo of women to fill that void and only she was able to do it for me."

"Why are you telling me this right now Zo? I don't want to hear about this."

"Because, I want you to know that when I find her. I'm going to fix my family and be with her... it's sad that I had to literally lose something in order to find out it's importance."

"And what about me? What about our baby?"

"Our baby is going to be just fine. I will do what I do with all my other kids. I'm going to take care of him or her, no matter the circumstances."