Baton Rouge.

Chapter 42 - Con Artistè.

Jionni didn't say much to his father. In fact, he didn't say anything to him. He stared at him in a dazed disbelief, then laid back in his bed while pulling out his books.

"I gotta study...." Jionni murmured.

"Well I was hopin' that you could put your book down to-"

"Down fo' what, ma? So we can have dinner and act like dis' nigga ain't been in jail fo' da last 17 n' a half years?" Jionni scowled. "Ain't shit he can do to fix dis..."

"Jionni, I said put your book down and bond with your father." Diana demanded.

"Oh so nah you wanna be a parent since he here?" Jionni scoffed sarcastically.

"Y'know what, I don't blame him. My fatha' did da same shit." Jionni's father said. "Diana uh.....you wanna try and catch up?"

Diana gave Jionni a furious look, smiling as they both walked out of the room.

"Sure." Diana smiled.

After Diana and Jionni's father caught up by ordering food and going over memories, he peeked inside of Jionni's room to see what he was doing. Jionni had taken a shower and ate on the chips he got from school that day just to avoid seeing him. His father sat down in his chair, giving him a blank stare as he looked up from his book.

"Can I help you?" Jionni scoffed.

Jarold tried to touch Jionni's shoulder when Jionni smacked his hand away. He folded his arms, giving him a caught off guard look.

"I'm still yo' fatha, y'know-"

"You ain't shit. My momma raised me." Jionni scoffed as he read his book. "Kill dat' noise."

His father glanced down, sitting in the chair by the window and placing his arm over it.

"Did you know yo' momma ain't 'eem want you?" Jarold scoffed.

"Please." Jionni scoffed back, shaking his head.

"She didn't. She had you in 'er early 20's, but you thank dat some mom want to be raisin' a damn child in the '90s? The 90's!?" Jarold laughed. "That was the LAST generation you wanted a child in!"

"I ain't listenin' to dis shit."

"I'm da' one who had to convince her to NOT get a damn abortion! I know it's not cliche dat' da man do shit like dat', but I ain't want her killin' no child of mine." Jarold said. "Not MY child!"

Jionni slowly looked away from his book as Jarold grinned at him.

"I know you 'ont like me aready. Dats established." Jarold scoffed, cracking a small smile. "You wanna hear da' story or not?"

Jionni stared off for a few seconds, then looked towards his wall.

"I told 'er to keep you BEFORE I went to jail. Obviously." Jarold continued. "But she want tryna have no kids."

IN JUNE OF 1995...

"Fuck..."

Diana glared down at her pregnancy stick, rushing back into her room. Inside, Jarold was waiting for the results as well. At this time, they were living in a run down apartment in Shreveport, Louisiana. It had one small room, a bathroom, and a small kitchen. It resembled the apartment in Next Day Air.

"What it say?" Jarold asked.

Diana tossed the stick back onto the bed as he glanced at the stick.

"Ion' know what dese lines mea-"

"It means pregnant as fuck, Jarold!!" Diana scowled as she looked over her shoulder. "Shit!"

Diana sat back on the bed, placing her hand on her forehead and closing her eyes.