The Preachers Daughter

Chapter Seven

The words my mother told me continued to run through my head. I never imagined my parents being in the streets. They never seemed like the type to even do so, especially my father. He was always pushing to be the pillar of the community, yet he was one of the main reasons for its poison. And to make matters worse, I'm like the heir to the throne damn near. I wouldn't even know where to begin with selling drugs or running a trade. But I feel like if people are going to be after me, me telling them that I'm not who they think I am will mean nothing. So, I might as well become who they say I am since that's who I'll be to them regardless.

I hadn't seen or heard from Zy'Air. Seems that he's avoiding me just as I was avoiding him before. I don't know what he would have to be ashamed of, he already told me what he does. Well, at least some of what he does. Seeing him in action yesterday was a completely different thing for me and a part of me was more afraid of him than I was the other guy. And I feel like Zy'Air knew that which is why he's avoiding me. What can he possibly be into? I thought about the first day I went to his grandmother's house and that guy threatened him from across the street. I wonder if he handled that guy the way he did that bum on the street the other day, if not worse. The guy had called him brick. I wonder what's the meaning behind his name. But I'm sure my curious mind is going to take me down a road I don't want to walk. 

"Zoyanna, come down here for a sec!", my father yelled.

I rolled my eyes. We've kept up this non speaking thing ever since our little chat at the dinner table and I thought it would stay like that. Foolish me. I turned my stereo off and annoyingly left out of my room to see what it is my father wanted. I heard his laugh from the kitchen and I sluggishly followed it. I entered the room and my father looked up instantly with the biggest smile on his face. There was a woman and a girl who had to be around my age sitting at the built in bar we had. I had never seen them before and I hoped the reason he had me down here had nothing to do with them. 

"I want you to meet someone", he said while turning towards his guests. "This is Shakera and Khimani".

I stared at him for a few seconds. "Okay, am I supposed to know who they are?"

"They are-"

"I'm your father's fiance", the woman said while getting up and standing next to them. "And this is my daughter".

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Zoy, Shakera and I are going to get married", my father said like he was annoyed.

"I heard her, I'm not retarded. I'm just wondering how you are doing this while still being married to my mother".

My father smiled nervously and looked from me to his new woman. He kissed her hand then grabbed me by mine to pull me out of the room. He brought us near the back door and the smile vanished from his face.

"Can you not do this right now?"

"Do what?"

"This ... being a brat thing that you've been doing for the past week".

"I'm not being a brat".

"So, what the fuck do you call this then?"

"You just introduced me to the woman who broke up our home as your fiance. Please inform me father on how you would have liked for me to react?"

"With some damn respect! I don't need the tension between you three in the house".

"Why would they feel tension in our house?"

"Because ... they're moving in".

"They're WHAT?"

"Zoyanna, you have no say so in who I bring in my house".