Concrete Rose (Dave East)

Chapter 39

So I had such a stressful week. But in between that time I was able to write chapters 38-41. This morning I fell asleep while posting chapter 38. I have clinicals at 645 in the morning and I can barely keep my eyes open. Pray for me y'all I need it. Anyways enjoy. Don't forget to vote, comment and follow. Shit follow me on Instagram @deshaurna_

Chapter 39

"Before you jump to any conclusion you need to sort through the rest," Layla told Rell.

"I don't understand. How did my father know Vizzini," he asked confused. "My father was never in that life. He only had legal jobs."

"Look at these pictures," she said as she began spreading them out. "Look at this note, it has a date... these too. Put them in order."

Rell got up and pushed the couches back making space on the floor. They began shifting through the files and making sense of them.

"Look the pictures have dates too," Layla pointed. "Move this here."

It took them almost an hour to figure everything out. "My dad worked for Vizzini and then Vizzini killed him. Why? I know my pops ain't no snitch."

Layla sat silent. Today was a very eventful day and she had no idea it would turn out so. "Do you think your father knew that Vizzini wanted to kill him?"

"My pops was not a dumb man he had to know." Rell sat thinking. "My father was killed in a robbery they told me. They stabbed him up eighteen times. EIGHTEEN FUCKING TIMES."

Layla jumped at the base of this voice. "Why did they killed him Layla? Why?"

She wrapped her arms around him pulling him in a hug. "I don't know baby. We'll find out. Me and you okay."

Rell cried into her chest and she consoled him. It broke her heart seeing him like this. After the death of Chanel, it finally seemed as though he was coming to terms with all of the death in his life including his fathers' and mothers'.

They stayed in that position for a while until he calmed down. "I have to find out," he said. "I need to call Adonis."

Layla unwrapped her arms allowing him to get to his phone. Rell phoned both Adonis and Drew asking them to come. Layla sat next to him as they waited for them to arrive.

"You want something to eat," she asked.

Rell shook his head. She still went to the kitchen in search for food. Luckily the kitchen was fully stocked. She decided to whip up a quick meal— shrimp Alfredo.

Rell came into the kitchen seeing her cooking. "I told you I'm not hungry."

"I know," she said. She thawed out the shrimp by placing them under running hot water. She retrieved a pot filling it with water, oil and salt for the pasta.

Rell sat at the island admiring her and how she stayed calm and moved so fluidly in a time like this. "I am so grateful to have you in my life," he said after a few minutes of silence.

"I'm grateful to have you in my life Rell," she said back. "I was on a path to destruction and didn't know."

"What do you mean?"

"I was using Cassie after I was hurt by Josiah and even though she turned out to be married and full of shit, it's not in my character to treat someone like that. Meeting you was definitely a wake up call. I have a tendency to run and avoid issues instead of addressing it head one. And in the long run it was only me getting hurt."

Rell walked over to her and hugged her. "We're gonna get through this."

Rell's phone dinged off signaling an alert from security. "Adonis just reached."