What's Done in the Dark

Chapter 48: Deshawn

"Mom, have you seen the tape?" I ask walking out of my room toward her room. She has been having a hard time dealing with everything. We are leaving tomorrow morning. My dad has rented an SUV and he's going to drive that and I'm going to drive my car.

"Did you look in the kitchen," she mumbles. Her back is facing me when I walk into her bedroom.

Stopping in the doorway I just watch her. She's sitting on the bed with her face in her hands. "Mom are you ok," I ask sitting next to her on the bed.

She raises her face and turns to look at me. I can see she's been crying all morning. "I'm going to be all alone," she says as the tears roll down her face."I don't understand why you have to go, he has his own kids. Why does he have to take you too?"

"Mom you're acting like you will never see me again. Plus Octavia is here you can go get her and spend time with her. So you're not alone." I say trying to reassure her.

"So you're not going to ask Nicolette to go with you?" she frowns in confusion.

"Of course I'm going to ask, but let's be serious we both know she probably not going to come." I shrug. "Dad went over there to see Tay and he said, Nicolette was really upset with me." I sigh "I know you don't feel like I love her but I really do. I've been a crappie husband and father."

"No, you haven't."

"Yes, I have. I hid my son from the people I love. What type of person does that?"

"You were scared to lose her it's understandable," my mom says.

"Mom. You got to stop doing that. I need to take responsibility for all my actions. I've done a lot of wrong shit. Tabatha is locked up because I should have stopped messing with her when I got with Nicolette years ago. And Nicolette is beaten up and hurt from all my dumb shit." I run my hand across my waves. "I'm going to ask her and if she doesn't say yes, then I'll have to understand and live with my actions."

"I'm just going to miss you so much. I don't know what I'm going to do if I can't see your face."

"Well, dad promised he would pay anytime I wanted to come home and visit, so you know I'm going to hold him to his word."

I look her in the eyes. "Mom you know you're the number one lady in my life. I'll always come home," I tell her wrapping her in my arms being careful of my neck.

"When are you getting Keshawn?" She asks me.

"I'm actually about to head over there now. I know he's trying to figure out where he's at," I smirk.

"Have you talked to her?"

"No. Dad said he was fine. He said he was chasing Savage around."

My mom chuckles. "You're going to have to get him a dog now," she says.

"Nope. No dogs." I stand walking to the door. "I'll be back later."

                                     🐉

Knocking on the door I wait. A minute later Nicolette opens the door. I stand there for a minute as my eyes roam over her bruised face. The large red spot in her eye and the bruises around her neck.

She doesn't say anything she just walks away leaving the door open. When I walk in I see both girls are in their swings and KJ is watching something on TV.

When he sees me his whole face lights up as he climbs down off the couch and comes to greet me. Picking him up I kiss his forehead and hug him tight. "What's up, little man. I missed you. Did you miss me?"