Sunflower

Chapter Thirty-Three: Posted up

"How is she?" Kaleo turned the phone camera to Kova playing on the floor in the apartment, "She looks so much like you..." 

"Everyone says that," Kaleo laughed. He looked back at Kova for a minute before redirecting his attention to his friend back in Hawaii, "How're things there, Akoni?" 

Akoni took a deep breath and checked his surrounding, "Not great to be honest." 

"Why? What going on? You alright?" 

"It's Nahele... He got rolled up on yesterday." 

"Is he okay?" 

"Yeah, he's fine. I don't think he fully understands what happened."

Kaleo started thinking about how glad he was his parents yanked him out of Honolulu when they did, "Daddy?" Kova said coming up with a smile. 

"Hm?" 

"Can I color your arm?" 

Kaleo nodded picking her up. Kova loved to color his tattoos, he was like a walking coloring book to her. 

"Kaleo?" Akoni said speaking up. Kaleo made eye contact with him, "If you ever need anything... Protection anything... just call me. I can take care of you and Kova. I don't want anything to happen to you guys." 

"Will do- And Akoni, same goes for you." 

My dad came through the door holding the bags of groceries, "Where's Mavi?" Was the first thing he asked when he walked in the door. 

"Upstairs," Mom answered. 

Dad opened the door to our room where I sat at my desk doing homework, Asher scrolled through TikTok while laying on my bed and Maverick laid in his bed.

"Maverick," He shook him awake. 

"Hm?" 

"I need to talk to you okay?" 

Maverick rubbed his eyes before getting up and following my dad. I looked behind me at Asher who was already looking at me, "We're gonna follow them right?" Asher asked. 

Standing outside the door to our parent's bedroom we tried to listen to the conversation, "What do you mean if you hadn't walked in on him?" 

"I mean I walked into the dining room to grab my phone and when I walked in like 5 guys sitting at the table counting out money and..." 

"And what Mavi?" 

You could hear the hesitation in Maverick voice not wanting to spill the truth. I turned to look at Asher but saw Mom joining up trying to hear as well, "Mom?" Asher said confused. 

"Say anything you're grounded," He nodded looking back at the door. 

"Maverick... if your dad was involved in something illegal, all of his cases are gonna have to be looked at again... Including Kova's." 

Maverick hearing that seemed to just spill out the truth, "They were counting out drugs. The guys he was with, Dad their dangerous people." 

"I know that but how do you know that?" 

"Cause I use to run with them." 

Mom slammed through the door, "Uh oh," Asher said. 

"You were in a gang?!" She shouted. 

"Wait Clara," My dad looked at Maverick, "Were you jumped in?" 

Maverick nodded, "What does that mean?" Mom asked.