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“Man, ain’t nobody defending her. That nigga just called you out your name, Granny!”
“Ain’t nobody worried about that loser. I’m okay, baby, let’s all just go in the house,” Granny urged.
“If I’m not welcomed here then go get my son!” Kenny shouted.
“Baby, let’s just goooo,” Nalyssa cried. “I don’t want you to get arrested!”
“Bitch, I ain’t going no where without my son!”
“Kash is in there sleeping peacefully! Take your coke head ass on somewhere! You high as hell and taking it on everybody, but you won’t take it out on my great grandbaby!”
I was seeing firsthand why Armias was adamant about Granny babysitting Alouri at our house. He didn’t like that people were always coming and going from her house. Based on the way Lyss and Kenny were clowning, this probably wasn’t the first time they put on this type of scene. There had to be a build up to my Granny declaring that he wasn’t welcomed.
“Why this bitch keep saying I’m on a coke, HUH?!” He roared in Lyss’ face while she cried like a fool.
“That boy needs help,” Granny mumbled. “Let’s go inside, y’all.”
We finally turned away from the never ending show they were putting on to go into the house. We didn’t even make it to the door before we heard something that stopped us dead in our tracks. It was so loud and distinctive that we all turned around in panic.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
“NOOOOOOOO!” Granny let out a piercing scream that crushed my heart.
Kenny had shot Nalyssa down like a dog right there in my Granny’s frontyard. The same yard we used to play in as kids. Tears ran down my face and I couldn’t even move. I heard Armias shouting at me to get in the house, but the site of my cousin's lifeless body had paralyzed me. She had been shot multiple times and was drowning in her own blood. I never thought the day would come where I’d see Lyss like this and I was gutted.
“LOURDES, GET IN THE FUCKING HOUS-”
BANG! BANG! BANG!
“AHHHH!!” It was my turn to scream as I watched another body drop. There was no way I’d be the same after today.
Epilogue
June 20, 2026
Lourdes
“You look sooo pretty, Lo-Lo,” my mom said as I got in the black truck.
“Thanks,” I replied dryly.
“Girl, what is your problem?”
“Nothing…I’m just over the birthday stuff.”
We’d been in Curaçao for six days and we still had one more to go. At the very most I did four day vacations and that was pushing it. I’d let my mom and Granny convince me to do a full week getaway. According to them we all deserved a break because Mother’s Day shook our family up. But that’s the exact reason why I wanted to continue laying low and staying out the way. I really would have been cool with doing something solo in the city for my 24th birthday like taking myself to dinner or going to a rooftop pool. My family wasn’t having that at all, so I sucked it up and allowed them to plan my birthday. I even allowed my mom to pick a theme for each day. I thought today was pink day, but everybody had on nudes while I was the only one in pink. I’m sure that was by design and that irritated me. My birthday had already passed and this was the second to last day of the trip. I really didn’t need to be the center of attention anymore.
“Don’t act like you haven’t been having fun, Lo-Lo,” Dream said. “You were just in the pool last night crying and saying how happy you are that we planned this trip for you against your wishes.”
“She’s just in her feelings today, but it’ll be okay,” Denim wrapped her arm around me.
“You miss my brother, huh sis?” Aneesah asked empathetically. I was so happy that she and Aspen were able to come on this trip and do everything with us. The legal age for drinking alcohol and clubbing in Curaçao was 18, so the girls were outside, for real.
“Uh-oh, don’t cry, Lourdy,” Aspen wrapped her arms around me from behind. “Neese, why would you bring him up?”
“Because it’s obvious that she misses him!”
“I’m not about to cry,” I tried to lie, but my voice cracked.
