Please excuse ANY grammatical errors.

March 17, 1998

~Tia's P.O.V~

"Please come out here," I told Donald then hung up.

Why would he have these dang dogs out when he knows we were coming? I'm confused. He knows I'm scared of those big ass, hungry dogs! Then I saw him walking out of the house. He walked to the car.

"Yo scary ass!" He said opening up my car door on the driver's side.

"Of course! These dogs are big as heck!" I shot back.

"Masir a baby and he ain't even scared."

"NO!" Masir laughed.

"You're SUPPOSED to be on your TT side." I turned to him with my bottom lip poked out.

"Yeah, Masir! You tell her! Besides, my dogs don't bite!" He chuckled. "They know you and like you now!"

"If they don't bite then why the hell are they guard dogs?" I looked at him blankly.

"They bite, but not you." He told me.

"Some dogs turn on their owners," I told him. "They bite my ass and I'm suin'." I laughed.

"You'd still have some ass left, so why would that even be a problem?" Donald raised his left eyebrow.

I started laughing. "You know what? I'm ti'ed of you!"

"I'm tired of yo ass being scared of some damn dogs but do you hear me complaining? Besides, you love me and can't get enough of me!" He held his arms out.

"I do love you but don't get too full of yourself!" I stepped out of the car then patted his chest. "Can you grab his bag?"

"I was gon' do that anyways, Tia!" He sang.

I rolled my eyes at him. "Okay..." I sang back.

I unstrapped Masir from his car seat and he pushed the straps off of his body eagerly. Masir then slid down to the floor of the car. I tried to grab his hand to get him out but he pushed mines away to jump down himself.

"Well, excuse me, Mr. Independent!" I said taken aback with my hand on my hips. I can't believe how much he's grown since I saw him.

"He said he can do that shit himself!" Donald said laughing. "Tell her you ain't a baby no more!"

"No, baby!" Masir wagged his little index finger.

"You turned two and start thinking you're the boss!" I said shocked.

Masir exhaled like he was tired of me then grabbed my hand. "Well, damn!" Donald said laughing.

I turned to Donald. "Bite me." I squinted at him. I pressed the lock on my keys to lock my car doors as Masir began pulling me. Or at least tried to. "Aye, don't you go pulling me, now," I said looking down at him.

"Don't worry, Masir. One day you'll be the one looking down at her!" Donald laughed.

"Your jokes are so unfunny," I told him with a smirk.

"I am funny. Right, Masir?" He asked Masir.

Masir started laughing. "Haahhh, big ol' haehh!" He said it as clear as he could but we know what he was trying to say. I burst out laughing while Donald stared at him.

"Aye! That's not nice! Look at your head!" Donald tilted his head to the side. Masir rubbed the top of his own head.

"Don't talk about him. He's just a baby." I said pinching Masir's chubby cheeks. "He's got my sense of humor." I cheesed.

"Y'all come on," Donald said walking with us up to the house then stopped. "Oh, and it's not going to be just me, you, and the kids. My parents are inside. I thought they'd be gone by now for a church thing but they don't have that thing going on today. So, yeah... It's just a warning..." He said opening the door for us.

"Whaaa-" I said shocked. "Your parents?"

"Yeah, now get in there." He chuckled shooing us in.

"Wait, but your parents are in there... I wasn't expecting-"

"Unlike you, they don't bite. It ain't like you ain't seen them before." He frowned.

"Yes but I never met them. We walked past each other unknowingly before. Dassit!" I told him.

"Girl, just get in there!" Donald said laughing.

I walked inside then slipped my shoes off while Donald helped Masir take his off. As soon as he did, Masir took off running. "Masir, get back here."

"That's boy gone!" Donald said laughing. "He's good. He knows where he goin'! So chill..."

"I don't want them to think he bad or nothin'," I told him walking.

"Him bad? DJ is bad as shit! He gives my parents hell!" Donald said amused.

"Watch your mouth!" I heard a guy yell.

"My dad tellin' me what to say in my own damn house. Ain't that somethin'?" Donald whispered. "I'm sorry!" He said as we walked into the room where everybody was and it was more than just his parents here. Familiar people at least.

"Hello," I said softly, waving at everybody.

"Shy Tia again, huh?" Donald said under his breath. "You shy but you ain't this damn shy." He then cleared his throat. "Parents, this is Tia. Tia, parents..." He introduced. "You know Derek, Dalvin, and JoJo... Oh, and there go the bad kid, DJ." He pointed at DJ.

His parents got here yesterday. The reason I'm here is that Donald said DJ had too much energy and need somebody to play with so I brought Masir over for them to play together. I was only expecting to meet DJ but I'm meeting his parents.

"Hello, I'm his mother, Mary." His mother said with her hand out and I shook it.

"I'm this boy's father. Rev. Donald DeGrate. Nice to meet you." He came to me and shook my hands.

"Nice to meet you both." I smiled.

"Your name has popped up quite a few times around me." His mother said taking a seat.

"Oh, really?" I said wide-eyed. How the heck did my name pop up in their conversations?

I then took a seat and noticed Masir and DJ getting along well. They both are playing well together. They are the same age as of now but DJ's a few months older than Masir.

"Meet the in-laws..." JoJo told me then laughed lowly.

"Yes. Of course. How do you know my three sons? When did you meet?" Mrs. DeGrate asked.

"I met Donald here YEARS ago in 199... I was nineteen." I told her.

"We met in '92," Donald spoke up.

"Yes, at a movie premiere. I met Derek later on in another event." I nodded.

"HER movie premiere," Donald emphasized.

"You act?" Mr. DeGrate asked me.

"No, sir. I write, produce and direct films." I told him.

"Oh, what kind of film do you work on?" Mrs. DeGrate questioned.

"I don't stick to one genre but biopics are becoming my favorite. Those are the most work but it's enjoyable." I nodded.

"Yeah, so Tia, why don't you tell them what movie you're working on now?" Donald asked me.

So we're playing dirty. I squinted at him. "Umm, I'm currently not able to reveal who I'm working with at the moment but you will find out when everybody else does Donald. Nice try." I smiled sweetly.

"Oh, well! Worth the shot though. Clever, right?" He asked me.

"A tad bit," I replied holding my index and thumb slightly apart.

"Oh, wow." Mrs. DeGrate chuckled. "Trying to be slick?"

"Just a tad bit." Donald mocked me. I looked down at my lap, chuckling at the voice he just did. He's a mess.

"What are you to my son's?" Mrs. DeGrate asked.

"I'm cool with Derek and Dalvin," I replied.

"That means cool!" Dalvin told his parents.

"And Junior?" She asked me.

"I'm just a sangin' in the background. To her, Derek and Dalvin are Diana Ross and I'm the only Supreme. I don't matter. Nobwady likes me..." He sang the last sentence in a baby voice with his fist closed like he was really emotional.

"Boy..." Mr. DeGrate trailed off looking at his son. "If we didn't drop you on your head as a baby, maybe we should've because maybe it would've knocked some sense into that head." He said laughing.

I shook my head laughing. "He's one of my best friends. We're tight." I crossed my fingers.

"Yeah, we're tight again." Donald nodded.

"What happened the first time?" Mr. DeGrate asked his son.

"We fell out some years back due to my behavior." Donald held his hands against his chest. "When I was messed up."

"Don't feel bad, Tia. I would've left too if he was actin' up." Derek told me. "How did y'all become cool after all that?"

"It was... Umm... A little hard to even b become cordial but harder to become friends again but we did. We sat down like two adults and talked it out. Layed everything on the table." I motioned with both of my hands.

"Yeah, so what comes next?" Jojo cleared his throat.

"What do you mean?" I turned to him.

"First comes-"

"Shut up, meatball head!" Dalvin shook his head then looked at his parents. "Please." He added with a nervous chuckle.

Donald and Derek busted out laughing. I laughed out loud accidentally then stopped. "I'm sorry." I apologized to JoJo.

"Meatball is here but Noodle is M.I.A.," Mr. DeGrate said laughing.

"Y'all done got pops started now." Derek shook his head while laughing.

"Oh, Lord." Mrs. DeGrate laughed. "I'm sorry, JoJo but THAT was funny!"

"You not supposed to laugh too!" Donald said laughing.

"Well, you all are." His mother said through her laughter. After a few minutes, the laughter in the room subsided. "So film is your occupation, huh?" Mrs. DeGrate said changing the subject.

"Yes, ma'am but it isn't my only occupation." I nodded.

"What else do you do?" Mr. DeGrate asked.

"She's a runner, she's a track star." JoJo sang.

"I'm a businesswoman," I replied.

"Are you?" Mr. DeGrate asked.

"Yes, sir."

"What kind of business do you do?" Mrs. DeGrate asked.

"Well, y'all know about El Chapo, right? She pushin' weight for him and she plans the prison breakouts. She's a smart gal." Donald nodded.

His parents twirled their heads to him then they looked at me. "No, I don't go near that illegal stuff," I reassured them.

"Boy, y'all sure do ask a lot of questions..." Donald told his parents.

"Excuse me?" His mother gave him a look.

"I'm just saying, y'all are asking a bunch of questions. As soon as she came in she was bombarded with questions. She didn't even get to sit down." Donald chuckled.

"Well, we wanna see who our son has been associating himself with. Sometimes you hang out with the wrong people. People who use you." Mrs. DeGrate replied to Donald.

"I don't no more, though." He replied.

"Lil D is a grown man and is going to hang out with whoever he wants to Mary. We can't control that BUT she's right." Mr. DeGrate replied then turned back to me. Lil D? I'm going to call him that one day when he gets on my nerves. Or maybe just because.

"If you're implying that I'm one of those people then you've got it all wrong," I told them reassuringly.

"A murderer won't tell somebody they're a murderer but they are." Mrs. DeGrate told me.

"With all due respect, sir and ma'am. I was successful before I met your son and now I'm even more successful. But the reason I'm more successful now is that I worked harder and not because of your son. I made sacrifices early on that older people wouldn't think about doing and I put myself through college. Yes, he supported me when he was around as well as a few others. I'm sorry if I'm coming off as disrespectful but those aren't my intentions and neither is what you're accusing me of. I can 100% assure you of that." I told them in the most respectful way possible.

"Oh, shit," JoJo muttered to me very low. "Gon' 'head and stand your ground then."

"As a woman, I can see where you're coming from thinking that we're coming at you crazy, however as a mother, I'm just trying to be sure. I apologize and please forgive me for being disrespectful.." His mother told me. "And no, your tone didn't come off to me as disrespectful."

"Yes, I didn't mean to get disrespectful towards you. I'm sorry." Mr. DeGrate apologized.

"I get it and I accept both of your apologies." I smiled.

"Now that it's settled, do you mind another question?" Mrs. DeGrate asked me.

"No, ma'am, I don't mind," I said softly.

"Is that your- child?" She asked me hesitant to say if she thought he was a boy or girl.

"Oh, no ma'am. He's not my child, I have NO children." I said wide-eyed.

"Wow, he looks JUST like you." Mr. DeGrate chuckled.

"I've been told that so many times but I have an older brother and Masir is his child." I chuckled.

"Mine!" DJ snatched a toy Masir had in his hand.

Masir looked at him like he has three heads then snatched it back. Djustin grabbed the other toy then clocked Masir upside his head. Masir looked at Djustin like he was crazy then clocked Djustin with his toy but harder and Djustin started screaming. Not crying, SCREAMING!

"Boy, shut up!" Mr. DeGrate yelled at him. "You started it!"

Masir then pouted then started crying because he hates when people yell at him and I guess he thought Mr. DeGrate was yelling at him. Masir walked to me, climbed on my lap, and slammed his head against my chest crying.

"Awww... My baby." I cooked, rubbing the spot on his head that was hit. "He wasn't yelling at you."

"You teachin' this baby to fight back too. Huh?" Jojo chuckled. "I'll never forget how you beat that girl up. Damn sure surprised me. You surprised us all." Jojo whispered.

"Doin' all that damn screaming for no reason." Mr. DeGrate complained, irritated at DJ.

Donald threw his head back yelling. "That's because y'all baby him."

"Like we babied you?" His dad asked him.

Donald popped his mouth. "Y'all was strict on all of us but definitely me because I'm the eldest," Donald told him.

"Probably because they couldn't see the others with that big head of yours. So they forcefully moved it out of the way." Jojo chuckled.

"What? That doesn't even make sense..." Donald said confused.

"Son, just leave it." Mr. DeGrate shook his head.

"But I don't get it." Donald shrugged.

"Lil D, you don't have to get it," I smirked at him and his eyebrows furrowed. Too soon?

"Would you take a look at his face..." Jojo whispered to me, laughing.

I shook my head at him. "Jo, c'mon," I said laughing lowly.

"Looks like Lil D a lil mad." He cracked.

Masir got back on the floor with DJ again and they started back playing. It was so cute and nice to see him play with somebody his own age. Damn, looking at him is giving me baby fever but mama ain't raise no dummy! Well, maybe she raised one! Just know it isn't me.

My plan is to be married before I even have sex, yet along having babies. Plus I want to be there for my child and not always on the road working. I don't want to miss things I should be there to witness. I already feel bad for missing some of Masir's big moments. Right now, I can give kids back to their parents and I like that. I still have time to myself whenever I want.

Speaking of children, Ashari had the baby. It's a little girl and she's so cute! She's born in the same month as I am. I don't have her yet but I will once Ashari starts back working. She's still on maternity leave. They named the baby Asiri and you probably can tell that they just combined their names. She'd is a chunky baby. A whole ten pounds and seven ounces. I don't know how Ashari did it because CHILE!

"Damn, I miss my kids," Jojo mumbled to me as everyone else was engulfed in a conversation.

Jojo is slouched on the couch I'm sitting up on. So I kind of have to turn my head to the side to speak to him.

"Then go see them. What's stopping you?" I questioned.

"Different states and their moms."

"I know some people keep their kids away from their fathers but nine times out of ten it's because they don't think the child is safe with them. What's up?" I asked.

"Damn... I am unresponsible but in my defense, I wasn't ready for kids. I can't believe I going to have a ten-year-old..."

"Jojo, that's no excuse. If you didn't want kids then you should've taken precautions. There are plenty options of for contraception. Those kids are going to resent you if you're not around. I'm telling you this from experience. Do better and maybe things will get better." I shrugged.

"Don't you think I know that, woman?" Jojo asked me.

"If you know better, you do better." My left eyebrow rose.

"Y'all over there talkin' mess about me, huh?" Donald asked us.

"We were." I smiled.

"We were but now I'm just trying to describe to her what dress you'd like to see her walk down the aisle in. You know what I'm sayin'?" Jojo told Donald.

Did he REALLY just say that when the DeGrate's are sitting right there? I can't believe this! The jokes are embarrassing without them even being here but now it's even more embarrassing.

"You two are dating?" His mother asked me.

I was about to speak but Dalvin spoke up and even cleared his throat before doing so. "No they aren't but they will be. So it's kinda like a right now thing, mama."

I squinted at JoJo since he's right next to me. "What you all red for?" Jojo spoke loudly, laughing at me. "Both of y'all are."

"Jo..." I trailed off.

"Jojo and Dalvin cut that- cut it out. Now is not the time." Donald replied, shaking his head from side to side. "I don't even turn red."

"You guys are embarrassing," I spoke up after I was able to calm my nerves down some.

"Tomato!" Masir said pointing laughing at me. This little boy...

Masir went to his bag, then snatched a Fruit GoGo Squeeze out of his bag. I grabbed it and stood up as Masir climbed off the couch.

"I don't know who told you that lie," Derek told Donald.

"I need to go and feed him in the kitchen. Is that alright?" I looked at Donald. I notice Mrs. DeGrate with an unreadable expression on her face looking in my direction.

"Now why the f-" Donald looked at his parents. "I don't even know why you even ask me that. Go ahead." Donald chuckled.

I stood up then walked off towards the kitchen holding Masir's hand and on my way there I heard Mr. DeGrate make a comment. I was out of view but I can still hear.

"So there's nothing going on between the two of you?" Mr. DeGrate. I stopped walking because I want to know what's about to be said.

"We're friends, pops," Donald replied.

"They're friends but he does have feelings for her. Right, Lil D?" I heard Jojo ask.

"JoJo, I told you that in confidentiality. How would like if I told everybody your business?" Donald asked him.

"This ain't like you to be scared though," Derek told Donald.

"I'm not scared to do anything," Donald told them monotonously. "She JUST left out the room and probably can still hear."

Donald's right, I can still hear them but I did choose to stop. Masir tugged on my hand impatiently. I sighed then continued my way into the kitchen.

"We need to wash our hands," I told him.

Masir just turned two not too long ago but his vocabulary is immaculate for his age. All he watches are shows that teach children things. No, we can't always understand what he's saying but still... Dang, I forgot my snack because I'm hungry too.

"Masir?" I looked up at him then he looked at me. "Can you get the RED chips out of the bag?" I asked him.

"Red?" He asked and I nodded.

"Red chips," I repeated.

Masir handed me his GoGo Squeeze. He wiggled down my lap and took off running out of the kitchen. I don't want to go back out there right now. Masir can feed himself a GoGo squeeze but that just gave me an excuse to leave the room. Plus, I want to make sure he doesn't get into any of Donald's things. I began spinning around in the island's chairs like a little kid out of boredom and because it's fun!

"Say we're rolling (rolling), rolling yeah, rolling on the river (rolling on the river...)" I sang to myself slowly while spinning slowly. Yes, I sang the adlibs too! "Oh, I left a good job in the city. Working for the man every night and day. And I never lost one minute of sleep. Worrying about the way the things might've been. Big wheel keep on turning, Proud Mary keep on burning. Rolling, rolling, rolling on the river." I spun as fast as I could but now singing fast like Tina Turner did.

"Oh, wow..." I heard a deep voice from behind me.

I spun around and saw Donald holding Masir and DJ next to him. "Oh, wow... How long have you been standing there?" I asked.

"Enough to see you embarrass yourself. Technically you aren't rolling, just spinning." Donald told him with an amused expression. "This isn't the most embarrassing thing I have caught you doing BUT it comes close..." He nodded.

"What are you doing in here?" I asked him.

"Uhh, I live here," Donald said, stating the obvious.

I chuckled, throwing my head back. "See now, of course, you live here, you know what I mean though..."

"Tia Junior ran in there, looking through his bag then shrugged his shoulders with his hands out at the shoulder. He said RED CHIP out loud like he didn't know where they were. It was so cute and I had to help him. I looked through the bag. I hope you don't mind because I found them?"

"You're good. Ain't nothing in there but diapers, wipes, toys, snacks, and food. Nothing important." I told him.

"I just knew they weren't for him. How come you couldn't get them?" He chuckled.

"Because they're embarrassing," I said briefly.

"You just embarrassed yourself though a little while ago." He said putting Masir back down.

"That's different." I pointed at him.

"I get it. They're doing a little too much for me too." He shook his head. "I don't know what's up with them today." Masir walked up to me and I gave him back his GoGo Squeeze. I noticed he had other snacks in his hand. "Oh, and Masir gave DJ one of those squeeze things. I have if because I don't know if it's okay with you."

"It's fine." I shrugged "But you can't eat all these snacks, Masir." I lifted him up and say him down in one of the chairs.

"Think fast!" Donald said throwing my bag of chips at me. It landed on the island.

"You suck!" I said laughing.

"For your information, I was trying to land it on the counter." He told me.

I side-eyed him with pursed lips. "Yeah, okay. I believe you." I nodded.

"My bad for not telling you earlier that my parents would still be here." He said sitting down in one of the island chairs. Basically, he's trying to say that it would've saved me the embarrassment if I had known

I shrugged. "It's okay now, Lil D. Knowing them, it would've still happened." Then I placed my hand under my chin, looking at him. "I mean, it's whatever," I said spinning again. "Can you open that for him?" I asked laughing. "How you gon' give him something to eat and not open it for him?"

"Aye, you gon' stop calling me that bullshit ass name."  He chuckled. "I hate that nickname." He opened DJ's snack. He picked DJ up and sat him in one of the island chairs as well.

"If I don't?" I raised my eyebrows, still looking at him.

"You gon' see the world upside down for a little bit," Donald replied, giving me the same look as I'm giving him.

"Alright, Lil D. I won't say it again... Today," I reassured him but I mumbled the last part.

His head snapped at me. "A'ight." He nodded in amusement.

"Alright." I looked away from him. "Stop squeezing that out of the tube and onto the table," I said, speaking to Masir. I grabbed it from him and he screamed. "Masir..." I trailed off but he continued. I don't hit kids because that just isn't me. "Masir!" I raised my voice at him and he stopped. "Just because he does it doesn't mean you do too. Don't do it again. Okay?"

"Yah!" Masir replied.

"If I give this to you one more time and you do the same thing, I'm not giving this back." I gave him back his GoGo Squeeze. I got up to get a rag to clean it up.

"Just a bully!" Donald yelled at me laughing. I rolled my eyes at him. "This happened one, two, three times too many. I got her Masir!"

I was grabbed then flipped upside down. "It never fails!" I said from below Donald. I'm facing the opposite way of his legs. "Put me down!"

"Upside, inside out. She's livin' la vida loca. She'll push and pull you down. Livin' la vida loca. Her lips are devil red and her skin's the color mocha. She will wear you out. Livin' la vida loca Come on! Livin' la vida loca. She's livin' la vida loca!" Donald sang, spinning us both around! The kids were cracking up laughing.

"Let me down! I'm dizzy!"

He grabbed my left leg like it was a hand he was holding onto and moved to the right in a dancing motion. "She'll make you take your clothes off and go dancing in the rain." He switched legs and our direction to the right. "She'll make you live her crazy life, but she'll take away your pain! Like a bullet to your brain. Come on!"

"DeVanté!" I laughed. "I'm really getting dizzy! Help me Masir, DJ!" I tried to swing up but I'm too dizzy.

"Alright! Alright! I'm done! Gimme your hand." He told me.

I lifted my hand and he grabbed it, pulling my torso up. "When I get down from here-"

"You gon' do what!? What you gon' do?" He wobbled his head from side to side as he spoke.

"Put me down." I exhaled loudly.

"You seem to ALWAYS take my threats lightly. Do you know who I am?" He questioned with a serious facial expression.

"The real question is do you know who I am?" I told him. "I don't think you do..." I told him looking down between my legs where his head is. I grabbed the back of his neck for support with my free hand in order for me to get one leg down. If I get one leg down then I'm good.

His eyebrows furrowed then he shot me a smile. "Hell, nahh..." He grabbed my legs and swung us both around. My hands fell from behind his neck. The kids are screaming with laughter.

"Boy, put her down!" Mrs. DeGrate yelled.

Donald yelped loudly and stopped spinning. "Ouch!"

He grabbed my hand, so I can get down for real this time. I'm dizzy but I can't help but laugh. She's hitting him with a shoe. He walked to the island and got me down that way.

"Why'd you have to bring out the shoe?" He said backing up. Where I'm from we call that a shoe belt.

"Because you actin' a fool. Swinging this gal around and got my baby in here screaming." She told him.

"He was laughing." Donald covered his scoff with a laugh, gesturing towards DJ. I slid off the island, now with my feet flat on the floor, then took a seat on the island chair.

"I don't care. You don't do that." His mother chastised him.

"See, Tia? You got me in trouble." Donald looked at me in disbelief.

"Me?" I placed my hand on my chest with my head tilted forward, looking him dead in the eyes.

We stared at each other for a while until we both began to laugh. "Alright, it IS my fault."

"We know." Mrs. DeGrate told him laughing while tending to DJ. "A mess."

"Y'all love me though!" Donald nodded with a big ass smile on his face.

March 30, 1998

~Tupac's P.O.V~

Recently I've been M.I.A with everyone. The only people who knew where I was are my mother and sister. I didn't even tell Suge who is my manager. I went and got some help because I was contemplating suicide but decided against that and I'm glad I didn't go through with it. I got some help from a professional outside of the country. I just got so tired of everything. The fame was becoming to be too much to handle and I felt as if everything around me began to crumble.

I left and went to Sweden. The land is beautiful and I was able to do what I needed to without being watched too much. I went and got professional help. It's not in the tabloids now but I'm sure it will be. It helped a little bit to get away and it helped, even more, to just talk to a professional. However, it doesn't fully help me. It only helps me with the coping methods I use for the passings/murders of all the people I've lost in my life.

I still don't truly know who's my real friends and who aren't. People are good at fooling others into believing their facades. I say, real recognize real a lot but I can't. I mean, it could be because I'm not being true to myself. Maybe that's why. I just want to spit rhymes and get paid, that fame shit can bounce. BUT you can't be known nationally for your art and not be famous. I opened the door to my mother's house to be met with Sekyiwa and my mama. I just want to spend time with them at the moment.

"Hey," I said as we group hugged. I miss them.

"Hey, Pac." My mother said squeezing me.

"I missed you too," Sekyiwa said reading my mind.

We finally pulled away. "I made you some food. You hungry?" Mama asked me.

"Starving, mama." I rubbed my stomach in circles.

We went into the dining room where food was set up. "You missed the holidays so this is the makeup dinner." My mama told me.

"Thanks, mama." I smiled widely. This shit looks good as fuck.

I made myself some plates, sat down, and started chowing down.

"I'm glad you're here! Now I can FINALLY eat! How was it there?" Sekyiwa said after chewing her food.

"It was relaxing. Nothing like ever before. It was a different experience. It only helped me with coping though. Nothing else." I told her.

"They can't do everything for you. You can't expect them to change your whole life without knowing you entirely. You have to put in the work as well." Sekyiwa told me.

"That's right." Mama butted in.

"I'm trying," I told them.

"You got to take more action," Sekyiwa said to me. "You've been trying all this time."

"I know." I nodded. "It's not easy."

"It WON'T be easy. Changing a negative to a positive is ALWAYS going to be hard but doing it vice versa is easy." My mama spoke the truth into me.

"Right," Sekyiwa replied. "Did you get back to Suge?" She questioned.

I put my plate down with a deep exhale. "No, I like rhyming but I don't know if I want to do it anymore professionally," I told them.

"Why?" Sekyiwa said shocked. "You've wanted this since we were kids. What happened?"

"It's too much shit to deal with. I think I wanna strictly focus on acting and poetry. There are too many snakes out there and I don't know the cobras from the garden snakes." I told them.

"The movie industry and the music industry are basically the same." Sekyiwa squinted at me.

"There are slight differences. People are more into rappers business than actors and ESPECIALLY poets." I emphasized.

"What happens to your unreleased music?" My mama asked me.

"I keep it or allow others to sample it at a cost." I grabbed my kool-aid and drunk some.

"Did you pay Suge back yet?" She questioned.

"No, not fully but when everything gets into place I will be able to." I told them.

"Suge is dangerous and I know y'all are friends and all but you see what he be doin'." Sekyiwa frowned.

"I know but he should be understanding if we boys." I shrugged.

Mama frowned at me then cleared her throat to speak. "Sometimes people pretend to be your friends because they're profiting off you. Suge is a music executive who doesn't play about his money. You're the top artist there. I don't think if he'll take your decision lightly."

"That's true but like I said me and Suge tight," I told them.

"If that's what you want to do then do it," Mama told me.

"Yeah..." Sekyiwa shrugged. "I just wish you the best."

Author's Note: The guys were wilding! I can't imagine being in that situation Tia heard everything DeVanté's been holding! 🤭🤭🤭  Do you think Tia was wrong for eavesdropping? Tia didn't say how she felt but how do YOU think she feels? Ashari had the baby! DeVanté's mama ain't have to come through with the shoe belt though! Tupac... I have no words but at least he's learning how to cope!

Word Count: 5,800
Please feel free to like and comment. Feedback gives motivation, and motivation urges me to continue to write.

Thank you all for taking the time out of your day to read another chapter of this story. Thank you for staying despite the slacking.💚🖤❤💜💙💛