De'Mario's POV:

After dropping Maria off at school, I dropped the kids off at Ray and Nicole house so that they can just get a ride to school with Son'Mona (pronounced symone -a) and Mary'Ann. I then decided to stop at the grocery store before we run out of food. I hate coming here, though. Sometimes when I come here, I see Shawny. I'm not bullshitting and it feels so real like she's actually there. She would stare at me and then turn her head and leave but I never chase after her because we all know that that would be insane to chase something that's not even there. I'm not down with embarrassing myself. I sure in the hell ain't taking them meds either.

I parked in a parking space closest to the entrance of Family Fare and made sure all my doors were locked before getting out. I walked through the double door and grabbed a cart before beginning to shop. I grabbed the essential stuff first and then grabbed some snacks for the kids. As I was walking through the meat aisle, I felt someone staring at me. I looked over my shoulder and saw no one. I looked over my other shoulder and once again, no one was there. I'd be damned If I'm going crazy cause this is already too much for me. This shit is making me mad. I turned all the way around and still, no one. I took a deep breath and proceeded with my shopping.

There's someone watching me, I know it, I can feel it. You can't tell me any different and this ain't no fucking paranoid schizophrenia. I'm not taking pills for shit I don't have. I'm not fucking crazy, someone better shows their self soon, or imma have to go looking for they ass myself. And imma be alone on this anyway because ain't nobody gone believe me. It's some bullshit when people think the reality is just an illusion, that'll get you hurt and I have to stay on guard at all times. Taking them meds will get me off my guard, that's not gonna fucking happen.

Once I got everything I needed, I pushed the cart to the self check out aisle and started scanning and bagging the groceries myself. Those eyes crept up on me again and I turned around to finally see at least something. It's was Shaw- wait what? I looked down and then back up again to see her gone. Yo, this is some bullshit. Someone is fucking with me and I don't find it funny. I'll be in an insane asylum before I know it. I continued to bag the groceries and paid for them. I put them into the cart and pushed it out to my car. I popped the trunk and began loading it with the groceries.

As I was doing that, three Latino niggas walked pass a little too close and a little too slow. They were covered in tattoos and wouldn't stop glaring at me. The one in the front smirked and shook his head as he made his way to his low rider. I noticed that they had a girl with them who was holding all of the groceries by herself and not one nigga helped her. She had on a hoodie, so I couldn't see her face but I wanted to say something, I just didn't know what. I just closed my trunk and continued to mind my own business.

I pushed the cart to the side and got in the car. After putting on my seatbelt, I started my car and checked my mirrors. I noticed that there was a lot of damn Latinos here. They were all staring at me and I can see that one who smirked at me through the mirror. I furrowed my eyebrows and began to back out of the parking space. They all watched my every move. I ain't never seen no shit like this before. I hurried up and pulled off not even looking back. They trynna get a nigga killed. As I drove, I noticed that they were still sitting in those spots. Something finna go down over there and I'm not finna be part of it.

On my way to the house, I listen to Tupac's first album. It's a classic and it brings back good memories. You won't find another rapper who could rap like him although I still think he was a fucking faggot. I bobbed my head to the music that blasted through the speakers and took a long way home to clear my head. I passed the Palace and that sparked up some good and bad memories. Last time I was there wasn't that long before the fire.

I pulled into the driveway and parked before popping the trunk. As I put the groceries in the house, I thought about the times I've had with Shawny. We were such a happy couple, we may have had our Downs but when we had our ups, we were damn near flying. She was the perfect wife to me and I couldn't have asked for a better one. I don't know about anyone else but she made me feel like I was actually serving a purpose in her life. I didn't feel like, she would be better off without me because I felt like I was part of her too. We needed each other and her missing is making me go crazy.

After putting up the groceries, I sat down on the couch where I was last night and fished my phone out of the cushions. I noticed that I had so many missed calls and texts from my pops. My heart dropped at the voicemail he left.

Dad: "Son, I want you to know that I love you and all of my grandchildren. Take good care of them and cherish the time you get to spend with them because you never know when this lifestyle of ours is going to catch up with you. If I'm dead before you get this message, just know that you need to let Shawny go. You would If you knew what was best for you and your children. If you don't let go now, you won't be able to regret it later. I'm warning you-" He hung up.

I read the messages he sent and they were all in code but the last one was obviously not from him. It read.

Text: What you don't know can't hurt you. Stop now, and let it go.

What is up with people telling me to let it go? I sighed and wiped my face before going to getting up and decided to rush to my pops house. I hopped in my car and went speeding. I didn't have any worries about something actually being wrong until I made it to his house and the cops were there. I saw the ambulance truck that had paramedics carrying a black body bag into it. I instantly knew who it was and that's when my heart sank down into my stomach. I almost cried but I didn't.

I parked my car close to the cops and got out. I made my way to one policeman that stopped to talk to me.

Me: "What happened?" I asked in concerned.

Policeman: "Who are you, Sir?" He asked in suspicion.

Me: "I'm the Son of the person that lives here." I answered truthfully.

Policeman: "How did you know to come here? We didn't make any phone calls." He replied.

Me: "Well, he did. That's why I'm here." I got smart.

Policeman: "Well, that's impossible. He's been dead for at least twelve hours." he stated.

Me: "What do you mean? I got a phone call from him last night."I semi-yelled.

Policeman: "Sir, we'll have to take you in for questioning, If you don't mind." He said.

Me: "Nah, not at all. As long as imma be home by the time my kids get out of school. " I replied.

Policeman: "Don't worry, it won't take that long. We just need a statement saying he was alive at that point and time, and we'll need to know the nature of your conversation...." He continued on. I walked with him and cooperated. I don't too much care about helping them because I don't have anything to hide. As long as I'm going back home to my kids.
---------------------------------------------------------------