Chapter 12: RAYA - A Street King's Widow

The check had finally cleared and I was putting the last box in my car as the movers were closing the back of their truck. I was finally able to get the deposit for the new place. I took one last look at the condo building that held a lot of the arguments that Rah and I had. As much as we got into it, he never put his hands on me. He threatened, but I guess he knew not to take it there with me or his ass would be locked up.

“You ready to go to our new spot, Ryleigh?”

She didn’t give a damn because she didn’t know what was going on. As we made the drive over, I just smiled, because I would have another deposit hitting some time today, and that would get my new furniture. I gave Kam all my old shit. Hell, we even went on a small shopping spree. I owed my friend a little something since she kept it real with me. In order to get to my new house, I had to pass by Averie’s house. To think Rah was paying this hoe’s mortgage and had me in a damn condo. I guess he really did show me that he didn’t fuck with me like that.

Once the movers got Ryleigh’s bed put together, I tipped them and closed the door behind them. Ryleigh was sitting on the floor watching videos on her iPad. I grabbed my phone to order us some food and check my account for the other deposit. When it wasn’t there, I decided to call Lloyd’s bitch ass and see what the issue was.

“Lloyd, where is the rest of the money that is supposed to be deposited into my account?” I asked before he could say hello.

“Are you talking about the trust? If so, that belongs to Ryleigh only, and you cannot touch it. Hell, she can’t touch it until a certain age. Did you not pay attention at the reading of the will?”

The fuck did he mean the trust belonged to Ryleigh? She was three fucking years old. The hell was she going to do with it?

“The monthly amount that was deposited a few days ago is for the care of Ryleigh. The other deposit is the trust. It’s restricted.”

“So, he’s still controlling the fucking money. What was the purpose of the damn DNA test?”

“To establish your daughter’s legal right to her trust. Not yours.”

I hung up in his face. The whole point of moving into this house was because I could afford it. I was depending on the extra money. My dumb ass sat in that damn meeting and didn’t really pay attention to what was being said. Now I was back in a fucked up situation because the amount of money for Ryleigh’s care was good, but the house would eat up most of it. I still had a car payment and other bills, too. Not to mention I finally got Ryleigh accepted into a school. The tuition for that was not cheap either. Then I looked around and noticed I didn’t have a lick of fucking furniture. All I did was keep Ryleigh’s bedroom furniture because I had no one to give it to. I picked up my phone and dialed Kam’s number.

“Hey girl. You settled in?”

“Kam, don’t judge me, bitch.”

“Girl, what now?”

“I need my furniture back.”

“See, I had a feeling you were going to do this. What happened to you getting all new shit?”

“I didn’t pay attention at the reading of the will. I got two deposits. One is for Ryleigh’s care, and the other is for her trust. I can’t touch the damn trust.”

“Damn, Raya, you gotta get your shit together. I’m so glad I didn’t get rid of my own shit. You can come and get the furniture; it’s still sitting in the U-Haul.”

“You can’t bring it to me?”

“Hell no! You got yourself in this shit, and you need to get yourself out. I know you don’t want to hear this, but you may have to find you a job.”

I rolled my eyes. Anytime I was in some shit, this was the first thing she would say.

“I’ll be there in a little bit. Do you think you can help me bring it in or watch Ryleigh so I can find someone to help me?”

“I’ll watch Ryleigh.”

“Thank you,” I said with an attitude before hanging up.

By the time I had paid a few of Kam’s cousins to drive the U-Haul and put the furniture in my house, it was late as fuck. There was no way I was going back on the other side of town to get Ryleigh. I was exhausted, and I needed to get some sleep. After sending Kam a text, I hopped in the shower and climbed in bed. Before my eyes closed, I went to Royal Flush’s social media page. It had become routine to see what the fuck Kyenna was doing since she was so private. She still hadn’t put any pictures of herself on the website or the page. Whoever her social media manager was, did a good job of making it seem like Rah was still alive. My eyes ended up getting heavy until I drifted off to sleep with my phone in my hand.

The next morning, I woke up to my phone going off. I woke up frantic because I really didn’t remember going to damn sleep. Once the phone stopped ringing, I flopped my head back on the pillow, only for it to go off again.

“Hello?”

“Where the fuck you at?” Shameek’s voice boomed through the phone.

“What you mean?”

“It’s my family weekend to get Ryleigh, and I’m at yo’ door.”

I raised. “What door?”

“At the muthafuckin’ condo. Fuck you mean what door?”

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“I…I don’t live at the condo anymore.”

“Raya, where the fuck you at wit’ my niece?”

“Can you give me an hour? I need to go pick her up and pack her a bag. Then I will call you with my location.”

“You got one hour,” he said, hanging up.

I jumped out of bed without even washing my face or brushing my teeth. Rah might not have put his hands on me, but Shameek had done a few things to me physically that let me know he wasn’t someone that I could push the buttons with. Yeah, I talked a little shit, but I also knew when he was giving me a warning. I had Ryleigh home, bathed and dressed in record time. Shameek was going to have questions when he arrived at my new location. I mean, rightfully so. When the money hit, I up and moved without telling anyone. Shameek popped up an hour later than what he had given me.

“Ryleigh, come on, your Uncle Meek is here,” I said as I opened the door.

I tried to block him from coming in, but he pushed right by me and entered my house.

“You moved yo’ ass over here by Averie, for what?”

“Because my daughter deserves to live nice too.”

“And you decided out of all the good neighborhoods that this is the one you would settle on? You’re not gonna get enough until Averie or Kyenna beat yo’ muthafuckin’ ass.”

“Beat who?” I laughed. “Averie’s ass is bigger than me, so maybe. But Kyenna…that hoe too uppity to even know how to throw a set up.”

Shameek laughed. “Rah ain’t tell you how she beat his fuckin’ ass ‘bout cheatin’ on her with’ you. She was tryin’ to beat both of y’all ass.”

“He let her do that. Y’all be gassing her up like she’s really that girl.”

“Hopefully, you won’t find out,” he said. “Come on, princess.”

“Do not have my daughter around that bitch. It’s not her fucking weekend. I can’t believe she even gets a damn weekend with my damn child.”

“What’s her last name?”

“Who?” I asked, confused.

“Kyenna’s.”

“King.”

“Aight then, she’s family, and that’s what was in the fucking papers. I’ll see you Sunday evenin’.”

“Where will she be staying?” I asked as he picked her up.

“We all stay behind the same gate. Ryleigh will be safe no matter where she lays her head.”

“Shameek, you know what I’m saying. Y’all always find a way to include that bitch in everything.”

“Because she’s family.”

“She was Rah’s wife. Rah is dead,” I said.

Shameek’s entire expression changed. I knew I had said the wrong thing, but I wasn’t taking it back.

“Don’t ever say that shit to me again.”

“I didn’t mean–”

“Nah, you meant what the fuck you said.” He stepped closer. “My brother dyin’ didn’t erase that woman from his family. You don’t get to decide she ain’t a King no more because you finally got a piece of what he left behind.”

“This ain’t even about money, Shameek. It’s the principle, and it involves me and Rahmelo’s child that we had together.”

“Every fuckin’ thing is ‘bout money with you, muthafucka. You held my niece hostage until you realized you couldn’t get shit without that test.”

“Okay, damn!”

“Tell yo’ mama bye,” he told Ryleigh.

She waved bye to me, and they walked out the door. Everybody in that damn family acted like my daughter belonged to them. I was the one doing everything while all they had to do was pop up and play one big happy family. I stood at the door and watched him strap her into the back seat of his truck. As soon as he got in his truck, I slammed and locked my door. I flopped down on my couch, pissed off that Shameek was right. I did let the money motivate. That was my purpose of fucking with Rah to begin with. His ass wasn’t supposed to fucking die on me.