Page 10 of Bullet

Black was the oldest. He placed his bags on the floor and took a few steps toward us. I placed Clear behind me, and he remained in place.

"Little sis, you ain't gotta do that. We ain't gon' hurt you or our niece. I know there's a lot of issues and time between us, but we wanna be in your life and hers. Can we meet our niece, please?" he pleaded.

I wiped away my tears and nodded. "Yeah. I'll like that very much."

"Thank you." Black walked closer and grabbed me in a tight hug. "I missed you, little sis."

"I missed you guys, too," I stated, enjoying the feel of my brother's arms again. We squeezed each other a little tighter before we separated.

Black lowered and smiled. "Hey, Clear Bell. I'm your Uncle Black. Behind me are your other uncles, Marshawn, and Tyrese. We're your mama's big brothers, and in all those bags over there are gifts for you."

Clear peeked around my leg and smiled. "I like gifts, Uncle Black."

He chuckled. "Most girls do. Would you like to see your gifts?"

"Yes."

"Cool. If it's okay with you, Clear Bell, can I have a hug?"

"Yes, Uncle Black." She walked around me and into his large spread arms.

Black closed his eyes and held her little body for a few minutes. He smiled and stood, then carried her over to her other uncles. Tyrese was the first to reach for her. I smiled as she giggled while he tickled her. Marshawn kissed her cheek and then held her tightly for a few minutes. He was the lover boy out of them. He held her as we all transitioned into the living room. I took a seat and watched as Clear happily opened up all the gifts they'd gotten her — new clothes, shoes, electronics, stuffies, and more dolls as if she weren't in doll heaven already. It didn't matter, though, as long as she was happy.

Once Clear had opened all of her gifts, we all decided to give her a tour of the compound.

Clear sat on top of Tyrese's shoulders as we walked the path of the grounds. They pointed out places we hid at as kids, our favorite fruit trees, and trees we used to climb, and their houses. I laughed and chimed in when it was necessary. Laughing helped to keep from crying. I missed them more than I led myself to believe. We were always close. Things changed when I brought Bullet into our lives. That was a decision I still didn't regret. I still loved him. Regardless of how far or close we were, my love for him had never changed. I was still on the fence about Clear meeting him, but they had to. It was terrible already that she was four, and he didn't know she existed. In my defense, I had no way of reaching out because Pop Pop had taken my phone and gotten me a new one before I left.

There was no telling what he'd done with it, but I'm glad there was a passcode because there were pictures and videos ofus being real nasty. My clit pulsed at the way Bullet used to suck me bone dry from the front and back. I hadn't been touched by a man since the last time he touched me. If a man breathed on me too hard, I might just cum.

The sound of Marshawn's voice filled my ears, and I snapped out of my thoughts.

"We gotta cut our tour short. Mama just called Black and said we need to get to the hospital. Something is going on with Pop Pop," he expressed.

"Okay," I softly replied. That was the only word I could muster.

My stomach dropped to my ass, and fear filled me faster than water in a pot. Would this be our final goodbye? I grabbed onto Clear as we were swiftly ushered inside the SUV. The vehicles took off, and we headed to the hospital.

Nothing had changed in Decatur. The old town still looked the same. We had your typical storefronts, schools, entertainment district, and medical district like any other small town. It wasn't a lot here, but it was enough to keep everyone entertained. Minutes later, we pulled up to the entrance, and a few of our guards helped Clear and me out and then rushed us inside the hospital.

I wasn't fond of hospitals, but I had to deal with it. We scampered through the sea of medical staff in the hallway. Loud steps could be heard behind us. I tried to look, but we moved too fast. Eric, the guard, hit the elevator, and it immediately opened. We climbed on with my heart still beating like crazy. The doors were nearly closed when the body of a big man could be seen in the small opening. He slapped the doors when they closed, and Iheard him cuss. I didn't get a good look at him, but it felt like he was my Bullet.No, that couldn't have been him. What would he be doing here?

The elevator dinged, and we stepped off onto the floor of the private wing. With every step I took toward Pop Pop's room, my steps seemed amplified in my ears. Even my heartbeat sounded as if someone played it through a speaker. Why was I so scared? I was raised by my Pop Pop.

If I had to be honest with myself, it was all about saying goodbye. I thought I still had more time with him even though he was in his eighties. As a little girl, he seemed so invincible to me. Now, as an adult, I saw he was just a man.

We turned the corner and entered his room. Daddy sat by his bed, but he stood when he saw us. His eyes immediately went to Clear. I picked her up and held her close to me. If he tried anything, I was going to wipe the floor with his ass. We eased over to Pop Pop, and he gave us the biggest smile he could muster. He looked so little, frail. His dark skin seemed a little lighter, and he was now bald. It looked as if a child had taken the place of the once big man.

"Look what the cat done dragged in. My girls are here. Nice to see you, Crystal Ball. This little one here must be Clear Bell," Pop Pop expressed in a small voice.

I kissed his forehead and cheek. "It's nice to see you as well, Pop Pop. This is Little Clear, my little angel. Little Clear, say hello to your great grand Pop Pop."

Her head popped up from my shoulder, and she smiled. "Hi, Pop Pop. Look what Uncle Black got me." She showed him her new doll who she'd named Zoey.

"She's pretty, just like you. Can your old Pop Pop have a hug?"

"Yes," she softly replied. I lowered the rail on his bed, then gently placed Clear next to him. He kissed the top of her headmultiple times before he squeezed her as tight as he could. Pop Pop was weak, so it was barely a hug. A few tears rolled down his cheeks. When I wiped them away, his frail hand grabbed onto mine, and he kissed it.

"Thank you for coming. I know I don't deserve your kindness and love after the way I shipped you off, and for that, I'm sorry. I really am, Crystal Ball."

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