Page 33 of A Boy is a Gun: Part I
As we walked closer to the crime scene, they pulled out Ayesha’s dead body, and Jamie held me back as I screamed hysterically. They pull out Tesh, and she’s still alive but badly injured. And still in her car seat, without a single scratch on her, is Mia. Tesh used her body as a shield to protect her.
That was when I decided the best thing for us was to leave Cameron for good. Looking back on it, Cameron knew it as well.
Book III
Justice
One
Cameron
She was gone before I came home.
After Mia was discharged from the hospital, we went home as a family, and Taylor was silent the entire time. She went upstairs to the nursery and remained there all night. When I left for work the following day, she was quiet again.
That’s when I knew a line was crossed that I couldn’t recover from.
The next day, I called and texted Taylor and didn’t hear back from her. I know she read my texts as it said she did, but I also know she was mad at me. Maybe angry isn’t the appropriate word to describe her feelings.
Ayesha was killed protecting Mia and Tesh. Tesh wore a bulletproof vest, but was still hit in the legs. She will recover from her wounds, and Mia will never remember this. It doesn’t matter; Taylor is gone, and we both know she won’t return.
I came home, and Maria, the head of security, told me Taylor and Mia were gone. All of their belongings were gone. She cleaned the house within a few hours. Security didn’t try to stop her for obvious reasons.
Once Taylor had calmed down and got some clarity about everything, she left. No goodbye note. No big dramatic exit. No cursing or fighting. She packed up her shit and left.
I can’t say I blame her. Mia was in actual harm and could’ve been killed. The way Taylor exited out of my life told me she already had one foot out the door and was waiting for any reason to step the other foot outside.
The year-long separation was miserable when I lost Taylor for the first time. Every woman couldn’t compare to her. They were into the lifestyle, the money, and the power. Taylor didn’t care about any of that.
Now she and Mia are gone. She left, and I have an idea where she went to – her Granny.
She wouldn’t go to Hayley for apparent reasons. She wouldn’t go to Jamie for even more obvious reasons. The one person she would go to – whom she knows would put a thick border between us – is the jackpot.
I paid for Ayesha’s funeral and flew any family and friends from different parts of the country so they could adequately bury her. Ayesha was heavy into the church, and her funeral was packed. I sat in the back to give space to her friends and family.
I got up to say my final respects to Ayesha and saw Taylor and Mia in the back. Right next to her was Taylor’s Granny. I don’t know why I was surprised to see them together, but I was.
Sharon had a smirk that was part anger and part smart-ass. Sharon’s hated me from the jump, and there’s no mistake why. She stared me down as she held Mia, comforting her as Taylor looked straight ahead. I already knew what that meant:
Sharon had control over whether I could see Taylor and Mia, and she would enforce it every second.
I know Taylor doesn’t know the real story with her Granny, and I don’t think it’s my place to inform her, should I go that route. There’s no question when Sharon and I will have a conversation, and I reckon that will happen very soon.
~~~~~
“Did you like the service?” Tesh quietly speaks to me.
I shrug and loosen my tie. I collapse in the chair next to her bed, hold her hand, and kiss it. I shake my head and can’t get over how much of a clusterfuck my life has become all within three months.
Seeing the woman who has practically raised me fighting for her life is even more painful. I will never get over this guilt. “It was a beautiful service,” I nod to her iPad. “Did you watch it?”
“I did,” she slowly nods, “it was exquisite, yes.”
I let out a breath and look outside her window. I feel like I’m losing control of everything and don’t know where to turn next. “Tay and Mia were there with her grandmother. I wasn’t able to say hello to them.”
“I’m sure that was intentional,” Tesh lets out a deep breath, “anything to keep you away from her grandbaby and her baby, she’ll do it.”
No shit. I found that out the hard way. I know Sharon hates me, and she blames me for Lamont’s death. Mia being in harm's way didn’t help matters. “Never mind about her–how are you doing?”
