opposite side from where his mom sat on the couch, Elisha lay sound asleep. None of the familyâs melodrama disturbed her slumber. Will leaned in and planted a kiss on her forehead.
Will then walked over and kissed his mother on the cheek. The kiss he gave his mother was not the same as the one he gave Elisha. Elishaâs kiss was spawned out of the love Will had for his baby sister. Will kissed his mother out of habit. Once again Carroll remained passive when Will needed her to play an active role in his life.
âBye, Mom,â Will said before he slid between Joshua and his father.
âDonât ever, so long as you live, think that you can come up in here and tell me how to raise my seed. You hear me!â Odell said.
Will did not break his stride as he headed for the door. Before he opened the door, he took one last look back at his dysfunctional family portrait. Will then opened the door and closed it in a swift motion.
Once outside, Will tried to recall everything that had just transpired. He wanted to call child protective services, but a judge shouldnât have to decide on family matters. Will wanted Joshua to stay with him, and Joshua wanted Will to move back home. If Willâs life was a game of chess, then he and his brother had just reached a stalemate.
As Will walked along the second-floor balcony, he noticed that a former member of his gang, the Untouchables, stood in the parking lot, next to a red Honda Accord. D-Loc had vowed to get even after Will turned his back on his set to follow God. Every time Will came anywhere near his fatherâs place, he was in danger, so he had to minimize his visits and make sure to leave before anyone noticed. It was easy to do with a black and silver Ninja ZX-10R, a gift from a fellow church member, Quincy, and it came in handy in tight situations. The question now, however, was, would Will make it to his bike before his old comrade called in reinforcements?
Chapter Three
Titus
âI wonât be needing this anymore.â Pastor Lemont Dawkins handed his black leather-bound Bible to his son, Titus.
Despite his reluctance, Titus accepted his fatherâs Bible. Titus also accepted that his father no longer loved his mother and that Lemont Dawkins would leave the confines of his family for the love of another woman. Lemont packed his bags and placed them by the front door. Titus was all that stood between him and the front door.
In Titusâs worldview, his father was one sermon short of being a god. Titus often repented for his idol worship of his father, but he could not find fault in either his father or his pastor. Pastor Lemont Dawkinsâs sermons served as a stain remover to the wearied sinner. He embodied charisma and conviction, but the man who Titus wanted to be like was only a fraction of the man Lemont truly was. There were sides of Titusâs father that played out only within the sanctity of the master bedroom.
âI have no more use for that book, and its lies,â Lemont declared , referring to his Bible, which was now in Titusâs hands.
âThatâs just the devil talking. Donât give in to his lies, Daddy.â Titus fought back the tears. At fifteen, he possessed a firm grasp on the obvious: the family in the portraits and pictures and on the bulletin boards was not the family that dwelled in this postmodern three-bedroom flat.
His father had kept a lot of secrets, and Titus could no longer turn a deaf ear to the murmurs or a blind eye to the evidence.
âYouâre talking to the devil right now.â Victoria, Titusâs mother, emerged from the master bedroom with a handful of collared shirts, which she did not hesitate to throw at Lemont in her effort to aid him in his departure. Lemont used his forearm to defend against the assault from his wardrobe, courtesy of his wife. Victoria had already arrived at a place that Titus still grappled with, that he might not ever see his father again
Will then walked over and kissed his mother on the cheek. The kiss he gave his mother was not the same as the one he gave Elisha. Elishaâs kiss was spawned out of the love Will had for his baby sister. Will kissed his mother out of habit. Once again Carroll remained passive when Will needed her to play an active role in his life.
âBye, Mom,â Will said before he slid between Joshua and his father.
âDonât ever, so long as you live, think that you can come up in here and tell me how to raise my seed. You hear me!â Odell said.
Will did not break his stride as he headed for the door. Before he opened the door, he took one last look back at his dysfunctional family portrait. Will then opened the door and closed it in a swift motion.
Once outside, Will tried to recall everything that had just transpired. He wanted to call child protective services, but a judge shouldnât have to decide on family matters. Will wanted Joshua to stay with him, and Joshua wanted Will to move back home. If Willâs life was a game of chess, then he and his brother had just reached a stalemate.
As Will walked along the second-floor balcony, he noticed that a former member of his gang, the Untouchables, stood in the parking lot, next to a red Honda Accord. D-Loc had vowed to get even after Will turned his back on his set to follow God. Every time Will came anywhere near his fatherâs place, he was in danger, so he had to minimize his visits and make sure to leave before anyone noticed. It was easy to do with a black and silver Ninja ZX-10R, a gift from a fellow church member, Quincy, and it came in handy in tight situations. The question now, however, was, would Will make it to his bike before his old comrade called in reinforcements?
Chapter Three
Titus
âI wonât be needing this anymore.â Pastor Lemont Dawkins handed his black leather-bound Bible to his son, Titus.
Despite his reluctance, Titus accepted his fatherâs Bible. Titus also accepted that his father no longer loved his mother and that Lemont Dawkins would leave the confines of his family for the love of another woman. Lemont packed his bags and placed them by the front door. Titus was all that stood between him and the front door.
In Titusâs worldview, his father was one sermon short of being a god. Titus often repented for his idol worship of his father, but he could not find fault in either his father or his pastor. Pastor Lemont Dawkinsâs sermons served as a stain remover to the wearied sinner. He embodied charisma and conviction, but the man who Titus wanted to be like was only a fraction of the man Lemont truly was. There were sides of Titusâs father that played out only within the sanctity of the master bedroom.
âI have no more use for that book, and its lies,â Lemont declared , referring to his Bible, which was now in Titusâs hands.
âThatâs just the devil talking. Donât give in to his lies, Daddy.â Titus fought back the tears. At fifteen, he possessed a firm grasp on the obvious: the family in the portraits and pictures and on the bulletin boards was not the family that dwelled in this postmodern three-bedroom flat.
His father had kept a lot of secrets, and Titus could no longer turn a deaf ear to the murmurs or a blind eye to the evidence.
âYouâre talking to the devil right now.â Victoria, Titusâs mother, emerged from the master bedroom with a handful of collared shirts, which she did not hesitate to throw at Lemont in her effort to aid him in his departure. Lemont used his forearm to defend against the assault from his wardrobe, courtesy of his wife. Victoria had already arrived at a place that Titus still grappled with, that he might not ever see his father again
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