LOGINShare
Chapter 23
Last Updated:
2024-10-29 19:42:56Kalil
Clouds rolled and rain was imminent. The funeral was being held at the gravesite. On the ride over Mak told me that her mom used to tell her if it rained the day of a funeral the person was going to Heaven. She said it didn’t rain the day of her dad’s funeral and hadn’t spoken a word since. The only time she let go of her death grip on my hand was when I stood in as a pallbearer. Chino, Ralphie, Bruce, and Donte volunteered as well, along with others I didn’t know. There were two caskets. It nearly destroyed me when Donte and I carried the tiny white one.
Mak wore dark shades so I couldn’t tell what she looked at. Jaida’s shades weren’t as dark, so I could see her watching Mak. The minister asked if anyone would like to say anything and Mak’s coach stood up. I couldn’t remember his name—Calvin? He stood beside the casket and looked down at Riley. His mouth opened, and a sob came out as he crumpled against the podium. Someone helped him
Lashanta CharlesShort chapter, more to come quickly!! Love you guys! Be sure to comment and share the gorgeous gems! XOXO, Lashanta
Related chapters
Lovely Lies Chapter 24
KalilWe went straight home from there. I made Mak take the pain meds she had just so she’d sleep and she’d been knocked out for hours. Jaida insisted on her and Donte staying the night at our place and I didn’t care. I just wanted Mak to be fine. I went upstairs, ready to crawl in bed with her and was surprised to see her awake.“Hey. Feeling better?” I asked as I sat down beside her. I wasn’t sure if that was another stupid question, but she nodded.“I guess I owe you a few explanations,” she said as she pulled me closer to her.I kissed her forehead then looked in her gorgeous brown eyes. “You don’t owe me anything, but I’m curious.”“When we were younger Riley always acted like she was my mom, telling me what I could and couldn’t do. I hated it, except for when I would get sick and she would sing to me at night to help me fall asleep. H
Lovely Lies Chapter 25
When we got back to the house I tried to wrestle with KJ, but he didn’t want to. He went to Mak and turned into a snitch. “Daddy hurt my belly.” She brought him over to me and held my hands while he did his version of punching me in my stomach. When I pretend to cry, but he ignored me. His attitude sucked. They went into the kitchen and I laid down on the couch. I could hear them singing and laughing as I started to doze off. After a while silence permeated the air and I sat up. “KJ, sweetie, no. You’re supposed to tell me when you have to potty.” “I sorry! Please, no my hurt. I not do it again.” His little voice was laced with panic and fear and I could tell he was crying. Mak let out a gasp before speaking, her voice soft. “KJ, I would never hurt you. I know it was just an accident, stop crying. How about we go change your clothes and you can play with your toys in the bath tub.” He didn’t stop crying and watched as they came out of
Lovely Lies Chapter 26
Makynzee “Troy, stay out of this,” Jasmine screeched. I slipped out of the truck, but didn’t go further. “KJ said Troy had an accident, Jas. What does that mean?” Kalil didn’t take his eyes off of Troy. Jasmine looked at me, and I waited for her answer. I needed her to say Troy had nothing to do with this, but I knew better. She looked too scared. I glanced up at Troy, who’d decided to come off the porch. And then he spoke. “She said it was an accident. What more you want her to say?” I barely saw Kalil move. I just knew he was no longer by Jasmine, and she screamed for him to stop before he hurt Troy. She yanked at his shirt, trying to pull him away. That wouldn’t work. I tried it earlier, and I was pretty sure his intentions were to hurt him. Why did people say such dumb things when they were scared? “Makynzee, help me!” Like that, that was dumb. What the hell was I supposed to do? I didn’t m
Lovely Lies Chapter 27
Makynzee Jasmine was here. Not actually in the house, but on the porch. Kalil hadn’t let KJ go back to her house since the day we found the marks on him. She told him she wasn’t with Troy anymore, so he was letting her take KJ for the weekend. Selfishly, I didn’t want him to go, but what could I say. He was her child.Kalil and I needed some time alone anyway. Between school, work, and KJ there wasn’t much left for the two of us. He had to go by the club tonight. Not quite my idea of a romantic evening out, but it was his job, so I guessed I had to suck it up. I could hear KJ crying outside and to make matters worse, he was screaming my name. I wondered if this felt as awkward for Jasmine as it did for me. This was her house. Her ideas had been all over it, but I’d changed just about everything. The door opened and Kalil walked over to me and sat o
Lovely Lies Chapter 28
It’d been a week since I saw Nyeem at the movie theater and ever since then I’d been paranoid. When I finally told Kalil what’d happened, he’d told me not to worry about it, but now he seemed more paranoid than I was. He was supposed to bring KJ to tumbling class, but he had a fever, so I told him to keep him home. It’d been raining for the past two days and there was another storm rolling in, so I ended class early. I watched as the parents shuffled their kids out to their vehicles, then locked up. I‘d left my umbrella and jacket in the car and by the time I made it to the car I’d be soaked. Resigning myself to this fate, I prepared to step out into the downpour.“You can take my umbrella,” a voice called.Nyeem stood in the shadows holding an umbrella for me to take. The storm had made it dark outside, so I hadn’t noticed him standing there.“What are you doing here?”“I&rsquo
Lovely Lies Chapter 29
We left after that. I figured Donte would tell Kalil what’d happened, so I wasn’t surprised to find him waiting in the garage when I opened it.“I tell you not to let her do nothing stupid and you throw the first blow?”“But she called Jay a sideline ho.”“So! Is it true?” he asked.Irrelevant. No one got to disrespect her in my presence. While we went back and forth Donte pulled up and blocked Jaida’s car in. He knocked on her window, but she refused to acknowledge him and eventually Kalil told him Donte come inside. I slipped into Jaida’s car and we watched in silence as the went inside.“How mad do you think he’ll get if I ram his car?” she asked.“Guys are crazy about their cars, I’m sure we can think of something else to do.” She chuckled and with both of us calmer I could think logically.“If he wanted anybody else he w
Lovely Lies Chapter 30
When people finally started to leave, we’d already been here for nearly three hours. This was only supposed to last an hour and I was starving. Mak searched for something in her bag as we headed for the lobby. “We should go to Olive Garden tonight.” “I want fried pork chops,” I said as I watch a lady and a girl walk up to us. “Ms. Mitchell, a word please?” the lady asked. “Sure. How can I help you?” Mak asked with a smile. “My daughter wanted to meet you. For some reason she thinks her only chance at success is to have you coach her.” She said this as if the thought disgusted her. I was appalled, but Mak kept smiling. “And you obviously don’t?” “I try not to associate myself with people who have so much drama in their lives. I believe we saw you and your sister on the news a little while ago? That type of negativity is beneath us.” What the hell? I start to say something to her, but Mak stopped me and her daught
Lovely Lies Chapter 31
When we got home I told him about Stanley and Amber as I attempted to make hamburger patties for him to grill. The smell of the ground meat made me nauseous and when he noticed, he cut me off midsentence.“What’s wrong with you?”“Nothing.” I rushed to finish forming the last patty. He called me a liar as I washed my hands. When I looked up he was next to me. How was it that he can move so quick without even making noise? “I’m not lying, I’m fine.” I stepped around him and yelled to KJ as I made my way to the stairs. “KJ, it’s bath time.”“If you don’t tell me I’ll just irritate you until you do.”He’d done it before, so I knew he’d have no problem doing it again. The thought alone irritated me enough. “Food poisoning, I think.”“How? Wouldn’t we be sick too?” He gestured towards KJ, who ran past me and went upst
Latest chapter
Lovely Lies Chapter 41
She sat in a corner at the front of the room and watched them, but didn’t yell at them anymore. She just corrected them if they messed up and blandly encouraged them when they need it. I sat next to her and she spoke before I could.“I’m fine Jay. Shouldn’t you be at home picking out baby names or nursery themes?”I was pretty sure I was pregnant, but I was too scared to go to the doctor by myself. I was sure Mak would have me pissing on a stick soon. “I’ll just name her Bitchy after her aunt,” I said and she snorted. “I didn’t even say anything.”“You didn’t have to. I can hear your thoughts.”“Then what am I thinking?”“You want me to let it go. No worries, I’ll send Kaeden on his merry little way once he brings KJ here.”I could accept that. “What made you think he was cool to stay with KJ?” She may not have realiz
Lovely Lies Chapter 40
“What are you doing?” she asked as she tried to pull her arm away. He must have tightened his grip because she grunted then balled her fast and popped him in the stomach. She snatched her arm away she yelled, “Get off me! How’d you get in here and where’s Kalil?”I couldn’t discern the look on her face. It fell somewhere between terror and anger. Kaeden still kept quiet and it dawned on me how creepy that was. He reached for her again and she ducked around him before running towards the stairs as she screamed my name. It took everything in me to not go to her, her fearful cries tugging at every protective instinct in me. Kaeden caught her around her waist and picked her up. She kicked and went crazy in his arms, screaming and digging her nails into him. He hissed, but didn’t let her go. How was KJ sleeping through this? I’d told Kaeden not to let Mak get anything in her hands to use as a weapon, but that must’ve slip
Lovely Lies Chapter 39
The next hour and a half went by in a flash. I wasn’t too far from my mom’s house and I want to call her, but she had enough issues with Stanley. KJ was glued to me and hadn’t said a word since Kaeden was here. I was worried about him, wondering if he was in shock. He had a fit when the EMT’s tried to check him for injuries, so they did the best they could with him clinging to me and his face buried in my neck. Michael never left my side, taking what Kaeden said extremely serious. I rambled off answers to questions from the cops and they left me alone. However, they gave Michael the third degree. They went at him hard about the missing tapes, but he stuck to his story: A guy tried to take KJ, but by the time he came out the store to help another guy had already showed up. The guy started shooting just as Michael grabbed us. We hid inside until the cops showed up.My eyes had to be playing tricks on me. Kalil shouldn’t have been here by now. It wa
Lovely Lies Chapter 38
I told him okay and hung up. KJ fell asleep just that quick and I shook my head in wonder. I stopped at the next gas station only to be told I’d have to come inside to pay. I contemplate taking my chances on driving home, but I hadn’t exaggerated when I told Kalil I wouldn’t make it. I didn’t want to wake KJ, so I locked him inside the car, pushed the auto start and ran inside the store.I’d only heard the alarm for Kalil’s car once and even then there’d been so much going on that I didn’t remember how it sounded. When I heard an alarm going off as I paid I looked up, worried that KJ would wake up without me there and be scared.“Holy shit,” the clerk said as my breathing stalled. I clutched the counter to keep myself upright as I stared in horror at the sight before me.“Your son!” the clerk shouted just as I screamed and ran for the door.Nyeem had broken the window and was pulling
Lovely Lies Chapter 37
Makynzee I wasn’t sure why, but I needed to see my mom. I missed her. Maybe if I saw her again I’d get past this ridiculous feeling of uncertainty. The house seemed different when I pulled up, eerie. It’d been nearly a month since the wedding and she’d called or texted everyday. Sometimes I’d text back, but I mostly ignored her. I wondered if I’d made the trip for nothing, but saw I hadn’t. As KJ and I walked up the steps to the door, it opened and she was there, a quivering smile and glistening eyes, greeting us.She hugged me and said, “I’m glad you came. I’ve been thinking about you a lot.”I didn’t hug her back. She looked down at KJ and he hid behind me. I took her in as she bent at the waist to speak to him. Her shoulders drooped and her eyes looked empty. She looked t
Lovely Lies Chapter 36
Kalil The house was quiet when I headed upstairs. KJ was snoring and he’d kicked his covers off when I peeked in on him. I put them back over him then headed down the hall. Mak laid in the fetal position with the comforter and sheets pulled up around her neck and over her ears. It wasn’t even cold in here. She stirred as I pulled them off of her, but didn’t wake. She wore a red tank top and lime green boy shorts. I loved her body. Her birthmark covered her butt and the top part of the back of her thighs. It was darker than the rest of her body and she said it makes her two-toned, so she hated it. I thought it made her different, so I loved it. While I watched her—in a non-creepy way—her eyes popped open and she looked up at me. She was paranoid even in her sleep and I knew it was because of Nyeem. When I found him, he was dead. “I didn’t mean to wake you,” I said. I really did. She g
Lovely Lies Chapter 35
I stayed home the next day. Kalil and KJ are gone and I fairly certain I was depressed. Seeing my mom did something to me and I couldn’t explain it. I hated her, but I loved her just as much. I missed her and couldn’t wrap my brain around how much sense that didn’t make. My phone rang, but it wasn’t Kalil or Jay, so I ignored it. Instead I pigged out on some jalapeño Cheetos and watched true crime shows. Somehow I’d completely blocked my phone and thoughts of my mom and three hours later I had four missed calls and three texts. Two of the calls were from my mom, but she didn’t leave any voicemails. The last two calls and the texts were from Amber.A: So does this make us sisters now?Or r u still just my coach?R u thr? M: I’m here… bothA: Small world, huh? Can I tell u something?M: YeahA: I dnt thk I
Lovely Lies Chapter 34
I found Mak in the kitchen the next morning. She sat at the table eating bacon. I looked at the stove to see what else she’d cooked, but there was nothing.“Where’s the rest of the food?” I asked.“This is all I wanted,” she rasped and my gaze jerked to her throat. Bruises littered her skin, but she made no complaints about it.She grabbed another slice of bacon from the plate in front of her. I shook my head and look toward the phone at the flashing light. “Y’all got messages.”She grabbed the phone and asked, “Which one of y’all grabbed my bag from the car?”“None. If it wasn’t Kalil it should still be in there.”“Did y’all grab my phone?”“No.”“Was the car locked when you—”Whatever was being said on the phone stole her attention. She laughed a little then looked up at me.&
Lovely Lies Chapter 33
Jaida Maybe Mak wasn’t so far off when she’d tried to tell me about the possibility of there being more to Kalil and whatever he hid. We stood outside the police station waiting for Mak to come out and I wasn’t sure if he forgot where we were or if he just didn’t care. I was inclined to believe it was more of him not caring. He was basically putting a hit out on this Nyeem guy and nothing about his method was discreet. I wanted no parts of that so I went inside and saw that Mak was heading out. I smile at her, but she didn’t smile back. Expected. “All done?”“Yeah,” she wheezed out on a hoarse whisper. Her hand went to her throat with a grimace and I wanted to murder Nyeem. Kalil was on his phone when we came out, but he ended the call with “find him” and came to Mak. He kissed her forehead and hugged her tight.
