Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 70429 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 352(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70429 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 352(@200wpm)___ 282(@250wpm)___ 235(@300wpm)
Caspian disconnected the call and looked around the beautiful quarters. He’d relocated from Aunt Angel’s house to an Airbnb, a fully furnished condominium in the area. He did stop by Noah and Uncle Bobby’s house daily, hiring folks for repairs, and even a maid to come in once a week. However, he needed his own space and was tired of hiding out in that old room. He didn’t want to be around a bunch of company, putting on a mask and entertaining. He didn’t know half of the damn people who walked in there, all vying for his attention—picking his brain about his job, asking personal questions that were none of their fucking business.
I have a lot of shit to do before I get back to Georgia…
He fixed their dishwasher himself. The house had gone into terrible disrepair once his aunt had taken ill. Uncle Bobby barely lifted a finger. He’d always been lazy around the house, that was nothing new, but otherwise kept a job, took his wife to her doctor’s appointments, and was helpful. Noah tried his best to clean here and there, but wasn’t the best at such tasks. Caspian lit a cigarette and took a toke.
He was shrouded in darkness now, after having hot lamps on him for over an hour. He’d set up some equipment to do one of his cold case podcasts and it went off without a hitch. It was in the process of being uploaded to his website when his cellphone rang.
“What up brother?” he answered Axel with a smile.
“Hey, man. Just lettin’ you know that Legend is on his way to the hospital. Desiree’s water bust.”
“Oh, damn!” Caspian chuckled. “Legend’s about to be a daddy, huh? Is he goin’ crazy yet?” He leaned back once again, spinning in the chair and smoking.
“He’s pretty calm, actually. I don’t think it’s hit him yet.”
“I stopped in for the baby shower a couple weeks ago but couldn’t stay.”
“Yeah, I remember. Legend was just happy you showed up at all.” He knew Axel meant well, but those words stung. Had he been a bad friend? Yeah… he had. He also had his reasons.
I’ll make it up to them… I just didn’t want to have to see Aunt Angel sick. I knew I was losin’ her, but I didn’t wanna lose nobody else. She was the last mama I had… I had three of ’em—now they’re all gone. I feel lost…
He shifted away from his sorrows, refusing to go there any further.
“When those blue balloons came outta that box, he ’bout jumped fifteen feet in the air. He was fist pumpin’ and everything.” Caspian sucked on the cigarette, then blew out smoke from the corner of his mouth. “You woulda thought the Bengals won the Superbowl.” They both had a good chuckle at that. Legend was having a little boy. How sweet. “I’m gonna give him a call real quick.”
“Okay. He told me to call ya. He was almost there, so hurry before he can’t answer the phone. Don’t know if she’s in active labor or not but they’ll probably move pretty fast. English is on her way there, too. She had to get a sitter for the kids first.”
“Okay. Yeah… I remember when Sabrina was pregnant.” The memory rolled in his mind and cemented there. Heavy and gray. Much like his friends, Caspian buried their problems as kids by replacing their desires to be nurtured and loved with illegal booze guzzling, weed, pill popping, unprotected sex, and abhorrent violence. He was constantly doing something—in motion, tearing his life to pieces. It was almost a compulsion. He knew better but couldn’t stop. One of those compulsions was to fuck as much as possible, which had resulted in an unplanned pregnancy. A little girl was born.
Caspian moved away from those memories, too, then grabbed his cellphone and dialed.
“Hey, Legend, how’s it goin’, daddy? I know you’re excited.” He figured he was smiling probably as big as his brother at that point. “Your son is almost here, man!”
“Yeah, he is. We’re good, man! We’re just checkin’ in, actually. Fillin’ out this paperwork.” He could hear the chatter in the back. “Desiree is in active labor, Caspian. In a lot of pain but hangin’ in there.”
“Okay, I know things are about to be crazy busy, so I won’t keep ya, but text me after he’s born, okay? I’ll be at the hospital right away. Axel said you’re at Baptist Health, right?” He snatched one of his notepads and jotted the information down.
“Yeah. Ask for Desiree Vidal. Maternity.”
“Okay. Congratulations, brother. Tell Desiree I’m happy for y’all and Uncle Caspian will be there soon.”
“Thank you, man…” It sounded as if Legend wanted to say something else but for some reason, his friend decided not to. “See you soon, Cas,” was all the man said before disconnecting the call.