T?o?r?t?u?r?e?

+ 19

"She's my sister," Cameron bit her lip.

"Damn," I sighed.

"Yeah...half. she told me about everything. I was supposed to be at the party that night to offer her moral support and...to meet you. She was there to shoot her shot at a local lesbian rapper...but I guess she had her fun with you instead."

"I didn't know you then," I defended myself.

"I'm not mad. Just...confused on how shit between us could proceed," she mumbled.

"Yeah...imagine Thanksgiving," I tried to joke.

"Yeah," Cameron looked away from my face.

"I wonder why Ladie and Zanita were so obsessed with getting us together," I mumbled.

"My father doesn't allow me to date," she told me with a sad smile. "Yeah...I know. At my big ass age. They probably planned on having you killed that way because he already had his eyes on who I should marry from a cartel family in Spain."

"What happened to my mom?" I asked after a moment, not even trying to wrap my head around that.

"Where's the safe house your aunt mentioned? That's my last question- I promise," she stated.

"The address. I gave it you," I reminded her.

"I lost it," she sighed.

"That's not good. Especially if it gets into the wrong hands," I frowned.

"The building was blown up by an unknown source," she informed me.

"Still," I kept frowning.

"I might be staying with you and Cielo after all," she nervously laughed, "Turns out my father has a lot of Camphorians with bad blood against our cartel now because of me helping you."

I sighed, "I'm sorry, Cameron. You didn't have to-

She held up a finger. "I don't regret any of it," she interjected, "but now I'm on the run from him. And he is not the type of guy anyone wants to play with."

"So what's the next move? The safe house, then what?" I asked.

"That's up to you," she told me softly.

"We both don't know as much as we should about one another," I admitted.

"Well...we won't have a choice but to be up close and personal with one another if we're gonna be tucked away in some cabin in the middle of the woods or some shit," she shrugged.

"Knowing my aunt, her safe house is extravagant."

"Her safe house? What did she personally need one for?" Cameron tilted her head in confusion.

"We each had one, but I'm sure they wouldn't expect me to skip out on mine's and to go to her's. Safety measures since we were...Kelley's."

"How many people know about this safe house?"

"I know Gator and all his men knew about mine's, but I don't know about Aunt Kay. Who knows how secretive she was," I admitted.

"She died."

I looked away from Cameron, blinking back warm tears. "Okay." I nodded to myself. "Okay."

"I'm sorry, Ny." Her expression melted into sadness, "I didn't know any other way to break it to you."

"But Cielo...she's fine?"

"She's fine. Very startled and...still quiet...but fine," Cameron gave me a sad smile. "I'm sorry that things had to end this way for you."

"My mother always told me I could be the change for the Kelley line. For the cartel. For my own future. I guess she had seen what I couldn't," I chuckled bitterly.

"She'll be missed I'm sure," she gently laid her hand on mine.

"Not by anyone but me," I admitted, blinking back tears again. "When can I see my daughter?"

"When you're doing better," Cameron told me, giving me a serious look. "I want you in this bed until your health is back right."

"Where- Where are we?" I asked.

"In Texarkana," she supplied.

"Which side?" I laughed a little.

"Don't know, but...we're safe here for now. But then we need to get a move on," she said.

"As soon as I'm better we'll leave. My mother...I'm sure I could arrange for her to still be buried back in-

"They recommend burning her," Cameron told me softly, looking down at her lap, "I asked what would be the most discreet."

I nodded, feeling hollow inside. "Right," my voice felt like it was drifting away from me, "I could scatter her ashes around Camphor."

"Nyia," Cameron tenderly held me by the shoulders, "There isn't anymore Camphor. Not for us, at least. Not anymore Houston for me, not anymore Camphor for you. Not anymore Texas for any of us. I'm sorry, but that's the way things have to be."

"Kiss me again...so I can feel something," I turned my eyes to her, closing them as I wiped away more tears.

I opened them when she still sat straight in her seat.

"Am I ugly now? Did my face get fucked...?"

"No...I just," she exhaled slowly, "I can't do this right now. I'm sorry, Ny. I- I'll be back." Cameron left out of the room, sobbing into the arm sleeve of her jacket.

I looked around the room frantically for a mirror, but of course I could only use my eyes since I was bedridden for the time being. I touched my skin, oily and textured from the lack of care I had dealt with for who knows how long.

When did I get here?

What was the state of Camphor now without the Kelley's?

I tried to slow down my heart rate, closing my eyes and trying to keep happy thoughts in my head.

At least Cielo was alive.

The brightest thing in my life right now.

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