𝐀 𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐊 𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐑
Armani approached the weathered tombstone, his eyes scanning his surroundings before he knelt down. With a gentle gesture, he poured water from his bottle over the stone, washing away the dirt and grime. It had been eight long months since his last visit.
Armani's relationship with his brother was complicated, to say the least. While he missed him dearly, the nightmares that followed each visit made it hard to confront his grief. Yet, he couldn't stay away for too long, drawn back to his grave by the memories and the ache in his heart.
Armani's older brother, Aaron, took his own life at 18, leaving the family with unanswered questions. The reason behind his suicide remained a mystery, but he left a letter that Armani didn't discover until months after the funeral.
The letter didn't provide a clear explanation, but it conveyed Aaron's frustration with his life. Armani and his family were perplexed, as Aaron was always seen as the "good child" with no apparent struggles. The letter's cryptic message only added to their confusion and grief.
Aaron was a high achiever - top of his class, a varsity athlete, and a scholarship recipient in his junior year. Their father often compared Armani to Aaron, the "good child," which led to unfair expectations. Instead of encouraging Armani to follow in Aaron's footsteps, their father belittled Aaron for taking the safe route and not engaging in street activities.
This unintentionally pushed Armani towards the gang life. Despite their close bond, Armani and Aaron's relationship became strained in the months leading up to his death. Their usual brotherly arguments escalated into petty squabbles, a change that Armani now regrets.
Aaron's girlfriend, whom he had been dating for four months at the time, sexually assaulted Armani. When Armani tried to warn Aaron about her, he was too blinded by love to listen, and instead got angry with Armani. Armani thought, perhaps if he directly stayed that he was sexually assaulted, maybe his brother would've went about the situation differently.
Armani felt trapped and couldn't share his secret with anyone. He feared his father would call him a punk, and didn't feel comfortable telling his mother about the assault. He also hesitated to report it to the police, knowing his father would disown him for cooperating with the authorities.
This traumatic event created a rift in the brothers' relationship, one that could never be fully mended.
The wind whispered through the silence, as Armani's tears spoke louder than words. He bit his bottom lip, struggling to contain his emotions. The stinging in his eyes only added to the pain he felt. In that moment, he let his tears flow, a silent expression of his grief and sorrow.
"I'on even know what to say. You know i'on like all'at mushy stuff." Armani sniffled, wiping the wetness off of his face. "I'm finna' be a dad real soon. I know you probably not the happiest 'bout that 'cause i'm only 17 and at first I wasn't too proud either but," Armani shrugged. "i've grown to love it."
"Imma' tell my daughter 'bout you. Trust, she gon' know yo' name. I needa' figure out how imma' tell her mama though. She gon' try to get mushy on me when I bring it up to her and I hate when she do that." Armani shook his head, fiddling with the leaves on the ground.
"But nah, that's my dawg though. I can't think of a better person to have a baby wit'. I swear she make this stuff so much easier and she the one pregnant, not me. And she such a pretty girl. I'on think she realize how pretty she is, man."
"She so sweet and sour at the same time. One day she gotta' attitude, the next day she wanna' be nice. I like when she bein' nice though. She such a sweetheart when she in a good mood; my sweet girl." Armani cracked a smile.
