RJ New Year new me right? Wrong. That's not how this is going to be. All last year I managed to avoid talking and seeing my dad. This year my mom ain't having it. Ever since January through present day May 18th she's been bugging me. She expects me to rekindle a relationship with a man that was barely here. He left without having the guts to say goodbye. He told me he was going to the store and I waited for him to come back.

He never did until towards the end of last year. Does my mom not see what he has done? He's caused us nothing, but pain. She expects me to welcome him with open arms like nothing happened. He let her be a single mother for the longest time. After all these points I mentioned to her all she says is that he still is my father at the end of the day. Today is practice graduation and tomorrow is graduation. I don't have time for this. She knows she's wearing me down when it comes to my dad situation.

"RJ after graduation practice I want you to come straight home. No hanging with the boys or Orlando. Do you hear me?"

"Yea."

"Yea? Just because you graduating tomorrow that don't make you grown. I brought you into this world and I can take you out."

"Yes ma'am."

"Love you, but you're going to have to promise me that you're gonna connect with your father. Life is too short for holding grudges. You remember what happened to Orlando's dad?"

"If it will mean the world I'll do it for ya ma. Now I gotta go I'll see you later."

I had to hurry out of there before I made some more promises that are easier said than done.

Orlando Today is just one step closer to a new page in our lives as the class of 2018. Everything is going as it should. Jaida and La'Toya are back on track. Apparently she's left Ryan alone for good. Legacy hasn't had any trouble out of Kayla for a while. We all are happy and excited for what's next to come. RJ hasn't been as laid back as he use to. I think it's because his dad is back in town. He can't really avoid the guy especially since he's named after him.

Ryan Over the past few months I've been numb in the inside. Jaida left me and I didn't have a clue as to why she did. I've tried everything to get over her. I've been having different women over and turned to the bottle. Nothing made me forget or ease the pain. I kept replaying it my head that I didn't thank her enough, I never said I love you, and I should've been there for her more. Now I probably won't ever get the chance to say or do those things. At first I blocked the feelings and then it hit me harder. She blocked me on everything. Now all I do is come home and sit in the dark.

"Ew Ryan what's that smell? Bro you need a shower. Clean up your room."

"Rylee don't you dare open them blinds."

I should've known she wasn't gonna listen. She opened them and the sunlight filled the room.

"I'm tired of you being in here everyday. Now come here in my room once you take a shower."

I glare at her and get in the shower. When I come out I change into some clean clothes and head into her room. I have more pent up anger in me now than I once did. I'm more prone to snap at anything at anytime.

"Come sit by me."

I sit next to her and stare at her stomach. I often wondered how did I fail to know she was pregnant. Maybe I was too caught up in my own dealings to pay attention.

"Ryan you're going to be an uncle. So you need to get it together for your niece or nephew. Give me your hand."

She takes my hand and places it on her stomach I could feel the baby move. For once in months did I feel a little content. I look up at her and she smiled at me.

"Listen little one or little ones."

She hit me on the shoulder.

"I'm your uncle Ryan. I promise on everythang I'm going to protect you even if I gotta put my life on the line."

I leave out of the room and head into the bathroom to shave. I haven't been worrying about my appearance in forever. I edged up my hairline when I heard footsteps.

"Ryan I need to go to the hospital now!"

"What's wrong Ry Ry?"

I turned to see she was dripping. She was holding her packed hospital bag. I grabbed her and placed her in the backseat of my truck. We started speeding down the road.

"What's going on?"

"Ahh! I'm! Having! Contractions! My! Water!Broke! When! We! Were! In! The! House! Drive!! Faster!"

La'Toya "So Jaida I was wondering if you would like to be apart of Legacy?"

"Are you serious?!!!"

"Is fat meat greasy?"

"Toya yes I want to be apart of it!!"

"We have to talk more about it after practice graduation tho."

The principal gets on stage and stands behind the podium.

"May I have your attention seniors? Now the sooner you get quiet the faster we can get through this. Now that you've all found your name on chair you're sitting in look around you. These will be the people you will sit by tomorrow. Make sure you come here at least 15 minutes before the time that was on the paper. Now remember to have fun and stay safe. Any questions? If not you may be dismissed and exit out of the back entrances."

I wait on Jaida and we talk all the way to the parking lot.

"Let me get something out of my car. Wait here."

I unlock my car and grabbed the contract for becoming a member of Legacy. When I look up I see Kayla standing in front of me.

"Yes?"

"La'Toya I've met with you over five times. I'm giving you one last chance to get out of the declaration of this battle."

"No thank you."

"Remember you are the cause for the fall of Legacy."

Her phone rings and she walks off. I go back to Jaida's car and give her the papers. She signs and initials.

"Welcome to Legacy."

RJ "RJ you wanna come over and get whooped in 2k?"

"Maybe later O. I gotta go home."

The drive back home was building anticipation within me. When I pulled up it didn't make it any better by seeing his ride. I walk through the front door and my ma greeted me. Great now I couldn't go to my room unseen.

"Welcome home RJ."

I see him standing behind her looking at me.

He extends his hand and I look down at it. My ma clears her throat then I shake his hand. After I shook his hand I wipe it on the side of my jeans.

"Go ahead and tell RJ. He's ready to listen now."

"That grocery line was long, but I can explain son..."

"You don't deserve to call me by that title because that would make you my father. We all know you're not that to me. A father would've written letters or found some way to talk to his family. He would've played football with his son and teach me how to be a man. During football season he would watch football games with his son and take him to games. He wouldn't just do what you did. You wanna know how I feel? Huh? Do you know what's it like to live without a father? Living from one income in the house. Going over to relatives and friends houses to see them with their dad. I was always the odd ball when it came down to dat. Every Father's Day I'd tell my mom Happy Father's Day. She was both of my parents. So I started to think that you didn't want me. So that's when I started telling myself you were dead so it'll be easier to deal with. I use to hear her cry at night over you. If you was gon do to ma like then you should've told her that from the jump. You shouldn't have married her or gave her me. You should've just let her go find someone else to take care of her. Did you know she was looking for you until she came to realize that you didn't wanna be found? You were wiped clean from the grid. Yet after all these years you come back in and she's head over heels for you. She acts like nothing changed. When I have kids I ain't gonna be nothing like you. You're just a man I'm named after."

"Roland Wayne Patton Jr. you will sit down right now and listen. This man is your father. Let him tell you what happened and quit being obstinate! If you running off with ya mouth you can't hear. God gave you two ears and one mouth so you can listen twice the amount you speak. Go ahead Roland you have the floor.

"No RJ I didn't know all the things you were going through in my absence. The only things I got to see were the good times you were having. What you have to understand is that I couldn't go near you or your mother for a while. I didn't want them to find you. If they had of found y'all they would've made sure I could see you anytime soon. In my younger days I thought I was the baddest thing on the block. I ran into some trouble which would've had me locked up for good. That's when I got offered this job right before I met your mother. They know how to get you. They offer you everything you could put your little heart to desire girls, money, power, respect, and a way out of the hood. When I saw my ticket out I took it. I felt like I had to prove to my family that I got out and I was going to make something out of myself. Well I didn't read anything I just signed. They told me I had 10 minutes to say good bye and pack my things. I couldn't tell anyone where I was goin. I did as they asked. When my 10 minutes were up I left with them. I know you're probably expecting me to say that I met your mom during a mission, but I actually mee her after one. She was hard to charm, but I eventually charmed her. I could only meet her occasionally, but we made it work. One day we decided to get married and we went to the justice of peace. We got married and while I was traveling I saw this hotel that I knew would be a perfect spot for a honeymoon. It was us against the world. She had a few more years of college left and I had my job so she didn't have time to miss me. One day I came back to check on her and she surprised me that she was pregnant with you. It was the best news I had ever gotten. Then I had a few more missions during the nine months, but I made it back in time to the birth of you. You weren't crying at all you had your eyes opened. I knew that from that point I wasn't going to let any harm come to y'all. Then the missions ceased and they went silent. For the first 3 1/2years of your life I was there. I got called in and I had to go back to the lifestyle. The roles were straight out and plain. I couldn't have contact with anybody and if I violated it they would slaughter my family. Then they would send me to a foreign country and lock me up as a terrorist. That's why there were no letters, phone calls, birthday cards, or anything else. Now I pulled a few strings and did some classified matters. Now they won't mess with us I apologize that it took me 18 1/2 years to do it. At least it is done and I'll do anything to make it up to y'all."

"You can start by coming to my graduation. It starts at 2:30p.m., but be there at 2:00p.m."