“It was my girlfriend’s idea to fight for custody,” Keith said with shame in his voice. “Looking back on it, I’m sure she thought it was a good idea so we could get more government assistance; food stamps, welfare, all that. She was already living on benefits for one child, and another meant more benefits coming into the house. But hell, I didn’t care. I just thought it was a good way to get back at Iris and Jamie. I figured they would hurt like I was hurting, and Iris would see how good of a father I was. But when Kennedy came to stay, it was rougher on all of us. More mouths to feed so I had to hustle more, my girl was pissed trying to take care of her kid and Kennedy because I was always gone doing what the fuck I wanted and getting into more trouble. Shit was hard and the kids . . . the shit they were exposed to, I’m ashamed to even repeat honestly. I wasn’t ready to give up my lifestyle for no kid. I think that’s what your mother saw in me before I even knew it, so that’s why she knew I wasn’t ready for no damn family, and she chose your dad. But God has a way of humbling you even when you’re not ready.” He looked around again, now lapsed into deep thought.

“Mama lost contact with you,” Deven said as she remembered. “Why didn’t you just let Kennedy come home? Why did she have to wait until she was eighteen before we could talk to her again? That wasn’t fair to her, or us.”

“I know,” Keith murmured, his eyes downcast. “I wasn’t trying to be fair. I was being selfish. My girl and I were doing a lot of illegal shit and we stayed moving around trying to keep under police radar. Guess it finally caught up to me. Look, I’m not proud of any of the shit I did,” he added. “In fact, I’m embarrassed as hell. I can be man enough to admit that. That’s why I’m trying to have a better relationship with your mother now. And Kennedy. I can’t change what happened, but I can try to repair my relationships.”

“If that’s the case, then why the fuck are you trying to steal my mom’s money?”

Keith’s face furrowed at the question. “The hell are you talking about? I’m not trying to steal her money.”

“I read one of your letters. You were saying you were glad she agreed to it and she said she was changing her will to include you.”