Oh yeah! I could have done a backward flip and five cartwheels. This was one of the greatest feelings in the world. I couldn’t wait to see my family. From the time Kay picked me up from the airport, he was running his mouth a mile a minute, trying to bring me up to speed on some shit I wasn’t even concerned about. My thoughts were on my wife and kids. I was finally away from that shit hole and those nasty nightmares. Hopefully.

As we pulled up to the house, I damn near jumped out of the car but not before I noticed a valet in a white jacket and white gloves who tried to take the keys from Kay.

“This my house, playboy. You ain’t gettin’ my keys,” he told him.

I chuckled. “Damn. A valet, nigga?”

“Yo, you know how bossy Angel can get. This her thang. She wanted to go all out for her girls. Wait until you see what she got going on inside.”

He stepped into the house and immediately told everyone to keep it down. I was glad and thankful to be back around family. Nobody knew about me coming home besides him and Angel. And he didn’t even share with her that I was coming home today. Angel was practically jumping up and down.

“Trae! How are you? So glad to see you in the flesh.” She gave me a big warm hug. “I’m sooo glad you’re home.” She squealed as she grabbed my hand and led me upstairs. Why was Tasha upstairs and not at her party?

Angel motioned toward the room with the shut door. I turned the doorknob, but it was locked. I looked back at Angel, who was fumbling with her camera, and then at Kay, who motioned for me to be quiet.

He banged on the door. “Tasha, open up this damn door! The party is downstairs, not up here in the room with you.”

“Later for you, Kay! And if I was you, I would get the hell away from my door. I am not talking to you right now, and I am not feeling you right now.”

“Your door? This is my house.”

“Kaylin, leave me alone.”

“What did I do, Tasha?”

“You know damn well what you did. Where is my husband, Kaylin? What the fuck is really going on? What aren’t you telling me?”

“Tasha, open this door. I told you I was working on it. These things take time.” Kaylin smiled as he was talking to her. Angel was trying to hold back her laughter. And now just about the entire party was standing behind us. But from the bass in Tasha’s voice, I knew she was pissed. “Open the door! These things take time. I told you that.”