I wrote the statement. I talked to my lawyer. Dad knows what to do. The court date is....actually a week after Elora's wedding, which is in November; fun fact, Vincent's birthday is in November too. He's obviously a Scorpio. My phone was bombarded with calls from my mother, who left hateful voicemails.... she knows she's on her last leg. It's going to be so funny when we get to court and her own children and testify against her and that sweet, sweet video that she has no idea about, Jericho, recorded her doing something.

I want to watch it, but I want it to be a surprise for everyone, even me.

Anyway, I invited Elora and Khassy over to my/Vincent's house because I realized they'd never seen my new place. I never invited them because I was worried that Vincent would get angry, he's always angry at his cat, and he bought the damn thing, but...now I'm like, who cares if he's angry, he'll get over it eventually.

Or he'll take me to that room of his and punish me....either way is fine, really.

"Wow, he makes a lot of money then," Elora said, admiring the house.

"No, for real, this is nice, this is nice." Khascian giggled.

"Not too much, Khassy, don't gas him up. He's going to start acting foolish."

"A'roya, let's not talk about the hundreds of photos of me sleeping in your camera roll."

Elora and Khascian snickered behind as I glared at Vincent. "You know what, I'mma get you when you least expect it," I whispered.

"Ugh, so scary," Vincent said, faking his fear.

"Oh, I wish I could roll my eyes right now."

"Do it; I dare you. You better hope your friends are voyeurists." Vincent challenged.

"Behave yourself, buddy," I said, turning around to glare at my nosy-ass friends.

"Let's go to the lounge, it used to be Vincent's sister's, but they stopped coming after they caught us together, fucking."

Khassy and Elora's jaws dropped.

"Wait, I'm sorry, 'cause I'm still getting the hang of this Vampire bullshit. They teleport into the house?"

"No, Elora, they teleport up my ass," Khassy said sarcastically.

Elora glared at her as I laughed. "Too goofy."

"Shut up, A'roya." Elora shoved me playfully.

"Come get some then!" I got into a fighting position.

"I've never seen you act like this," Khassy said with a small smile. "It's concerning, yet good."

I rolled my eyes as Elora chuckled. "It's Vincent, making her all happy and shit."

"Ok?!" I dragged out the word. "Look at you two. Y'all have changed for the better as well, and I'm happy for you."

Elora lifted up her hands and squealed, and we squealed along with her. "You're going married!" We chanted.

Khascian stopped chanting and gasped. "I knew something was wrong; Elora look at her finger."

I groaned as Elora and Khascian grabbed my hand to inspect my ring. "You're getting married too?!"

I nodded. "It's next year, so I didn't want to say anything until after yours."

Elora and Khassy screamed. "You're getting married."

"Oh my fucking god, you'll all get married. Shut the fuck up." Vincent popped up out of nowhere, glaring at all of us.

"Oop, I'm sorry–"

"Don't say sorry. He doesn't deserve it; let's go upstairs."

They started running up the stairs like children, and I followed them but was pulled back. "Really, A'roya?"

"Really, Vincent, you're an L, take it."

Vincent nodded. "Alright then, have fun with your friends." He said menacingly.

Yay! I'm getting fucked up real good.

Elora, Khassy, and I sat and talked about the wedding, her dress, floral decor, the reception, and events. We booked an appointment at a boutique, so I'm very excited.

Selene and Helen are coming as well, Elora actually made Finnegan pretend to be a good Christian man, and their mom gave them her blessing. Elora's close to her father; unlike my parents, her mom and dad love each other. On the other hand, Phoebe is no longer speaking to her mother, but she isn't too worried. Her mother will come around.

I find it quite comical, actually, that their dad gives zero shits to what's going on. He's just like, 'oh, you not talking to your mom? Oh, ok, cool, how's your day,' but at least their mother isn't as worse as my mother.

Khassy's mom, Deborah, asked to see her again. Deborah only has two kids, and they both disowned her. She's looking for forgiveness, and she sent their dad, Henry, off to rehab. Deborah and Henry also still love each other, so they are deciding to work on their mistakes.

I'm glad everyone's turning a new leaf and just over nine months too. God, am I happy to have met Vincent.

•┈••✦ ❤ ✦••┈•

"Did you open the video I sent?"

I shook my head. "Nah, I want it to be a surprise."

Jericho shook his head.

I went to visit Jericho since he was out; Phoebe's knocked out; the doctors say she might have to give birth earlier because the baby's big, and Phoebe doesn't want to do a C-section.

"Don't wait. I want you to see it fool. I wouldn't have sent it if I wanted it to be a surprise."

I rolled my eyes. "Ok, ok."

"No, you gonna see it now," He put a CD in an old DVD player.

Why is he so adamant about me seeing the video, like calm down. "Jericho, I know it's about you–"

The player switched on, it's true mom was beating someone, but it wasn't Jericho. Jericho was in the corner with me, his hand on my eyes as we both cried.

I was ten when A'raya was born, but not only was I far away from ten in this video, the kid mom was beating the shit out of was a boy who was older than the both of us. She beat him bloody with a lamp, Jericho was watching all of this, and dad didn't look to be home. My eyes were covered, and it didn't look like I intended to uncover them.

Why can't I remember this?

Mom took a trophy that probably belonged to that kid and swung it at his head. His head busted open, and Jericho's eyes got wider.

So did mine as I watched it; I covered my mouth as I gasped. "J–Jericho?!"

"Just watch." He said softly.

The kid didn't get up again, he was dead, and I think mom realized that. She sat in the corner and started crying; then the door opened, my dad walked in, saw the scene, cursed, and cursed a lot. He said, "Jericho, I'm so sorry, boy, keep your sister's eyes closed and go upstairs,"

That's what Jericho did, he carried me upstairs, and my eyes closed the whole time. Dad yelled a bunch of profanities at mom, to which she responded with, "Shut up, you African!"

Dad glared at her for before picking the boy up gently, then he looked towards the camera...probably realizing there was one, but he walked away with the boy in his hands, out the door, then the video ended.

"Jericho, m–mom, she killed that boy–"

"She almost did; dad saved him, got him to the nearest hospital. His frontal lobe was taken out, but he was ok."

"Who is that kid?"

"Our older brother, Atlas. Dad never brought him back to the house because Atlas was being beaten every day prior to this video."

I wiped my tears that had managed to come out. "Where is he?"

"He was in Europe, but he's coming back for the court trial against mom."

"Oh my god," I hugged Jericho. "I can't seem to remember this; why can't I?"

"I tried to forget, I thought I could, but every year it continued to haunt me, but you, I made sure you didn't see it because he told me to close your eyes or he'd beat me up." He hugged me back for a minute. "Alright, get off me."

"This is so fucked up," I whispered, wiping my tears. "so, he's really coming?"

"Yes, but I have to warn you."

"What?"

"As a neurologist, you should know what happens when a person has their frontal lobe removed and survives."

"All social, physical, emotional fear is taken away, they basically have no filter, no manners, people with a frontal lobe removed do not follow the rules at all. The frontal lobe is the part of the brain that holds our fears, and if it's taken away–"

"Yes, smart-ass, all that shit, so he might walk around naked and have no care in the world."

"Uh, wow, that's amazing."

Jericho frowned. "Bitch, what? A thirty-five-year-old grown-ass man walking around naked?"

"That's not what I meant, bozo. I meant it's a unique thing."

"You do you, I guess."

I rolled my eyes, choosing to ignore his dramatic behavior. "Well, what does he do? Where does he live?"

"Girl, he lives in Switzerland, he's in the army, a lieutenant, all of dad's business trips? To Atlas and his family."

"His family consists of?"

"His wife and two boys and a girl. He's done surprisingly well for himself."

My mouth stays ajar, a brother with a missing frontal lobe, I have a niece and nephews, all of this is so confusing, crazy. I need to calm down before I publish papers called 'A'roya's Diatribe' and vent about basically how everything's been hidden from me; I didn't remember my own brother. I had to be about five years old at the time.

Hamilton is getting into my head; I won't be publishing any 'papers.' I need to calm myself; most importantly, I need to tell Vincent.

"Jericho, you have a therapy session in an hour, and you really do need to go. I need to go tell Vincent all of this...mess."

Jericho groaned. "Girl, please."

"Jericho," I said sternly. "If you want to keep your wife and daughter, I suggest you do what's right."

"Fuck you."

I smiled. "I love you too," I kissed his cheek before dipping.

Boy, do I have some tea for you. I texted Vincent.

It better be good. He replied.

I scoffed. It is, I promise.

Alright then, come to the office.