Jaylin's World Read Online Free PDF Page B

property he got for sale. I’m gon’ shoot there, stay the night, then come back this way tomorrow.”
    â€œDo you need me to go with you? I’m not doing anything else, and I can let you know if I think the investment will be worth it.”
    â€œNah, just chill. If it turns out to be something worthy, you and I will go back together later.”
    Shane nodded; then he looked down at his vibrating cell phone. He sighed, so I knew it was Tiffanie.
    â€œYeah, baby,” he said, then paused. He rolled his eyes, then massaged his temples. “Yes, I’m working right now. I’m at the office with Jaylin and we’re in the middle of a meeting.” He paused and looked over at me, shaking his head. “Okay. Dinner sounds good. I’ll see you around eight or nine o’clock tonight.” He paused for a long while; then he ended his call.
    â€œLook, man. If you don’t want to be bothered with her, then tell her. Why you stressing like that over a woman you don’t seem to care much for?”
    â€œI am digging the hell out of Tiffanie, but like I said, she always trying to plan my life out for me. I gotta be on her schedule. When I got plans to do something else, her feelings get hurt. She’s always getting emotional, and I don’t like that shit, man. I like a strong woman, and Tiffanie ain’t really representing that.”
    â€œI know what you mean, but ease up on her. She is a nice woman. If or when you get too tired of the shit, back out of it.”
    I looked at my watch again; then I told Shane I had to go book my flight. Before I did, I called Nokea to tell her my plans. I didn’t like lying to her, but for now, I had to do what was necessary.
    â€œAre you at least coming home to say good-bye? I can’t believe it’s that urgent where you have to rush out right now,” she said.
    â€œThe faster I get out of here, the quicker I’ll get back. I’ll be back tomorrow, and it shouldn’t really take that long.”
    I could always hear the disappointment in Nokea’s voice. She didn’t like being away from me, and I didn’t like being away from her either.
    â€œOkay, baby. Be careful and call me when you get to Chicago.”
    â€œWill do,” I said, and then I extended my love to her.
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    Shane dropped me off at the airport, and almost four hours later, my plane had landed in St. Louis. I got a rental car, and then I drove to Cardinal Glennon Hospital. During my ride, I couldn’t help but think about Mackenzie. I was mad at myself for giving up on her, and it was not a good feeling. Thinking so much about Mackenzie caused me to think about my long-lost daughter, Jasmine. I hadn’t seen her since she was a year old, and it was like she and her mother, Simone, had disappeared. They had to be living in another country or something. I’d put out so much money for private detectives; but with no success, I gave up. I didn’t want to, but I felt as if I had to accept my blessings, LJ and Jaylene, and move on. I even thought about the son Scorpio had mentioned. I didn’t even know she’d had a baby, and I hoped that my visit wouldn’t interfere with her marriage to Bruce. I prepared myself to see him at the hospital, and I wondered what he’d think about me coming to see Mackenzie, who was his biological daughter. I thought about the kind of relationship he had with her. Had she forgotten about me? If I were Bruce, I wouldn’t be too happy about my visit, but my concern was only about Mackenzie’s condition. I had to see for myself that she would be okay. From what Scorpio had said, I could tell my little girl was probably going through hell. I was regretting even more that my attorney, Frick, gave Scorpio that letter terminating my rights. If I could take it back, I sure in hell would.
    Before finding Mackenzie’s room, I had to stop off at the restroom. I took a leak;