LaShida’s mind drifted back to the day she told her father about everything that Sylvie had been doing to her…LaShida made sure the tape was in her purse and then she grabbed Jalen out of her car seat. She knocked sharply on her grandmother’s front door. Brad Lyons had tied up all his business in Arizona and was staying at his mother’s crowded house until he could move into the house he had just gone to settlement on.“Uncle Tim, is my father here?” LaShida said when her uncle answered the door. “I need to talk to him right now.”“Well hello to you too niece,” he answered, hugging her.“Sorry Unc,” she said chastised and gave him a hug. “Don’t mean to be rude, but I really need to holler at my dad.”“He’s out back. Go on out and I’ll take the baby to see mama,” he said scooping up Jalen.“Thank you,” she answered before heading to the kitchen to go out to the back door. “Hey Pumpkin,” Brad said when he saw his daughter. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”“Daddy, I need to talk to you. About Sylvie.”“Ahhh baby, not this again. I thought you two were getting along.”“We never got along. I was just trying to keep the peace.”“Can’t you try to keep it up just a little while longer,” Brad asked sighing. He had such high hopes that his daughters would grow to love each other.“Daddy, I put up with her blatant disrespect of me and flirting with my fiancée. I never let how she acted toward me stop her from having a relationship with Jae—she loves her. I even kept my mouth shut when I caught her trying to steal my tennis bracelet, but this time she’s gone too damn far. That bitch ain’t welcome in my house and she better not come near my wedding. She might as well forget about Jae too.”Mr. Lyons rarely saw LaShida mad, much less heard her curse, so he knew it had to be something serious. He sighed again and asked LaShida what the problem was. She asked him to get his laptop and they went into the den, which he had been using as a bedroom and office. “You have wireless internet on this?” LaShida asked. “Yeah, I been getting a pretty strong signal around here.”“Well first look at this tape.” LaShida went over to the television and put the tape in the DVD/tape combo and turned on the television. She pressed play. Brad turned it off as soon as he saw what it was.“LaShida! Why are you showing me a tape of you having sex and who is that man? What does this have to do with Sylvie?”“That’s her, not me! And that man is a dude name Dante who used to be Jason’s friend. Jason stopped dealing with him because he stiffed him on some money.”“That looks like you baby. Her hair is…”“That is not me! She’s wearing a wig and my lingerie she stole out of my closet.”“Are you sure she stole it? Maybe she has one just like it?”“That’s an expensive set that Jersee gave me as a bridal shower gift. It came from LaPearla. In New York. When did she go to New York and why is my set missing?”“Well Pumpkin maybe she…”“Dammit Daddy! Why are you so hell bent on protecting her?”“She’s my daughter…”“So am I and I’m beginning to think you care about her more than you do me. So you can stay right at home with your thieving daughter. My mother can walk me down the aisle.” LaShida grabbed her purse and hopped off the couch.Baby wait!” her father said. LaShida turned around. “What else did you want to show me?”“What difference does it make? You won’t believe me any way.”“Just show me, please.”LaShida logged onto the security site and punched in her user name and password. She showed her father the footage of Sylvie letting herself into their house and stealing LaShida’s things. He also saw her trying on LaShida’s clothes and rolling around their bed in Jason’s t-shirt."Now do you believe me?” LaShida asked.“In the back of my mind, I always believed you,” he admitted.“So why did you give me such a hard time?”Brad Lyons sighed. “When I found out I had another daughter out there I was shocked. Sylvie’s mother Esther was a piece of work, and unfortunately Sylvie is turning out to be just like her.”“So you knew how she was?”“I’d heard things about her and that’s one of the reasons why I brought her over here.”“For what? To terrorize me?” LaShida said pouting like a child.“No,” he answered picking up her hand. “I thought that being around you might rub off on her. I might be biased, but Pumpkin, you are one of the smartest, kindest, strongest women I know and I’m proud to be your father. I thought that seeing how hard you work at building a career and maintaining your family and the rewards it brings you would inspire her. Maybe let her see that if she worked hard she could have it all too. Instead of trying to work hard to get what you have, she tried to take it from you. I’m sorry LaShida.”“It’s not your fault she’s such a horrible person. It’s not like you even knew you had another daughter. I know you would have been there for her if you had known.”“I would have and now I’m trying to make it up to her. She really needs me now. Not like you. You don’t need me any more. You have Jason and even James DePriest.”“But, I’ll always need my daddy,” LaShida assured him. Brad pulled her into him for a hug and she hugged him back. “So, am I still on to walk you down the aisle?”“I’d be honored. I’ve been planning this my whole life,” LaShida answered teary-eyed.Seeing her mother in tears, Jalen struggled to get down, but Sylvie hung on to her as an act of defiance toward LaShida.“Put her down! Now!” LaShida shouted at Sylvie. LaShida got up from the couch and went over to Sylvie to get her daughter. “What’s wrong?” Sylvie asked innocently.“Don’t play with me bitch,” LaShida told her. “You know damn well what’s wrong. But guess what?” LaShida poked Sylvie in the shoulder with her index finger. “The wedding is right on schedule and you won’t be anywhere near the church.”“Well who’s walking you down the aisle? Brad isn’t coming if I’m not invited,” Sylvie smirked. Sylvie had never felt comfortable calling her father “dad” or “daddy” so she chose to call him by his given name.“I’m afraid you’re wrong,” Brad spoke up. “I plan to walk LaShida down the aisle.”“But she said I can’t come,” Sylvie pouted.“My God child, can you blame her? You broke into her house, stole from her, made passes at her fiancée, and tried to break them up,” Brad threw at her.“Brad, you don’t believe her over me,” Sylvie countered.“Cut the crap. I saw it with my own two eyes,” Brad told her.“How?” Sylvie asked perplexed.“They have you on camera. LaShida and Jason have a very sophisticated security system in their home. LaShida,” he said turning to his oldest daughter, “can you leave us alone?”“Okay Daddy. I have to get home anyway cuz Jason has to go to work. Come on Jae.” LaShida picked up her daughter and turned to look at her father and Sylvie. “Bye Daddy. Call me tomorrow.” Sylvie flashed her a small grin.“I might not be able to stop the wedding,” Sylvie thought to herself, “but I still got a trick up my sleeve.”LaShida left her grandmother’s house, buckled Jalen into her car seat and immediately called Jersee to tell her everything that happened at her father’s house. “I don’t trust the bitch,” Jersee said. I bet she’s still plotting to sabotage your wedding. I hope you have top flight security there.”“It’s sad I got to have some damn security at my damn wedding like it’s a go-go, but you’re right. We seriously need to consider it. I been feeling weird lately any way. Like somebody watching me.”“Crazy bitch probably been stalking you. Did y’all get your locks changed?”“Not yet. Let me call Jason and tell him to do that now. I’ll call you when I get home.”“Aye, before you hang up, let’s go to Nocturnal tonight. I ain’t heard the band in a minute.”“Okay, let me see if Mi Mi can watch the kids.”“Alright, call me back after you talk to Jason.”LaShida called Jason to find that he had already called a locksmith who was at the house changing all their locks. “Shida, you alright?” Jason asked his fiancée when she walked through the door carrying a sleeping Jalen into the house. “Yeah, I’m good. Kids sleep?”“Please. You know damn well D and Jason ain’t going to bed this early. Jae would be trying to stay up too if she didn’t fall asleep in the car.” Jason took Jalen from LaShida and carried her upstairs. LaShida followed and watched Jason undress Jalen, put on her nightgown and tuck her under the covers. She smiled as Jason kissed Jalen’s forehead. “Jersee told me y’all are coming to the club. I already called Mi Mi and she’ll be here shortly. You better hurry up and get ready if you gonna ride with me. You got 20 minutes”“Go ahead and go then. I don’t wanna hold you up. I’ll just drive by myself.”“I don’t want you out here by yourself late at night. Plus I need you to drive me home when I get drunk. I’ll wait. Just hurry your ass up.”LaShida took a quick shower and put on a jean mini skirt and a Bob Marley T-shirt with a pair of sandals. Her hair was already done, and she opted for only lip gloss instead of the whole make-up routine. She didn’t have anyone to impress and she knew that Jason preferred her look to be simple.When LaShida and Jason arrived at the club, Jersee was sitting at the bar with Jasmine. Jason came over and hugged his sisters and then left to go check on his band. “Hey Ladies,” LaShida greeted them. “Jazz, seems like I haven’t seen you in forever. How is my favorite niece doing?”“Jorja is great,” Jasmine answered. “Getting big with her spoiled ass. She’s with Black’s mom tonight. She had to fight my mom for her. I thought those two were going to come to blows.” Jersee and LaShida laughed. “I’m serious,” Jasmine continued. “I have to fight them to spend time with my own child. And if it’s not them, then it’s Black. I love them times when it’s just me and her around the house.” Black and Jasmine had both sold their condos and bought a house together. As soon as her divorce from Vic was final, they planned to get married.“Hello ladies. Is my bartender treating you right?” The women looked up to find Jackson DePriest.“Hey Uncle Jack,” they all greeted him as he came around to give each one a kiss. “Hi Daddy,” Lindsay DePriest said walking up to join the group. “Thanks for letting me know you guys were gonna come out tonight,” Lindsay said cutting her eyes a Jersee. “My bad,” Jersee said. “It was last minute. I was just trying to cheer LaShida up.” Jersee deflected the attention away from herself by putting LaShida on the spot. She could tell from the look on her face, that LaShida was pissed, but she laughed inside. They had been doing this to each other since 5th grade. She knew that LaShida would strike back.“Well thank you Jazz, for calling me even if it was last minute.” She turned to Jersee, “Heiffa.”“Well?” Jasmine said inching closer to Jersee and LaShida.“Well what?” Jersee and LaShida answered in unison.“You bitches better stop playing and tell me what’s going on,” Jasmine told them. “Is it that whack ass African booty scratcher sister of yours? What she do now?”“I don’t even know where to begin,” LaShida told Lindsay and Jasmine who had not been privy to the whole Sylvie situation. LaShida began at the beginning and filled Jason’s cousins in on everything that had gone on with her and Sylvie.“Ugh, I can’t believe she fucked Dante’, Jasmine said. “He is so creepy.”“That didn’t stop you from going out with him,” Lindsay told her. “Hell, how do you think I know he’s so creepy?” Jasmine responded. “And I went out with him once. And never, ever fucked him. Hey Kels,” Jasmine said spotting her cousin coming toward them. “What’s up Amber,” She said to Eric’s girlfriend. The girls sat around talking and drinking the bottles of champagne that Jackson had sent over before Jason called Kelly and Amber up to do a couple of songs with the band. Enjoying the time with Jason’s sisters and cousins made LaShida think of Sylvie. Once the shock of her existence wore off, she had really hoped that they could become like real sisters. After a while LaShida decided not to dwell on it, but to enjoy the time with her family and friends. Little did she know that so many things were going to change for everyone there.LaShida was brought back to the present when she heard the front door open and little feet running into the kitchen. “Mommy,” Jalen shouted running to be picked up by her mother. “How’s my girl?” LaShida asked. “Did you have fun at camp today?” she asked her daughter.“Look what I made,” Jalen said showing LaShida the picture of what looked to be a mother father, two boys and a girl.“Oooh, I know who that is,” LaShida said. “That looks like Michael Jackson, Hannah Montana, Sponge Bob, Raven and Aunt Jersee.” Jalen laughed at her mother. “You so silly Mommy. That’s you and Daddy and Lante’ and Jason. And that’s me,” she said pointing to the princess.LaShida took the picture from Jalen and put it on the refrigerator. “What’s for dinner?” Jason said coming into the kitchen with DeLante and Lil’ Jason behind him. He walked over and kissed his wife.“I made a pasta salad and some corn on the cob and some barbecued chicken,” LaShida answered.“You grilled the chicken or you cooked it in the oven?” Jason wanted to know.”“Grill,” was her reply.“Good. I was fiendin’ for some grilled chicken. Aye, guess who came in the shop today,” Jason said changing the subject.“That broad Sam was fuckin’ with.”“Which one?”“I said Sam, not Eric. ““Sam might not be as big a hoe as Eric, but he ain’t exactly a choir boy either.”“True. Well it was the girl’s cousin who he go with now.”“Oh, shoot. What was her name? Keira! Yeah, that was her name. What the hell did she want?” LaShida asked, wondering in the back of her mind if she was after Jason. Things had been pretty good between her and Jason since they tied the knot last summer. So good that she was starting to feel antsy. Though, in all honesty, aside from Jason’s past—and she prayed it stayed in the past—serial cheating, everything else had been damn near perfect in their relationship. They hardly ever argued and if they did, it never lasted. She wanted for nothing material and Jason treated her and their kids like a princess. He had a big heart and their sex life was wonderful. And while she trusted him, in the back of her mind, she never forgot how many times she had caught him cheating in the past. She knew that this go round, even one incidence would tear them apart forever. She couldn’t go back to that. She was a different person after being kidnapped and fearing for her life. That incident is what brought her and Jason back together and made her realize how much she loved and needed him in her life, but at the same time it also made her realize how strong she was and how much she loved herself. So, she decided to give Jason one last chance, but in her heart of hearts, she knew it was his last chance.“Rondell did her hair. Oh, and he told me to tell you to call him too.”“I’ll call him tomorrow,” she thought. “I need to call Jersee back.”“Girl, you must have ESPN,” LaShida cracked picking up the phone. “I was just about to call you.” Jersee had been through so much in the past year. They all had, but Jersee had lost her mother, gained a little brother, got dumped by her boyfriend because he didn’t trust that she wasn’t messing with her old boyfriend who had dumped her when he thought she’d never be able to walk again and then gotten back with him. She’d also gone into business with her Aunt Kayla. All these changes made LaShida’s head spin.“I just talked to my mother, and she’s not gonna make it down for the wedding,” Jersee told LaShida the night before LaShida and Jason’s wedding. Rehearsals were earlier that evening and after the rehearsal dinner LaShida and Jersee came back to spend the night at the hotel suite that the newlyweds would stay in after the wedding and before they left for St. Kitts. Jalen was in the bedroom sleep and they were chatting in the living room. It was the same hotel where the reception was being held. “I’m telling you Shida, something is up with her. I think she never really intended to come.”“Why don’t you just go up there and do a drive-by?” LaShida suggested.“Drive-by?” Jersee said confused. “You want me to drive to New Jersey and shoot my mother for not coming to your wedding?”“No simple. You know what I meant. Drive-by, drop-in, whatever. Just go up there unannounced and see what’s going on. You got the address don’t you?” LaShida asked and Jersee nodded. “Well mapquest that bitch and surprise her.”“I just might do that. Matter of fact, as soon as this wedding foolishness is finally over, I’m gonna go check on my mother.”“Foolishness though?”Jersee laughed. “You know what I mean.”“Yeah, Yeah,” LaShida told her, not really mad. The way her own mother, Jason’s mother and Aunt Kay, the wedding coordinator, were stressing her, she was beginning to feel the same way. “I’ll be glad when all is said and done and I’m Mrs. Jason DePriest. I wish we had eloped.”“No you don’t,” Jersee answered.“I know girl. I’m really enjoying this, but they still getting on my nerves.”“You won’t have to worry about this after tomorrow. You ready for the big day? I know you been waiting for this since we were little.”“Yup. I always dreamed of a big wedding and my daddy walking me down the aisle. You know I been planning my wedding to Jason since the first kiss.”“Yeah, I know. Boy do I know,” Jersee answered and they both laughed. “I don’t know if I want a big wedding any more. Seeing what you been through with everyone trying to run the show is a blower. I’m surprised you stood up to all of them.”“It was nice to have someone take care of all the details, but I was not gonna let them make me have a wedding that I didn’t want. Remember how whack Wanda’s wedding was cuz she let her mother make all her decisions? Those ugly ass bridesmaids dresses…”“Oh hell yeah. That was the worst and ugliest wedding I have ever seen.” Jersee and LaShida burst into a fit of giggles, and then Jersee continued, “I thought about doing an island wedding somewhere. Just the closest friends and family. Then maybe a big reception here when we get back for all my mother’s family whose P.O. won’t let them leave the country.”LaShida laughed at her friend and then looked down to see who was calling on her ringing cell phone. “Oh my God. I wish this bitch would stop calling me. Damn!”“Is that Sylvie again?” LaShida asked. “Yes. She’s called me at least ten times today.”“Have you talked to her at all?”“Nope. I don’t have nothing to say to her, but ‘kiss my ass.’ She’s probably trying to come to the wedding, but she can forget that. I don’t trust her. Dammit!” LaShida screamed as her phone rang again. “What the fuck do you want?” she yelled into the phone finally picking up. “Sorry. Just wanted to say sorry for everything that I did. Can we be like real sisters? I want to make things right with us.”“I reached out to you when you came here. I welcomed you in my home and let you spend time with my daughter. You stole from me and tried to break me and Jason up. Why should I forgive you? Why now with the wedding tomorrow?” LaShida wanted to know.“I was jealous. You had everything. You knew our father, you had your mother and you had a nice life. I have nothing,” she said trying to make herself sound sad. “You’re my sister. I love you.”“Yeah right,” LaShida answered. “I’ll tell you what. We can talk forgiveness, AFTER the wedding. But if you really love me and want to make things right then leave me the hell alone. Let me get married in peace and don’t call me back. When I come back from my honeymoon and get settled, then I will call you. Seriously Sylvie, give me some peace.”“Wait!” Sylvie called trying to catch LaShida before she hung up. “What?” LaShida asked.“Can you call Auntie Kay and ask her to give me my job back? I know she would if you told her that you forgive me.”“Sorry slim, but I can’t do that. For one, I don’t trust you so I can’t ask her to. Two, how did you really think you could fuck with me and still be cool with everyone around me? I said I’d consider forgiving you, but that doesn’t mean I will let you come back around my family.”“I know Jae misses me,” Sylvie countered.“MY daughter ain’t thinking about you for real. Once she senses that you mean her mama some harm, then it’s over. She hasn’t once uttered your name since we saw you last. I’m hanging up now,” LaShida told her as she hit the off button.“That crazy bitch got a lot of nerve,” Jersee said when LaShida hung up. She heard both end of the conversation because LaShida had the phone on speaker. She looked at LaShida who appeared to be in deep thought. “You’re going to forgive her, aren’t you?”“I just feel so bad for her. I can’t imagine not having anyone and…”“So what? That’s no excuse for doing what she did and for real, she still may try some bullshit. I hope you haven’t canceled the security for your wedding.”“Nah. Security hasn’t been canceled. Everything is set for tomorrow. Okay, but why did my mother tell me that people are still trying to call her to RSVP for the wedding.”“Stop playing.”“I’m serious. Not one place on that invite did it say to call to RSVP. I guess they thought the reply card was for early bird and calling was for last minute,” LaShida joked. “So what is she telling people?”“Depends on who it is. A few close family members she told them to come. They allowed for some extras with the caterer anyway, but some of the people calling her weren’t even invited. And then my grandmother called her with some of my father’s family who came from Nigeria, so of course she told them to come.”“Damn. I thought my mama’s side of the family was wild, but your ghetto ass peeps might have us beat.”“Oh hell no. Nobody in Lydia’s family can compete with Dink and Mace,” LaShida said referring to Jersee’s cousins who were called on whenever something unsavory needed to be done.“Yeah, you got me there.” Both girls laughed. LaShida’s phone rang again. It was Kayla Felix, Jason’s aunt who was the wedding coordinator.“Hey Kay,” LaShida greeted her.“Hey Shida. You all ready for tomorrow? Just wanted to touch bases with you one last time about timing and everything. The limo will be there to get you, Jalen and Jersee at two. The rest of the bridesmaids and your mothers are being picked up at 1:30 by another limo. And the groom and groomsmen are also being picked up at 1:30. Everything should be in place by the time you arrive.”“Okay. Auntie Kay, thank you so much for everything. I don’t know what I’d have done without you.”“You’re welcome. Thank you for helping me launch my business. It’s booming and after tomorrow it will be even bigger. Tell Jersee that if she’s gonna get on, she better come on now. Sammi has turned into a Godsend since I had to fire Sylvie.”“She’s been calling me all day. I finally spoke to her.”“What the hell did she want?”“She said forgiveness and for us to be real sisters.”“Whatever! I hope you aren’t letting her come to the wedding.”“Nope. I told her we could talk forgiveness when I get back from my honeymoon. She…”“Don’t mean to cut you off, but we, I mean I’m gonna have to take a loss on the invites. I saw what I wrote out and I did put 5PM instead of 3PM. They aren’t going to charge me the rush fee for the second set though. I’m going to see if I can talk them down with the promise of us doing more business together. Hey look, I gotta run. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”“What a motor mouth,” Jersee said when LaShida hung up. “You heard what she said about you? You better come on board with her now.”“Yeah, I heard. I already typed up my resignation letter. I will turn it in when I go back to work.” LaShida and Jersee continued to reminisce about old times while the TV blared in the background. Shida was drifting off to sleep when her phone rang yet again. She could tell by the ring tone that it was Jason.“Hey wife to be,” Jason greeted her.‘Hey husband to be,” LaShida answered back.“Oh brother,” Jersee said before throwing a pillow at LaShida and getting up to go in the bedroom to give them some privacy.“Well baby, this is it,” Jason said. “Tomorrow you will be Mrs. DePriest.”“Yup. You nervous?” she asked him.“Nope. For real, I’m excited about having you for my wife. But, if you have any doubts, let me know now so I won’t…”“Jason stop! I’m ready. If I had doubts, I would have never accepted your proposal.”“Baby, you know I’m sorry for everything I put you through and if I could take them back…”‘You can’t take them back Jason, so let’s just concentrate on making new memories. Okay?”“I love you girl.”“I love you too Jason.”“See you tomorrow.”“Good night,” LaShida responded. “Oh, I finally talked to Sylvie.” LaShida told Jason about her conversation with her half sister. When she hung up, she went into the bedroom and changed into her nightclothes. She got into the huge bed next to Jalen. Jersee was on the other side. She was tired and had a long day ahead of her. Rondell was coming to do her hair at 9:00. LaShida looked over at her wedding dress hanging in the doorway along with Jersee and Jalen’s dresses, and then laid down thinking she was too nervous to sleep, but she was out almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.“Damn, I hope this works” Sylvie said to herself as she used the tools Dante’ gave her to open Jason and LaShida’s back door. “Bingo!” she said when she finally got in. She quickly ran to the front door and saw that they hadn’t set the alarm. By now, she knew about LaShida’s security system, but she didn’t care if they saw her or not. “Fuck LaShida and Jason,” she thought. “Fuck their whole family.” Looking around, Sylvie noticed a lot of boxes. She hadn’t heard about the new house that James DePriest had given the couple for a wedding gift. When it came to LaShida, Brad Lyons wouldn’t give her any information. He wouldn’t even tell her the time and place of the wedding. Sylvie made her way upstairs to LaShida and Jason’s bedroom. She looked at the pile of old invitations on LaShida’s nightstand and saw that the wedding started at 5 o’clock and got the location of the church. “Hmmm,” she thought to herself, “maybe I will pay them a visit.” She walked into the closet and saw the wedding dress. She took it out of the plastic and held it up. Immediately thoughts of jealousy went through her. Sylvie grabbed the dress and took it out to her car. She didn’t notice the car that pulled off behind her. Sylvie drove home to the small apartment she had been staying in since her argument with her father. Her grandmother was thoroughly disgusted with her behavior and asked Sylvie to leave. Brad’s house wouldn’t be ready for a few more weeks, so he arranged and paid for Sylvie to stay in a short-term, furnished apartment.The next morning Sylvie woke up, did her hair and makeup and put on the wedding dress that LaShida decided not to wear. LaShida had selected two dresses from the Marguerite Rice collection and didn’t decide which one she wanted until two weeks ago. No alterations had been made on the dress and Ms. Rice had assured her that she could return the one she didn’t want. Around 10 o’clock, Sylvie was too jumpy to eat, so she poured herself a glass of orange juice and added a healthy shot of vodka. She had just gulped it down when she heard a knock on the door. She opened it up without checking to see who it was and she screamed. The tall burnt man pushed his way into the apartment and covered her mouth. She bit his fingers and he smacked her across the face before removing a rag out of his pocket and stuffing it into her mouth. He had a pair of handcuffs in his pocket that he used to cuff her hands to the bed. He had a rope that he used to tie her legs to the bedposts. “Who are you?” Sylvie tried to scream to the burnt man. She tried to look in his eyes, but his face was so burnt, that his eyes weren’t even visible. Something about him seemed strangely familiar. Langston Tillery raped Sylvie repeatedly. Thankfully she finally blacked out. When she came to, he was on top of her sleep and hugging her tightly. He had uncuffed her hands. She slid from under him and ran to the door. She got to the door open and was headed down the stairs when Langston grabbed her and dragged her back into the apartment. She screamed. “What the fuck was that?” Jules asked Milt as they looked toward the building. The two worked as security at Nocturnal and when Jason told his father about Sylvie after he talked to LaShida, James immediately assigned the two to watch her to make sure she didn’t crash the wedding. They had been sitting outside of her apartment building since early morning, but didn’t see Langston because he had been hiding in the trash room since the previous evening. Jules got on his phone to call the police and Milt pulled his gun and rushed into the apartment. When he got inside, Langston was standing over Sylvie’s body with a knife. “Drop it,” Milt shouted, but Langston ignored him. “I said drop it,” Milt repeated. Langston again ignored him and screamed, “mine” at Sylvie before plunging the knife into her side. Milt fired a bullet into his back. By the time the police arrived Langston was finally dead and Sylvie was bleeding badly. One of the police officers recognized Langston, his former colleague even though his body had been badly burned. Jules put a call into one of the security guards that was covering the wedding. He made his way to where James DePriest was sitting and signaled to him. James got up and followed him to the back of the church. Kayla told him he needed to go back inside because LaShida was about to make her entrance with her father. “Give me one minute,” he pleaded with his baby sister.‘”Just one,” she scolded holding up one finger. And make it quick.”James turned to Paul, the security guard who had pulled him out of the church. “So, tell me what happened at Sylvie’s house.” Paul gave him the rundown on everything Jules reported. “Okay, don’t say anything to anyone. I don’t care if that bitch is dead, she’s not gonna stop my son’s wedding. Brad is about to walk LaShida down the aisle. I will not be made a laughing stock in front of my friends.”“But ain’t she his daughter too?” Paul asked. “She could need some serious medical help. I think we should tell him.”“I don’t pay you to think. I will tell him after the wedding and after the start of the reception. Only after LaShida has danced with her father will I tell him. And tell Jules that if this gets out to the press, he can kiss his job goodbye.”