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“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

“Well, The Royal Flush is yours. I will now take over as your lawyer, and anything you need, I’m here. I do mean if you need anything handled, call me.”

I held my hand out to Lloyd and walked out of his office. Everyone who was talking when I walked out stopped. Shameek was the first one to stand.

“You straight?”

I nodded, unable to get any words past the lump in my throat. My daddy wasn’t in the room with us, but I knew his ass would pop up. He walked up and wrapped his arms around me.

“What did he say?”

“My husband,” my voice cracked. “Just reminded me who the fuck I am.”

Shameek smiled. “That’s my muthafuckin’ nigga.”

“He always knew what he was doing,” Pops added to the conversation.

“I still don’t know if I can do it,” I told them.

“You can. He wouldn’t have left it to you if he thought you couldn’t.”

I looked over at Shameek, and he just watched me.

“You don’t have to figure it out today,” my daddy said.

“Football season don’t wait on grief,” Pops said.

“I’ll go,” Shameek said. “I’ll make sure everything stays afloat until Kyenna is ready.”

“No,” I said.

“No?” Shameek frowned.

“If Rah left it to me, then I need to at least show my face.”

“I’ll go with you for support,” Shameek said.

The steam from the shower had finally lifted some of the heaviness off me. It had been two weeks since I’d done more than throw on a robe and cry myself to sleep. Today was different. I had somewhere to be. I stood in my closet staring at rows of clothes. My fingers stopped on a cream-colored pantsuit. Once I found a pair of shoes to go with it, I went to my vanity and started on my makeup. I had made a hair appointment for tomorrow. It was long overdue. In the meantime, I pulled the bonnet off and ran the blow dryer through my hair to stretch it so it could go into a sleek ponytail.

After I was satisfied with my face and hair, I put my clothes on. I followed it with my custom watch that Rah bought for our anniversary and his favorite perfume. My wedding ring hit the light and caused me to slow down for a minute. I could feel the sadness trying to sneak in.

“Ky, boss the fuck up. Shake this shit and let’s handle business,” I told myself in the mirror.

I grabbed my purse and phone and walked down the stairs with my head high. This was the first time that The Royal Flush doors were going to be unlocked for a staff meeting since the murder of Rah. It was like I wanted to get to the bottom of who did this to him, but I had to keep his dream alive at the same time. When I walked outside, Shameek had the King’s motorcade waiting for me. He refused to just let me drive anywhere alone anymore. I had to beg him and Pops to let me drive my husband’s car to the lawyer’s office. He had it set up just like it was when Rah was alive.

“I can’t drive today?” I asked Shameek.

“Here,” he handed me another set of keys. “He bought you this three months ago. I was hiding it at my house until your birthday. He had it customized. It’s bulletproof glass and all.”

My eyes shifted to where Shameek was pointing, and there was an all-black Maybach. I was confused because I told him I didn’t want anything this year but us to go out of the country and spend some time together without all the noise.

“I think he’ll be mad if it sits and collects dust,” Shameek stated.

I just held on to the keys.

“I can have one of the drivers drive if you want.”