his embrace.
“I love you too. Take care of my sister, a’ight,” Mecca said as he winked at Breeze.
“I got you,” Zyir said as he held out his arm for Breeze to latch on. Breeze did so, and they strolled down the aisle and out of the doors, where a cocaine white limo was waiting for them at the foot of the steps. The newlyweds were off to board a private jet to Rome for a weeklong honeymoon.
Carter and Mecca watched as they disappeared behind the large double doors of the sanctuary, both of them with smiles on their faces. Mecca looked to Carter and rested his hand on Carter’s shoulder.
“That’s our baby sister right there. I’m glad to see her happy,” Mecca said with deep sincerity.
“Yeah, Zyir’s a good dude. I raised that kid. I know that he’s one hundred percent… no cut. He is going to take care of his family no matter what,” Carter stated with a blank expression on his face.
Carter’s words were like a dagger straight to Mecca’s heart, as Mecca thought about his ultimate betrayal of his own family. He knew at that very moment that he wasn’t cut from the same cloth as Zyir or Carter. It was the hurtful truth that he would have to live with for the rest of his life.
“We all we got,” Mecca said as he looked into Carter’s eyes.
Carter noticed that Mecca’s eyes didn’t reflect that of a killer’s. Mecca looked as vulnerable as a lost young boy, and his words were heartfelt and without prejudice. Mecca truly meant what he had just said. He had made the transformation. Mecca was ready to leave the gangster life alone and live life without regrets. He hoped that the new country of Brazil could give him peace of mind and rinse him of the blood that seemed to stain his hands back in Miami.
The priest walked up to them and prepared to exit the church. He shook Mecca’s hand and then Carter’s.
“Thank you, Father,” Carter said as he gripped the priest’s hand. The priest exited the church, leaving Mecca and Carter alone.
Mecca put both of his hands in his pockets and turned on his heels.
“Excuse me for a second, bro. I have to make a quick phone call,” Mecca said.
Carter nodded his head and watched as Mecca faded into the back of the church where the dressing room was located. Carter thought back to the day that he was in the confessional booth and Mecca told on himself. He thought about how Mecca had killed the only love of his life, Miamor. He also thought about how Mecca cold- bloodedly killed Monroe.
Carter shook his head, not believing the disloyal acts of his only remaining brother. Images of Miamor smiling and in his arms popped into his thoughts, instantly making Carter chuckle while remembering the bond that they once had shared. He remembered how gangster she was, yet she was so soft, so ladylike. Miamor was built for a gangster like him, and Mecca had taken that away from him.
“I love you, Miamor,” Carter whispered as he looked to the head of the church and stared at the cross with a statue of Jesus Christ hanging on it. He hoped Miamor heard him from the depths of the heavens. Little did he know, with Miamor’s resume, she was probably in hell smoking a blunt. That’s a real bitch.
Mecca held his cell phone up to his ear, waiting for the person he was calling to answer.
“I’m on my way to the airport now,” Leena said as she smiled and made her way through the airport with her son by her side. She wore oversized sunglasses and a wrap over her head to try to disguise herself from any of Estes’ goons. Her son had on a baseball cap and heavy clothing, making him chunkier than usual. She was in a rush, trying to get to Mecca, the man she loved, the man who had once almost taken her life. She had snuck away from Estes and was on her way to Brazil to raise her son with Mecca.
Mecca smiled when he heard her voice, and the thought of sharing a life with Leena was inspirational. “Hurry up and get to me, baby,” Mecca said, filled with joy.
“I can’t wait to see you,” Leena said as she gave the flight attendant her boarding passes.
“I can’t wait to see you either, beautiful. I am going to make this right, and we are going to be a family. I am going to raise that boy like he is mine and teach him how to be a man… a good man. Just like his father was,” Mecca said, meaning every word of what he was saying.
“I know you are, Mecca. I know. We are on our way. Mecca Diamond, I love you,” Leena said as she boarded the plane.
“I love you more,” Mecca said just before he flipped down his cell phone and smiled. “Thank you, Lord,” Mecca whispered. He was beginning to believe that there was a God. He was determined to get a better relationship with his Savior and live his life right. He couldn’t wait until the rest of his family arrived in Brazil so that his new life could begin. Nevertheless, he would never get to see them.
Mecca heard the sound of a gun being cocked behind him, but he didn’t seem startled or even turn around, for that matter. He just took a deep breath and placed his hands together in a praying gesture.
“Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name…” Mecca said as tears slid down his face. He already knew who was behind him, and it came as no surprise to him.
Carter began to recite the prayer along with his brother as he pointed the gun to the back of Mecca’s head.
Mecca had always known that Carter would eventually seek revenge for Miamor’s death. He had loved her way too much not to come after him. Mecca’s only dilemma had been to figure out when and where Carter would take his life. Mecca was a seasoned street veteran, and the one thing that he knew for sure was that “the eyes don’t lie” and on that day, Carter could not hide the hatred he had inside.
Carter knew that if he let Mecca live, Mecca would possibly turn on him one day, just as he did to Monroe. He also felt obligated to avenge Miamor’s death, so killing Mecca was inevitable.
Mecca also knew the game. Mecca realized that if he were in Carter’s shoes, he would have done the same, so he wasn’t mad at Carter for what he was about to do. Once the prayer was over, Mecca stood unflinchingly, with his heart pounding through his chest. There was no malice in his heart, only regret, but he knew that his oldest brother was about to deliver his retribution.
“I love you, Carter,” Mecca said as he straightened up his tie and prepared for his death.
“I love you too,” Carter replied sincerely as he wrapped his finger around the trigger. “I always will, bro.”
A single slug went through the back of Mecca’s head and clear through his forehead, rocking him to sleep forever at the hands of his own flesh and blood. Karma is real, and The Cartel was no more.
Epilogue
“Diamonds are forever.”
Leena covered her ears and took deep breaths as the plane flew through the turbulent skies. She hated to fly, but she hated being apart from Mecca even more. She knew that Estes would be hurt when he read the letter she had written. A single note was all that she had left behind. She knew that he would never understand why she had chosen Mecca over him, but it was something that she had to do. It was a decision that only she would understand.
Her heart jumped out of her chest as the plane dipped violently, almost as if it would fall from the sky. She snuggled her son tightly to her chest and whispered, “Please, God, keep this thing in the air.”
The captain turned the seatbelt sign on, only scaring Leena even more. She instinctively reached out to grip the arm of the gentleman sitting next to her.
“Oh, I’m sorry. This flying thing has me kind of shook,” she explained in embarrassment.
“It’s okay. You’re good. The turbulence is really only potholes in the sky. They won’t do any real damage. They’re just good at causing uneasy passengers a nice scare,” he said.
Leena nodded and inhaled deeply to calm her nerves.
