Have Faith
The news of her father’s cancer diagnosis. Rocked Calypso’s world. At first, she thought, why is everything bad happening now? However, as her father explained. Tempest realized, his diagnosis was the reason for all of his horrible decisions as of late. The pale skin and the overall more docile personality. Should have been hints. So, as she was sitting upstairs in her bedroom, while Princeton took a shower. Everything started to make sense. Honestly, she had her father to thank. If he hadn’t thrown a wrench in her and Antonio’s relationship. They probably would have gone too far, for her to look back. He just wanted his children to be OK. Calypso could not help but to tear up. All that lost time, and I can’t be here now, she thought. Calypso fell back on the bed. I got to get Angelo ready, she thought.
When she heard Princeton open the door to the bathroom. Calypso quickly got up and wiped her face, but that did not fool Princeton. He pulled up an office chair in front of her. Princeton had the wig off and his gold hair was curly from taking down her braids. Princeton reached out and touched her face, where he saw the dried tear. He said, "We are all family now. Leave your father to me. I will fill you in every day. If I can’t get a hold of you I will text. See.” Princeton then got up clinching the towel around his waist. He picked up his phone on the night stand and sat down next to her on the bed. Princeton then showed her he set an alarm. He titled it. Check in with Churro. Calypso was teary-eyed but she chuckled. She said, "You know. You are really amazing.” Calypso did not care if Princeton was wet. She laid on his chest and let him wrap his arms around her. After a while he said, "Why don’t you get in the shower. I will grab us, a bottle of wine.” Calypso wiped her tears and nodded. She said, "Make sure it is white, please. My dad’s red is nasty.” Princeton chuckled and then got up to put on his pajama pants. While Calypso got ready to get in the shower.
Princeton, after getting dressed, snuck downstairs, to head to the wine chiller. When he got downstairs, he was surprised to see, Angelo pacing around trying to pick up a bottle. Princeton asked, "Having a hard time picking one or are you just nervous? I am sure Daniella is fine.” Angelo looked up at Princeton with surprise. He said nonchalantly, "Well, she is Calypso’s friend, and we did that job together. I just hope she is OK.” Princeton looked at him sideways. He saw how Angelo was looking at her before they left Mexico. He replied, "Trust me, I get it. So look after Calypso for me, I will hold things down here. Angelo smirked, he said, ” You know, I will have her back.” Angelo thought for a moment. He said, ” I want you to succeed. So I want to give you this advice. Balance, if you lose balance. You lose yourself. That’s why I stray from love. Life puts you off balance, but in your case. Calypso keeps you balanced. So make sure, you are for fulfilling that need in some way, to stay balanced. ” Princeton looked surprised before nodding slowly. He said, "That is good advice. I will take it to heart, because I can tell you mean it.”
When Princeton came back up with the wine bottle, Tempest was curled up on the couch in her room with her snuggle blanket. Princeton poured them two glasses and then pulled Calypso onto his lap. They did not talk about anything mafia related for the rest of the night and when Calypso fell asleep. Princeton carried her to bed. However, Princeton could not sleep, he kept thinking about what Angelo said. It was then Princeton thought of an idea. He leaned over to grab his phone and began setting up reminders, like he did in Mexico. Princeton spent his night setting apt up each one. He looked over at Calypso, when things were turbulent. Princeton wanted to be a solid foundation for her to lean on. Finally, by the time he was done, Princeton finally felt tired. He lay beside Calypso, enjoying the time. He had with her.
In the morning, Princeton was glad he went to bed. When he did, because the early morning trip to the airport was hectic. Calypso and Angelo were bickering about Angelo wanting to reorganize his suitcase, one more time in the morning. Which led to Calypso yelling at Angelo the whole drive to the airport, because she felt New York’s airport took forever to get through TSA. So, even though Princeton did not want to see Calypso go, he was glad to finally have them dropped off at the airport. However, as Calypso and Angelo’s figures disappeared inside the airport doors. Princeton could feel the lonely feeling in the SUV. He thought, Well, I guess I had better head home. It was still too early and no one would be up moving around yet. So, Princeton wanted to get a boxing session in at the gym. When he arrived home, Princeton walked into the house. His mother was usually up by seven in the morning, so he figured she was already out of the house. She joined several clubs the night before and wanted to look into them. Princeton ran up to his room to change into his work-out clothes. When he head to the side of the house and opened the gym door. Princeton was alarmed to see a blood trail on the floor, as if someone dragged a bloody body on the ground. Princeton’s heart began beating quickly in his chest. Princeton closed the door quietly behind him before quickly turning the corner, to see no body on the gym floor. Princeton stood up straight in confusion for a moment. When he heard someone tumbling out of the shower room. It was his father.
Reece was surprised to see his son back so soon, or he would not have come back home. He tried to hold onto the wound to his torso, but it was of no use. The blood was all over his clothes. Princeton rushed to his father. He looked over his father’s torso quickly and removed his hands to see a through and through gunshot wound to his father’s torso. Princeton cursed, "Shit, you have lost a lot of blood already. Why didn’t you call me?” Princeton quickly got up and ran to his locker and opened it. he rummaged around for a moment before pulling out his first aid kit and alcohol. Princeton set the items down next to his father, before pulling a lighter out of his pants pocket. Reece watched panting, as Princeton got his needle and thread ready. He sterilized the needle by lighting it and holding it under the blue flame. He then cleaned the area with alcohol, making Reece scream. Princeton sighed. He said quietly, "I have seen Calypso handle getting stitched up before without good pain meds. I am going to need you to shut the hell up, before you draw attention.” Princeton then pulled out a syringe and popped the needle into his father’s leg. Reece’s eyes rolled to the back of his head. He said, "Thank you.” Princeton nodded quietly, "Your welcome.” Reece then watched as Princeton stitched the wound on his side closed. When he was done, Reece fully expected to be yelled out. However, Princeton got up quietly to wash his hands. Reece would have rather been yelled at. He said, "I did not mean to inconvenience you or cause any issues to make you further not want to deal with me. I am surprised you even helped me.”
Princeton cut off the water to the sink and sat there for a moment. He said in a strained voice, "Why would I not help you? I felt the same way now, as I felt stitching Calypso up, on her mother’s couch. Just because I do not truth you, doesn’t make you any less my father.” Princeton then felt himself snap for a moment. He yelled, "I do not want to deal with you, because all of this secretive shit. You wait for stuff to get bad, before you sloppily dump it off on someone else. You always have to try to man handle it yourself, but you do not always have the answers. You cannot go through life treating everyone like pawns. That is where you taught Tony wrong, that is why you both act only in your own interest. So you cannot ever see the bigger picture.” Reece looked up at his son surprised.
He said, "I do not know what to say. In Italy, you told me.” Princeton spoke over his father, he said bluntly, ” In Italy, I said you would not be the one. I came to for advice. I never said, I would not be someone you can count on.” Princeton then dried off his hands and turned around to look at his father. He asked, ” has the morphine kicked in all the way yet?” Reece looked into his son’s light green eyes. They looked reptile in appearance. He was furious. That was the only way Reece could tell Princeton’s mood, because his voice was eerily calm. Reece shook his head slowly before saying, "Yes, it curbed the pain a lot.” Princeton nodded. He said, ” Good.” Reece then watched as Princeton pulled out his cell phone. When the person answered. Princeton said, ” hey mom, what are you doing? Oh, Calypso scheduled you a nail appointment?”
Reece watched as Princeton, made sure Angela was busy. When he hung up, Princeton looked down on his father. He said, "Come follow me to my room. I need to get something before we leave.” Reece got up slowly and followed Princeton out of the gym. Reece asked, “What are you getting?” Princeton replied while opening the side door to the house. He said, ” Do not worry about that. Explain to me what is going on and who shot you.” Reece was caught off guard by Princeton’s cold voice. However, Princeton seemed to be very direct, so Reece was not going to piss him off by being evasive. He said, "Antonio is alive.” Princeton stopped on the stairs and turned to look at his father slowly. His eyes narrowed, he said, "I asked you several times if he was alive.” When Princeton saw his father’s face, Princeton let out a slow breath. He needed his father to continue being honest with him. Reece said, ” I had to keep it a secret. It was apart of the agreement with Don Maggiano. We were the only two in the room. When Tony started waking up, your mother only knew because I had to hide him.” Princeton looked surprised while walking up the stairs. He said quietly, “That is a lot for her to hold onto with Lil Tony in the hospital.” Princeton thought for a moment before saying, “So, that is why he was there, wasn’t it?” Reece worried about how Princeton would react, but he did not want to lie to him at this point. The relief from telling him felt, so good. He did not want to backtrack. He replied quietly, "Yes.” Princeton closed his eyes for a moment and his jaw clenched. Before he continued back up the stairs. Princeton continued his line of questioning as he picked up his phone. He asked, "So, what does that have to do with you being shot? Antonio would be relapsing hard, he is doing it by himself?”
As they walked into the room, Reece explained how the McConnell's had gotten Antonio to check out with the promise of drugs in exchange for information. However, when Calypso changed all the accounts, and Antonio could no longer access any information about the resort or lab. Reece kept explaining as Princeton started pulling out lock boxes from his closet, listening intently. He said, “You then had Maleek’s security program lock everything, so he had no information to give them. Antonio had been too drugged out to remember any of the recipes, so they called me for a ransom last night. I tried to meet up with them to deal but it was just a set-up. I ended up getting shot, and now they are asking for more money tonight, or they will kill him. I think it is because they want to get out of New York, cut their losses.” Reece then watched as Princeton opened the lockboxes and revealed parts of a gun. He quickly assembled his nine millimeter Berretta and said, ” Of course, they want to leave. Because they know, I am going to kill them. For shooting my father, let’s go.” Princeton left out of his room at a fast pace. Reece was surprised Princeton reacted in this way. He said, ” I should stop and get my gun.”
Princeton rolled his eyes as he looked over at his father. He said, ” No, what you are going to do is hurry up. You cannot even lift your shooting arm. So you are going to be my knowledge bank, and I will for once knowingly do your dirty work. Now come on!” Reece hurriedly followed Princeton out the door. He said, ” Where are we going?” As Princeton got in his car. He replied, “Maleeks.” Princeton then motioned for his dad to put his seat belt on. When they got in the car, Reece grumbled, “Why are we going to Maleeks? Do not look at me about my seat belt. I am a grown adult.” Princeton turned on the car and said, ” Because if you are meeting them at night. I plan to put them in a body bag by this afternoon. Now put your seat belt on, so I won’t have to treat you like a child.” Princeton clicked his tongue as they pulled out the driveway. He said, ” Don’t make this a long car drive. It’s going to make their death worse.”
