Page 10 of Juliet's Echo

Smirking at the scene, I responded, “You know I got that meeting with Historical Records this morning, Pops.”

Historical Records housed some major artists, and any collaboration with them brought home millions—and a Grammy—every time. Their artist Ocean was dropping a comeback project after taking time off to give birth and enjoy her new role as a mother, leading into an album and tour. And they wanted my lyrical sauce producing the entire project. Ocean was to Historical Records what Sade was to Epic Records in the ’90s.

Legendary.

“Yeah, you know they want me all over Ocean’s project,” I continued.

“Aye, that’s my boy. New contracts equal new money,” my father said with a proud smile, dapping me up.

“Echo,” my mother’s voice chimed in, soft as silk.

“What up, Ma?” I responded.

She glanced at me, then at Juliet, her expression warm—too warm.

“I am very excited to hear about your new project. Ocean is a pleasure to work with. You know she was on the soundtrack to that Pixar film I did a voice-over for—she was my singing voice. Such a sweet girl she is, and her baby is absolutely the cutest.”

I stared at her.

That tone? Yeah, I knew it.

She was setting me up.

My mother had a way of wrapping bad news in sugar, talking all soft and innocent like she wasn’t about to drop some shit that could irritate your soul.

“What all that mean to me, Ma?” I asked, cutting straight through it.

“It means,” she said gently, “you don’t have to come along this morning to take Juliet for her first day of kindergarten.”

Juliet’s head snapped up so fast it was like she caught the words midair.

“That meeting is important,” my mother continued, still calm, still smooth. “And I can tell you barely got any sleep last night. Besides, you and your brothers all went to this school when you were younger, and our family is loved there. She will be just—”

Clap.

The sharp sound of Juliet’s hands slapping together cut through the room, stopping everything.

We all turned.

She was upset.

“No, no, no—Choo-Choo has to come. I can’t go without my Choo-Choo,” she signed frantically, her hands moving faster than usual, her breath picking up.

Her voice was gone again.

“Now, Juliet, we talked about this,” my mother said, signing calmly as she stepped closer. “Echo can’t be there all the time for you. Mommy and Daddy will take you, and you’ll be fine.”

Juliet shook her head, eyes wide, already glossing over. Her little body tensed in Zion’s arms.

Walking closer, my mother continued to sign, “Choo-Choo will be here when you get out of school—”

Before she could finish, Juliet smacked her hands down.

The entire room froze.

Silent as fuck.

Juliet’s chest rose and fell, her little face tight with emotion, eyes blazing with a mix of fear, frustration, and defiance.