1995

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Korina sat at the edge of her bed, the offer still echoing in her mind. “You either on that plane Friday morning or you not.” The words had clung to her like smoke. She hadn’t said yes. But she hadn’t said no either.

The deal felt off—sketchy, rushed, unprofessional. And worst of all, they’d told her she’d have to be gone for a while. Not a weekend. Not a shoot-and-leave. A while.

She sighed, rubbing her temples. Her head had been heavy for days. Sleep barely came, and when it did, it felt like closing her eyes just made the anxiety louder.

Her career was moving again. That song with Cube had popped off, the charts don’t lie. She was finally being talked about without a damn scandal attached to her name. And yet, this next step didn’t feel like a step forward—it felt like another gamble, another door that might close behind her with no way back.

As she stared out her window, something in her gut twisted.

Kory.

It hit her like a punch. A whole month. Thirty damn days since she’d last seen her son. Everything had been such a blur—arguments, deadlines, Cube dragging her back to the studio, Eric’s voice ringing in her head like a nightmare. But still… how had she let a whole month slip by?

Her heart dropped. She needed to see him. Now.

Less than two hours later, Korina was parked outside a place that used to feel like home—their old house, the one she used to share with Ren when everything was different. Back before fame, before Death Row, before everything twisted.

The yard was quiet. The late afternoon sun cast a warm gold on the porch and cracked concrete. She stepped out of the car slowly, her heels crunching the gravel.

Then she saw them—Ren and Kory.

Ren sat in a chair on the porch, legs stretched out, a cigarette between his fingers. Kory was crouched near the edge of the yard, dragging a stick through the dirt like he was drawing something.

She stopped for a second, just watching. Her throat tightened.

Kory looked a little taller. His hair had grown out more. He had that same frown when he was focused, the one he got from her.

Ren glanced up first, spotting her across the yard. His face didn’t change much, but he nodded at her like he’d been expecting this visit all along.

“Kory,” he said, not raising his voice. “Look who’s here.”

Kory turned slowly, eyes squinting from the sun. When he saw her—his mom—he blinked, like he wasn’t sure it was real.

“Ma?” he said, standing up straight.

She took a few slow steps, then quicker ones, until she dropped to her knees and opened her arms.

“Yeah, baby. It’s me.”

He ran into her embrace, nearly knocking the wind out of her. She held him so tight it hurt. Her nose buried into his hair, and she finally let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding in for weeks.

“I missed you,” she whispered.

“I missed you too,” Kory mumbled into her neck, his voice muffled but real.

Ren stood off to the side, giving them space. But even he looked touched. He glanced away and took a drag from his cigarette, muttering something about allergies as he wiped his eye.

Korina sat back on the porch steps with Kory in her lap. He talked about random things—some show he liked now, how Uncle Ren let him try spicy chips, how he drew a weird-looking dog at school. She smiled and laughed with him, soaking up every second. It was like water after a long drought.

But in the back of her mind, the call lingered. That plane. That “opportunity.” She’d have to leave for a long time. And this moment, this one right here—her baby in her arms, Ren nearby, peace—might not happen again for a while.

She looked up at Ren, who finally met her eyes.

“I don’t know if I should go,” she said softly.

He didn’t ask what she meant. Ren always knew what she was talking about without her needing to explain.

“You gotta do what you think’s right,” he said. “But don’t let ‘em rush you into something you can’t walk away from. That’s all I’m saying.”

Korina nodded, her arms tightening around Kory. She still didn’t have her answer. But she knew this—she needed this moment, this reminder of what grounded her, before she made any move that might change everything.

They stepped into the house and instantly, Korina felt the years melt away. The air was still thick with the scent of old wood, faint traces of cologne and smoke, and a kind of warmth she couldn’t explain. It was like time had frozen somewhere between the creaky floorboards and faded walls.

She paused in the living room, eyes sweeping across the old couch she used to crash on after studio sessions, the chipped coffee table they used to eat takeout on, the crooked family photo Ren still hadn’t fixed on the wall.

“Damn,” she whispered, a soft laugh escaping her lips. “This place still looks the same.”

Ren grinned. “Ain’t got the heart to change it. Feels like a museum sometimes.”

Kory ran off to the back, probably looking for his old toys, but Korina stood still for a second. Her fingers brushed the armrest of the couch—and then, something shifted.

She couldn’t explain it.

It was like… a chill moved through the room. Not cold, not physical. Spiritual. She furrowed her brows and looked around, suddenly tense.

“Yo,” she said low, “does this place feel weird to you?”

Ren, who was in the kitchen pouring two glasses of juice, raised an eyebrow. “Weird how?”

“I don’t know,” she said, rubbing her arm. “Like something’s here. Like a presence or some shit. It’s not bad, it’s just… strange.”

Ren walked back in and handed her a glass. “This house got history, that’s for sure. We all left pieces of ourselves here.”

She sipped the juice and nodded, still not shaking that eerie vibe. But it didn’t scare her—it just made her remember everything. The laughs, the tears, the shouting matches between her and Eric. The way Ren would always step in before things got too far. The nights she sat in that corner trying to write bars while holding a baby Kory on her hip. It was all still here, somehow.

“So what you on tonight?” she asked, sitting on the couch beside him.

Ren chuckled and leaned back. “Actually, there’s a lil' something goin’ down later. Some of the crew coming through.”

“Oh?” she said, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah. Just a chill party. Nothing wild,” he replied. “But it’s kinda a big deal.”

“What for?”

Ren looked at her with a small smile. “They talkin’ ‘bout doin’ a reunion. N.W.A. Not just for the press—a real one. Couple shows. Old energy.”

Korina’s eyes widened a bit. “Damn… really?”

“Yeah. Cube’s in. Yella’s down. Dre been quiet but... you know how he moves.”

She stared at him, trying to process it. The idea of N.W.A. standing on a stage again felt surreal. Almost like ghosts getting ready to walk again.

He looked at her. “You should come through. Might be good for you to be around real people for once.”

She hesitated. The idea of being in a room full of people again, especially after the last month she’d had, didn’t sit right. Her mind was still foggy from the phone call, the threat of leaving again, and now this eerie feeling in a house that still remembered her too well.

“I’d love to,” she said gently, “but I gotta dip out soon. Got somewhere to be.”

Ren looked at her for a long moment. He didn’t press. He never did.

“Aight,” he said. “But if you change your mind, you know where we at.”

Korina nodded and leaned back on the couch again, staring at the ceiling, wondering what the hell was coming next—and if she was ready for it.

Ren's face shifted when Korina said she had to leave again. He stood still for a minute, his drink halfway to his lips, like he was trying to find the right words—or trying to stop himself from saying something he'd regret.

"Don't go," he finally said, voice lower than usual. “I mean it.”

She blinked, caught off guard.

“Ren—”

“I’m serious,” he cut in, stepping closer, shaking his head. “I got this feelin', Korina. This shit don’t sound right. You just got back. Kory just saw you again. You talkin’ about leavin' again for some ‘opportunity’ with people you barely even know?” He threw his hands up, frustrated but not angry. “Don’t do this. Not now.”

She sighed, looking down at her hands. “Ren, I don’t got the luxury to just chill. They said this is important. That it’s a chance I can’t miss.”

Ren stepped back. “Yeah, important for who?”

There was a silence between them then. Heavy and still.

“I gotta do what I gotta do,” she whispered. “I can’t explain it right now, but I need to go.”

Ren didn’t say anything for a few seconds. He just stared at her, jaw tight, something in his eyes that looked like fear.

Then his phone buzzed on the counter. He glanced at it, cursed under his breath, and said, “Don’t move. I’ll be right back.”

He stepped out to answer, leaving her in the quiet of that old house.

That’s when she turned and looked at Kory, who was now sitting on the floor with one of his little toy cars, rolling it along a dent in the wooden baseboard. He looked up at her with those same brown eyes—her eyes—and smiled so innocently, so unaware of the storm brewing in her chest.

She slowly sat down next to him, brushing his soft curls from his forehead.

“Hey, baby,” she said softly.

He beamed. “Mommy, you staying here tonight?”

She swallowed hard. Her throat burned. “Not tonight, sweet pea. But… I need to tell you something, okay?”

He tilted his head, curious.

“I gotta go somewhere for a little while,” she said, forcing a smile. “Not forever, just… for some time. Grown-up stuff, you know?”

He looked down at the toy car. “Again?”

Her heart cracked.

“I know, I know,” she whispered, pulling him into her lap. “I hate it too. But listen—I promise you, when I come back, we’re gonna have the best time ever. You hear me? I’ll take you to the zoo again, or to that big ol' park you like. I’ll buy you that ice cream that melts too fast. I’ll even let you stay up late for movie night, and I won't even care if you spill popcorn all over the bed.”

Kory giggled, but it was soft, unsure.

“And baby?” she continued, voice trembling now. “You be good for Uncle Ren. You be good for Auntie Navira when she comes around. And… and for your daddy, too, okay?”

Kory’s little smile faded.

“You promise me, alright? Promise me you’ll be the strong one this time.”

He looked up at her. “Are you sad, Mommy?”

She blinked fast, holding back the tears clawing their way up. “Just a little. But only ‘cause I’m gonna miss you so much.”

She cupped his cheeks and pressed her forehead to his. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, Kory. You know that? You’re the only thing that ever made sense when nothing else did.”

He hugged her tight, wrapping his tiny arms around her neck like he didn’t want to let go. And truthfully, neither did she.

But that strange feeling—that lingering, heavy spirit in the house—it hadn't gone away. It was almost like it was whispering that this moment mattered. That this could be the last moment. And it was tearing her apart.

She held him tighter.

“I love you so much, baby boy,” she said, voice cracking now. “So, so much. More than any song, more than any stage, more than anything.”

And in the silence that followed, she let a tear fall into his hair.

Ren’s voice came from the hall. “Korina…”

She kissed Kory’s forehead and whispered, “Don’t forget me. I’ll come back. I’ll always come back for you.”

But even as she said it, something in her chest felt like she was lying. Or maybe just scared she wouldn’t be able to keep the promise this time.

She stood, gave her boy one last look, and turned toward the door.

And for the first time, leaving didn’t just feel hard—it felt wrong. Like fate itself was trying to hold her back.

But she went anyway.