“Leave your guns in the car,” Polo instructed Money and Mecca. He opened the door and prepared to step out.

Mecca told him, “The heater staying on my hip, Unc. Them dreadhead mu’fuckas deaded my father. I’ll be damned if they do the same thing to me.” He popped the clip into the chamber.

“First, I’m-a tell you to respect your mother, and watch your mu’fuckin’ mouth, Mecca.”

“Nah, Mecca’s right, Uncle Po,” Money said. “We need to be strapped at all times.”

Polo put his foot back into the car and closed the door so that their conversation wouldn’t be heard. “Okay, listen”-He looked around at the shaken Diamond family- “I know this is hard for you, but you have to trust me. Your father was like a brother to me. I love this family as if it is my own. I would never let anything happen to anyone of you. Now I promised the pastor that I wouldn’t bring any weapons into his church. Your father’s funeral is neither the time nor place for them. Everyone inside of that church is here to show love.”

Mecca and Money reluctantly pulled their guns out of their pants and sat them on the seat in the limo.

“Everything will be fine,” Polo assured them. He stepped out of the car first and held out his hand for Taryn, who graciously accepted. He put his hand on the small of her back and led her through the crowd of onlookers, and her children followed closely behind. They were all surrounded by so many bodyguards, one would have thought that Barack Obama was entering the building.

White on top of white was the only thing that could be seen when entering the sanctuary. Everyone attending the funeral was clad in their best white suits, and there were white bouquets of lilies and hydrangea flowers scattered throughout the room. The turnout was unbelievable.

Taryn immediately halted her footsteps when she saw the titanium and black casket that sat at the front of the church. She looked around the room and observed the extravagant funeral that she had put together, making sure to take care of each arrangement personally. No one knew her husband the way that she did, and she wanted to make sure that his funeral was comparable to none. Carter Diamond was the best at everything he ever attempted, so Taryn made sure that he went out in style.