Capone

16. Erin

16

erin

Ryai dropped me off back to the house in Tevin’s car. He had practice and then they were going out to dinner later on. She stopped in the house to show her face to her mother and quickly left. I unpacked my clothes and started to separate all my laundry that I had to take to the laundromat this week.

I leaned back on my couch and got lost in an episode of Catfish while I continued to sort through my uniforms. It was back to work tomorrow, and I was not prepared. I felt like I didn’t have enough time off to recover from all the doubles I had pulled. My phone pulled me from my regrets about being an independent woman.

Destiny’s Child lied like hell about it.

I stared at the number before I slid my finger across the screen. “Hello?”

“Hey Erin! It’s Capri, I got your number from my brother.” I remained quiet on the other end of the line. “I hope that’s okay.”

“Oh yeah, that’s fine with me. What’s up, Capri?”

“I am good.” I didn’t know much about Capri, or knew her at all, besides the conversation we shared in the kitchen.

Despite not knowing her too well, I could tell that her good didn’t sound like she was actually good.

“Okay. What’s going on?”

“Um, are you free tomorrow night?”

“I work tomorrow, but I get off at around six.”

“Perfect. We can go out for dinner and just chat.” Nerves swarmed my stomach. What did she need to chat with me about?

I hadn’t spoken to Naheim since he left Capone’s house with her weeks ago. Naheim hadn’t even been a blip on my radar, so why did we need to go out to dinner and chat?

“Um, sure. I can text you my address and you can pick me up.”

“Okay. See you then.” She quickly ended the call and I stood there more confused than ever. I shrugged it off and continued on with the night before work dread.

By the time I had showered, cleaned and cooked dinner, Jaiden came walking through the door. All the tension that Capone had relieved had resurfaced back when I stared into my brother’s eyes.

Why would he go out there and get himself involved in this? Becoming a father wasn’t what my mother would have wanted for him. I felt responsible because I should have known what he was into.

“Hey,” he dryly greeted.

I wiped my hands on the dish towel. “Hey.”

He sat his gym bag by the door and kicked his sneakers off. “I’m gonna go shower.”

“Before you shower, can we talk? I don’t think this can wait another second, Jai.” I walked over to the living room.

He slumped down in the arm chair across from me. Originally me and Jo were supposed to both sit and talk to him. I felt like this conversation needed to happen with just the both of us.

“Do you think you can avoid jumping over here to put your hands on me?”

I lowered my head and clasped my hands together. It was going to take the good lord to keep me from going against his head with that snarky tone he was using with me. Who was this boy that sat before me?

It was hard to look at him as a boy when he presented himself as a grown man. I didn’t feel like I was sitting across from my kid brother. Where did the time go? Had I been so blind this entire time? I felt like he had knocked the blinders off my eyes when he tossed that money at me.

“I want to apologize to you about putting my hands on you. There’s no excuse or anger that can excuse the way I acted in that moment.”

“It’s alright.” He shrugged it off.

“Why, Jaiden? Have I not done everything to make sure you didn’t end up doing the wrong thing?”

He laughed. “E, you act like I went out there wanting to get somebody pregnant. I wanted to bust some cheeks, that’s all.”

“And now there’s a pregnant homeless girl upstairs. Do you think your relationship with her is going to last?”

“I love her, Erin.” He dropped the snarky tone and nonchalant attitude.

I hated when people assumed that teenagers couldn’t be in love. Love didn’t have an age because you felt love the minute you were out the womb. You stared into a stranger’s eyes, and they took care of you.

Mothers looked at their child and instantly felt the love, so who were we to tell teenagers they didn’t feel the same way?

“A baby is a big responsibility, Jaiden. People fall out of love because babies change things. Are you prepared for that?”

“No,” he answered honestly.

I had to respect the fact that he wasn’t trying to pretend like everything would be alright. He knew that this was a lot and a big commitment and wasn’t brushing it off as a small thing.

I sighed. “The money, Jaiden. Please .” I dropped my head as I stressed the word, please, and paused. “Please don’t tell me you got involved in some bullshit with Timmy.”

“It was Timmy’s money. I was holding it for him and wanted to piss you off.” The thing about breaking someone’s trust is that you could never truly trust them again.

As my brother stared me in the face, I wanted to believe he was telling me the truth. My heart twisted, telling me that he wasn’t being truthful with me. What was I supposed to do? Beat the honesty out of him?

“What are we going to do about Joie?”

“She can come stay down here with us so she’s not taking up space in Jo’s house. This is my mess; I don’t want Jo to have to clean it up.”

“Oh hell no. She will remain upstairs with Jo until we figure out what is next. This space is barely big enough for us. How do you think it would look with a damn baby in it?”

“We always get through things, E.”

“I know, but…” I paused, taking a breath. “You’re right. We always get through things and we’re family.”

I wasn’t going to toss my brother out on the street because of a mistake. Life was filled with mistakes and growth. This meant that he had to grow up much faster than I anticipated, and that his future would look a lot different.

“We’re still going to the NBA, E.”

“Oh, I know you are. I want a big ass house for all the stress you’ve caused me.” I smiled.

He smirked. “You and Capone, huh?”

“How do you know who Capone is?” I stared at him while he laughed because now, I wanted to know what he knew.

“I be knowing what goes on around here.” Jaiden stood up and stretched. “I’m gonna go shower. Is it okay if Joie comes down to watch TV and eat dinner with us?”

“I guess.” I shrugged.

I stood up and Jaiden pulled me into a hug. How was my baby brother that I used to chase around with a diaper now towering over me? “I love you, E. I’m sorry, too.”

“Love you more.”

Joie came downstairs and ate dinner with us. I lay across my bed while they occupied the living room. Jaiden knew he wasn’t allowed to bring her into his bedroom. His ass lucky we didn’t have a garage, or else his ass would be in there like Junior from My Wife And Kids .

Capone’s name came across my screen and I smiled, picking up the call. “Hey.”

“Yo, Gorgeous, come outside and help your man in the house… been running around all day. Tired as hell.”

“Y…you staying over my house?”

“Unless you don’t want me there. Let me know.”

I blushed. “I guess you can stay the night over. The couch is fre—”

“Stop fucking with me.”

We both laughed as I climbed out the bed to head outside. “I’m coming.”

Joie and Jaiden were watching Anime when I bypassed them in the living room. “You going out?”

“I’m going in front of the house.”

Jaiden nodded as I closed the door behind me. I came around the house looking for Capone and stopped when I saw his tall ass trying to climb out of a car.

Not just any damn car.

A candy apple red Mini Cooper. He swaggered around the car, as only he could with a smile on his face. “I think I may agree with you.”

“O…On what?” I stammered.

“Your dream car could be practical. This shit still has a full tank and I had to drive it from Jersey, and there was traffic.”

I stood there unsure of what to say. “Capone, what is this?”

He tossed me the key fob and I caught them. “Figured my dream girl should have her dream car, even if I could put her in something better.”

“You did not just buy me a car.”

“Ma, you work on the bus all damn day. The least you could do is slide into your own whip on the way home.”

I trembled with gratitude as I stared at him, holding the key fob in my hand. “Why?”

“I already told you what I’m on when it comes to you, Gorgeous.” He winked.

I’ve never had a man buy me a burger, much less an entire car. “It’s so beautiful.”

“Then it’s only fitting that you should drive it.”

I walked slowly over toward him, stepping into his arms. “Capone, this is too much. You didn’t have to buy me this.”

He kissed me on the lips, holding my face. “Don’t tell me what’s too much when it comes to you. For those little pussy niggas, you’re used to dealing with, this is too much. For me, Capone, this ain’t enough.”

I reached up and kissed him on the lips. “Thank you.”

Capone’s smile was just as wide as mine. “Come give me a spin in this little shit.”

I grasped the key fob. “Don’t even try it.”

“How did the talk with your brother go?”

“It went well. I’m surprised that it went as well as it did. I just feel like he’s lying to me about where he got that money from.”

“You mind if I step in?”

If Capone felt that he could get through to my brother, I was going to gladly allow him to take a crack at it. Maybe it would be better coming from Capone instead of me.

“I don’t mind.”

“Go get him. Take us for a ride in your little beep beep.”

I rolled my eyes as I smiled. “Whatever. You’re going to be wanting one next.”

Capone got me a 2024 Mini Cooper, the countryman model in candy apple red. I was so excited as I gripped the keys and slid into the front seat, adjusting the seat to my liking. Jaiden and Joie both got into the back.

“You bought her a whole car… bro, that shit is on some next level.”I whipped my head around so quick. “Sorry.” Jaiden quickly excused himself while Joie buckled her seat belt.

“You going to the NBA though, so you’ll be able to do something similar for your girl.” Capone chuckled.

Joie smiled. “I hope so.”

“Gorgeous, take us around… go ahead, don’t be scared.”

I was used to whipping huge city buses around the city with ease, and here I was scared to put the car into drive and pull away from my block. I was overwhelmed with so much emotion because I had always wanted this car.

It was my dream car and Capone had made it happen. I didn’t even think he remembered our conversation we had at his house. So much had happened since then that I had forgot I mentioned it.

I slowly pulled away from the curb and cruised down the block. “I was gone all day because I needed you to have this model. It’s a limited edition model and only a few were made.”

“Seriously? You didn’t have to do that. The car is more than enough.” Joie and Jaiden were in the back talking and looking at something on his phone.

“I only want the best for you, Erin. I need you to not only know that but understand it too. Fucking with me means you get the best when it comes from me… okay.”

“Okay.” I smiled, trying to pretend like I was focusing on the street instead of getting lost in this man’s eyes. “Your sister called me today.”

“Oh, yeah. What did she need that was so urgent?”

“We’re going out to dinner tomorrow. I guess she wants to hang out, so I’m down.”

“That’s cool… I like that.”

“Oh, do you?”

Capone messed with the music while I drove onto the Brooklyn bridge. The weather was beautiful as the sun was starting to set. The hot weather had tapered down and you could finally feel a breeze in the air.

“This is my song!” Joie shouted from the back as I exited the bridge and headed onto the FDR, unsure of where I was going. Being behind this wheel felt like everything as I gripped it.

“Banana Clip” by Miguel played, as Capone turned the music up. He hit another button and the sunroof extended back. “Limited edition.” He winked at me, and I smiled.

Thankfully I had glued my wig down because it would have been in the wind. Even in this moment I wouldn’t have cared. I picked up speed as I darted in and out of traffic while we all sang our hearts out to the song.

I spotted Jaiden trying to play cool but nodding his head while Joie sang in his face. She waved her hands up in the air. Looking over at Capone, he nodded his head while looking ahead. “Damn, baby, you driving this shit like it’s a Ferrari.” He held onto the side door.

I took his other hand and brought it to my lips and kissed it. He didn’t need me to say thank you because he felt those words. The stubborn part of me wanted to refuse this gift and pretend to be offended he even bought it for me.

Capone was slowly pushing the stubbornness out of me. She didn’t feel the need to come out when I was around him. Maybe it was because he had been transparent and vulnerable with me. I saw this hardened man that took charge and did it so well, but underneath all of that, he was still a man. A man that had feelings and felt things just like I did.