Chapter 6
A Year and Some Change Later
“Ithought you had to leave?”
I heard her voice and turned my head toward my room door. My blackout curtains blocked out all sunlight, so I had no idea what time it was. The only source of light coming in was the hall light from where Lyric stood.
“What time is it?” I rubbed my hands across my sheets, looking for my phone. I had a meeting scheduled with Gunna at two, but that was the only pressing thing I needed to handle. Once I saw it was only a quarter after eight in the morning, I relaxed back into my pillow.
“It’s almost nine, but you’re usually out of here before I head to class. I thought you might have overslept or something.”
“Naw, I’m straight. You need something? Speaking of class, aren’t you late?”
She rolled her eyes at me because I stayed on her ass about going to school. I needed her to get an education and continue on with the plans she made for herself.
“They canceled class because the teachers are having a professional day.”
“Alright, bet. What you got planned for the day?”
“Umm, I hadn’t made any plans. I talked to my guidance counselor, and she said I have all of my credits, and I’ll be able to graduate on time. I’m still trying to decide what I’m gonna do.”
“What is there to think about?” I asked, shifting my body so I could rest against the headboard.
“I’ve been accepted into Douglasville University.
I qualify for a few scholarships, but I’m still gonna have to pay out of pocket for my books and study materials.
My counselor is gonna help me find a work-study job, but it won’t be enough to cover everything I’ll need.
I’ve got to find a job right now so I can save as much as I can. ”
I knew she was only venting because of our friendship, but the shit coming out of her mouth pissed me off.
“What do you need a job for?”
“Are you not listening to me? I told you all the things I have to pay for. Plus, I need to find a daycare and an apartment. I thought about applying for off-campus apartments, but I’m not sure what to do.
I don’t even have a car, and I need to figure that out before I leave.
I’m okay with taking Ubers, but I’m not sure how I’m gonna do it with a baby on my hip. ”
“Lyric, get the fuck out of my room with this shit. It’s bad enough you woke me up, but now you’re about to piss me the fuck off, and it’s too early.”
“What the hell is your problem? You asked me a question, and I answered. If you didn’t want to know, that’s all you had to say. Gimme my baby!” Lyric rushed over to the bed, attempting to remove a sleeping Symphonee from my bed. I lifted my hand and pushed her out of the way.
“Man, go ahead with all that. She ain’t got shit to do with your attitude, and you ain’t about to wake my baby up because you’re mad. I can’t believe you came into my room talking that nonsense.” I fussed, patting baby Symphonee on her back when I felt her squirm in her sleep.
“How is it nonsense? I’m about to graduate in a few months, and I don’t have any of my shit together. I thought you of all people would understand.” Lyric pouted with her arms folded across her chest. I wasn’t in the mood for her bullshit, but I needed to set some shit straight.
“Lyric, what do you pay for?”
“What do you mean?” Her tone was defensive, but I paid her no mind.
“I’m asking, what are you responsible for right now? How do you pay for your housing, clothes, shoes, and school stuff? Huh?”
Her brows furrowed as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other.
“You pay for it all.”
“Exactly. You came up in here as if you have the weight of the world on your shoulders, when you don’t pay for shit.
All you had to do was tell me what you needed.
You could have kept the sob story because you don’t live that life.
Anything you and baby girl need is already taken care of, so I don’t understand what we’re even talking about. ”
“I’m eighteen, and I’m about to be on my own, East. I understand you’re loyal to my brother, but I’m not your responsibility, and neither is—”
“Don’t even finish that bullshit.” I gently patted baby girl on her back a few times to make sure her sleep hadn’t been disturbed.
Symphonee looked like a mini version of her momma as she snored lightly with her pink pacifier hanging from her lips.
I knew better than to remove it because her little ass would cut up.
Once I made sure she was settled, I slid out of the bed.
I couldn’t believe Lyric had me up entertaining her bullshit.
We had been living together for well over a year now, and she tried my patience every chance she got.
It was like she couldn’t stand being at peace and needed to question anything and everything.
It didn’t matter how much I tried to show up for her, she still questioned how long I would be around.
The shit was growing old, and if it wasn’t for my love for her and baby girl, I would have probably said fuck it and let her figure it out on her own.
I opened my closet, picked up one of my safes, then carried it over to my dresser. I had about six hidden in various places in my house for the time being.
“Bring yo’ ass over here.” My patience was as thin as her momma’s edges, and Jazzie’s shit was damn near see-through.
Lyric shuffled over to me with her arms still folded. Once she got close enough, I took a moment to really look at her. She was dressed in pajama shorts and a tank top. Her hardened nipples caught my attention, but I shook those thoughts from my mind right away.
“Open it.” I nodded toward the safe.
“I don’t know the code,” she sassed.
“It’s your birthday,” I revealed. Her eyes widened briefly, but she shook it off and proceeded to open the safe. She peered into the safe, then whipped her head in my direction.
“What is all of this?” Lyric asked, running her hands over the stacks of bills piled up in the safe.
“This is the money you and Symphonee made in the last two weeks. It’s forty bands.
There’s another shelf in your room behind your shoe rack with about sixty bands in there.
I don’t like repeating myself, and you know that, Lola B.
You and my baby girl will never have to worry about shit, whether I’m alive or six feet under.
Symphonee has more money in her bank account than all of the bitches you hang with and the ones who hate you too.
There’s a reason I work as hard as I do, and it’s because I never want my family to go without. Our poverty days are over.
“Since you already fucked up a nigga’s sleep, we might as well head to the store so we can get the shit you need.” I pulled out a few stacks of money and handed them to her, then closed up the safe and placed it back in the closet.
“Watch my princess while I take a shower,” I instructed as I turned the lamp on my dresser to the lowest setting, so I could grab what I needed for my shower.
“I can just take her to my room. It’s almost time for her to wake up for her bottle anyway.”
“You can wait until she gets up on her own. She ain’t on your time, you’re on hers. Ours actually,” I informed her.
“You do know she’s my child, right?”
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean to me? She’s still my baby, and I said what I said.” I shrugged, walking past her with my clothes in hand.
In the shower, I let the hot water beat against my skin as I prepared for the day.
Gunna wanted to meet with Logic and me about expanding the business.
Right now, we were supplying drugs between Liberty Heights and several other cities and states.
We didn’t touch Jonah Hills since that territory belonged to a nigga named Dreaux.
It didn’t stop the money flow, but Gunna wanted us to expand to guns.
We were no longer the little niggas selling work on the streets; we were the niggas people bought the work from wholesale.
Some would call me a plug, but I honestly didn’t care about those titles.
As long as a mothafucka gave me my money and my respect, they could call me whatever.
Logic wanted to go over all of our new business ventures as well, and I knew it was time for me to find a real accountant.
My homie Lips recommended Justice Graham, so I planned to meet with him.
He worked with individuals with legal and illegal businesses, which was exactly what I needed.
After I got out of the shower, brushed my teeth, and applied lotion, I slid on my boxers, sweatpants, and a fresh white T-shirt before heading back to my room. The first thing I heard was the sound of my baby girl crying. She was a little spoiled, and I took responsibility for my part in it.
“Yeah, bring your ass in here,” Lyric called out when she noticed me peeking inside my bedroom. She held a grumpy Symphonee in her lap as the two of them sported matching frowns.
“What’s wrong with daddy’s baby? Huh? What yo’ ugly ass momma do to my princess?”
“Ugly? She looks just like me, so if I’m ugly, what does that make her?” Lyric challenged as I took my baby from her arms. Symphonee’s cries turned into soft whimpers in a matter of seconds.
“You must be trippin’. She might have a few of your features, but she looks exactly like me. See?” I held Symphonee up with her chubby cheek pressed against mine. Lyric burst into a fit of giggles with her petty ass.
“East, you are delusional, and it’s getting worse by the day. She is a copy-and-paste version of me.”
“Whatever. Maybe it’s your funky ass attitude that is making it hard for me to see it. All I know is that daddy’s baby is the prettiest girl in the whole wide world. Ain’t that right, stinka momma?” I smothered Symphonee’s face with kisses as she squealed with laughter.