18. Love
LOVE
“What took you so goddamn long man? Them niggas was getting desperate as hell,” I spoke to my lawyer on the way out of the jailhouse.
I was behind bars a few days too long before they realized it wasn’t me.
I was glad to be free, but they found out it was my twin brother.
When they finally took my fingerprints, they had recognized the similarities, but the DNA from the crime scene didn’t match mine.
I had to sit through more hours with them questioning his whereabouts, but I ain’t tell them shit.
“You’re not my only client, Love. Any idea where your brother is? He’s gotten himself in a lot of trouble.”
I cut my eyes at him. Treyvon Grey had been my lawyer since I graduated from college.
We met at the gym when me and Messiah went one time.
Started chopping it up and, somehow, me looking for a job came into the conversation.
He said he knew people and got me an interview at the probation office the next day.
“Don’t start, Trey. I’ll deal with Valentine myself,” I stated as a matter of fact.
“Love, are you really willing to do time for him? Because that’ll happen if they find out you’re hiding him somewhere.”
“Hell nah, but I honestly don’t know where he at, Trey.” He held up his hands in surrender, dropping the conversation.
“Take me to my car.” I walked off, heading towards his whip in the parking lot. His breath was all on a nigga’s neck, so I knew he wasn’t too far behind me.
Once I opened the passenger door and sat down, I powered up my phone. They took all my shit, including my belt. Nigga was about to free willy around this muthafucka if I hadn’t held my damn pants up.
Anyway, ain’t no telling how many people tried to reach out to me. As soon as it cut on, it started beeping like crazy with notifications from Facebook, Instagram, and through text messages. I bypassed all the other ones when I noticed my manager had called me.
“Shit!” I mumbled, shaking my head. Hitting the icon for voicemail, I put the phone to my ear to listen.
Mr. Hamilton, it has come to our attention that you were arrested late last night.
Therefore, we are putting you on administrative leave without pay pending the investigation.
I’m sorry we have to do this, but we must abide by the rules of this company.
We believe you are a great worker, and are hopeful that this issue will be resolved soon.
I must not be that damn great if they letting me go without me explaining what happened. They trying to sweeten the shit up with the administrative leave bullshit, but I knew how the game went. I wasn’t getting my job back.
“Everything cool?” I cast a glance in Trey’s direction.
“I’m straight,” I replied, going through my messages one by one.
I got a few from Messiah, but I’d have to call him when I got back to my car. My mama hit me up too, but I wasn’t worried about her right now. Lauren blew my phone up the most, though. I had thirty-one messages from her, and fifteen missed calls. This goddamn girl off the chain.
We made it to my car in about twenty minutes. I was lucky ain’t nobody break into my shit. Immediately after I sat down, I called Messiah’s phone back. He tried to reach me all night valentine’s day, but I was busy with Baby, and I didn’t need no interruptions.
“Yo’, what the fuck! I been blowing yo’ ass up like a bitch, you can’t answer a nigga?” His voice boomed through the speakers as soon as he picked up. I sucked my teeth.
“I was in jail, my nigga.” Taking the keys out of my pocket, I cranked up the car.
“I was tryna warn you about Valentine, ugly ass!”
“Warn me?” My eyebrows creased in the middle. “Warn me for what?”
“The nigga was bragging to anybody listening about his plans. I overheard him and Tank in the BBQ joint,” he confessed, his voice sounding distant. So, this nigga going around talking about robbing muthafuckas? He couldn’t be a brother of mine doing something dumb like that.
“What was he saying?” I backed out of the parking lot, heading to the crib.
“Something about coming up on quick money. Really ain’t say what it was.” I should’ve known Tank bitch ass had his hands in this. He hadn’t been out for two months and already wreaking havoc in the streets.
“I thought that nigga was locked up. Fuck Valentine doing with him?” he questioned.
“I don’t know, but I’mma find out. What else was said?” I leaned in to turn on the A.C. It’s hotter than hell out here.
“Well, he done spilled all the beans, told Emani all about his plans.” Not only was this nigga talking too much, but he disclosed information to the wrong muthafucka. Everybody in the hood knew Emani’s milk dud head ass couldn’t hold a glass of water.
“Man, let me call him to see if he answers the phone.” I was about to hang up when I remembered it was something else I wanted to say.
“Aye, I’ll go running with you too. Just say when,” I expressed. That’s our code word for drug run. We never said the shit on the phone, but we both knew what I meant.
“Alright. I’ll get on that, lemme know about V.”
“Bet.” I hung up just as I pulled into my driveway. I was too goddamn young to be stressing like this. But now that I ain’t have shit to lose, I planned on firing up the blunt the minute I got inside.
I parked, took the keys out of the ignition and dialed Valentine’s number. I doubt he’d answer though. He knew what he did and was avoiding me now.
It rang six times before I hung up.
I ain’t feel like getting out right then, so I went to my recent calls to find Baby’s auntie’s number.
I wouldn’t blame her if she ain’t wanna talk to a nigga again after this, but I gotta make sure she straight.
The way I got dragged out was crazy. I stopped her before she could tell them I was with her, because as much as I wanted to get out of that situation, I couldn’t put her freedom at risk.
I liked her sexy ass too much to let her go down like that.