Nathaniel
“WE GOTTA GO take care of that.”
I frowned at my brother because I knew his ass couldn’t be serious.
“You joking with me?”
He gave me that get the fuck up and let’s go look. “Nigga, this is my fucking party you think I want to leave the shit. Stop being selfish, Bucky, and let’s go.”
Ever since that nigga started growing his hair back out he’d had way more bass in his fucking voice.
It was either that or Yzzy popping his cherry.
Shit, what was it called when a nigga dipped his dick for the first time?
Whatever it was it had that nigga back on his biblical strength shit and I wasn’t in the mood to deal with him throwing a tantrum.
My eyes found Charisma who was sitting at a table with all the women.
It was easy to see how close she was to her mama.
All the daughters were. Ms. Giselle had both of her daughters on her shoulders, Reecie’s spoiled ass was laying down with her head on mama’s lap and Charisma’s mama was toying with the ends of one of the curls in her braid out.
They were the epitome of Black feminine elegance and strength.
Each possessing talent and beauty in an arrange of sizes and hues.
The world never wanted to romanticize this view of Black womanhood but I couldn’t help but take a mental picture of the moment.
It took more effort than I wanted to admit to turn my head toward my brother. When I did he had that knowing look on his face because he was staring at Yzzy.
“Stay off that girl. You got your girl that you gave your last name and now she’s giving you a son. Let her catch her breath.”
Sampson’s stoic ass had the nerve to suck his teeth like he was aggravated. “Like you do Charisma.”
I scoffed as I stood up because I was ready to get this over with. “I’m a reformed ho’, I’m going to change most of my ways, not all of them.”
“How are we going to get out of here without causing a fuss?”
“Y’all need help?” Jacoby and Runt walked up and Runt was looking between us as we spoke like he knew something was going on.
“We got ranch business to handle.” It was easier for me to lie ‘cause Samp couldn’t do that shit with a straight face.
“It have anything to do with the missing cattle?” I shouldn’t have been surprised since Jacoby was the one who’d introduced us to Xerxes before we knew what our link was with the horses.
Between that and Yzzy telling his wife everything, I shouldn’t have been shocked that he knew something more was going on than just stolen beef.
Sampson glanced around again as he nodded. “Yeah, but we just need y’all to keep shit here calm.”
“Damn, I thought I was finally in good with the family and shit since I earned the right to announce the baby.”
Runt’s ass was even bigger than Jacoby but was ridiculously agile for an o-lineman.
He’d been happy to participate in the calf wrangling.
The calf was so shook it just fell down before Runt could even get hands on it.
It took damn near twenty minutes for us to stop laughing because it wasn’t like we didn’t understand.
I would’ve shot his big ass if he was coming at me with that type of determination.
He was such a sap for my sister, they both bit into the cupcake that had the sex of the baby inside.
The whole shower had a bull or ballet theme.
My parents cheered and Sampson looked shell-shocked at learning he had a son on the way.
I damn near shed a tear ‘cause my nephew was gone be fly ass shit. The only person who was mad was Destiny because in her words her mama and daddy had to have another baby so that there weren’t more boys than girls.
Her parents gave a hell no on that.
“You’re family to us. It’s Reecie you got to work on.” Sampson joking with this nigga was hilarious given it had taken him just as long to win Yzzy.
“Y’all think that. She gone have to come up off that last name here real soon.” The look he wore was akin to how I would look behind Charisma and I knew what that meant. He was lucky I liked him.
“Damn, you for real?”
“I’m in love with your sister. She still tripping cause she’s older than me but I ain’t worried.
I’ve already worn her down. You see my big ass here, ain’t it?
” Runt’s country accent was different from ours.
We had a twang that was indicative to Texas but his was that low country drawl that announced to everyone he was from South Carolina.
“You right. But this is going to be low key.”
“I didn’t think y’all knew how to be low-key.” Jacoby was eyeing us warily. His summer color was coming in making me wonder how anyone could assume he was white. His blue eyes and blond hair were doing a lot of heavy lifting. That and white supremacy.
I stood there in mock offense with my arms folded. “We can adapt.”
He didn’t look like he agreed with me at all but nodded anyway. “I’m seeing. Y’all do what you need to out there. We’ll make sure everything is good here.”
“I’m not wearing this shit, Bucky.”
Terrence’s ass was sitting in the back next to Lou as we made our way to the meet up spot looking at me like I was out of pocket.
The four of us had hopped in Sampson’s work truck and gotten away from the house as quietly as possible.
I’m sure anyone who knew us, outside of the Reeds, knew something was up.
I thought it was funny that Mac or Jacoby hadn’t wanted to be a part of this but Mac was the type of accomplice who did his shit for the love of ruining racists, not taking credit.
Jacoby was more hands on but he was happy to stay behind and keep things secure.
“And why the fuck not? I paid extra to get these shits customized. Somebody is gonna wear them.”
I had the four custom ski masks in my lap ready to hand them out but these niggas were acting ungrateful as fuck.
“Nate, nobody is rolling up to a gotdamn shake down wearing matching shiesty masks like some kind of criminal Boy Scout troupe. What the hell is wrong with you?” Samp cut his eyes at me before putting them back on the road.
“Where the fuck is y’all’s whimsy? We can have fun with this shit and still handle business. I’m planning on getting Solomon one too.” I was grinning thinking about how the pictures were gonna look with him in his mask.
“Nate, I’m scared to even ask but who the fuck is Solomon?” Lou might’ve asked the question but I knew all of them were waiting around for me to answer.
“My damn nephew. You was just eatin’ cake to celebrate his little web-footed ass but you can’t remember his name?” I was offended on behalf of Sampson and Yzzy. More so for Yzzy cause Sampson ain’t do shit but nut. She was doing all the real work.
“My baby doesn’t have webbed feet, Nate. What the fuck is wrong with you?” Sampson looked like he wanted to swerve over onto the shoulder and fuck me up in this extended cab.
“Not anymore, but he did a few weeks ago. Besides, me and daddy got the same initials so you gotta carry the S into the next generation. I already know one of my sons is gonna be named Reed to honor Charisma’s people. Besides, wasn’t Solomon a three times great uncle or some shit?”
“See, this is the shit I don’t like. Why are you making sense? You so gotdamn unserious but you’re raising valid points. Is he gaslighting us or is my ass stupid?” Lou looked completely unsettled and I just leaned back in the passenger seat ready to be done with this whole conversation.
“Bruh, I’m highly intelligent. Y’all just so damn grown acting all the time. But y’all really not gonna accept my gifts?” I lifted the box again ‘cause I’d had these shit specially made for them.
“Bucky, I’m not about to put a fucking shiesty on my head that got fake locs going down the back! The whole point is to obscure who’s in the damn mask, not highlight the most recognizable feature!” Lou was fussing at me like I gave a shit about this lecture.
“You act like we leave witnesses behind or some shit?”
Lou opened his mouth to respond but then had to close it because he knew I wasn’t wrong. He pointed at me as he sat back defeated. “This is exactly what I mean. This nigga sounds too fucking sensible to me. I need a blunt or a drink.”
“Bucky, put that shit away. We almost there.” Samp was back into business mode but I ain’t give a fuck.
“Look how she got the yarn to resemble my hair and shit, Samp. Even if y’all don’t wear these you’re gonna take them home and admire the fucking craftsmanship. A Black woman is out here creating art and y’all are sleeping on that shit.”
I took the box and put it beneath my seat but I wasn’t done with this conversation. Time would present itself for me to wear that mask and it would for them too. I’d be sitting around waiting to say I told you so when it happened.
“Nate!”
“To think y’all supposed to be my best friends.
Y’all should know it’s much better for me to laugh than it is for me to be angry.
” I folded my arms and heard them grumbling their agreement but it was too damn late now.
I was already on edge for that nigga to be on the ranch with Charisma without me, now they would be tasked with keeping my attitude in check.
All they had to do was wear some damn masks.
We pulled up and the men we were meeting had tried to be intimidating by getting there before us. If only they knew we’d had eyes on them since they’d left DFW and if they tried to buck, they would meet with an accident on the way home.
“Let’s make this shit short. I want to celebrate my son with my wife.” Sampson’s hand was already on the door and we were all following suit.
“Lil Solo still has fifteen weeks to bake. You just trying to lay up.”
His eyes cut at me again his body half in and half out the truck not batting an eye at the nickname I’d given his son. “And you not?”
This nigga acted like he didn’t know me. “Of course I am.”