Chapter 8 #3
My voice was calm when I spoke. “Because you’re not reacting to who he was.
You’re reacting to who he is right now and right now he’s trying and if you keep fighting him like he’s still the old version of himself, you’re going to drag him back into it.
The truth is you’re his baby’s mother, not his girl or his wife so of course he’s going to do what he wants.
It’s up to you to keep your legs closed if you don’t want to feel that way but truthfully he isn’t just present for her, he’s present for you too because trust me, no matter what females he deals with, you and Amour now come first.”
Keondra let that sit and I could tell she heard me even if she didn’t love what I was saying. O’Shynn nudged my leg under the table, knowing I had just said something that was going to replay over and over in her head later and then she took her turn.
“As for me,” she said, looking straight at me now. “You want to know why I’m here with Malik eating cornbread in the hood, with no shadows, no cartel cameras breathing down my neck?”
I nodded. “Of course.”
She let out a slow breath not being dramatic but just being honest. “Because I wanted to feel normal just for a second. I wanted to talk to someone who knows my name but not my world. Someone who laughs because something’s funny… not because they’re scared.”
Malik didn’t interrupt although he still couldn’t quite put the pieces together.
He didn’t comment either. He just listened like a man who already knew he was in deep water but wasn’t going to drown either way and watching his demeanor, in my opinion, it made sense why she liked him.
O’Shynn glanced at him and in that look was everything she didn’t say aloud, it’s almost like she was saying, I want this, but I don’t trust it yet and if it goes left, I’ll burn the whole fucking thing down.
I leaned forward resting my elbows on the table. “So, what you gonna do?”
O’Shynn took a slow sip of her drink again. “I’m gonna enjoy my food,” she said. “And take it one day at a time. If he breaks my heart I’m burning his house down though.”
Malik scooped some collard greens in his mouth and laughed. Keondra pointed at him. “Sir, she ain’t jokin’. I just want to make sure you understand that before we proceed.”
Malik raised his hands in surrender. “Shit, I hear everybody loud and clear.”
Amour looked up at me and hugged my neck for no reason at all before hopping on over to O’Shynn.
O’Shynn hadn’t been too acquainted with her for long periods of time, but she was trying and I could tell she loved her niece.
Even if it were just for now, none of us were cartel, or wives, or attorneys, or rumored names in the damn headlines.
We were just three women who had lived rough lives, sitting in a soul food restaurant in the hood, eating cornbread and breathing freely because peace like that didn’t come often, so we didn’t rush it.
After everyone had a good meal, we were too full and when we stepped out of the restaurant, the heat met us again.
It still held the strong stench of food in the air along with cologne and weed.
It was a regular evening in the hood with kids playing up and down the streets as well and looked like everything was fine, although everything isn’t always what it seemed.
It was all good but the shadows who was posted near us shifted his energy and focus, almost at the same time, like dogs catching a scent. One of them, named Rell, barely moved his head when he spoke, with his eyes still on the street ahead.
“Hold up,” he said in a low and controlled tone. “Stay right where y’all at.”
I felt it in my stomach before I processed it.
The street didn’t feel the same and that feeling was in the pit of my stomach right before shit went down.
O’Shynn stopped mid step and her whole vibe changed as well.
Meanwhile Malik stopped talking simply going off of our vibe.
Keondra moved Amour on her hip to the other hip, confused but paying attention.
Amour was looking around probably wondering why everyone had gotten quiet.
Another one of our people stepped forward with his hand resting near his hip.
Their work was to see it before everyone else did.
That same black sedan rolled by again with the same tint and same slow roll and you could barely hear the engine.
A second car followed behind it, but it was a little farther back with the windows up.
Nobody in our crowd panicked, we just watched.
Rell’s voice growled again. “Yeah. That’s the same one from ten minutes ago.”
We all felt it now. O’Shynn slid her purse higher under her arm and I already knew what was in there.
I shifted my weight, letting my jacket fall just enough to free my right hand, placing it where it needed to be so I could be ready.
Keondra’s eyes got wide, but she kept Amour held close with her arm locked strong around her daughter.
The sedan circled the block a third time. This time it didn’t glide, it was coming at a slightly faster speed. Rell spoke again without shouting but demanding.
“Move behind the cars. Now!”
The second his voice hit our ears, the passenger window of that sedan dropped halfway, and a dark gloved hand came up with a pistol.
Before they could let off the first shot, gunfire blasted through the block.
One of our people shoved me and O’Shynn behind the nearest car.
My palms hit metal and burned hot from the sun.
Keondra dropped to her knees and shielded Amour’s head with her own body, cursing under her breath but keeping her daughter safe.
Rell and the other shadows fired back instantly without hesitation controlling their shots as the sedan sped through.
Glass shattered from a store window across the street.
A few bullets ripped through cars and popped tires along the block as the rubber squealed.
People in the restaurant ducked behind tables.
Somebody screamed behind us, but it sounded far away, like we were under water or something.
O’Shynn pulled her gun from her purse and angled her body over Keondra and Amour without blocking Rell’s line of fire.
I drew mine too, but Rell caught my eye and shook his head.
He needed us to guard, not join the shootout and I understood.
The sedan jerked, then swerved, then tried to peel off.
The second car tried to move in deeper too, but Rell hit the side mirror off one of them.
Another one of our people took out a headlight.
They were marking their exit, not chasing because their job was to protect us first.
Amour was crying hard now with her face buried in Keondra’s shoulder, and Keondra was whispering to her, “breathe, just breathe, mommy got you.” Her voice was shaking but her arms were still locked in.
The block got quiet once again just as quickly as it exploded.
The cars sped off, with the tires burning, engines rumbling in the distance.
Although everything happened in less than thirty seconds it felt like much longer.
Rell didn’t lower his gun yet. He scanned slow and high from one side of the street to the other. Only when everything was secure did he speak again. “Ya’ll alright?!” he asked wiping blood from across his face where a piece of glass cut him.
Keondra nodded while trying to calm Amour, but she didn’t say shit. Meanwhile O’Shynn spoke up. “I’m straight,” O’Shynn said in a sharp but steady tone with her adrenaline pumping looking like she was ready to kill somebody.
I nodded too, but I could feel my heart banging against my ribs and a little cramping in my stomach.
Rell spoke into his earpiece in a calm tone like nothing had happened.
“Need an escort pickup at Jackson’s. Bring two trucks!
We moving!” He looked at us with an unreadable expression. “We leaving…Now.”