Chapter 13
THIRTEEN
ASHANNI
“I know they did it. They did it so I would no longer be able to talk to him. Why else would they do something like that?”
“How do you know it was Uncle Storm and SS, Maui? Once you serve time for a particular thing, the police have eyes on you, especially in a small town like Liberty.”
She looked up at me with anger in her eyes. I was standing close to where she was seated at Aunt Tiff’s house. When Asad brought me home this evening, this was the first place I came to. Milana was seated on the other side of her, and I could see Aunt Tiff ear hustling from the kitchen.
“Ashanni! SS admitted that he called the police on him!”
I took a deep breath. This shit was getting better and better. They were determined to keep her away from that nigga. I almost didn’t blame them.
“It’s okay, though, because I know all of y’all agree with them. My own sisters turned their backs on me. I’m alone in this, and I will gladly stand on this limb alone.”
“Maui, really? Is this you talking right now? No matter whether we agree or disagree with choices any of us make, we always have each other’s backs. Me, you, Milana, and the twins have always rode for each other. Always. Why would it be any different now?”
She wiped tears from her cheeks and huffed.
“You’re right. I’m sorry, Shani. I’m just wound so tight.
It’s only been a day, and I already miss those mean heifers and their father.
Daddy Mayor was praising Seven for the shit he did.
” Turning to Milana, she continued. “I just wanna disappear, Lana. I know you understand what I’m going through. ”
“Yeah, but I truly believe my situation was worse. Our grandfather is gone, and his demise was somewhat related to what I did. I understand the alienation you’re feeling from your family, but you have to give them time, especially the twins.
All they can see is Mythic’s past and hell, his right now.
The police wouldn’t have arrested him for possession unless he had some shit on him.
Their worries are valid, boo. You are seeing his potential.
You have faith that he will fulfill it, and they don’t. That’s where the disconnect is.”
“I know. I just feel like SS took it way too far. He won’t be arraigned until Monday. I called Mister Legend, and he was upset.”
“Does he know SS called the police on him?”
“I don’t think he does, and I’m not going to be the one to tell him.
Their relationship with my daddy is already strained from what he said to him.
That puts Bali and Carter Legend in a bad space too.
It’s just horrible. That’s why I just want to disappear.
He and I can move away from here, so no one will have to see our relationship bloom.
I can’t leave him out in the cold at a time like this. Our talks are so open and honest.”
I glanced toward the kitchen and met eyes with Aunt Tiff.
She slowly shook her head and turned her back to me.
I was pretty sure she’d already tried talking to Maui.
She’d become an emotional being in her older years.
She would cry at the drop of a hat now, so I was pretty sure that was what she was doing.
She would still beat a bitch down, if need be, though.
“Does anyone else know what SS did?”
“No. Just us. I’m pretty sure if PJ or Ace knew, they wouldn’t have gone with him to ‘talk’ to Mythic,” she said, throwing up air quotes.
Seven was acting just like Uncle Storm. She shouldn’t have been surprised. It could have been worse. Thinking about what my daddy said to Uncle Storm about killing him ran through my thoughts. Maui should have known the shit would hit the fan if they found out about them being together.
“How did Uncle Mayor even find out you were talking to Mythic?” I asked.
“Somebody he knows saw us together and called and told him.”
“Wow. Are y’all even a couple right now?”
“No.”
Looking around to make sure no one was watching us, I asked in a low voice, “Have you slept with him?”
“Yeah, a couple of times. One time was even before I told you about my interest in him.”
“Well, that shit must be off the charts for you to be going through all this for that nigga,” Milana said, and shoulder bumped her.
Maui’s cheeks reddened. “I had my first orgasm during sex with him.” She looked around and said, “He got a diamond-chip dick, like Jill Scott talked about in her song with Paul Wall.”
I frowned. “What the fuck does that even mean?”
She reddened again. “When he was in prison, he had a shaved piece of a domino inserted under the skin of his penis. It enhances the sexual experience because it makes the friction a little rougher. I came within three minutes.”
“Why the fuck would he do something like that? Couldn’t that shit cause infections? What the fuck?”
“He did it to prove how masculine he was. You see how fine Mythic is. Those niggas thought they could mess with him in there. So after he did that shit and lived through it without infections, they left his ass alone. They thought he was crazy. He is a lil bit,” she said and giggled.
“There’s a little scarring from it, but that’s it.
It’s called genital pearling. Look it up. ”
I had to sit on the floor after hearing that shit.
I had never heard of no shit like that. When Paul Wall said it in the song, I just figured that was slang for him having good dick.
I couldn’t wait to tell Asad this shit. I was surely gonna tell my mama.
Her nasty ass probably already knew. I was stunned into silence.
“You good, Ashanni?” Milana asked with a chuckle.
“Girl! That shit got me tripping!”
She chuckled as Maui giggled like a schoolgirl.
That shit explained it though. He’d turned her ass out and now she was going against her family for him.
For her sake, I hoped he was trying to make changes.
If he wasn’t, he was going to break her heart.
He was the true definition of the word fuckboy.
He had so many hoes it was ridiculous. I wanted to ask about this baby he supposedly fathered, but I didn’t want Maui to feel a way.
She was obviously feeling extremely defensive.
People usually only felt that way when they were questioning things internally as well or when what they were being defensive about was true.
I felt like she knew just how toxic that nigga was and that was why she was so defensive.
My poor cousin. I got up from the floor and squeezed next to her on the couch.
I slid my arm around her, and she leaned against me.
I couldn’t believe she was putting herself through all this bullshit for a nigga.
“Well, now that you and Asad are back together, I assume y’all have come to a resolution about Mila,” Maui said.
“Yeah. I told him I would let him handle it.”
She lifted her head and frowned at me as Milana did the same. I chuckled as Milana asked, “How did that shit taste coming out of your mouth?”
“Like fucking razor blades, but I trust him. I’m going to let him handle it. Did you ever talk to Nita?”
“Girl, y’all ain’t gon’ believe this shit!” Milana said, standing from the couch. “She was trying to give me money!”
“Money?” Maui and I said in unison.
“Money! From that nigga’s life insurance policy.
I told her I didn’t want anything that would be reminiscent of him.
Then she apologized for playing a part in escalating the situation.
It was like she wanted someone to take that nigga out and was offering me money for my involvement with Ace getting it done. Ain’t that some shit?”
“How does she know Asad’s baby mama though?” I asked, hoping that wasn’t suspect.
“I need you to brace yourself, cuz.”
“Aww shit, Milana. Just tell me.”
“She used to date Julius. She had a baby from him that mysteriously went missing. Julius was only sixteen at the time.”
“What!”
“Mm-hmm. Trifling ass, perverted ass ho. The baby was a year old when she reported him missing. That case went cold.”
“My God. You think she killed the baby?” I asked.
“I don’t know. As money hungry as she seems, it’s possible. Don’t tell Asad I told you that,” Milana said.
“Why not?”
“I don’t want him trying to dig more into it, causing confusion. Honestly, it scares me for Jayceon. I’m glad he’s made it this long. I want to believe that has a lot to do with Asad though. Julius didn’t want a kid, so he didn’t really care, which is sad in itself.”
“Wait. So Julius was how old when he got killed?” I asked.
“Twenty, I think.”
“So that was four or five years ago.”
“Yeah.”
“Girl, I thought she was seeing him and Asad at the same time.”
“It’s possible. I don’t put anything past her ass,” Milana said.
“Well, I won’t say anything. He has some shit on her already that he won’t tell me about.
He told his attorney though. It’s some deep shit, apparently, because he seems to think she gon’ get picked up by the police.
I wonder if it has something to do with that,” I said, choosing to leave out what I knew about what happened with Grandpa’s attack.
We all remained quiet until Maui’s ringing phone broke the silence. Her eyes widened, and she quickly answered. It must have been a call from that nigga. I swore I wanted to roll my eyes. I had never witnessed Maui being so damn stupid. She stood from the couch, and Milana sat next to me.
“That nigga got her ass plum stupid,” Lana said.
“Hell yeah. A diamond-chip dick though?”
“Yo’ ass would still be thinking about that shit!” Milana said and laughed.
“And you not? That shit got my mind all discombobulated. I gotta go look that shit up. What she call it again?”
“Genital pearling.”
“Let me save this shit in my phone,” I said as Maui joined us with a slight smile.
“What did he say?” Milana asked.