Chapter 13 #2
“He will most likely get out on Monday. He said his parole officer was fucking with him. Hopefully he never figures out it was SS. My brother was wrong, but I don’t want to see the two of them at odds even more than they already are.”
I glanced at Milana, knowing this shit wasn’t going to be good.
“Hey, Aunt Jen!”
“Hey, Shani. How are you, baby?”
“I’m good. I just want a smoked boudin today. Y’all got any?”
“I hadn’t prepared any, but you know I got’chu. Give me a second.”
I smiled big. Aunt Jen and Aunt Chrissy always had everybody’s back.
I went and sat at a table, realizing I would probably be eating alone today.
Maui had left and no one had heard a peep from her since yesterday.
Milana and I knew where she’d gone though.
If I didn’t hear from her by this evening, I would spill the beans on that.
She would just have to be mad at me. Her family needed to know whether she was safe or not.
Milana had a rodeo coming up, so she was practicing, and the twins were busy, per usual.
As I scrolled my Instagram timeline, someone pulled out a chair.
When I looked up and saw Jacob and Rylan, I stood and hugged them both.
Ever since they all got married, we rarely spent time around any of them, especially once they started having babies.
“Hey, y’all! It’s good to see you!”
“Hey, Shani. Why you in here by yourself?” Jacob asked.
“Well, everybody else is busy. I’m starting to feel like I should be doing more too.”
Rylan chuckled and shook his head. “Yeah, like knocking some sense into your cousin. What the hell wrong with Maui? I always thought she was Karima’s mini-me. She done proved me wrong.”
I huffed. “Right. I don’t know. I think she will just have to find out for herself. I already questioned her about it, and she got extremely defensive. She’s not just my cousin who I look at like a sister. She’s my best friend. I hate what this is doing to her.”
I lowered my head and couldn’t stop the tears that escaped me.
Jacob scooted closer to me and wrapped his arms around me, and Rylan grabbed my free hand.
I hated feeling emotional like this in front of them.
They already looked at us as the baby girls in the family.
We’d vowed to do our best to make everyone proud, but it seemed we had all failed at some point.
Milana had that shit with Julius and his brother, I was having a hot girl summer last year, and now Maui was fucking around with an ex-convict. The twins were the only ones shining.
I pulled away from Jacob and dabbed at my face, then pulled up my camera phone to make sure my makeup was still good.
Rylan slowly shook his head while watching me.
Asad was supposed to come see me later, and there was no way I would be cool with him seeing my makeup looking a mess.
Either I would be put together, or I would be put together, no fucking options.
Whether my face was completely clean or beat the fuck up, he would get my best.
“So, what are y’all up to?” I asked after pulling myself together.
“Not too much. Just work,” Jacob said. “Lil Wes getting big though.”
I smiled. Although Wesley was his son’s middle name, he still called him Lil Wes. “I have to go see him soon. It’s been a minute since we were all together.”
“Yep. Y’all missed the announcement too.”
I frowned as I glanced at Rylan. “Don’t tell me. Angel’s pregnant again?”
“Yep. We decided that this would be the last. Two kids are more than enough.”
“Our family was already huge, but it’s only gotten bigger. I can’t wait for us all to be at the family barn, turning up like old times. The last few times we’ve been there have been for family meetings, it seems, and Grandpa’s repast. Everyone wasn’t at the twins’ celebratory dinner.”
“Yeah. Maybe when Milana gets a date together, we’ll all be there for their wedding,” Rylan said.
“Yeah,” I said as I noticed Mr. Ali, Mr. Berotte, and my daddy walk through the door.
He looked over and saw me, then turned to me. Aunt Jen handed him my boudin, but I was feeling like whatever they had to say was going to ruin my appetite. I stood, meeting them halfway. My daddy pulled me to him and said, “We need to get you out of here.”
I frowned. “Daddy, what’s going on?”
I felt like I was about to panic from the unknown.
When we got outside, Mr. Ali said, “We got reason to believe Mila Albright is planning to try to take you out. That ain’t gon’ happen on my watch.
We already got Asad and Jayceon. Lacey and her husband are at Red’s house.
The police have already issued a warrant for her arrest too. ”
My heart was about to beat out of my chest. What was wrong with that stupid ass girl? “An arrest warrant for what?”
“Murder,” Mr. Berotte said.
“Can you get a box from Aunt Jen for my boudin?” I asked my daddy.
He nodded and went and got it for me. I could tell he was worried. “Where are we going?” I asked Mr. Ali.
“Just to your parents’ house. Asad and Jayceon are there already.
Jericho, Rondo, and Dinalee are there keeping watch, and we will be rotating shifts.
I’ll be around all day. Seneca and Rhodes will be at the office for when you go to work to help Philly keep an eye out.
If Asad needs to leave, I’ll be with him. ”
I closed my eyes and nodded. “Y’all gotta be tired of people tryna come for us. I’m beyond sick of the shit.”
“We are, but when you on top, niggas gon’ always try to take you down.
That’s the problem with people. They some jealous muthafuckas and can’t be happy for the ones that made it in life.
Just miserable and somehow think that’s everybody else fault.
That shit irritating as fuck, because they don’t know what all people like us go through to get what we have. ”
I could tell there was some trauma behind his words.
My daddy rejoined us, and we all walked out of the diner.
Mr. Ali got in my rental with me, and Daddy followed us.
My fucking G-Wagon was still in the shop in Houston to get repainted.
I missed my damn car. I swore, Asad should have let me kill that bitch.
My conscience probably would have eaten me the fuck up afterwards, but we wouldn’t be dealing with this shit.
As I drove, I glanced over at him to see he was constantly looking around. His gun was in his lap. “Why you looking at me like that, lil mama?” he asked without looking at me.
“No reason. Just observing you. I’ve never been this close to you.”
He turned to me and smiled, and I was smitten. Damn. “I try to keep my distance unless I don’t have a choice.”
“I suppose that’s what makes you a good P.I. I did notice that your demeanor slightly shifted after your words earlier, like you were reliving traumatic times.”
“You tryna be a private investigator now?”
I giggled, and he chuckled as I turned into my dad’s driveway.
He never confirmed or denied, but that was okay.
I truly didn’t expect him to respond. He was on the job.
Just as I was about to hop out, he grabbed my arm.
“Don’t get out until I open your door. I need to make sure the coast is clear.
Get used to that. Someone will always open your door. ”
He got out without another word, and I closed my eyes, not believing I was involved in some bullshit like this, and at the same time, hoping that we would all be okay.