Chapter 10
When the game was over, Scotty and Bam walked to their cars first, leaving Hov and me behind, picking up the cards, poker chips, and the cans left on the ground. There was a heavy silence in the room until Hov cleared his throat and looked in my direction.
“I heard you went to talk to Pernelle. Happy you decided to step up.”
“Yeah, it was only right. I told her we don’t have to be together to raise the baby, and she seemed cool with it. At least for now.”
“Yeah, P is a cool chick. She is loud as hell and does the most sometimes, but she is cool. My wife loves her.”
I nodded my head.
“So, how are you feeling about court tomorrow? You think you're coming back home?”
“I know I am. Partially thanks to you. Part thanks to that smart mutha fucka I have working on the case.”
“Oh yeah, the chick Bria. Where did you find that beautiful mutha fucka? If you weren’t so happily married, I would think that was one of your little things on the side.”
Hov laughed and waved me off.
“She's pretty, but she's not worth me getting my head chopped off at home.”
“I hear that, my boy. I know her ass is married though, huh. Shit, that’s the type of woman I know niggas marry with no hesitation.”
Hov shrugged his shoulders.
“I don’t know if she is. She keeps things professional with me. That’s why I appreciate her. Most women would fall under the pressure she is under with her sister dying and shit at that strip club.”
“Yeah, I heard about that?”
“How you hear nigga?”
“It was club Raw, come on now.”
“Oh yeah, I forgot that's your favorite spot. Hold on, you didn’t do shit to her, huh?”
“Nah, man. You know I don’t touch women at all in that way, and whoever bashed that girl upside her head was a monster. I’m a demon, but I don’t do gruesome shit like that. Shit blood lowkey still make a nigga uneasy.”
Hov laughed.
“Yeah, I remember how long you threw up on the way home that night we had to stab up them niggas on the subway. I was sure back then that would be your last kill.”
Me and Hov laughed reminiscing about our first bodies that we caught together.
Back then, he and I just wanted to make money, fuck bitches, and be just like Papi once I got kicked out of school, and basketball wasn’t a dream for me anymore.
We didn’t have it like we do now, so we were still getting around on public transportation.
Of course, you have to prove yourself to niggas around here, so a couple of goofies hopped on the train and tried to take us for our shit like we were a couple of hoe ass niggas.
We handled them fuck ass niggas with just us two, but I was sick as hell afterwards.
That, however, built the bond we have today.
The bond that I can’t believe I broke over a no-good bitch.
“Well, I’m about to get the fuck out of here. Wifey wants to go eat at this Jamaican spot, so that’s where I’m headed to.”
“Alright nigga, safety bro.”
“Safety.” Hov stuck his hand out, and I dapped him up. Just a simple handshake showed me all wasn’t lost between me and him. I know Hov well enough to know he doesn’t shake hands with niggas he doesn’t respect. Now that the respect was back, the trust should come soon after.