Chapter 16 #2
“I’m blue, you fucking idiot. If you kill me, there isn’t an escape hole you can hide in.” It seemed like he was trying to convince me of that shit, but he was damn sure touched.
I chortled. “See you in hell, blue.” I turned my back and walked away from the man.
He was behind me yelling and carrying on up until a single bullet shut him up.
It was always that simple for me when somebody came for me and mine.
Now that same somebody would be used as a message for the other somebodies.
It wasn’t long before Taurus met me outside. “What’s going on, Savior?”
“Amil came to the crib today. He was dirty and strung out. It was never about the territory and protection. It’s about everything else we do under the table.
Camen wants to put Duce on so they can use him like a pawn.
Think about it… we kept work in the basement at Che’s, but we moved it right before Che comes up missing.
Then out of nowhere, Hawks gets burned. They want the control.
Who knew about all of the moves besides you and I? ”
Taurus shook his head. “Luke and Reggie didn’t know shit past their checkpoints. That only leaves yo’ crackhead buddy. He was the middle.”
“Fuck!” Here I was, doing the right thing, and this was what I was faced with. Amil had been selling us out before we knew it.
“What’s up?” Reese walked out of the warehouse.
I pulled the business card for the rehabilitation center out of my pocket and held it out.
I had half a mind to hand it to Reese and ask him to handle that for me, but I couldn’t.
Betrayal constituted death in my book, and that was something that would never change.
The thing was I couldn’t figure out if I wanted it to happen by my hands or by another’s.
TAURUS
I glanced over at Savior seeing as he’d been quiet the entire ride.
Instead of riding back with Beck, he hopped in the car with me.
I knew he had some shit on his mind by the expression on his face.
My boy was troubled by the actions of another and stuck in a hard place because his actions could bring pain to the one he loved more than anything.
That was a tough pill to swallow. In his position, I didn’t know what I would’ve done.
I could say one thing, but if I had to knowingly hurt Lane, I couldn’t do it.
“Gimme the information. I’ll make the call.” I found myself saying. I was willing to carry this one on my conscience for him.
He looked over at me in a way like he was asking me if I was sure.
“C’mon, nigga. I ain’t got all day. You know I gotta go get my niece’s birthday gift since yo’ nut ass decided to make me an uncle so early in the game.” I attempted to lighten up the mood.
He handed me the card, and we never spoke another word about it.
Instead, we settled on grown ass conversations that made a nigga’s heart swell.
Blood couldn’t make me and this nigga any closer, because it was just that.
He had my back, and I damn sure had his.
He was the brother my mother never got the chance to give me.
After I dropped Savior off at his crib, I slid to the cemetery.
The sun was just rising, so it was the perfect time for a nigga to say his two cents and roll out.
I didn’t visit my mama here, but ever since I woke up that day in the hospital, I felt the overwhelming need to go to her plot.
I hadn’t been here since the day my grandpops had her body brought here instead of Atlanta.
He believed that she should’ve been laid to rest at home because it was where she belonged.
I pulled up and sat there for a few minutes before I finally decided to get out of the car.
The funny thing was I hadn’t been here since I was a child, but I knew exactly where she was.
“Damn, Mama, they ain’t cleaned ya stone in a while, huh?
” I took my gun from my side and took a seat next to her.
Then I used my hand to wipe away the dust and debris that covered her name.
She deserved more than that. I didn’t know what to say, because I damn sure wasn’t the nigga who went around talking to dead folks, but this was different.
I needed to tell her that I heard her that night, that it wasn’t my time, and that I missed her too.
I didn’t know how long I sat at her stone, but by the time I was standing to leave, the sun was beaming brightly. My mama was letting me know that, even though I didn’t say a word, she heard me. When I reached my car, I dialed Reese.
“Yeah.” He answered on the first ring.
“You around?”
“Yeah. Where do you need me to be?” he asked.
“The old cemetery off Harlem toward the back.”
“Bet. I’m right down the street. I should be there in a few minutes.”
I hung up from with him and checked the time. Lane should’ve been just walking out of her building. Today, she was taking a short day to help Regancy get things together for Kale’s birthday.
I swiped through my phone looking for her contact. When I reached it, I clicked it and put the phone on speaker. It rang a few times before she finally answered.
“Why haven’t I heard from you since you left our bed at five in the morning? It’s now ten in the morning, Taurus.” She was on it.
“I’ve been busy, bae. Where are you?” I asked because I heard noise in her background.
“Picking up the cake for Kale’s night. Where are you?” I could hear the smile in her angelic voice.
“Wherever you need me to be, baby.”
She giggled into the phone “We both know that’s a dream. How is your chest?”
“Better now that I talked to you.” I spewed that corny shit because I knew she loved it. She ate it up every time I laid it on thick.
“Cute, but seriously, how is your chest?”
“It’s all good. I haven’t really felt it today until yo’ nugget head ass said something. You gonna rub a nigga down when we get home tonight?” I asked.
“If that’s what you want, big ass baby.”
I laughed. “I’m glad you got all that mouth on the other side of the phone.” The sound of a motorcycle approaching made me look up. I looked up just in time because I recognized Reese’s bike as he pulled up near my car.
“Baby, lemme call you back.”
“Alright. Please be safe.”
Once I hung up with Lane, I hopped out of the car to meet Reese.
“Didn’t I just see yo’ ass about five hours ago?” He placed his helmet on the bike and looked my way.
“Yeah, but I need you to take care of something on the lowkey for me. I need a nigga to disappear and never be heard of or seen ever. I don’t want a news coverage or shi—”
“Damn. I got you, big homie. Who is it?” he asked.
“Amil. And I want you to have Hanna send a farewell message to his sister and mama. Tell them some shit about him going off to get his life together. Make that shit believable so there will be no questions.”
He looked up at me to make sure I was serious. When he didn’t see an ounce of amusement in my eyes, he nodded. “It’s done.”
I nodded and handed him the card to the rehabilitation center.
I hated that it had to end this way for Amil, but the way I saw it, he was either a part of the family or an outsider.
The thing was, when it came to outsiders, we tended to do whatever to protect the family, even spilling blood.
Amil found himself an outsider when he betrayed the very niggas who fed him.
I knew for a fact Reese would do as I asked and Amil would never be found as requested.
That was all I needed. That way, there would be no questions.
REGANCY
Savior came in and went straight to the bed.
He looked exhausted like whatever he’d done had tired him out.
I could see it in his eyes the moment he kissed my forehead.
He was exhausted more so mentally than physically.
I didn’t know what was on his mind, but whatever it was, wasn’t there this morning when he left the house.
I couldn’t dwell on that though, because I knew he’d talk to me when he was ready.
“I can’t believe Kale is almost a preteen.” Lane broke my train of thought as we set up for Kale’s little birthday dinner.
“Please don’t let her grown ass hear you say that.” I giggled.
“What? It’s true. What are you gonna do? Your baby is growing up right before your eyes.” She made a sad face.
“Girl, I don’t even know. It feels like yesterday when she was taking her first steps, wobbling those bowlegs through the house, and bumping everything on the way down.” I almost wanted to cry, but I told myself not to.
Lane hugged her chest before she looked up at me. “You better not start crying.”
I shook my head as I felt the tears. “I can’t help it.”
She chuckled. “I see. You already cried when I showed you the candles, and now, you’re about to start again. Let’s just change the subject all together. I haven’t picked up my birth control refill.”
My mouth dropped open. “And why did you do that?” I knew my friend, and the one thing I knew for sure was that she didn’t want kids.
She had no interest in them. She was the only person I didn’t take offense to when she kept referring to the baby as an it.
I knew she wasn’t being rude or anything; she was just Lane.
She wasn’t interested in motherhood, or so I thought.
She wrinkled her face up as she looked at me.
I could tell she was thinking about how she would explain to me what was going on in that big, complex brain of hers.
“Because Taurus wants a baby, and I like the idea of having one with him. I mean, we’ve talked about it, and I’m comfortable with the thought of us bringing a life into this world.
” She shrugged and looked away. “And lowkey, I haven’t been on them for a minute.
The only reason I’m probably not is because the leftover ramblings of the hormones in my system. ”
I busted up laughing. “Don’t let that nigga tell you that y’all are bringing a life into the world. Don’t let him okey-doke you. After y’all conceive, the rest is on you. Trust me, I—”
Savior’s voice filled the room. “A damn lie. ‘Baby, I need ice cream. Baby, I’m hot. Baby, can you rub my stomach? Baby, I’m thirsty.’ Hell nah. I ain’t about to let you sit in here and act like it’s all on you. Lane, don’t listen to ya girl. If anything, she’s stressing me the fuck out.”
I turned around, and Savior was grilling me. I turned and looked at Lane with a smirk. “That’s the least he could do. Lane, all I can fit into is my stretch pants and dresses. Everything else feels like it’s suffocating me.” I felt his presence as he stepped behind me and leaned into my space.
Lane was cracking up laughing. “So you think I’m being duped?”
“Girl, double duped, and you won’t peep game until you’re stretched out and the nigga says, ‘baby, we gotta get to work right after him because he needs a playmate.’” I manipulated my voice to try to make myself sound like him.
Savior stepped back and cracked up laughing. “It’s like that, Re?”
I laughed just as it sounded like the front door had opened. When I looked in the direction, Taurus was walking in with a blue bag.
“What am I missing?” he asked.
“Oh, nothing, except the fact that you’re trying to dupe me.” She looked at Taurus with her lips pursed.
He looked confused as he approached the island. “How am I tryna do that?”
“By getting me pregnant.”
Immediately, a smile covered his face. I could see the excitement in this nigga’s face. Then he looked at me with a smirk. “You starting shit, Re?”
I chuckled. “I’m just letting her in on the less-glamorous parts of pregnancy.”
“Yup. She’s starting shit,” Savior responded. “She’s just mad that the other night I told her my son would need a playmate, so she probably needed to pop another one out.”
“Ain’t shit wrong with that.” Taurus shrugged. “Think about it.”
Lane’s eyes damn near budged from their sockets. “Nigga, what?”
He walked up and hugged her from behind. “But nah. That’s crazy talk. I’m good with whatever we have for now.” He said the for now part low. “Anyways, what’s on the menu, sis?” He looked toward me.
“All of Kale’s favorites—fried chicken, cheeseburgers, deep-dish pizza, and a salad.”
He rubbed his hands together. “Don’t none of that shit match, but I’ma damn sure eat and take me a plate home like the nigga I am.”
“What’s in the Tiffany bag, Taurus?” Lane asked.
“Nothing for yo’ ass. It’s my niece’s day. I’m a first-time uncle, and I’m tryna make a good impression. Where is baby girl?” he looked around.
“At school. She gets out in a few minutes. My mom is picking her up,” I responded.
“You made her go to school on her birthday?” Taurus tilted his head to the side, looking from me to Savior.
“That was all her ass.”
“I see right now I’ma have to kidnap my niece a few times. Y’all got her fucked up. On her birthday, she shouldn’t be in some bunk ass school.” He shook his head like he was disgusted.
“Says the nigga who bought a child who still likes barbies Tiffany.”
I laughed. “Trust me, that’s mild compared to this fool right here.
Kale woke up this morning to a new phone, new iPad, jewelry, and more fucking shoes than either of us can count.
Not to mention, I had a hard time getting her out of here this morning.
She kept wanting to change her shoes and put on her jewelry. ”
“Ain’t shit wrong with me spoiling mine. I spoil yo’ ass, don’t I?” He was leaned against me.
I smiled because he was right about that, and it felt damn good being spoiled by him, loved by him, touched by him, and everything else when it came to him.
The rest of the night went wonderful, and my baby had so much fun just being surrounded by family and opening presents. I loved seeing that smile on her face. It let me know that I was doing my job as a mother, so I guess I could pat myself on the back. As long as Kale was happy, so was I.
After eating all of the cake her little heart desired, she took Bernard to her room, and by now, I was pretty sure she was sleep. I never needed to give Kale a bedtime. She just naturally fell asleep around eight thirty to nine.
“Baby girl is out like a light.” Savior’s voice filled the kitchen.
“I figured that.” My eyes glossed over his handsome frame as he came toward me.
Lane and Taurus had left about an hour ago while my mother was in the guest room asleep. She had also turned in early.
The next time he spoke, he was standing in front of me with a smile. “Did you enjoy yourself?” He picked me up and put me on the counter in front of him.
“Very much. Now we will be on the boat tomorrow with children. That, I may not enjoy so much.” I pouted a little.
He leaned in and kissed my lips. “Stop pouting so much. You’ll have a nigga thinking he isn’t doing his job.”