Chapter 8 Relic #2
“Ms. Kennedy did when I talked to her last night. She said she’s coming today and staying with us. She said that she’s sleeping in your room, too, and that means y’all gon’ do nasty stuff. So, y’all go together.”
“Yooo!”
Titan howled a laugh while Shabu averted his gaze to cough, fisting a hand to his mouth to hide his chuckle.
“What the hell do you know about nasty stuff?” Relic queried, glaring at Jahleel.
“I seen it in a movie before, and the boys on my team say they be hearing their parents do it.”
“Man, ain’t you supposed to be saved and sanctified? Tell them bad ass kids stop putting bugs in yo ear,” Shabu snapped as Titan continued cracking up, kicking water off his feet as he stood from the swim platform.
“Yea, do them lil’ niggas like you do us. Invite ‘em to church.”
“I did, but they said no, too. They must want to go to hell like y’all. Relic still ain’t came with me and I—ahhh!”
“Oh, shit!” Shabu bleated, dropping his fishing rod to catch Jahleel by his t-shirt after his small frame slammed against the side of the boat. “You caught something, Jah!”
“Take Indie,” Relic said, damn near tossing him to his brother before he rushed behind Jahleel to grip the fishing rod with him.
He flipped the anti-reverse switch on so that the line couldn’t roll backward and then rested his hand on top of his son’s to help him reel the catch in. A wide smile spread on his face at the weight fighting against their effort.
“It’s a big one, Jah. Relax and lift your rod so that the line won’t snap. Keep a forty-five-degree angle like this...”
Relic assisted his son with the correct positioning and guided him away from the boat’s edge while continuing to battle a fish that refused to stop running.
Just as he started to tell Jahleel they may lose it, his son tugged the rod and lurched the reel forward simultaneously, yanking the fish out of the water as it flapped uncontrollably.
“Yea, Jah! You got it, and that shit is huge! What is he ‘pose to do now?” Titan rushed to their sides to record the moment. Relic pointed at the net near his feet.
“Hand me that. Jah, I’m going to let go of your hand. You got it, son. Just get it closer, and I’ll catch it inside the net. Can you do that?”
“Yep, I got it! What kind of fish is this?”
“A largemouth bass,” Relic answered as he hung over the ledge of the boat, unbothered about if he fell in it since he could swim. “Spring is the best time to catch them, but I didn’t think you’d find one this large.”
“Can we hang it on the wall?”
“It ain’t big enough for that.” Shabu inserted himself. “Me and you gon’ show Relic how to cook that as soon we get back to the crib, though.”
“Yes! Can Grann Judy come over? She can bring the soup for Ms. Kennedy we’re supposed to pick up today.”
Relic swiped the fish into the net, hopped off the boat ledge, and unhooked the bait from inside its mouth before ambling to a bucket prefilled with water. After tossing the bass inside it, he addressed Jahleel.
“Who told you, I was taking you to see your grann?”
“Nobody. I asked her to make soup for Ms. Kennedy, and I asked Uncle Shabu to pick it up ‘cause I knew you’d say no. You’re not going to let her come over, are you?”
Relic could taste the word ‘no’ on his tongue, but he clamped his teeth together while Jahleel and Shabu stared at him with twin hopeful expressions he struggled to turn down. He pointed at the fish before challenging his son.
“Since y’all want to cook this bass, we have to kill and bleed it, so it’ll keep its fresh taste. If you can do it without my help, I’ll let your grann come over.”
Jahleel met his gaze before accepting. “Deal. Tell me what to do.”
“First, you have to euthanize it.” Relic wet his hands before scooping up the fish with ease.
He held it down on the boat’s floor before instructing, “Grab that stick, and hit it as hard as you can right here.” He tapped said spot and explained, “In front of the gill plate and behind its eyes is where the brain is. It’s the quickest way to do it. ”
“Man, you really about to make him do that?” Titan gripped his torso like the idea alone turned his stomach.
“See, that’s the downside of not teaching you how to be a man early on, Titan. You can’t even kill a fish. Jah, if you can’t do it either, grab Indie so I can show Shabu.”
“I ain’t Uncle Titan. I got this.”
“Aye, get yo son,” Titan complained, pulling a laugh from Relic while Jahleel grabbed the fat stick and kneeled next to the fish.
He raised it up and paused before slamming it down on the fish’s head. The thwacking sound made him cringe, but he hit it again, noting the slight crunch and the twitch of the bass’s body before it went limp. A slow smile crept across his face.
“Is it dead?” he asked. Relic mirrored his son’s smile and nodded, satisfied that Jahleel didn’t cower about it.
“You got your switchblade with you?”
Jahleel hopped up and dashed off to grab it from his bag on the sofa.
Shabu kneeled in his place, examining the fish while lowering Indigo, so he could touch its scales.
He jerked him back when Indigo tried snatching up the whole thing.
Relic smirked because his nephew was as fearless as his big cousin.
“Got it!” Jahleel reclaimed his spot, flipping open his blade as Relic’s attention wandered to the pink heart on its handle.
Jessica’s skeleton crept to the forefront of his mind as a reminder that he’d stolen her innocence, highjacked their son, and then terminated her life.
He’d given her the blade to protect her from danger, but it did nothing to ward off the likes of him.
If she were smart, she would’ve lodged it straight into his jugular vein years ago.
“Relic, I don’t know what to do!”
After a succession of swift blinks, Relic tuned into his son and pointed at the spot where the gills were. He lifted the gill plate while pretending he didn’t see the solicitous look Shabu and Titan wore.
“Cut down across the gills until you draw blood. Dip the fish in the bucket of water and hold it upside down to drain it. Then, cut along the center of its belly to remove the intestines.”
Jahleel took those instructions and did as told without assistance—draining the fish while Relic looked on, proud as hell.
When Jahleel stuck the blade into its belly and split it open without flinching, a gratified smile stretched across Relic’s face.
He stood to pull his son against his side for an elated hug, kissing his head while Jahleel continued to tear out the bass’s insides like he’d done it a thousand times.
“Good fucking job, Jah. You’re a natural pechè. Titan, you get him doing all this?”
“Yea, I got that nasty ass shit. Ain’t no way I’m doing that. I’m going back to my lil’ spot to chill.”
“And I’m gon’ catch me a goddamn fish before we get off this boat, because ain’t no lil’ ass kid about to show me up,” Shabu declared, and Jahleel simpered.
“I already did.”
“Oh, you popping big shit ‘cause you around yo dad. We got beef now, Jah?”
He laughed before answering, “Yep, ‘cause you think Relic loves you more than me. You’re tripping!”
“Aight, we’ll see who the favorite really is.”
“It’s Titan. He’s the one who shuts the hell up.
” Relic put egg on both their faces with his choice.
He glanced at his wristwatch and then out at the water, spotting the boat with his product heading in their direction.
“Jah, take your fish down to store in the ice cooler. Titan, go with him and take Indie to feed them lunch. Don’t come back up until I tell you, no matter what you hear. ”
Titan dished his brother a skeptical glance but didn’t question him as he took Indigo from Shabu and then led his nephews inside the cruiser.
Once they were safely out of sight, Relic grabbed the sanitizer and napkins to clean his hands before flagging a grinning Shabu over onto the boat’s swim platform.
“What the hell are you grinning about?” he quizzed.
“Just wondering where you learned how to do that.”
“You already know where I learned, Shabu.”
“Nah, not how to fish. How to be a dad.” He slapped Relic’s back and exalted, “You’re doing your shit with Jah!
You’re assertive but not tough, and you challenge him in a way that ain’t demeaning to his manhood.
More than that, you show him affection. I see, fatherhood is coming to you easier than you think. ”
Relic tracked the boat that was swiftly approaching as he carped, “Not easy enough. Jah still ain’t called me dad, and I lowkey think he likes you and Titan more.”
“I know you ain’t talking! Indie acts like I’m invisible when you’re around, and I’ll never live down our genetics making him look more like you than me.”
“I’m open to taking a blood test with Savvy again if there’s some doubt lingering, folks.” Relic crooked a grin, and Shabu flicked him off.
“Fuck you. I know Whoop ain’t checking for you, and you ain’t for her, especially since big dog Kenn stepped on the scene and pissed on your leg, marking her territory.”
“We got a package coming in. Look alive.”
Relic disregarded his brother’s clowning and focused on their task since Kennedy wasn’t up for discussion.
One corner of Shabu’s mouth curled upward at Relic dodging the topic, and he started to fuck with him more but stalled after noticing a similar boat speeding toward them.
By the time he processed his brother’s warning about a package, two duffels were flying onto the boat, landing at their feet.
His features pinched as he kneeled to unzip one, releasing a whistle before a drawling smile followed that he aimed up at his brother.
“So, this is where the fucking magic happens. It’s like what? A smooth mill between these two?”
“A little over, and these are my final pickups. Once I get this off and pay my exit fee, that’s it. I’m done, ti frè.”
“You legit?”