11. Joker
Joker
Two weeks later
I t’s been two weeks since I last saw Monica. If I knew branding her ass was gon’ keep her away, I would’ve done it a long time ago.
Shit had been kinda hectic. I’d been preparing the kids for their first game that was coming up this weekend. I felt like they were ready to get out on the field and win, but they could also surprise me when the day came and lose. Either way, I was proud of the progress they’d made, especially Brave. He was doing excellent out there on the field now. Practice was one of the things I couldn’t wait for. It was damn near the only time I got to see Halo. Though she showed up to every single practice, she had her head buried in a book. I tried not to bother her too much, not knowing what she had going on. She was studying for something. We didn’t get to talk much, but that didn’t stop her from invading my mind every chance she got.
“Nathan called for a meeting,” Dough said, bringing me from my thoughts. The nigga had been silent as hell ever since I bought him that meal. Everyone in the streets knew not to mess with me and his dumb ass had to start. He fucked around and found out. I knew sooner or later he was gon’ try to make amends, not knowing what else I had up my sleeve.
“Fuck him,” I said, shifting in my seat.
“You don’t want to hear what he has to say?” he questioned me and took a seat in the chair directly in front of my desk.
“He should’ve tried that shit before he dropped that body off at my warehouse.”
“He said that he wasn’t taking no for an answer.”
“Does it look like I give a fuck? I’m not interested in anything that nigga has to say.”
“I’m just trying to keep the peace. How ’bout you go and see what he has to say. Give him two minutes of your time and that’s it. We don’t need any more bloodshed.” I eyed Dough as he tugged on one of his braids. Ever since I knew him, the nigga always wanted to keep the peace. His nickname should’ve been peace maker.
“You ain’t gon’ let up, is you?”
“Nope.”
“A’ight. Set the shit up.”
“Bet,” was his last word before getting up. He exited the office, leaving the door wide open behind him.
Staring at the box in the corner of my office, I realized that Halo hadn’t picked up Brave’s uniform. Swiping my phone from the desk, I dialed her number and listened as it rang.
“Uh, hey,” she said soon as the call connected.
“Hey, were you busy?”
“Yeah, kinda… I’m at work right now.”
“What time do you get off?” I relaxed back in my chair and tugged on my goatee.
“In thirty minutes. Why?”
“You haven’t picked up Brave’s uniform for the weekend.”
“Oh, yeah. I was meaning to get by there yesterday and get it. I’ll catch the bus and get it today before I have to get him from school.”
“How ’bout this. I’ll meet you outside yo’ job in thirty and I’ll take you to get him.”
“No. You really don’t have to do that.”
“I know I don’t, but this box isn’t something that you should be carrying ’round like that. Be there in thirty,” I told her and disconnected the call before she could protest.
Getting up from my seat, I grabbed the box from the floor and exited my office. “I’m heading out for a bit,” I told Dough when I passed his.
“I’ll let you know soon as I have something,” he poked his head out his door and said.
Pushing the back door open, I stepped out and hit the fob to my trunk, popping the trunk. I placed the box inside and shut it and then opened the driver’s door and got inside. As soon as my truck started up, Rod Wave’s “IRAN” began to play, and instantly Halo popped into my mind. It was ironic because the song damn near went perfectly with the moment. In my entire life, I’d never had a chick that was so embedded in my fucking mind that I couldn’t remove her if I wanted to. I found any lil excuse to call, text, or even be in her space. It was driving me insane that she wouldn’t give me the time of day. I’d known Halo for weeks and still didn’t know what her pussy scent was. This was a new record for me.
Backing out the parking space, it took me twenty-five minutes maximum to make it to Halo’s job. Stopping at the curb, I climbed out the truck and leaned against it, waiting for Halo to emerge from the building. Not a second later, she stepped out the door. Despite her being dressed in her uniform, I swear that girl was the most gorgeous thing I’d ever seen.
She stopped on the sidewalk. There was a yellow stain on her white button-up shirt. Flour was in her black slacks. Her hair was in two messy buns at the nape of her neck with curly sideburns. A small grin stole across her lips when her eyes locked with mine. It was in that moment, that I knew I had to get this girl by any means, and it wasn’t even the player in me talking.
“I’m not even gon’ lie. I didn’t think you were gon’ be out here this fast.”
“I always do what I say,” I replied and peeled away from the truck. Stepping onto the curb, I asked, “Can I hug you?”
As if it was even possible, the smile she adorned grew wider. “What you want to hug me for?”
“I’on know. Just got the urge.” Not even giving her the chance to respond, I gripped her by the wrist and pulled her into my frame. Her body immediately stiffened. Afterward, she melted into my body and wrapped her arms around my waist. She smelled like nothing but food.
“What time you gotta pick up Brave?” I asked her as she slipped from my embrace.
Pulling her phone from her back pocket, she responded, “He gets out in thirty minutes.”
“A’ight. Let’s go.” I opened the truck door for her and waited ’til she was securely in the seat before shutting it. Halo and my mama were the only people I’d ever opened the door for in my life. I bet if Ma was to meet Halo, she’d love the shit out of her.
Climbing into the driver’s seat, I slid the truck in drive and pulled away from the curb. Halo let the window down and the wind slapped her in the face. A smile broke through her lips, and I shook my head with a smirk.
When we arrived at Brave’s school, we still had ten minutes before he was released. I pulled into the pickup line and placed the truck in park. Halo removed her right sneaker and propped her foot into her lap. She firmly pressed her thumbs into the sole of her foot and massaged it in a circular motion.
“My feet hurt so bad.”
“You been on yo’ feet all day. You need a massage or something. If you were mine, you wouldn’t ever have to worry ’bout no shit like that.”
Her eyes shot in my direction, and she said, “You think you’re slick.”
Shrugging, I responded, “Can’t blame a nigga for trying. Seriously, though, how come you don’t like niggas? What nigga hurt you so bad that you don’t want one?” Halo dropped her foot to the floor, and she rubbed her hands against her thighs. This was a touchy subject for her just from her mannerisms. “You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.”
“When I was in high school, I got pregnant by this guy named Eno. At the time, he was the love of my life. When my mama got locked up, he did everything he could to make sure that me and Brave was straight before he even made it into the world. While my mama was locked up, someone murdered Eno. I told myself that I’ll never get with another street nigga. To lose your man to the streets is unbearable pain.”
“So after Eno, you just never got into another relationship?”
“I’ve had three other relationships since him, and they’re the reasons why I don’t want another.”
“And what happened with those?”
Halo stared out the window, avoiding eye contact. “The first relationship I got into after Eno was with this guy named Devante. He was a womanizer who turned out to be gay as hell. I caught him in my bed with another man.”
“Got damn,” was the only thing that could escape my lips.
“Yeah… I was hurt but I let it go. I can’t fault him for what he likes, but it would’ve been nice if he didn’t drag me into him fighting his demons.”
“What about the other two?” I was invested now.
“After Devante, I waited a year before I started talking to Andre. He was a cheater too. Women called his phone all times of the night. All he did was lie. I got rid of his lying ass and ended up with Nutt.”
“Nutt?” I questioned her with a raised brow.
“Yeah and he was just as nutty as his fucking name. That nigga was the worst. That was one dog ass nigga. I thought I found the new love of my life, but I was wrong as hell. This nigga had so many fucking hoes. He stayed bringing me STDs. Every time he was mad, he tore my shit up. Then come to find out the nigga was married. Living a fucking double life. He was the one that made me say it was it for me. I want to give Brave a two-parent household and everything he’s missing out on, but I’m not about to keep hurting myself in the process.”
Halo briefly looked at me with watery eyes. Anger coursed through my veins. “The line is moving,” she spoke but wouldn’t look my way anymore.
Placing the truck in drive, I focused in front of me ’til we got to the front of the school. She let the window down where Brave could see her face, and he ran over to the truck. Brave opened the back door on her side and climbed in.
“Hey, Coach Knox,” he said as he shut the door.
“Wassup, lil dude?”
Halo turned in her seat where she was facing Brave. There wasn’t a single tear in her eyes anymore, and she beamed a smile at him. The shit amazed the hell out of me how quickly she switched it up.
“Coach Knox brought us your uniform.”
“He did!” His bright eyes gazed at me. This was why I did the shit I did when it came to these boys. It was their excitement that drove me, and to keep ’em out the streets.
“Yeah, you can check it out when I drop y’all off.”
As soon as I pulled away from the curb, my phone chimed. Picking it up from the cupholder, I looked down and saw a message from Dough.
Jackson Hospital parking garage in an hour.
I didn’t even bother to respond. I just tossed the phone back into the cupholder.
“You good?” Halo questioned me.
“Yeah,” was the only response she got.
The remainder of the ride to her place was silent. I pulled up in front of the building and saw everyone hanging out there like they were the last time I was here. I mastered the game. I was once where they were, and I damn sure can say that they weren’t gon’ make it far, hanging in this fucking parking lot.
“Thanks for the ride,” Halo said, not even bothering to look in my direction before opening the door and climbing out. Brave hopped out behind her and shut the door.
“You need me to bring that box up?” I asked as I popped the trunk and climbed out.
“No. I think I can manage.”
“You sure?” I asked her and removed it from the trunk. She gripped the box. Her fingertips grazed mine. Our gazes lingered as she looked up at me.
“Yeah, I’m sure,” she said, bringing me back from the trance she had me locked in. I released the box and she backed away from me. “I guess I’ll see you this weekend.”
“Yeah, definitely.” I shut the trunk and stood there ’til she made it to the door. The nigga that eyed me the last time I was here opened it for her and said something to her. Lucky for him, I had someplace to be, or else he would’ve found himself face down on the pavement.
Hopping back into my truck, I sped off to go meet Dough and that bitch ass nigga Nathan.
“What’s taking this nigga so fucking long?” I asked Dough. My patience was wearing thin. Nathan was so got damn eager to meet up with me but was running ten minutes late. After two minutes, I started the truck and was prepared to pull the fuck off, but Dough stopped me. Talking ’bout the nigga reached out and said he was stuck in traffic. That was a lame ass excuse you gave your supervisor when you were late for work. Not a nigga that practically had your life in his hands. Nigga had two more minutes then I was out.
“There that nigga go,” Dough said and pointed to a black Escalade that just pulled in.
The truck stopped and the back door opened. Nathan climbed out with a couple men behind him. Opening my door, I got out and rounded the front of the truck, and Dough did the same.
“What took yo’ fat ass so fucking long? You had to make a stop to get a burger?”
“Why you always clowning my weight? Let me find out you’re mad ’cause I still get the ladies.”
I erupted in laughter and smacked Dough in the chest. This nigga was comical. “Nigga, the only reason you get women is ’cause yo’ bread. It ain’t nothing else.”
“Can we discuss what we came here for?”
“I don’t know what the hell you called me here for.”
Nathan mugged me. “We just had to have a ceremony for my nephew without a fucking body ’cause of you.”
“Don’t try to blame that shit on me. That’s yo’ fault. Nobody told you to come fucking with me.”
“My sister won’t even talk to me anymore ’cause of you. I should kill yo’ ass now and just be done with it.”
“I wouldn’t even do that if I were you,” Dough made known.
“Look around us. You’re outnumbered,” Nathan spoke with a chuckle.
“Nah, I think you better take a look again,” I told him and rested my hands in my pockets. In that moment, a red beam light appeared in the center of his forehead. “I’on know why you keep fucking underestimating me. I’on got time for this bullshit. With a head nod, a bullet coursed straight through Nathan’s skull and his body dropped to the ground. Dough removed his gun from his waistline and instantly dropped the two men that were standing there with him. “Clean this shit up,” I instructed him and climbed back into my truck.
I headed back to the stadium to take care of a few things before I went home. I know killing Nathan was going to start a war in the city, but it was something I was prepared to deal with. The nigga was trying me far too many times, and had I let him walk away, he was just gon’ keep coming for me.
The knock at my office door grasped my attention. “Yeah?”
Brittany poked her head inside and said, “Everything is set for Friday night. I’m going to head on home. Do you need anything else before I leave?”
“Nah. I’m good. I’ll be out in a few.”
“Okay. Goodnight,” she replied and shut the door.
Powering off my iMac, I lifted from my seat and rounded my desk. My stomach grumbled. I needed to stop somewhere and grab me something to eat before I headed home. Stepping out my office, I locked the door behind me and went to head to the back entrance that I always used, when I saw Brittany standing at the main entrance talking to someone. Knowing that people were crazy as shit and it was getting close to dark, I trekked in that direction to see who it was before I left her in here alone. The closer I got to her, I realized the voice that was speaking.
“Please, I just need to speak to him for a second.”
“Where are your parents?” Brittany asked him and peeked over his head out the door. I looked out there as well and saw nothing but an empty parking lot. The only car that was in view was Brittany’s.
“Brave, where’s Halo?”