Chapter 2 #2
“When she approach y’all’s underage son, that’s when you fuckin’ strike.
Trust, she’s gon’ reach out to him, if she ain’t already done it.
Don’t ask him. Let him tell you. The mo’ that shit sit on yo’ mind an’ the longer it take fo’ it to come to light, the mo’ vicious you gon’ be.
A bitch like Amana need to keep up appearances.
That tailored suit accountant for athletes nigga she dealin’ wit’ is why she gon’ continue to pursue August Junior into havin’ a conversation wit’ them followed by being in her life,” he said, looking at me as the fidget spinner landed in his right palm.
“So, sit tight, Mona. When that show start, it’s gon’ fuckin’ start, an’ you gon’ be the one to say when it end.
My nuts stickin’ to these silk drawls. I need my ass washed. Finna shower.”
As I broke down everything Thiago said while slowly nodding, King laughed. “What possessed you to put on silk drawls in the dead of summer?”
“I lost a bet to my wife.” He grinned, sticking the toy into his back pocket.
“Ah, the shit we do for them,” King held out, interlocking his and Min’s fingers.
Thiago never moved. He took his time looking between August and me. As his right top lip went upward, he nicely demanded. “Y’all let the bitch come to y’all. The ass whoopin’ gon’ be that much better. A’ight?”
“A’ight.” August nodded.
“Mhm,” I said, unsure if I would stick to what he said. It wasn’t like Amana was a flashy dope boy whom I had to watch to take his shit. She was an Olympic track star, a useless bitch who I could take down within seconds.
As my phone rang, a series of thuds came from the kitchen. While they whipped their heads in that direction, I retrieved my phone from my back pocket. Meanwhile, Aleana exhaled sharply and asked, “Kingdon, when the fuck did you go into the kitchen?”
What the fuck do you want, Dropo? I wish you would leave me alone before August finds out you are at my fucking head.
“When the most hype nigga in the city told Mona to chill out and let the fight come to her.” He chuckled as King and August laughed while walking down the stairs.
“Come on, Francesca, it’s finna be a long night in this bitch,” Thiago spoke.
Sick of Dropo calling me as if I were the reason his dope, money, and a few guns were stolen, I slid my finger across the answer choice. Walking down the stairs, I placed my phone to my ear. I wanted to be nasty. Yet, I couldn’t be because questionable eyes would be on me.
Casually, I said, “Yeah?”
“Where is my shit, Mona?” Dropo inquired sluggishly.
“I told your ass I didn’t take your shit. Why are you so quick to think I did?” I asked, nearing the front door.
“‘Cause you is a fine ass jack girl. Yo’ parents told me so when I paid them a visit yesterday. Quite an interestin’ convo between yo’ parents an’ me.
Down to how they ordered y’all to get it out the mud.
Tell me som’, Mona. Ten or so years ago, a large amount of my dope, guns, an’ money came up missin’.
Did you have som’ to do wit’ it? If you ain’t good on the timeframe …
how ‘bout I say it like this. ‘Round the time you an’ yo’ siblin’s stopped lookin’ too dusty an’ shit, did you run ‘cross my shit? That’s ‘round the same time mo’ niggas shit came up missin’.
‘Round that time, y’all looked damn good.
Y’all’s asses been hittin’ up niggas after startin’ shit, huh? ” he asked in his thick country accent.
Wow. Look how long it took yo’ dumb ass to see shit fo’ what it was, I thought, sliding by the large portrait of King, Min, and their children.
Opening the front door, I sarcastically giggled.
“We stopped looking dusty because real family started caring for us. Whatever my sorry ass parents said, don’t pay that shit any attention.
Pay attention to this … in a different state or not, don’t come for me again.
You won’t like how I come for you. Leave me the fuck alone.
You say my siblings took your shit, do what you gotta do, but know if you take shit too far …
you … are … a … dead … bitch. I’m gone.”
Ugly, the fucka hollered, “Mon—”
While I slid my phone back into my pocket, laughter and smacks sounded from the living room.
Furrowing my eyebrows and looking in the direction of the room that was supposed to have been free of bodies, I shook my head.
I had a few seconds to get my face together before August Senior would stare in it.
Closing my eyes, I steadied my breathing and thought, Ray, when I catch y’all’s asses. I’m going to fucking kick it all around wherever. Damn, idiots.
My body wouldn’t let me carry on without hearing Ray’s voice.
Retrieving my phone, I dialed my oldest brother’s number for the tenth time within twenty-four hours.
He didn’t answer the other times, and I was sure his ass wouldn’t answer this time.
Yet, I still needed his deep tone gliding down my ears.
While his line trilled, I wondered what he was thinking about going into Dropo’s shit.
For sure, I wondered why the others didn’t stop him in the middle of his sentence.
Before meeting August, I hit Dropo’s stash over sixteen times within five years because I knew his routine movements of his dope, money, and guns.
My brothers didn’t like to sit still and observe anything.
“You have reached….” The automated tone made me growl and end the call.
“What the fuck is going on with you, foolish man? You supposed to be smarter than this,” I hissed, calling my second brother.
When he didn’t answer, I became antsy, worried, and angry. I didn’t like going unanswered if a motherfucka wasn’t dead or incapable of talking due to being hospitalized.
When I couldn’t reach my brothers, I called the local hospitals. After being told they weren’t there, I called my sister, Laysha. On the fifth ring, she groggily answered. “Talk to me, lil sister.”
“Sorry to bother you, but um, Dropo at my neck. Our brothers aren’t answering. Any news on those idiots?” I questioned as August called my name.
Hurriedly, I said, “Hold on for a second. I’m on the phone with Laysha!”
Sharply, she exhaled. “No one has seen them since they kicked in another nigga’s dope spot ten hours ago. Loko. That nigga has cameras. He put a ticket over their heads.”
“What the fuck! What are the chances they are already dead?” I questioned, closing the door with my foot.
“If they remember the wooded area, we always went to after taking somebody shit, granted they didn’t lead anyone to their whereabouts, they are alive.” She yawned.
“Okay. If you receive any news, call me as soon as you end the call,” I offered as August walked out of the living room, holding a plate with a ton of food on it.
“Don’t save them, lil sister. They didn’t take heed to anything you said since you took leadership over us. What they get is on them.” Laysha stressed.
“They are our siblings, Laysha,” I held out as a concerned August walked toward me. His eyes never left my mouth.
“Yes, they are our siblings, but Mona, let’s face some shit.
They will get you killed because they aren’t listening to you, and you choose to go in and rescue their dumb asses.
They aren’t worth it. You are about to be a married woman, just like the rest of us, pussy holders.
Unlike us, you have two beautiful kiddos.
You are excelling at a life you wished for years.
Why fuck it up for niggas who are smart as fuck but stuck on our survival ways?
The last fuck up caused by Jay shoulda had you not talking to them, just as I stopped communicating with them.
They almost cost us our lives, Mona. Look at what you have now.
Not who helped you when our mammie beat you so badly that we had to teach her and Daddy a lesson.
By the way, they are back together. I’ve sic’d Social Security Administration on their asses,” she confessed as I closed my eyes and exhaled deeply.
“I’m not surprised they are back together. That means whoever he was dealing with saw he wasn’t worth the shit that comes out of his ass. Fraud ass nigga,” I hissed as August stepped before me, bringing a fork with a juicy candied yam to my mouth.
“That last time we ran into him … that lady and he were arguing about having criminal children around her, do-good grown-ass kids. When he didn’t stand up for us, I knew pussy would always have him a weak ass nigga.” She yawned as I slid the warm yam into my mouth.
Chewing, I said, “Laysha, I’ll talk to you later. I love you.”
“Okay. I love you too. Tell Min I said ‘hey’ and that ‘I love her’.”
“I will. Sleep well.”
“You too.” She yawned again before we ended the call.
“What’s going on?” August inquired, stabbing the collard, kale, and mustard green combination.
“Stupid shit with my brothers,” I offered in short as he shoved the greens into his mouth. The less he knew, the better. I didn’t need to bring August, King, and Kingdon into a world I showed my brothers, hoping they could easily adapt and move as I did—undetected.
“Anything I need to have my hands in?” he chewed, stabbing moist, cheesy macaroni and cheese.
Searching his lowered eyes, I shook my head and said, “No.”
“A’ight. If shit get too sticky, brang that issue to me,” he declared as I sopped the pasta and cheese into my mouth.
“Mhm.” I nodded.
I’m going to cause all types of hell when I break free from you and our family. Those idiotic brothers got me in some shit that I ain’t even thought about orchestrating. Those hoes and that nigga accusing me of taking his shit gotta feel me.
“Be honest wit’ me, Mona, you mad at me fo’ sidin’ wit’ Thiago ‘bout that Amana situation?” August asked as I swallowed.
“No,” I replied, looking into his worried eyes.
“You promise?” He smiled, flashing his contagious grin.
Cheesing, I nodded. “Yes. All dogs will have their fucking day with me.”
“Yes, they will,” he held out as his phone rang.