Chapter 24
24
Friday afternoon I picked Dominique up from school. Something in my gut told me to handle his debt personally. Shit could go left before it ever went smooth.
Dominique had contacted his “friends” and told him he had the money. They wanted to meet up in the alley by Third and Maple, but I wasn’t feeling that dynamic. On one hand, it was out of sight from authority should things look as shady as they were. On another, it was too much free rein for them to pull a caper. Too many times across news stations did I hear about some unfortunate soul who’d gotten robbed and killed. Taking the money wasn’t enough for these guys. It was if they had to take your life.
It wasn’t goin’ down like that for Dom.
So, I told him to tell his people he’d meet with them at Friedman Park. It was public and out in the open. Far better chances of survival.
Dominique rode shotgun as I drove us to the park and found a parking space in the back of the large lot, giving me a good view of the whole scene. For backup, Savon was nearby should I need reinforcements. I told myself these were kids I was dealin’ with, but these days, that didn’t mean much.
There was nothing like dudes on the come up. The ones who started smellin’ themselves and thinkin’ they were hot shit because they had a little paper in their pockets. Those were the ones who were often reckless. Desperate to prove their street cred or gain one.
Dominique wouldn’t admit he was scared, but I could tell he was relieved to be staying with me as he had all week. I hadn’t made it easy for him. I had him out in the yard with me to learn to make use of his hands, or in the kitchen, to learn to fend for himself. He complained, like the whiney kid he was, but he sucked it up and kept up with me.
I had an envelope filled with ten freshly printed hundred-dollar bills sitting in the cup console beside me. I kept the music on low as I scanned the playground and park for any signs of activity. My phone was out on my lap as well in case Savon spotted anybody.
Beside me, Dominique was nonchalant as his phone kept pinging every other minute.
“Havin’ fun?” I asked on the fifty-eleventh notification.
Dominique smiled and looked my way. “Chill.”
Another ping had him back in his phone.
I rolled my eyes and focused out the window before me. “How’s work?”
Dominique lifted and dropped his shoulder. “It’s cool. They hired some more people. They’re sayin’ if I want, I can move inside and become a stocker.”
“More money?”
“Not really, but if I get more hours I can earn a raise they say,” Dom went on. “I kinda like pushin’ carts. I be in my own little world out there. Nobody faster than me at it.”
I liked that he enjoyed that feat. That he had something he liked about workin’ at Finnegan’s. “Yeah, but if you move inside you could be the fastest stocker.”
That got Dom to grin. One thing I noticed about the kid, was that if he put his mind to something, he wanted to be the best at it. Despite his shortcomings, Dominique was a good kid and a hard worker, and I was sure if he kept busy with his job he’d be on the fast track.
“So, what’s up with you and your girl, man?” Dominique asked a minute later.
“ My girl ?” I questioned.
He smirked as he tapped away on his phone. “Yeah, I can tell you talkin’ to someone. You not walkin’ around as pissed-off as you used to. Like someone finally took that stick outta yo’ ass.”
Annoyance took over me as I deadpanned and faced the little shit.
Dominique laughed blatantly and shrugged. “I’m just sayin’, Keith.”
I made a face and shook away his ignorance. “I woke my ass up, that’s what changed. I realized who and what I had left in my life.” I glanced his way. “I couldn’t fall back and let you down, my uncle, or my mom and Betty. I looked in the mirror and kicked my own ass.”
“Word?” Dom asked.
“Word,” I responded. “I mean, there is someone new in my life, but I can’t base my joy on her, no matter how much I like her.” I looked him in the eye as I spoke. “You can’t be too caught up in these girls, man. It’s important to be able to stand on your own two feet and be stable.”
“I hear you,” Dominique said with a bob of his head. He gave me a lopsided frown. “It would kinda suck if you dropped off the grid again.”
I wouldn’t.
Holding my hand out between the driver and passenger seat, I swore an oath. “I’ma be around. I promise. Okay?”
Dominique slapped his hand against mine and we shook on it.
I was about to ask him about college or a trade school when I spotted a group of individuals approaching the basketball court. I sat up and eyed the group, noticing at once they were holdin’.
“No matter what goes down, stay. In. The. Truck,” I instructed sternly.
Dominique sank in his seat beside me, nodding. “I will.”
I sent a Savon a quick text before grabbing the envelope and climbing out of my Tahoe.
Pulling the brim of my baseball cap down low, I made my way over to the bleachers where Dom’s people were crowdin’.
They spotted me just as I stepped foot on the court. A shirtless, tattooed heavy-set man wearing a durag turned his back on me, exposin’ the Beretta tucked into his waistband.
My piece was at home. An attempt to show Dominique you could move without it.
Some teenagers were shooting hoops on the court, girls and boys were playing jump rope on the sidewalks, and parents were pushing littler kids on the swing set. We were surrounded by witnesses, but some people just straight didn’t give a fuck.
Didn’t care, though. I wasn’t letting this situation go on further for Dominique.
I lifted my chin at a tall skinny guy who was hanging back, staring at me. “I’m here for Dominique.”
The heavy-set one stepped closer. “Ain’t no Dom around here. You see ’im?”
I held my envelope with a firm grip. “Whatever he owes you is all in here.”
His beady eyes zeroed in on my thick envelope and he switched his weight from one foot to the other.
Things got quiet around us as the game went on in the background. Some kid yelled “Foul!” and some parent at the benches nearby called for their daughter. Wind blew between us, inviting a scent of skunk weed to hit my senses.
I stood my ground. “Well?”
Skinny clicked his tongue and the heavier one backed off.
Most of the group looked to be late teens and early twenties. Low-level hustlers who hopefully weren’t any serious threat to Dominique’s well-being.
Skinny cut through the group and stepped up to me, sizing me up and peering into my eyes curiously. “Keith, right?”
I nodded.
“I seen you around the way. Whatchu doin’ here in this shit?” he wanted to know.
I gestured to the side, as if to illustrate Dominique. “That’s me.”
Skinny shook his head. “I ain’t know you was big brother.”
I thought of the little nickname Dominique had slipped and called me during his stay with me. Twin . I wouldn’t let it show in front of these guys, but it felt good to feel important to him. Like brothers.
I held up the envelope for emphasis. “Neither here nor there. He’s done with you and all this.”
Skinny smirked. “You think so?”
Stepping closer, I did my best to rein in my temper as I got in his face. “Know so.”
Skinny stared at me as I stared at him.His group came closer, standing shoulder to shoulder with him, letting their presence be more known.
“Is there a problem?”
Savon.
He stepped up beside me and eyed the rest of the group, prepared for whatever was about to go down.
In Skinny’s eyes, I could see he didn’t want it to go that way. Not with the money so close to his grasp.
I held it out and he slowly took it.
“Nah,” he said as he opened the envelope and leafed through the bills. “We straight.” He lifted his gaze to mine. “Tell Dominique it’s whatever.”
“Stand on it,” I let it be known. “Don’t come around him no more.”
Skinny shrugged as he waved me off dismissively. The debt was paid and he couldn’t care less. It showed as he joined back up with his crew and they left in their herd.
I watched them leave down the street from the park until they were a safe distance away.
Slowly, I faced Savon. “I had it.”
Savon chuckled. “Looked like you was about to get jumped by a group of middle schoolers.”
They hadn’t been big or intimidating at all. I managed to loosen up as I slapped Savon’s arm.
Movement to my right caused me to look over and catch Dominique approaching. His hands were in his hoodie and his shoulders were hitched up.
“Everything okay?” he asked warily, looking around for any signs of his old friends.
“It’s settled,” I announced.
Savon reached out and jabbed Dom’s shoulder. “Be smart next time, D. Don’t go mixin’ yourself up with stupidity like that. Some people are going up, and some are going south. You gotta surround yourself with people who only want to elevate you and see you do better.”
Dominique nodded, a tiredness to his eyes. “I know, Von.”
“If you ever find yourself in a jam again, you know you can call up me or Keith, right?” Savon pushed on. “I got a cot you can lay your head on, too.”
Dom’s lips trembled as he accepted Savon’s hug and let him embrace him. We were out in the open, so it wasn’t “cool” to show affection, but fuck it.
“We love you, man,” I let it be known. “So the same way you don’t want me disappearin’, don’t go doin’ anything that’s gonna have you missin’. Okay?”
Dominique nodded, scratching at his plaits. “I’ma be good, Keith. I swear.”
Savon playfully swatted at the back of Dom’s head. “Good, now stay yo’ ass in school.”
Dominique groaned as we crossed the lot for the parking area. “Here y’all go with this shit.”
Savon looked at me as I looked at him. Together we smacked the back of Dom’s head and chuckled when he called us out on it.
I was sure Dominique’s future would be solid. After all, I planned to be around to see him through.