Chapter 9
“Afucking car is wild,” Chloe said as she lounged on the bed in the guest room Sweetie and Boogie had stayed in.
Sweetie shook her head because she really had no words.
She leaned up against the wall opposite the bed, too antsy to sit.
Boogie, Denzel, and Zander had left to go do God knows what.
Tandy retired to her room to take a nap, and Chloe followed Sweetie up to her room since they hadn’t had a moment to talk since she and Boogie reunited.
Finally, Sweetie mumbled, “Real fuckin’ wild.”
The thought of a car being the source of all the madness in her life pissed her off.
A fucking car. It would be a long time before she could wrap her mind around that.
Her father was stubborn and typically thought the world revolved around him.
His mother passed before she was born, but rumor had it his mama was the reason he was that way.
He was her only child and spoiled rotten.
It was right on track for him to throw a damn fit over a car.
But to become so bitter and mean, especially toward his youngest daughter, that was a bit much.
Sweetie could remember before she and Boogie got caught the first time, she and her dad got along alright.
They weren’t best friends or nothing like that, but he was kind to her and spoiled her.
Junior high changed everything for her, and it was all because her father couldn’t let go of a stupid car.
With a loud sigh, Sweetie pushed off the wall and walked over to the bed.
After she plopped down, Chloe said, “I never would have thought you would be a part of the family. I always thought you were so sweet, and you sure know how to shake that ass, but it’s a small ass world, you knowing Boogie and all. ”
“Super small.” Sweetie agreed.
“You’re not much of a talker, are you?” Chloe asked with a smile.
Sweetie shifted slightly as heat rose to her cheeks. “Honestly? I just never really had any friends before, outside of Boogie. Females never really liked me.”
Chloe laughed. “You must have been surrounded by a bunch of dust bunnies. They’re just jealous, pooh. Bad bitches know what’s up.”
Sweetie admired Chloe’s confidence. She was gorgeous with her curly bob and toffee-colored skin.
Her personality was all that too. She was a true girl’s girl, and Sweetie loved that about her.
It was why she was able to connect with her when they first met at the strip club.
Chloe always made her feel comfortable and appreciated, two things she didn’t get too often.
“I’ll have to keep that in mind,” Sweetie said with a half-smile.
Chloe waved her off. “Don’t worry. I’ll properly introduce you to some of my friends. You’ll love them.”
Sweetie liked the idea of that, but it felt like something that wouldn’t happen any time soon. There was too much going on at the moment to worry about getting some girlfriends.
“Has this ever happened before? Being confined to the house, I mean?” Sweetie asked.
She grew up in a powerful family, but she never had to go through phases where she had to keep a low profile.
“A few times. I remember the first time it happened for me was when me and Zel just met. Girl, I didn’t know what the hell I had gotten into.
I’m a simple around the way girl who grew up in the hood.
I didn’t know nothing about the DeLuca family or street beefs or nothin’.
We had to stay holed up here for a whole month.
“I was livid. It was at the end of a semester in college, and I couldn’t even go on campus.
I almost left Zel’s ass, but I stuck it out.
I’m glad I did. From what I understand, they take their safety really seriously.
If there’s even the smallest threat, they don’t play, especially about their women, so while it can be frustrating to be stuck in this big ass mansion, it also isn’t that bad, and it’s really out of love. ”
Sweetie absorbed Chloe’s words. She was used to being holed up, but that was kind of the problem. She had just found her independence. Now, because of her father again, she had to be confined. She was sick of it.
“I feel like I need to do something. Try to talk some sense into my father.”
“You think that’s possible?” Chloe asked with a raised brow.
Sweetie slouched. “No.”
“I didn’t think so. The way Zel talks about him, he seems like a menace. No offense.”
“None taken.”
They sat in silence for a while, lost in their own thoughts. Sweetie’s phone vibrated, and dread filled her. Lately, whenever her phone rang, it brought bad news.
Slowly, she grabbed her phone from her pocket and looked at the screen. It was a FaceTime call from her mom. Sweetie’s brows pulled in as she answered.
“Ma?”
Her mother’s tear-filled face graced the screen, and Sweetie’s heart dropped.
“Sweetie, Granny wants to talk to you.” She paused for a moment and whispered, “I don’t think she has much longer. The doctors are here making her comfortable.”
Sweetie shook her head. “What do you mean? You said she had a few weeks . . . months—”
“It’s not going to be that long, honey. She’s asking for you. I tried to explain why you weren’t here, but her mind . . . it’s not as sharp as it used to be. She’s not really understanding . . .”
Sweetie closed her eyes and allowed her tears to stream. She felt a hand on her knee and knew Chloe was trying to comfort her. She appreciated it, but she wanted Boogie. She opened her eyes and whispered, “Can you call Boogie? Please? I need him.”
Chloe nodded and hopped up so she could step out into the hall to make the phone call.
Sweetie focused back on her mom. “Let me talk to her.”
Valarie nodded sadly and then walked into the room they had Lucille in. When her granny’s face filled the screen, Sweetie did her best to smile.
“Sweetie? Is that you? Where are you?” Granny asked, and it broke Sweetie’s heart.
“I can’t be there right now, old lady. How you feelin’?” Sweetie asked, trying to add some lightness to her voice.
“Why? I want both my grandbabies here . . . I don’t feel well.” She said that last part like it confused her. Sweetie immediately understood what her mother said about her mind not being all the way there.
“I know, Granny. I’m going to figure somethin’ out, okay? Can you hold on for me a little bit longer?”
Lucille nodded. “Don’t take too long.”
Her frail voice undid Sweetie, and as badly as she wanted to sit on the phone with her granny and soak in her voice and face, she knew she had to get off the phone.
“I won’t, Granny. I promise. Can you put Mama back on the phone?”
A moment later, her mother’s face was back in the screen. The smile Sweetie put on for her grandmother disappeared, and she sobbed. “Mama, I need to be there.”
“I know, baby. I’m going to go talk to your father, and I’ll call you back. Your granny isn’t the only one that wants you here . . . Me and Audra do too. We need to be together as a family.”
It warmed Sweetie’s heart that her mom and sister wanted her there. For so long, she felt like an outcast. It was sad that her granny dying had to be the thing that brought them closer together.
“He’s talking about breaking a treaty and war . . . Mama, he isn’t going to allow it. Not if I’m with Boogie.”
Valarie sighed. “I know. I know. Just let me talk to him. My mother is dying . . . I think we all deserve a little grace right now.” She paused. “Sweetie?”
“Yeah?”
“Are you happy? With Boogie, I mean?”
Sweetie paused. The topic of Boogie was always off the table. Mentioning a DeLuca in the Bishop house was as good as cursing out God. It was blasphemy.
“I’ve always loved Boogie. He’s the only person I’ve ever really connected with. Yes, I’m happy.”
She’d basically just told her mom that she never connected with anyone in her family, but she also assured her that she knew love through Boogie. Admitting that to her mother felt bittersweet.
Valarie was silent for a moment before she said, “Hold on to that love, Sweetie, no matter what. I’ll call you back shortly.”
The line disconnected, and Sweetie felt a swarm of emotions overtake her. Having her mother’s blessing felt like everything to her, but she didn’t feel like celebrating. Her only thought was of her granny.