26. Love
LOVE
“Nigga! I been calling you for days, where the fuck you been?” I closed the door behind me and went over to him. He took his time getting up, so I went to help him off the ground.
“Hiding,” he croaked out, wincing in pain.
“They ain’t got cell phones in hiding nigga?” I commented back, pushing him down on the couch. His clothes were dirty, spots of dried blood were on his shirt.
“Fuck happened to you?” I pointed towards his clothes. He held his side with one hand, put the other one across his eyes.
“Long story, man.”
That wasn’t gone cut it for me. I needed to know what the hell was going on. I got dragged in this bullshit just because we looked alike, so this nigga was finna tell me something.
Glaring his way, I spat. “Shorten it.”
“I was set up,” he groaned, moving into a better position.
“What?” I sat on the edge of the loveseat facing him.
He opened one eye. “The robbery. It wasn’t supposed to go down like that.”
“Well, tell me how the shit was supposed to go.” I crossed my arms, waiting for him to tell me his side of the story. I didn’t know what to believe, but I’mma hear him out.
“I went inside to see about getting a loan, that nigga Tank had other plans.”
How he thought he was gone get a loan with bad credit, but that’s neither here nor there right now.
“He said he knew the owner, so he can put in a good word for me.” He stopped, coughing inside his hand.
“I went to the counter, and we started negotiating. Tank was behind me the whole time, but I ain’t think nothing of it until I saw him shooting out all the cameras. He pulled out a gun from his waist, told the man to give him all the money. I didn’t even know he had that shit on him, man.”
He continued, “He pointed it at me when I asked him what he was doing. He made me get the cash from the safe. When we were leaving, the owner pulled out a gun and Tank popped him in his chest. I ain’t know shit, I swear.
I was just tryna get money. When we heard sirens, he suggested we split up to have a better chance.
I got in my car, and he ran on foot with all the money. ”
“Messiah heard you and Tank telling niggas what was going down, so you telling me that’s all a lie?” I remarked.
“Man, I was just talking shit like I always do. Tank started it. I was just going along with what he said. I ain’t know he was dead ass serious.
I went in with no ski mask, no nothing. If I would’ve known, don’t you think I would’ve at least covered my damn face?
Come on Love, you know me better than that. ”
I looked at him suspiciously, rubbing my beard. “So, where you been all this time?”
“Princess hid me in her uncle warehouse until he found me and told me to leave. He said he ain’t want no trouble, the robbery was all on the news.”
“Listen, man.” I ran my hand down my face. “You gotta turn yourself in before they find you.”
“Nigga, you want me locked up?” he exclaimed, tryna move around.
“No, but that shit happened. They came and picked my black ass up in the middle of a date mistaking me for you, muthafucka. You wanna be on the run for the rest of your life? You need to man up and take some responsibility.”
“Man, I don’t wanna hear that shit. I’m hurt,” he winced, motioning towards his stomach.
I swatted his hand away to see the bruises near his ribs. “Who did this?”
“Some young niggas thought I had money on me. Word must’ve got around,” he guessed, trying to sit up higher.
“Man, you stay your ass in the house, keep away from the windows. I’m about to hop in the shower real quick, and when I get out, we can come up with a plan.” I tapped his arm lightly, watching him nod his head.
I closed the door for more privacy once I got in my room. Going to plug my phone on the charger, I saw I had a missed call from Baby. I smiled to myself, pressing dial to call her back while sitting on the edge of the bed.
“Hello,” she picked up on the first ring, as if she was waiting on me. She sounded good as hell.
“Sup, Baby. I missed your call.” I leaned back on my elbow to get more comfortable.
“Yeah, I missed yours first,” she giggled. “What are you doing?”
Hearing her laugh had a nigga cheesing hard. “About to hit the shower, what you got going on?”
“At Jayda’s house. You remember her, right?”
Shit, as much as Messiah still talked about her ass, ain’t no way I could forget.
“Yeah. Tell her I said what’s up.” We spoke for a few more minutes. She told me what Jayda’s sister said to her, and I thought that was fucked up. As we talked, my mind went to the job, and I wondered if she’d been reassigned yet.
“You heard anything from the office?” I asked her.
She sighed. “Not yet, did you?”
“Nah. I ain’t really worried about it, to be honest.” I lifted to bend down, removing my shoes. I really ain’t want to hang up with her, but I’d be able to rap with her longer once I got out. “Lemme call you back when I’m done, alright?”
“Okay,” she replied, then hung up.
A nigga ain’t never take a shower so damn fast. I grabbed a pair of boxers, gym shorts and a tank top out of the drawer, then made my way to the bathroom. I ain’t hear nothing from the front room, so I figured Valentine had done dozed off to sleep.
Putting soap on my washcloth, I was quick to wash my ass and get out.
I told Valentine we were gone figure something out, but I didn’t know what I was supposed to do.
The shit he told me about Tank sounded crazy as hell, but I could see that nigga pulling something off like that.
I’d been called it, when I said his ass was gone get into something and be right back in prison, but I ain’t count on him dragging my damn brother down with him.
I got dressed and headed back in the other room to check on him. As I turned the corner, I didn’t see him on the couch.
“V?” I called out, looking for him in the kitchen first, then in the hallway bathroom.
“Fuck!” I cursed out loud. His ass done disappeared on me while I was in the shower.
What part of stay put didn’t this muthafucka understand?