Chapter 2
two
DJ
“You’re coming by for dinner tomorrow,” Big Mama stated not giving him much room to object. Although he wouldn’t either way. If Big Mama said it, it was the rule – the law of the land and he dare not challenge her authority. “Worry about that car later. You drive me around half the time.”
DJ chuckled letting the smile show the dimples in his cheeks. “What can I say you’re good company.”
Big Mama grunted. “Mhmm. I’m the closest thing you got to her.”
DJ’s eyes looked past her to the spot on the porch where Nyna was standing mere minutes ago.
A faint smile crossed his face before it fell.
Big Mama had a point but he wouldn’t fully validate that.
Not yet and not now where Nyna’s and her supersonic ears could be lurking.
She could hear his thoughts if he thought loud enough.
So he refrained and changed the subject.
“You want me to send Lil’ Tony by to cut the grass?” DJ posed.
Big Mama let a smirk of her own cross her face. “You too busy to cut an old ladies grass now?”
DJ laughed softly. “I don’t have time between your car, the shop and staying out the way. I didn’t want to over step.”
He was referring to Nyna. They were over before they got started only because he assumed responsibility for something that nothing to do with him for real.
Something that broke her into pieces and he had no clue on how to put her back together again.
Not even four years later she was back close the same state she left in and that was causing him some angst.
Big Mama looked back at the door and pulled in a deep breath. “You know sometimes you can’t fix everything but you can just be there. Just keep being here and it’ll fall back into place. I’ll see you tomorrow for Sunday dinner.”
“I’ll be here. See you Big Mama,” DJ said departing the steps that saved his life.
“See you baby. Be good don’t get caught in no shit tonight,” she warned before turning around and going back in the house.
DJ waited until she secure in the house, the indicator was her turning on a light he could see through the smoked glass window on the door. He folded his tall body back into his Chevelle and pulled off from 964 Woodshire Drive and onto 50th.
For years, he could function with the thought of Nyna in the back of his mind. Staying close to Big Mama not only kept him alive but kept that feeling – that thing he couldn’t put his finger on – for Nyna alive.
When she left everything was heavy. She’d stood quietly and strongly by Big Mama as they lowered a sister and grandchild into the ground.
In turn, in true fashion, Nyna and Big Mama held him up as he lowered his brother into the ground.
They needed each other, it’d always been that way until it wasn’t.
The events of that great loss were permanently embedded in his brain.
There was a party. Him and his brother, Phoenix, had had plenty.
The hood would come through. The girl he wanted and the girl his brother had would be safely tucked in the cut.
But that night was different. They were fresh off of a mission for the gang.
According to the plan everything went smoothly but it didn’t feel smooth.
Nyna had suggested that maybe they should’ve laid low for a night.
Let the dust settle so they could see any potential problems. But Phoenix and Veya were pressed on having the party.
They were ambushed and there was nothing more that DJ feared than losing someone he loved. He lost three. Veya and PJ gone in and instant his body on top of Veya’s, attempting to shield her, and Nyna who couldn’t take the reminders anymore.
Four kids from the neighborhood just trying to find their way around when they really should’ve just been with Big Mama, kicking it.
Her space was the safest full of love and fullness.
DJ clearly recalled him having other things on his mind that couldn’t be done, let alone attempted in Big Mama’s house.
The one time he stepped into Nyna’s room to grab a charger Big Mama threatened to beat his ass until he passed out.
The memory made his soft grunt turn into laughter.
Pearl Chambliss already had one daughter that got away from her.
A daughter that only came back to drop her children off and go back to do whatever she was doing prior to.
She wouldn’t let Nyna or Veya get away from her.
So keeping the boys out of the room and her eyes on them as much as she could was at the top of her priority list.
The one time she turned her head for more than a second, tragedy struck and it came with a vengeance. DJ couldn’t even remember their mother showing up to Veya’s funeral. But that was then and he couldn’t rewind the hands of time to take Nyna’s pain away. He could, however, be there moving forward.
Arriving to his house ,a few blocks over, he was met by Charlie posted up on the side of his custom F-150.
The sapphire paint was a sign those Azul Hearts were outside.
DJ kept his sapphire painted car in the garage on days he was driving Big Mama around.
He never wanted any static when he was out with her.
After parking his car and climbing out he looked at Charlie and asked. “Lucci must’ve gave you the day off?”
“Family day. They kicking it at the crib. Day said she’s been trying to call you,” Charlie spoke trailing him into the house.
“I saw her call. I’ve been riding Big Mama around today you know how that goes,” DJ spoke kicking off his shoes and untucking his chain. On the kitchen counter he dropped his flag and his gun. “What she need?”
“Wanted to see what else you needed for the car show,” Charlie spoke earning a nod.
“All that shit is handled. Why you here in person asking me that though?” DJ asked knowing this visit wasn’t about the car show. It was about gang business. And while Lucci was off the hook for gang activity, his ears were still to the streets and that ear went by the name of Charlie.
“What’s up the CK and that shooting last week?” Charlie questioned making DJ groan then suck his teeth.
“Those niggas need some reigning in. I fell back like y’all asked me to do but it’s really nothing to clear a block out to remind muhfuckas I’m still him.”
“Calm down,” Charlie buzzed. “They crossing over?”
“They wouldn’t fuckin’ try. I’m gonna keep it real with you nigga.
Since the Kizzie shit I’m not fucking with them like that.
We got rules and guidelines in place to ensure shit don’t get sticky out here and for the most part it’s been quiet but these young niggas think they bigger than the fuckin’ program.
You know one of em rolled up on me today when I was out with Big Mama.
You know I don’t play that shit,” DJ stated with an edge in his voice.
Big Mama and Nyna outside the gang were the only “family” he had left and he wasn’t going to ever put them back in harms away.
The idea of it made him upset all over again.
If it weren’t for Big Mama challenging him to blow through the red light and drift onto 48th he probably would’ve dropped her off and paid them niggas a visit.
“We got to get some peace or meeting in the middle . It’s that simple I’m not trying to bury another homie over gang shit. You ever considered gettin’ the fuck up out of here?”
DJ nodded. “Yeah, but Big Mama ain’t leaving her house.”
A small smile crossed Charlie’s face. “Yo, I find it amazing that a woman you ain’t never hit got you anchored to her people like this.”
“Her people are my people and it’s more to life than hitting it, nigga. I don’t expect you to know that shit. You hit everything walking,” DJ joked.
“First of all fuck you nigga.”
“Nahhh, I’m good,” DJ responded.
“Humor me light skin, what is it?” Charlie posed moving around DJ’s kitchen helping himself to snacks.
DJ shook his head and leaned on the counter by the sink and shrugged. “That connection. She was my friend. Honestly my best friend outside my brother. She knew my secrets, knew where my bodies are buried, saw past the bullshit to a niggas soul.”
“And you ain’t locked her down before because of what?” Charlie posed.
“Right place, wrong time. Wrong time, right place. Type shit. Not wanting to ruin her because she was good and you know we don’t have a lot of fuckin’ good out here. These chicks look at us like a ticket out the hood.”
“You deep as an ocean. You and Lucci be giving me hope. Well not so much you cause your girl all the way in Lavendale living it up with a baller,” Charlie quipped. “All out on the field, in the box, feeding him in private rooms of fancy ass restaurants.”
“Actually…” DJ started, ignoring all the other nonsense Charlie ended his statement with. “She’s back.”
Charlie stopped his munching on the cookies at ask. “Fuck you not with her? Bending her into submission and shit?”
“In Big Mama’s house?”
Charlie snapped his fingers. “Yeah, you right she not having that shit. Even if she is grown as hell. Either way, you know like I know, time don’t wait on nobody. Don’t wait no more. Get in there. Handle your shit. It’s been too long as is.”
DJ bobbed his head. “I hear you. Tell Day I’ll touch base around Monday. It’s still the holiday weekend. She needs to chill.”
“That’s on Lucci. She’s about to have that baby and you know she likes shit to be set up before she goes out. I told her she needs to hire someone to help her. But we’ll see.”
“Indeed. You bringing your car out for real or you was bullshittin’.”
“The bitches gonna be there?” Charlie posed.
“Ain’t they always when we pull up on the scene?”
“Then the car is going to be there,” Charlie spoke roaming back toward the door. “See you, nigga.”
“Aight.”
Once Charlie was gone and DJ secured his house, he plopped down on the couch and stared at the blank walls. There was no life in this house. No laughter, nothing. Just stillness and his thoughts.
He let his body sink into the cushions and he pulled in a deep breath.
Loneliness wasn’t for him and as of late it’d been his best friend.
Before it swallowed him he needed to get out.
Pushing himself off the couch, he stalked back through the kitchen.
DJ grabbed his keys and gun and headed out his spot to his shop.
He’d paint the car on the rack until he felt tiredness rest in his bones.