Halo
We were at the office going over a new hit that we had coming up. I was paying attention and texting too.
“It’s Story. She’s acting off, like something’s up.” I answered with my forehead tight and responding to the latest text.
“Aw hell. Brother, we do not need a repeat of three years ago.” Greek inserted.
“I found it fun when he was tweaking out. Remember that time we had to put Benadryl in his food to knock him out.” Golden had his feet crossed on the table laughing.
I gave him the middle finger and Greek too since he laughed with him.
“Y’all leave him alone. Halo, what’s happening with Story?” Auntie asked.
“We ain’t talked on the phone and when I try to, she doesn’t answer but she texts.”
“Shit.” Golden cussed.
I looked at him. “What?”
“I know when I do that it means my fist is in some---”
“Golden! Just don’t help!” Uncle Thaddeus playfully hit Golden in the head with the papers in his hand.
Golden laughed with his hands up, “I’m just saying! If I only text and do not call, then it means I am on some sneaky shit. Bro, I’m not being bold, you know I want you with Story. Don’t guess, just ask her what’s up. By now she should know you’ll pop up if need be.”
“The only reason why I want to wait on questioning her is because she said she just started her period---
“OOO fuck!” My brothers and Thaddeus said the exact same thing.
Imani said, “Tread lightly Halo. If she just came on, then those first two days are serious. That for sure is a valid reason for her acting differently.”
“Agreed nephew. Your auntie is like Bruce and the Hulk a week before and the first three days during.”
“I will make you sleep in the guest room if you keep talking about me like I’m not here.” She was playing but he did not want to try her, so he kissed her and apologized.
“I hear all y’all and I’m taking it in. I’m not tryna do like I did when we were together with overthinking. When she used to come on her period all she wanted was her savory food and me under her.” I explained.
“Yes, but that was three years ago Halo. Us women change when it comes to cravings and routine when dealing with our cycle. Give it until tomorrow then say something.” Imani advised.
“Thanks auntie.” I put my phone down and completely focused on the next hit.
An hour and we were finished with going over everything.
“Keanu called me today and said he got a quick emergency job for tomorrow morning. I told him how much extra that will be and he’s willing to pay for it.
Me and Imani aren’t needed but he told me he would call tomorrow with all the details.
Y’all want it? He said it won’t take long and it’s here in Michigan. ” Thaddeus told us.
Greek asked me and Golden were we down and we were all for it.
“I’ll set it up. Be here at seven in the morning.” Thaddeus gave his final instructions.
“Be real with me brother. You on edge about Story for real?” Greek asked me when we got outside in the winter cold.
Thaddeus and Imani were still in the office and Golden was behind me.
“I just don’t like it, but I’ll chill because she’s bleeding. I don’t want her to feel like I think the worst all the time. Just don’t like how she’s acting.” I looked at my phone again and saw that she responded to me.
I had asked her if she needed anything and she told me she was fine.
“What’chu about to do now?” Golden questioned me.
“I told Dallas I’d do this favor for her. She is cool peoples, but she and I don’t have shit to talk about after this. I think I want to change my number too. It’s a few women that have it and I don’t want that energy around me no more.”
“Dang Halo, you really in love.” Golden cited.
“On my soul I love Story so bad I be feeling like I’ll go ape shit if she doesn’t just be my girl again. I can see her being my wife.” I never said those words out loud.
Greek liked what I said, he hit my shoulder and smiled.
Golden smiled too and spoke, “It may not be anything I want for myself, but I am happy you found your person. As far as Dallas you a nicer man than I am cause I’d uh’ told that bitch to kick rocks.
“Brother, Satan is nicer than you.” Greek joked and it was so funny.
“I’on mind doing this favor for her. I ain’t got shot to do this evening anyways. I’m about to go change my clothes and head her way. What are y’all about to do?”
“We about to go to the casino with Blake. Nothing much.” Greek answered.
I gave my brothers a dab then went to my crib so I could get dressed. I did not have on anything but sweats and a hoodie now. All I did was put on some jeans and change my boots. I left out of my place and drove to pick Dallas up.
“Hi Halo. Thanks again for doing this for me.” Dallas spoke when she got inside my ride and put the seat belt on.
“What’s up and it’s no problem. I know what it’s like to have ya’ family pressure you.”
I normally am not so quiet, but my mind was on Story. I tried not to overthink, but she wasn’t being herself. Or I was being greedy and wanted to be around her even while she was bleeding. I wanted to talk to her and hear her voice.
“You seem like it’s a lot on your mind.” Dallas snapped me out of my thoughts. “I know we aren’t friends anymore, but I am here anytime you need me to be Halo.”
A long time ago her words would have encouraged me to talk. But she was not who I needed to talk to at all. Matter of fact, I had not told anyone. But I got the ick being around Dallas ever since I got to drunk at her spot.
I came over high from edibles, but the shots were to much. When I woke up early in the morning on her couch, she was just overly nice to me. It made me check my pockets, I thought she might have robbed me or something.
She kept trying to cook me breakfast, but I just wanted to get to my place and shower. A ick feeling ran over me that morning when I left her place. Since then, I knew it was a good idea to get away from her.
Golden was right, I might be a little too nice in certain situations.
But it’s just who I was, I can be an asshole when I need to be.
But even though Dallas rubbed me wrong I did not think I needed to be an asshole now.
Who knows, tonight might be what I need to take my mind off Story until tomorrow morning.
“I’m all good Dallas, just had a long day.” I told her. I turned Moneybagg Yo’s album up.
It was best for her not to talk much, or I’d drop her at her dad’s house and drive off.
The drive took twenty minutes. My GPS told me that we were six minutes away. talk to Dallas while we drove. I did not want to be completely shut off.
“Your dad has a nice house.” I told her after we got out.
“Thank you. Before we go inside, I want to tell you something.”
“What up?”
“My dad is remarried to my auntie. I just wanted to let you know incase it comes up so you won’t be surprised.”
“That’s wild. But thanks for telling me.”
We walked up the two steps to the big door. Dallas knocked and someone opened the door. It was an older Spanish lady who because of her uniform I knew she was the maid. Shwe answered the door with her head down like it was a sin to look at us.
Dallas took her coat off and handed it to her without even speaking. That was rude as hell but that’s how they treated the help. I did not have a coat on, so I just followed Dallas into the dining room.
The setting was as grand as the house. The table could seat eight people, but it was set for four. I thought it would be more people the way Dallas explained it. But I was not about to make a big deal about anything. I was ready to get this over with.
“Mam, Dallas and her gentlemen have arrived.” I heard the maid say when she went into the kitchen.
I took a seat next to Dallas and I could hear heels coming from the kitchen.
“Don’t be fooled. No matter what we eat, my dad’s wife did not cook it. She’d burn the house down boiling water.” Dallas leaned over and said to me.
What she said made me crack up because Dallas must hate the lady.
“I am so sorry, I had me make sure our cook understood that no smart person wants their steak well done.”
When I looked at the person who entered the room I leaned back into my seat some.
The woman still looked the same just a little slimmer in the face.
Naw, there is no damn way I was looking at someone who I buried away in my mind for years.
The way she stood there looking at me told me that she knew who I was.
“Well, isn’t this a small world.” She spoke and her voice was the same.
“Megara. I see, so that makes you my Hercules. And as my Hercules I need you not to run in the halls. We do not want you to get in trouble or worse, hurt. Can you do that for me, can you use that smart brain of yours and be good?”
The memory of what she said to me when I called her Megara popped in my mind.
“Small world? You two know each other?” Dallas asked.
“I never thought I would say this, but Halo used to be my student.” She answered.
I needed to be a man and snap out of it. So, I got it together. “Ms. Toll, nice to see you again.”
“It’s Mrs. Boyd now and you can call me Arabia.” She politely corrected me and sat down in the chair in front of me. “I would have never thought you were dating my daughter. How did this happen?” Her expression was phony and forced.
I just know damn well she’s not jealous. I needed to see if that’s what it was.
“We met at my dispensary in 2018. I uh, I don’t know if you could say we---
“We fuck, a lot.” I talked over Dallas. “Me and Dallas had a cool friendship. We stopped talking for a while then linked back up. She cool peoples but yeah, we fuck. If you wanna call that dating, then you can…Arabia.”
Dallas loved what I said. But Arabia botched looking face tightened up like bawled paper.
“Sorry I’m late, I had a work call to attend---”
I stood up when Keanu walked into the room. He saw me, looked at Dallas then back at me and he grinned.
“No damn way! You!” He went to hug me, but I held my hand out and cut that short.
“This is your dad?” I asked Dallas.