Chapter 25
Chosyn Gravehart
"Thank you for calling Mellow & Munch. This is Chosyn speaking."
"Chosyn I—"
It didn't take much for me to recognize her voice.
"Choyce, why are you calling me?"
"We need to talk."
"We haven't talked in years, so going a couple more won't hurt," I replied, filling empty bottles to stock the fridge with Zenade.
"Have you always been a bitch?" Choyce huffed like I didn't have the right to be the biggest one.
"Nope, at least not to you. I used to be your favorite person. Shit, you used to be mine, but then you grew up and became a shiesty hoe." As harsh as my words were, there was no malice in my tone. I wasn't even upset with Choyce anymore. I was disappointed.
"If you would just let me explain—"
"Why?" I snipped, frowning. "An explanation won't change what you did, Choyce. You lied and manipulated me into doing something I would’ve done if you had just asked. The scheme really wasn't necessary."
"It was because I didn't know you anymore. Yes, I watched you for a few months, but I didn't know you," she stressed, as if that changed something.
"But you knew I was your sister and that should've been enough!" Feeling my anger rise, I stopped what I was doing and took a step back. "Look, I'm at work and can't deal with your bullshit right now. I already have a long day ahead of me."
"I bet if it were Navy calling, you'd drop everything to comfort her."
I chuckled inwardly at the jealousy lacing her tone. "Drop everything… no. Navy wouldn't expect me to."
"Yeah, okay, Chosyn," she spat, sucking her teeth. "I hope that friendship is worth it."
"You hope it's worth what?" I asked when I really should've gotten off the phone.
"Me. Those people you love so much might be your family, but they're not your blood."
"And they don't have to be. I love them like we all came sliding out of the same womb. Just because you and I are blood doesn't mean you get unearned forgiveness. You fucked up, Choyce, and like always, you expect me to smooth it over."
"I guess that's why you let your new sisters come over and slice my neck, right?"
I grabbed the store phone, took it off speaker, and pressed it to my ear.
"What did you say?"
"You heard—"
"Say it again, Choyce."
"Don't act like you care now." She laughed derisively. "Honey and Navy are gonna get what's coming to them."
"What did they do?"
"Why? I thought you didn't want to fight my battles anymore."
"Choyce," I gritted, pinching the bridge of my nose.
"They forced their way into my house. Honey pulled a gun on me and shoved me into a chair. Then your precious Navy straddled my lap, told me about the babies she's aborted while sliding a knife across my neck."
I froze, the phone still pressed to my ear.
"Navy doesn't seem like the violent type," she continued. "I can only imagine where she got that nifty idea from."
I let the bullshit Choyce was alluding to linger for all of a second.
"I may hate…" I stopped myself from telling Choyce I hated her because it wasn't the truth. "I may not care for you right now, but I would never give someone ideas on how to hurt you. Regardless of it all, you are my sister."
"Then that means your little makeshift sisterhood with those bitches is on shaky ground. Handle her before I get my hands on her, Chosyn. You might not know me anymore, but don't take this warning for joke," Choyce sneered, ending the call.
I set the phone down and got back to work.
It was always business before bullshit with me.
I filled the remaining bottles and stocked the fridge, letting my habits carry me as my thoughts stilled.
I didn't want to jump to conclusions and accuse Navy of overstepping when it came to my sister, especially if Choyce was lying.
"I'm about to get on an important call. Only knock on my office door if it's something you can't handle," I told my assistant.
"I got you, Chosyn," she responded with a smile.
I nodded and headed toward the back of the store. Grabbing a bottle of Zenade, I stepped into my office and closed the door behind me. I settled into my chair, took a sip, then grabbed my phone to call Navy.
"Hey, Chosyn. I'm a little busy, can I call you back?" Navy answered, sounding out of breath.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah. Mekhi got into a fight with one of the other boys. It got a little rowdy, but everything's fine."
Fine didn't sound fine coming from Navy. Her soft tenor wasn't harsh, but it snagged between irritation and frustration.
"You need me to come over there and get them lil' niggas together?"
"No," Navy answered with a laugh, but there was no humor. "I got it."
"Mhm. You need to hire some men in there," I lightly suggested. "Let them handle all that adolescent testosterone."
"I know." She sighed. "I have a few interviews lined up today. We'll see what happens, but I really have to go," Navy stated, ending the call before I could respond.
I leaned back in my chair, staring at the ceiling, already weighing whether stopping by her job made more sense than trying to have this conversation over the phone. By the time my gaze dropped back to my phone, the decision had been made. I swiped to River's contact and hit call.
"Yes, Chosyn, how may I help you?" she answered, bubbly as hell.
"What are you and my babies doing?"
"Well, I'm eating, and they're in my stomach, so obviously they're not doing much." She laughed.
"Don't get smart with—"
A text banner slid down the top of my screen, freezing the words in my throat.
"Chosyn, you better not be sucking dick while I'm on this phone! You and Wolfe are too freaked out for me," River snapped.
"I'm at work, not on my knees, hoe." I laughed, even though my eyes were still locked on the notification. "Honey texted me, and it caught me off guard."
"What does she want?" The smile was gone now. I could hear it in her voice.
"To talk," I answered, keeping it short as my fingers typed back, telling Honey to come to my store.
"About?" River snapped.
"I'm guessing whatever she and Navy did to Choyce yesterday."
"Wait, what the hell did they do?"
"Choyce claims Navy slit her throat, but I don't know." I shifted in my seat, uneasiness crawling up my spine.
"What did Navy say?"
"Nothing. When I called, she was busy handling something at work and rushed off the phone."
"Damn," River huffed, "do you think it's true?"
"Navy's been in her head a lot about her relationship. I don't wanna believe she'd do something like that without talking to me first, but shit, I don't know what to think."
"Why would she come to you? If I'm about to slice and dice her, you'd be my last call."
"That's even more reason to call me before going to her," I stated. "She's still my sister, whether or not I like her."
"You don't even call her your sister."
I frowned. "So what. If you and I fall out, I'd still care enough not to want anything bad to happen to you. Choyce and I aren't in a great place, but she's still my little sister. I'm not about to let someone hurt her."
"Okay, but what are you gonna do? Beef with Navy over a sister you don't even know anymore?"
"Damn River, if you think I should say fuck my sister, then just say that."
"I'm not saying that. I'm saying I've heard you say it one too many times for you to be upset about whatever Navy did to her."
I felt my temper spike and forced myself to breathe through it.
"You don't get it," I quietly muttered. "Regardless of what Choyce did, she's my sister. Protecting her has always been my job."
"Then protect her," River replied, softer now. "Just don't throw away a friendship because your sister started something she couldn't handle."
"I hear you, River." I sighed, letting my thoughts wander and half listening to River talk about whatever she and Crown had going on.
Everyone saw Choyce as the problem. I did too until she became a topic in my therapy sessions.
Talking through my feelings made me realize I blamed her, so I didn't have to blame myself.
Chance set us up for failure. If I had just done what he asked, Choyce might've been better off.
Instead, I shot our father and watched her get thrown into a van.
Finding her wasn't my priority. Survival was.
I did whatever I had to just to see tomorrow become today.
Choyce did the same, in her own way. What she did was fucked up, but I respected it.
What I couldn't respect was how she did it.
It didn't have to come to that with us. I would've done anything for her if she'd just asked.
Instead, she got in my head, and that was harder to forgive.
"You know I talked to my niece for the first time yesterday," I mumbled.
River waited a moment, then asked, "How did that happen?"
"I guess Choyce gave her my number." I tilted my head back, and a humorless laugh slipped past my lips. "While I was talking to my niece, Navy was probably with Choyce. That might be why Cherish was texting me, so I could distract her from the shit that was—"
"Don't do that," River gently urged. "Don't put that on youself, Chosyn. Whatever mess Choyce got herself into is hers to clean up, not yours."
"You say that, but somehow this shit still landed on my doorstep."
"It didn't land," River smacked. "Choyce brought it to you because she knew you'd do exactly what you're doing now."
I sucked my teeth. "What am I doing, River?"
"Beating yourself up because you couldn't save her last time.
You think I don't see how being at odds with her weighs on you, even though we don't talk about it?
Choyce is your sister, but you are mine.
I'm not about to let you crash out without knowing all the facts.
So, tell me what you wanna do, and I'ma make it happen. "
"What's your pregnant self gonna do?" I giggled.
"Whatever I can to make sure you're okay. And whatever I can't do, I have a crazy ass fiancé who'll make it happen."
"Oh god! Please don't get Crown involved."
"Then tell me what you need."
"Honey's on her way over. Once I talk to her, I'ma go see Navy."
"Say less I'ma have Crown drop me off to you."
"Okay." I smiled. "Thank you, River."
"You never have to thank me for being what you need when Wolfe isn't around. I might not be obsessed with your ass like he is, but I love you all the same."
"I love you too."
River and I said our goodbyes, then hung up. I set my phone down and stared at it.
A heaviness pooled in my chest as I thought about Choyce and the way she'd dragged her pain into my hands yet again.
That truth didn't cancel out the fact that I wasn't there for her.
As much as River wanted to believe this wasn't on me, I felt differently.
I closed my eyes, then opened them, but the guilt didn't budge.
For now, I'd carry it until I heard Honey and Navy's side.
Their truth was the only one I was willing to believe, but my sister was the one I was willing to protect.