Coop
Chauncey’s been out of pocket for a minute now. I didn’t expect it to take this long for my nigga to bounce back, but it is what it is.
Business is still running smoothly for the most part, but none of this feels normal. I’m still trying to adjust to Chauncey lying in that hospital bed.
Everybody out here wants to be a boss, but nobody wants to put in the work. I paid my dues a long time ago. I’m not bothered about not being the face of the operation. I’m not tripping about still putting in work in the streets either.
Most of the shit Simmy has me doing right now? I probably wouldn’t be doing it if Chauncey were up. But if my partner needs extra work handled, I’m going to handle it.
That’s how this works.
Sleep didn’t come easily last night. Hell, I haven’t slept right in over a week, and I can feel it catching up to me. I’ve been praying for the call saying Chauncey finally woke up, but so far God hasn’t answered it.
Instead, I spent most of the night watching Aisha sleep. After I made her tap the fuck out. I’ve been planting my seeds in Aisha for a minute now. I can’t wait until she’s carrying my kids.
I fuck with Aisha the long way. And I’m not ashamed to say it. Big Momma got my heart.
For real.
Before the year is over, I’m planning on asking her to marry me. Aisha isn’t the kind of woman who waits around forever. I used to see her around the streets all the time, low-key watching her from a distance.
But the night I saw her at that gambling spot with Creael? That’s when I knew I had to have her. Earlier that same day, I saw her at the corner store. She wouldn’t even look my way. But later that night at the gambling spot, when she walked in?
Our eyes had a whole conversation.
We were shooting craps. I had somebody with me, but she wasn’t about anything. Every nigga standing around that table that night had their eyes on Aisha.
And I understood why.
Aisha is short as hell—maybe five-two. Her skin is the color of honey, and she’s thick in all the right places. Big brown eyes. Cute little button nose. Full lips that make a nigga forget his own name. Her hair is long as hell, and she keeps it in a silk press that I ruin every chance I get.
But tonight?
Tonight was the first time I ever watched her sleep peacefully, and that shit stayed on my mind.
Completely relaxed.
Like the world wasn’t weighing on her shoulders. I want her to feel that kind of peace every day, even if the life I live makes that hard to guarantee.
But the life I live?
That kind of peace is hard to guarantee.
Ileft the house around six in the morning. Before making any moves in the streets, I’m stopping by the hospital. We’ve got eyes on the niggas we think were involved in Chauncey getting popped, and if they move wrong, we’re grabbing them today.
Today we’re going to snatch these little niggas up and hold them until Chauncey wakes up, so he can handle his own business.
Killing them would be easy.
Too easy.
But I want Chauncey to have the honor of handling his own business when he wakes up. I’ve been on their asses for the last three days.
The crazy part?
These little niggas are still moving around the city like they didn’t just try to kill my partner.
Walking around free.
Like nothing happened.
That ends today.
Mrs. Lynn gave us a copy of Chauncey’s phone records. That intel changed everything. My nigga has been busy these past few months.
Not that I’m surprised.
But he needs to get his shit together. Because Rhy is going to kill him before the streets ever get the chance, if he doesn’t get his shit together soon.
There’s already enough going on, so we decided not to tell Rhy about this part.
When we checked the call records, one number kept popping up.
Kori.
Her number was all over Chauncey’s phone. We tracked her phone and found a location. So yeah… we’re going to pay her a visit soon and see how involved she really was in this shit.
And we’re saving that bitch for Chauncey too, if she had anything to do with it. At the end of the day, every last one of these motherfuckers involved has to go if they’re guilty.
Nobody is getting spared.
Hopefully, Chauncey wakes up soon so we can move on from all of this the right way.
It takes about an hour to get to the hospital. I’m not in any rush. Cruising through the city early in the morning helps clear my head.
But seeing Chauncey hooked up to all those machines? That shit messes with me.
Heavy.
And after another night of barely sleeping? My mind is already running wild. I probably should’ve stayed in bed after the few rounds Sha and I had, but watching her cry last night hit me harder than I expected.
I wasn’t expecting it.
And I damn sure don’t want to be the reason she’s shedding tears again.
I know Sha worries about my safety when I’m out in the streets, but this life is what it is. Outside the hospital room, I dap up Squeeze and Drill before stepping inside to see Chauncey.
Glock is sitting in the chair right next to the bed.
We lock eyes.
I heard Rhy turned this whole place upside down a few days ago. Time for my nigga to wake up, because this shit keeps getting bigger.
“What up, doe?”
“What’s good?”
I glance over at the bed. “Damn… this nigga still ain’t woke up?”
“Hell nah,” Glock says.
He leans back in the chair.
“One of the little nurses was trying to get at a nigga.”
I raise an eyebrow.
“She said when she was washing him up, his dick started getting hard.”
I look at Glock.
He looks at me.
And we both start laughing.
“Aye,” I shake my head. “Keep that thirsty-ass nurse away from Chauncey. She’ll be the next name on Rhy’s hit list.”
“Oh, trust me,” Glock says. “That situation is already handled.”
He shrugs.
“Didn’t realize these hospital hoes were this thirsty.”
“Shit,” I say. “Makes two of us.”
Glock stands up.
“I’mma step out for a minute. I’ll let you have some time with him.”
He nods toward the bed.
“Just call me before you slide so I can get back to posting.”
“Fa sho.”
Glock leaves the room, giving me a moment alone with Chauncey before I head back out to the streets.
I dropped down into the chair he was sitting in.
Chauncey looks peaceful as hell, and that calm makes me miss this nigga even more.
Like he’s catching the best sleep of his life.
“Goddamn, Chauncey,” I mutter. “I need you to wake your tender-dick ass up.”
I lean forward. “I heard you out here letting these little nurses get your dick hard. Nigga, Rhy is gonna beat your ass.”
I chuckle.
“My sis already wilding out here.”
I shake my head.
“But I can’t even say nothing to her… because you’re the one who needs to get your shit together.”
I rub my face.
“Real talk, though… I hope Sis doesn’t pop your ass when you wake up.”
I lean back in the chair. “Nigga, you need to tighten the fuck up.”
The room goes quiet.
“I can’t wait to wake up from this nightmare.”
I glance over at him. “Ain’t no way you still causing chaos like this while you laid up.”
I sigh.
“I didn’t think I’d actually miss your ass like this… but I do.”
Real talk. “Shit ain’t the same without you, my nigga.”
I check the monitors for a second before continuing.
“I know that last time we kicked it ain’t the last time.”
Then my voice drops. “On God, we got eyes on the niggas who did this shit.”
I pause.
“And the bitch was involved too.”
I stand up and stretch. “Today ain’t judgment day though.”
I crack my knuckles.
“I’mma leave that honor for you.”
I smirk slightly.
“But today? I’m duct-taping and hog-tying these little niggas.”
I glance at him again.
“I’m giving your stubborn ass two days to wake up before I handle it myself.”
I shrug.
“Because I know your ass gonna want in.”
I check the time on my AP.
“On the bright side… business is still booming.”
I grin. “I ain’t even had to press nobody.”
I pull my phone out and call Glock.
He answers on the first ring.
“Yo.”
“I’m about to slide.”
“Aiight, I’m coming up.”
I hang up and glance at Chauncey one last time. Getting that off my chest felt good, but it also reminded me how much this shit matters.
Chauncey ain’t just my partner.
That’s my brother.
We’ve been rocking together since the fifth grade.