Chapter 11 Let’s Be Clear
Let’s Be Clear
THYRI
The door closed behind KJ and Enzo, and I felt the heat rolling up my spine.
I was pissed off. Shifting EJ to my other hip, I stared KJ down so hard, you would’ve thought I had X-ray vision.
His eyes landed everywhere but my face. He stood still and didn’t bother walking to his room.
That alone let me know that whatever happened was worse than I thought.
“So, what happened at school?” I asked again.
KJ didn’t answer. Instead, he glanced back at Enzo like he was searching for a lifeline. I followed his gaze and caught the reassuring head nod Enzo threw his way. Still, nobody was talking.
“Enzo don’t go to Millenium Prep, Kaleb. I’m not looking for answers from him. You need to tell me something because the silence is making it easy for me to come up with my own answers. Neither of us want that.”
The air tightened in the room, and I went to step toward KJ.
Enzo moved in sync with me. It wasn’t a quick step.
Nor was it threatening or commanding. It was intentional and protective.
He crossed in front of KJ to me. Gently lifting EJ from my hip, he pressed his lips to my forehead and whispered, “Not in front of me, Ma.”
The gentleness in his tone settled me, like he was reminding me that we were still new and he wanted to respect that this was a conversation that me and KJ needed to have alone. Exhaling through my nose, I caught on.
“Go to your room, KJ. I’ll be right there.”
He moved quickly, almost tripping over his own feet.
“EJ’s oatmeal is cooling on the counter. He has a fruit cup and his juice in the fridge. This one has the fruit in water instead of syrup. I don’t know if he’ll like it but try it out.”
Enzo nodded once. “I got it, baby. And if it means anything, I had a conversation with KJ on the ride here. If I overstepped, I apologize in advance.”
I smiled. “No need to apologize. I appreciate it. I’m gonna apologize in advance though. If you hear some furniture moving back there, it’s just me boxing with KJ.”
“Mannn.” He laughed. “Go on, woman.”
Smirking, I turned around and made my way to KJ’s bedroom. Pushing the cracked door open, I disregarded the clutter and focused on him. Closing the door behind me, I stood a few feet from where he sat on the edge of his bed, staring straight ahead.
“Talk.”
He shifted on the bed then swallowed before speaking. “I’m not suspended.”
“That’s good to hear. It still doesn’t explain why you’re in my house at eleven in the morning when you should be at them people school. So, again, I ask what… the… hell happened?”
I watched his chest rise and fall as he sighed loudly. “I was called into the principal’s office about some weed being sold around the school.”
“And?”
“That’s it,” he said quickly.
“Do you want me to wring your goddamn neck, Kaleb?”
“No.”
“So, stop playin’ wit’ me. Were you selling weed?”
“Yeah. But…” His ringing phone cut him off.
I knew it was his father calling by the ringtone.
“Answer it,” I pushed.
“Ma…”
“I said pick up the phone,” I repeated through gritted teeth. “And put it on speaker.”
He dropped his head and pulled the phone from his pocket to answer.
“Wassup, son?” Kaleb’s voice came through light.
“Wassup, Pop?” KJ responded, sounding like he’d lost his best friend.
“Wassup witchu? Why you sound all down and shit?”
“Our son has something he needs to tell you,” I said, refusing to play KJ’s game of mum’s the word.
“Thyri?” He called out my name, clearly confused. “Where y’all at? It’s the middle of the school day.”
“It’s funny you say that. Tell him where you are and why you’re here, weed man.”
KJ’s head dropped and for good reason. Dealing with me was one thing but dealing with his father was a whole other beast.
“I got picked up early.”
“For?”
“It damn sure ain’t because he had an appointment,” I said. KJ cut his eye in my direction and shook his head.
“What were you picked up for, Kaleb?”
KJ’s voice cracked. “I was called into the principal’s office today. Word around the school is I’ve been selling weed.”
“Dawg, ain’t no way you just said that to me,” Kaleb let out in a low tone before a roar. “Ain’t no way you went out and did the shit that we just talked about you not fucking doing the last time, KJ. Fuck is up witchu?”
KJ’s leg jumped up and down, while he pulled at the skin on his lip.
I thought back to the heated back and forth I’d walked in on last month between the two and began to connect the dots.
Kaleb had made it clear then that he had handled the situation, so there was no need for me to know anything.
Whatever the issue was, KJ was to stay clear of the projects for a while.
Something in my gut told me that this whole weed selling thing had something to do with that conversation.
So, I asked the question that I was sure Kaleb and his son knew the answer to.
“Where’d you get the weed from, KJ?”
He kept his eyes on the phone in his hand and rubbed the back of his neck. “I got it from Uncle Koric.”
I sucked in a breath and pressed my lips tightly together to keep from flipping the fuck out. Kaleb went quiet on the other end of the phone, so quiet that I thought he’d muted because I didn’t even hear him breathing. That lasted a few seconds before his voice came back, controlled.
“Yo, unplug every game system in that room, PC included. Give the phone to your mother and I’ll get back to you in a minute.”
I didn’t give KJ a chance to move before I stepped forward and snatched the phone from his hand. “Put everything in the hallway once it’s disconnected.”
“Alright.”
Turning, I walked out. I stepped out into the hallway with the phone pressed against my ear.
“Tyri!” EJ squealed while bolting toward me.
“Gimme a second, Kaleb,” I said, crouching down to catch EJ in my arms. I kissed the top of his head. “I’ll be right out, okay? Go to Daddy.”
I pointed behind him where Enzo had started to walk down the hall.
“My bad, Ma. I got him,” Enzo said quietly, taking EJ by the hand.
I held my hand up to him and pointed to the phone. He understood immediately, turning and walking back to the living room, giving me privacy without me having to ask. I stepped into my bedroom and brought the phone back to my ear, closing the door behind me.
“Who you got in the house?”
My face scrunched up, stopping mid-step.
“The only person that concerns you in this house is a junior. You haven’t been asking who’s here. Don’t start now.”
“I don’t ask because…”
“You don’t reserve that right. You’re KJ’s father. Not mine. I don’t get questioned.”
He exhaled heavily. I knew he was tight, but that wasn’t my problem.
“Cool. I’ll deal with Koric and talk to KJ.” He attempted to end the conversation because he was in his feelings, but this wasn’t the time for him to let his ego override the co-parenting that we agreed to.
“I let you just brush me off the last time, Kaleb, but not this time. We need to come together to handle this. Your brother gave our son weed. What the hell is that about? Is he tryna recruit my son to be his little block boy? Cause that shit ain’t happenin’.”
“I don’t know what the fuck Koric got going on.” Frustration bled through his tone, but I wasn’t fazed by it. “I won’t know until you let me get off the phone to handle it.”
“And then what? I should trust that you’ll call me back to let me know what’s going on or go around me so long as you feel it’s handled?”
“Man, I ain’t got time to be going back and forth wit’ you. Tend to your company and I’ll take care of what’s going on with our son.”
“Our son, nigga,” I shot back. “Don’t be so deep in your feelings that you forget that.”
He ended the call without responding. I wasn’t about to coddle Kaleb when I had a fifteen-year-old weed dealer in the other room.
While he was handling things with his brother, I was going to be brainstorming punishments for KJ that would keep him so busy he wouldn’t even have time to miss a game system because his ass was going to be dog tired.
I returned to the living room to find Enzo instructing EJ on how to put on his own coat. EJ was half cooperating, distracted by some cartoon playing on the TV screen. Enzo was patient as ever, having him put one arm in and then the other.
“There you go, big man,” he said once EJ finally got it right.
As I walked around the couch, he glanced up at me.
He didn’t say anything at first, just stared at me like he was looking for a sign to move.
I sat on the arm of the couch and rolled my shoulders back to release some of the tension in them.
Whatever he saw on my face must’ve been enough because he stepped toward me, closing the distance between us.
Standing in front of me, he placed his hands on both sides of my cheeks and lifted my face.
“You aight?” he asked.
I nodded once. My silence must’ve told him I needed more than just a verbal check in. I needed physical touch. Enzo reached for me and pulled me up from the couch and into his arms. Resting my head on his shoulder, I let the weight of the day settle there, even though it wasn’t even noon yet.
For a second, I allowed myself to lean on a man again, and Enzo held me tight.
Closing my eyes briefly, I heard a small grunt.
Opening them, I giggled, seeing a determined EJ pushing himself off the couch and running over.
Planting himself between us, he tried his hardest to wrap his little arms around both of our legs at once.
“You don’t let Daddy get a minute when you around, huh?” Enzo said, lifting him up.
EJ grinned like he knew he’d gotten his way.
“He just want some love too,” I cooed, kissing EJ’s forehead. “Thanks again for getting KJ for me.”
“No thanks needed. I think you handled the situation well. I’m glad you didn’t talk to him in front of me either. I used to hate when my mama did that shit. I even bring it up to her today. It’s cool that you didn’t embarrass him. But you ain’t let him slide either.”
“Yeah. It’s never my goal to break him down. Especially in front of other people. We gon’ get an understanding though. There’s no way around that. Quick question, do you have any cleaning jobs this weekend?”
“There’s always work to be done. Why, wassup?”
“I wanted to see if KJ could go on a job. I need a punishment, and we’ve been through the whole taking the phone and game thing before, and I don’t think it’s effective. I want him to work.”
“Oh, we can most definitely make that happen. I’m putting Cortez ass to work too. Since they wanna be Cheech and Chong.”
I wasn’t surprised to hear that Cortez was in on it. He and KJ had been like Siamese twins lately.
“To find out that it was his uncle that gave him the weed makes it worse. I’m concerned that KJ is becoming too easily influenced, and I can’t have that.”
“Yeah. I told him that that wasn’t cool at all on his uncle’s part.
As far as influence, at that age, it’s nothing but a constant reminder that everybody ain’t meant to be in the streets.
Ain’t nothing appealing about it except for the money.
And as fast as you get that shit in, it goes right back out.
They gon’ be aight though. I guarantee it.
” He kissed my lips and then my forehead.
“You wanna put him in the Sullivan scared straight program?”
“The what?” I laughed.
“I’m just fuckin’ witchu. Just wanted to see you smile again. Me and EJ gon’ slide though, so y’all can have the rest of the day to sort things out. I’m gonna get with the cleaning crew booked this weekend and see what they have on the schedule.”
“Okay, thank you. Come give me a hug, EJ. You leaving me.” I walked over to him and fake pouted.
“Tyri sad?” he said, looking up at me.
“A little bit.” I hugged him and kissed his cheek. “You be back soon?”
“I back,” he replied, and Enzo laughed.
“I’ll take your word for it.” Picking him up, I carried him to the door. “Text me when you make it in,” I told Enzo.
“Will do.”
I let them out, locking the door behind them.
Making my way down the hall, I stopped in front of KJ’s bedroom door and stood there.
There was no doubt that I was disappointed in him, but I wasn’t going to let this incident define his future.
If I had to constantly redirect him, I would.
If I had to monitor his movements, I’d do that too.
If it was one thing I was clear on, it was the fact that I’d take KJ out of here before I let the streets have him.