Chapter 6
I stepped into my mama’s house, and instantly, my mouth began to water.
If the women in my family did nothing else, they were gonna fuck it up in the kitchen, and I would be right there to fuck up a plate. I rubbed my hands together as I made my way through the living room and to the kitchen. The house was quiet, and I didn’t see anybody. It was the perfect time to sneak a peek into my mama’s pots.
In the kitchen, I washed my hands and went over to the stove. Taking the lid off the simmering pot, I saw that she was making gumbo and rice. Grabbing a bowl from the cabinet, I scooped a small helping of rice in, then topped it with the gumbo. Just as I put the lid back on, I heard footsteps approaching.
I turned to see my stepfather, Alec, standing there grinning and shaking his head.
“You know your mama is gonna kick your ass,” he said. “You better hide to eat that.”
I waved him off as I grabbed a spoon. “Ain’t nobody scared of that lady but you.”
“All right. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Just then, my mama came into the kitchen. She smiled until she saw the bowl in my hand and the spoon to my lips.
“I know you didn’t take your fat ass in my pot!” she yelled, storming over to me.
“I’m hungry, Ma.”
She snatched the bowl from me. “Boy, you ain’t ever been hungry a day in your damn life.”
“How are you just gonna take my bowl while I’m eating? You know that’s child abuse, right?”
“You’re a grown ass man, Maceo.”
“I’m a child of God, and I’m your child.”
“You go in my pot again and you’re gonna meet your heavenly father. Here.” She thrusted the bowl back into my hands and looked over at Alec. “And you just let him do it.”
“In my defense, the bowl was already fixed when I walked in.”
She rolled her eyes, and all I could do was laugh. Leaning in, I kissed her cheek.
“I love you, Ma.”
“Mm-hmm. Where is your brother?”
Before I could answer, I heard the loud ass bass bumping out of Smoke’s ’67 Chevy Impala. In addition to guns, my brother loved cars. He’d restored this particular one by himself, and that bitch was clean. Of course, he gave it modern updates, but the outside was sick. My brothers and I always joked about him fitting his six-foot-four, 260-pound ass in that car.
The front door opened, and he walked in, making a beeline for the kitchen.
“What’s up, family?” he asked.
After dapping Alec and me, he scooped our mother up in a bear hug.
“Devin, put me down!” she fussed, smacking his arm. “Goodness. You don’t know your own strength.”
Allison Proctor was a little thing in height and weight. To look at her, one would never guess she birthed my and Devin’s big asses.
“My bad, Ma,” he said, kissing her cheek. “Is that gumbo? Ah, hell yeah. I’m hungry as hell.”
“Like I told your brother, you ain’t been hungry a day in your life. If you got you a respectable woman, you wouldn’t be coming over here to eat up my food.”
Smoke kissed his teeth. “Here you go again. I’m not looking for a commitment, woman. And I can cook for myself. I don’t need a woman for that.”
“Then why are you always running between here, Stephanie’s, and Tavia’s for a meal? They tell me how y’all come clean your plates and the pots every chance y’all get.”
I smirked as I shoved a helping of gumbo in my mouth.
“So y’all be in the group chat talking about us, huh?” Smoke asked.
“And do. We talk about y’all and y’all’s big head, ho ass daddy.”
“Not too much on my pops, now,” I said, pointing my spoon at her. “Remember it takes two to tango, Allison.”
She grabbed a dish towel and swatted me with it. “Get out of my kitchen, Maceo. And take your brother with you.”
Smoke threw his hands up. “Dang, Ma. I ain’t even said nothing, and I didn’t get my plate.”
“I’ll call you when dinner is done.”
“Man, okay. Where’s Deja?”
“Upstairs, studying with a friend.” Our mother turned to us. “I know y’all are about to go bother her. Leave that young man alone.”
“Young man!” Smoke and I exclaimed.
I set my bowl on the counter and walked out of the kitchen with my brother on my heels. Mom yelled after us but didn’t follow. We took the stairs two at a time until we made it to the top floor. Moms and Alec were tripping letting her have a nappy head lil’ nigga in her room. When we were her age, we weren’t allowed to have girls in our bedroom. Of course, we weren’t trying to study with them either.
When we made it to Deja’s room, she was standing at the door with her arms crossed.
“Don’t start,” she said.
“Girl, move.”
I playfully mushed her head while Smoke moved her to the side.
“Get out of my room!” she yelled.
“Who’s this lil’ nigga?” I asked, taking a seat beside the boy sitting on the edge of her bed.
He looked harmless, but you could never tell. I’d guess he was about five feet seven, no more than a buck twenty. He had this whole preppy look to him, and that was Deja’s type.
“This is Ellis,” Deja said, pinching my arm.
“And who is Ellis to you?” Smoke asked.
“My friend. Now get out.”
“Don’t be rude. Introduce us.”
She huffed. “Ellis, these are my brothers, Maceo and Devin. There. Introduced. Can you please get out so we can study?”
“Nah, we just wanna talk,” I said, peering down at the boy. “What’s up, Ellis?”
Much to my surprise, Ellis looked both Smoke and me up and down with a mean mug, before turning to Deja.
“Girl… what’s up with the machismo act?” he asked, waving his fingers at us.
It was his soft, feminine voice and the painted fingernails that finally caught our attention.
Smoke laughed. “Oh, shit. Never mind, lil’ nigga. You safe.”
Ellis kissed his teeth. “Trust me, I don’t want your sister. She’s just a friend. You two would be more my speed. Deja Boo, you didn’t tell me your brothers were so cute.”
I stood. “Yep. It’s time to go. Y’all study hard.”
“I thought you wanted to talk!” Deja called after us.
Her laughter echoed in the background as we left the room and headed back downstairs. When we got to the kitchen, Mama and Alec looked at us with smirks.
“Well,” Alec said, “how was the talk?”
I waved him off as I picked up my bowl. “Y’all could have told us the young man in question had a lil’ sugar in his tank.”
My mother laughed. “That’s what you get for thinking you know more than her parents do. We got this.”
“Nah,” Smoke said. “That was a setup. I almost yoked his ass up for mean mugging me.”
I chuckled. “He might have given you a run for your money. You remember that time Julian mopped the floor with that dude that disrespected him at the bar?”
Julian was Deuce’s bartender. He was a flamboyantly gay man, but the way he whupped that guy’s ass all up and down the bar area, had all of us impressed. If he ever wanted to switch careers, he could join the crew.
Smoke laughed. “I can’t forget that. He turned ol’ boy every way but loose. Deuce was mad as hell about all that wasted liquor.”
“Speaking of Deuce,” my mother interjected, “tell him to bring that baby to see me with her cute self. Since neither of you are trying to make me a grandma, I just have to love on his baby.”
Smoke and I rolled our eyes. I didn’t know what it was about mothers that made them start demanding grandchildren once they reached a certain age. I already knew I was gonna be a hating ass daddy, because why was my baby allowed to do shit I got my ass beat for? The kid was going to be spoiled and bad as hell. With my luck, I would get one that acted just like me.
Still, even with that possibility, the thought of a little me and Shar running around had me thinking maybe one wouldn’t hurt.
Dinner was over, and Smoke and I prepared to leave to head back to the compound. We said our goodbyes and walked out to our cars. As I walked to mine, my phone vibrated with a text from Shar. She was supposed to go by the safe house and check on things, but she was caught up with her people and asked me to go. I let her know that I would stop by before I headed home.
Smoke leaned up against his car, watching me intently.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
“About my business. Why?”
“I’ve been watching your ass, Maceo. You’re up to some shit.”
I heaved a heavy sigh. “First Deuce, now you. I keep telling y’all niggas I’m a grown ass man. I don’t have to answer to either of you about my whereabouts. Don’t you have some guns to play with, Devin?”
He pushed off from the car and got in my space. “I got a gun for your ass if you’re out here on some fuck shit.”
“You would never shoot me, so that’s an empty threat.”
“No, I would never kill you. I’d most definitely put a bullet in you, though.”
“I got bullets too, big boy. And I’m the better shot.” I playfully slapped his chest. “Look, I just have to make a quick stop to check on something for Shar. Then I’ll be home. No need to go all big, little brother on me. I’m straight.”
He eyed me suspiciously. “Yeah, okay. I’ma see you.” We slapped hands and shared a brotherly hug. “Love you, man.”
“I love you too.”
I headed to my Escalade but stopped when he called.
“Aye!” I turned to face my brother. “Be safe.”
“Always.”
We saluted each other, then climbed into our respective vehicles and left the property. The safe house was only about fifteen minutes from my childhood home. When I got there, Tiny and Zeno were parked out front. I pulled to a stop and got out of the car, then headed up to the front door.
Using my key, I went inside. It had been three days since we brought the group here. The guys were in the living room watching a basketball game with Colin, Zane, and Jeremiah. Amanda was in the kitchen. I didn’t see Charity or Peter, but I’d find them soon.
“Y’all good in here?” I asked, dapping Tiny and Zeno.
“Everything is straight,” Tiny answered. “Peter left this morning. His parents came to get him. Jeremiah and Zane are leaving tomorrow.”
I nodded. “I’m glad y’all made contact with your people.”
“We can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done,” Zane said, extending a hand to me.
Jeremiah did the same. “I don’t know how we can ever repay you.”
“Don’t worry about that. Just get home safe and stay safe. Oh, and keep a piece on you at all times. The world is crazy. Don’t be afraid to pop a muthafucka for trying you like that.” I looked around the space. “Where is Charity?”
“Out back,” Zeno answered. “She’s out there quite often, just sitting and talking to herself.”
I shrugged. “People cope in different ways. Anyway, I just came to see if y’all needed anything. I’m gonna go check on her, then I’m out.”
I dapped them all before heading out to the backyard. Charity was sitting Indian style by the firepit. I could hear her mumbling something, but I couldn’t make out what she was saying. I slowly approached her. The sound of a twig snapping beneath my feet caused her head to jerk around. She smiled softly when she saw me and stood to her feet.
“Maceo.”
“Charity.”
“I wasn’t expecting you today.”
“I just came to check in and make sure y’all were good. How you doing?”
She shrugged. “I’m here. I might need a little more time in the house.”
I motioned for her to sit down as I took a seat beside her. “What’s up?”
“The place where I park my car, the owner is somewhat of a friend. She lets me do little odd jobs here and there and pays me under the table. Apparently, someone stole my car. I’ve spoken with the police, and they put a BOLO out on it. I don’t know what I’m gonna do. My whole life is in that car. What little money I had is gone… I literally have nothing.”
She burst into tears, and that shit didn’t sit right with me. I hated to see a woman cry. Call it a weakness, but it was what it was.
“Everything will be cool,” I assured her. “If not, we’ll work something out. I’m not gonna let you go back to nothing. That’s a surefire way to end up like this again. I don’t wanna see you back here.”
She sniffled. “The people that took me… what if they come back? I had my ID on me when they took me. They know my name and what I look like.”
“You let me worry about that. The people who took you are dead. Whoever is calling the shots is gonna meet the same fate.”
She eyed me curiously as she wiped her eyes. “What are you? A bounty hunter or something?”
I chuckled. “Some would say The Grim Reaper. I like to think of myself as the judge, jury, and executioner. I rid the world of scum to put it in simple terms.”
“So… you… kill people?”
“Scum,” I repeated. “It’s a lot of fucked up people out there, Charity. Some do it for shits and giggles. Some do it because they get off on it, and some do it for money. Whatever the case, they deserve the fate they get.”
“You don’t think you’ll get what they think you deserve for interfering? I mean, to do something like this, it has to be a lot of people involved. Aren’t you scared? I’d be terrified, good deed or not.”
“I can’t fear a muthafucka that bleeds red like me, and I’m not afraid of dying. Shit, we all have to go sometime.”
“I guess…” She dropped her head and sighed. “I should probably enjoy a warm bed while I can.”
I stood. “You’ll be fine, Charity. That’s my word. Chin up, mamas.”
I gently touched her shoulder before heading back toward the house.
“Maceo!” she called. I turned to face her. “It was nice to see you. Thanks for the talk.”
I didn’t say anything, just nodded and kept toward my destination.