5. Lawton #2
After I got the meeting with the two of them out the way, I was going to dinner with Adele so I could let her know that going forward she would have to hit one of them up with any changes that’s made on her end.
Drix and I spent the whole drive upstate catching up. I let him know about the school and the nigga was happy for me. I didn’t doubt it because Hendrix was like me, all for giving back to the community.
“You ain’t say you was bringing this black ass nigga with you,” Preme joked as he trampled into the warehouse, donned in all black like his ass had just come from a mission.
“I know yo’ pale ass ain’t talking shit,” Drix shot back.
On the outside looking in, you would think the two of them were brothers, thats just how much they joked and played around with each other.
“Y’all gon’ sit down and let me say what I need to say?”
“Don’t look like we got a choice,” Preme drawled.
“Aight, so it’s like this. I gotta step back from the business.”
“Step back why?”
“The woman I hired to replace Dahlia presented me with an idea that was too good to turn down. I’m getting ready to open up a technical college. The shit gon’ take so much of my time, I can’t run between the two of y’all for a while.”
“How we gon’ get our shit then?” Preme asked.
“Adele is still responsible for getting it over here. Instead of me setting up the transport, the two of you gotta figure out a way to move it. I’mma pass all of my contacts over to y’all and let y’all go for it.”
“Basically, you adding more to our plate.”
“Taking it off me. Somebody gotta do it and natural selection would be Drix since he in Atlanta but he got a girl now. It’s gone be times where he won’t be available.”
“I guess that’s where I come in at.”
“Yeah. Jet got that trucking company so I’m thinking we can have it set up where on paper it looks like he’s a medical supplier. When the shipment comes in, he can come down, the two of you separate it, and let Jet or his drivers distribute it.”
Anybody who worked for Sincere or Hendrix had to have a business. Whatever that business may be was no concern of mine. But since Jet was one of Preme’s guys and had a trucking company, it made sense that Preme use it to his advantage.
The way things worked now, once a month Adele had a shipment sent over on a private plane. Drix and his right hand would separate it and one of his guys would run it upstate. I oversaw that entire process to make sure we flew under the radar.
With me stepping back, we had to switch things up a bit. I needed to know the two of them could handle shit without me. If I saw shit going south, I didn’t mind stepping back in, but I was determined to give this school my undivided attention.
Part of me doing so was because I promised Talitha I would be all in with this process. When she mentioned taking care of her grandmother, I decided I didn’t want to put too many expectations on her. Clearing my to-do list was more for her sake than anything.
“That could work,” Preme acknowledged. “Jet been looking for ways to expand his business. I need to sit down with him to see how we could finesse it but I’on see it being no issue.”
“You sure Adele gon’ go for it?”
“She ain’t got a choice. Besides she ain’t the one getting her hands dirty. Her pops name is the one of the flight manifest.”
“Ain’t the man dead?” Drix quizzed.
“Dead man can’t talk.” I shrugged.
“Aye that was smart as fuck.”
“I know.”
When Adele pops died, she left everything in his name. She didn’t want anything tying her to the fields of cocaine that he had back in Colombia. For all the world knew, the man was still alive and handling business.
“How long we gon’ be moving like this?”
“I can’t say for sure. At least until I get everything off the ground.”
“Shit…” Drix scratched at the back of his head. “I’m with it as long as Preme is.”
“Nigga you know I’m game. I’on mind getting my hands dirty.” He laughed.
“Then it’s set. First shipment is coming the top of next month. Adele gon’ hit one of y’all with the info. All that’s left to do is handle y’all business.”
“Bet.” Both of them agreed.
“Y’all got anything y’all need to run by me?”
“That uh last situation we talked ‘bout. I had Trap handle the shit. It was some lil’ cats out of South Carolina.”
“Anything that can trace back to us?”
“Not at all. Trap thorough with his shit. The nigga might be young but he ‘bout business.”
“Aight Sincere. I’mma trust ya’ word.”
“It’s all I got.”
“This might be my last run up here for a while. If you need me, hit me up.”
“You gon’ stop by and see her before you leave?”
“Not today Sincere. Not today.”
“Can’t blame me for trying.” He shrugged. “She been asking ‘bout you.”
“You can’t force it on him Supreme. You gotta let him come around on his own,” Hendrix spoke up on my behalf.
He was privy to the relationship with my mother.
Having lost his at an early age, he tried several times to explain how I needed to let my mother make things right.
At least before it was too late. Just like I didn’t give much thought to shit Sincere said, I didn’t give Drix’s no thought either.
I made peace with the situation a long time ago. Her and Sincere needed to catch up.
“I get that… I’m just saying. She got some shit she needs to get off her chest.”
“Anddddd,” I dragged out. “That right there is my cue. Drix if you riding with me back to the city, I suggest you bring yo’ ass.”
“Yo’ ass brought me up here, of course I’m riding back with you,” he fussed.
“Sincere, I’mma hit you up after I talk to Adele.”
“Yeah man.” He shrugged defeatedly. Preme could push and push until his arms got tired. Smoothing shit over with my mother wasn’t happening. And that was final.