21. Lawton #2
“Nigga you know me and Kovi still rocking.” Kovi was the owner of the Atlanta Demons. He and I went all the way back to Howard. Our friendship was the reason I was able to secure the biggest box at the damn stadium.
With Poppa owning a sports agency, he had more of a rapport with the coaches than he did the owners. So if anybody could help him out with a situation, it was me.
“That’s what I like to hear.” Poppa nodded. “My number one prospect done got into some shit. I need you to hit Kovi up… I need him out of Seattle and back home in Atlanta.”
“Wait you talking ‘bout Jrue?”
“Yeah Jrue,” Poppa confirmed.
“Fuck happened? I thought he was good in Seattle.”
“He was until he wasn’t. He been trying to get traded. Nigga fucked the owners daughter and when he broke it off, she blasted his ass. Up until that point, him and Carey had been thick as thieves.
The two fell out and Jrue been trying to get traded to Miami. Carey ain’t coming up off ‘em. His contract up for negotiation this year and I got a feeling Carey gon’ low ball him.”
“I’ll put in a call. That’s fucked up. The nigga been killing shit up there since he started playing for em.”
“Right. Now that he done crossed the line, Carey got it out for him. When you hit up Kovi, you gotta tell him not to show too much interest. If Carey feels like he really wants him, he ain’t gone trade him.”
“He fucking with him like that?”
“And is. Mike flew all the way up there and showed interest in Jrue, and Carey shot that shit down. So, Kovi gotta come like he settling for him.”
“I’ll get on it. Shit, we can definitely use his ass on the Demons.”
“Yep. But back to what I was originally saying about Josiah, his twin. You don’t remember the nigga caught a gun charge they sophomore year in college. Lost his scholarship and his probability of being able to go pro.”
“If the nigga fucked up like that, fuck makes you think I can trust him with my shit?”
“Cause the nigga know he ain’t got too many more chances with me fo’ I cut his ass off. That’ll be the solution in the event that Preme and Drix can’t make it happen.”
“I’mma see what they talking ‘bout and if I gotta bring him in, then I’ll let you know.”
My conversation with Poppa was put on hold when Talitha came strutting into my office with a brown takeout bag. Making Poppa laugh and rise from his seat.
“Just keep me posted on that and the other situation,” he said before wrapping his arm around Talitha’s shoulder. “What’s up buddy?”
“Oh, we’re friends now?” she sassed and slanted her eyes.
“What I do?!”
“Sold me out to him.” She held the bag out in my direction.
“You knew I couldn’t step on that man’s toes. That makes for bad business, Tali.”
“Bad business my ass!” she rasped. “As my friend, I expected you to help me out. I would’ve told him eventually.”
“Bullshit!” I blurted out. “You wouldn’t have told me nothing.”
“That right there is why I told him.”
Jabbing Poppa in the side, she rolled her eyes. “Whatever.” Shaking out of his grasp, she walked over to the desk and dropped the bag of food on it. “I was in the area, figured you hadn’t ate lunch yet.”
“I haven’t. Been sitting up here running my mouth with Poppa.”
“I bet. Poppa it’s enough if you want to stay and have lunch with us,” Talitha offered.
“I appreciate the offer but I gotta get back to the job,” he declined. “It was good seeing you, Talitha. Law, hit me up if you need me.”
“Will do Pop. Be easy.” Tipping his head at us, Poppa strolled out of the door.
“What you get me?” I asked and dug into the bag.
“Chicken marsala.”
Pulling out the takeout container, I sat it on my desk and got up to go wash my hands. When I walked out of the bathroom, Talitha had everything spread out across my desk. Before digging in, she got up and went to wash her hands too.
“How’s work going for the day?” I quizzed when she walked back into the room.
“Better than the other day.”
“That’s good right.”
“It is. Rossi was able to get me on Quantavious visitation list. I’m going to see him after I leave here.”
“That’ll be nice. It’ll let him know somebody got his back.”
“That’s what I’m trying to do. I’m trying to figure out what I gotta do to be able to send him some necessities. I know I can put money on his commissary, but I read something saying I could send him a package every month.”
“They should be able to tell you when you go visit him.”
“That’s what I’m hoping for. Did those desk tables get delivered to the office?”
“They did. I had Chari go sign for them yesterday.”
“Good. Gema is coming home today. I’m going to cook dinner tonight. You coming to spend the night?” she asked and batted her eyelashes.
“You trying to get fucked.”
“I am not,” she lied.
“You are that’s why you sitting over there staring at me like that. I’ll pull up… I won’t be able to spend the night but I’ll definitely stop by.”
“Why can’t you spend the night?” Tossing her head to the side, she glowered at me. “What else do you have to do?”
“Gotta run up to the Heights to see Sincere.”
“Oh okay,” she hummed.
“Yo’ ass thought I was going to see another woman,” I surmised.
“I did not,” she sang, voice filled with lies.
“You did and believe me, the last thing you have to worry about is me entertaining another woman. I don’t have the time to juggle and I’m too old to be trying to explain myself.”
When me and Talitha decided to occupy each other’s time, I cut Mia off. I mean, the situation wasn’t important enough for me to continue it.
Coupled with the fact that Talitha had my nose wide open.
I was so enthralled with her that I couldn’t fathom splitting my time between her and another woman.
The only person besides her that I gave a little time was Adele, and it was nothing like what Talitha had been receiving over the past few weeks.
“That better be the truth.”
“What will you do if it isn’t?”
“I won’t cuddle with you anymore.”
I laughed at her lie. “You want to cuddle more than I do nowadays so I would say I wouldn’t be suffering alone.”
“That just got you uninvited for dinner.”
“I bet Bertha would say something different.”
“You won’t be able to use Gema forever.”
“Something tells me I will.” I winked.
The two of us finished our lunch and caught up about today’s happenings. When it was getting closer to time for her to visit Quantavious, Talitha kissed me before making sure I was coming over tonight.
After reassuring her that I was, she left my office and I got down to business. I needed to schedule an appointment with Kovi so I could get the ball rolling for Poppa.