Chapter 1
brOOKLYN
Throwing my truck in park, I ran through the doors of the hospital in search of my family.
After not being able to catch Teddy, I turned back just in time to see the ambulance driving off with Zoo.
Bri was the only person still standing there crying and waiting on me to come back to her.
Everyone else had gone on to meet the ambulance at the hospital.
My heart wasn’t racing, it was more of a slow beat as if it would stop soon if it beat any slower.
Thoughts of my cousin being hurt badly, fucked with me with each second that went by.
I didn’t know what got hit on Zoo before I ran after Teddy.
I just felt myself being pushed down, hearing the gun shot, seeing my cousin hit the ground, and that nigga Teddy running off.
That was all I needed to see to make me get my ass up and go after him.
Zoo and I argued a lot but I’d tear the world up behind him and Sin.
Any of my cousins, really but Sin, Zoo, and I were just the closest. The others had families and were doing their own shit now so we kept in touch and fucked with each other when needed.
As shorties, when it came down to us fucking up niggas at school, Sin always wanted to ask questions like what they do? When that shit happen?
We didn’t give a fuck about the why, we were gon’ bang regardless.
When it came to me and Zoo, we were like two bullets in a double barrel shot gun.
Once you fucked with one of us, we both came at chu’ full force.
He’d always had my back and I’d had his, too.
This shit right here, ain’t no different.
I promise, I was on that nigga Teddy’s head like a fucked-up fade. That nigga had to feel me.
“Where the fuck my cousin at, bruh?” I banged my fist against the granite countertop between each word that I shouted at the lady behind the desk.
“I’m sorry, Sir, who is your cousin?”
“Bitch stop playing with me before I smack that lifting ass lace front off yo’ head. They just pulled up, so how the fuck you don’t know who I’m talkin’ ‘bout?”
“Brooklyn calm down. She’s just trying to get more information about him.” Bri’s voice usually soothed me but right now, at this moment, it only pissed me off.
Turning to her, I yelled, “How the fuck can I be calm when she’s not telling me where my cousin is?” When Bri jumped back, I knew I’d scared her. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”
Bri put her hand up to my face to shush me. “His cousin's name is Zeus Smith.” She directed to tell the lady, who immediately started tapping on her keyboard.
“brOOKLYN!” Hearing Sin’s voice, I looked up then ran over to the door he was standing by.
Bri was on the heels of these fucked-up ass shoes I had on.
If I would’ve had something else on my feet, then catching Teddy’s ass wouldn’t have been a problem.
I blamed Sin for making up dress up. Talkin’ ‘bout don’t wear no sneakers.
I should have told that nigga sneak deez nuts, ‘cause I ain’t wearing these no-grip, gon’ definitely slip-ass shoes.
“How is he?” I immediately asked because I was anxious to get answers.
“We don’t know yet. They told us to wait in here and someone would be out here soon to talk to us.” I’d already started thinking the worse.
“FUCK!”
“Bruh that's a cemented-ass wall, stop punchin’ that shit.” Sin pulled me back and bear hugged me.
“Be cool or they gon’ put cho’ ass out of here.
I’m fucked up behind this shit, too, but we gotta keep it together for auntie.
You see she’s over there cryin’ and you actin’ like this, won’t make shit better for her or Zoo, so calm the fuck down. ”
“Fuck that. This shit is all my fault. We should have bodied that nigga when he popped up at Bronx’s house on that bullshit.”
“This isn’t on you,” Bri spoke up, followed by her hand rubbing my back. Jerking away, I stepped aside to look at her.
“Who am I supposed to blame... you? ‘Cause this is yo’ nigga that’s out here on dumb shit and just don’t know he just signed his fuckin’ death wish. On my mama, I’m not gon’ rest until I find that nigga.”
“Don’t put that on me!” my mama’s weak voice yelled out. I didn’t see her sitting in the corner next to my daddy until she spoke up.
“But Brooklyn—”
“Let him go cool off. Don’t follow him,” Sin told Bri as I walked off.
She had tears coming out of her eyes, and as bad as I wanted to wipe them away, I wasn’t. She needed to feel the fucking results of her fucking with a fuck nigga.
Hours passed by and still no word came back about Zoo.
I had finally walked back over to where my family sat but I didn’t see Bri.
Naomi and PJ were still sitting there next to Zoo’s parents.
PJ was still crying as if it just happened.
She hadn’t calmed down yet and I saw why.
They had just gotten back on good terms and then this bullshit happened.
Taking a seat next to Sin, I didn’t open my mouth all the way before he started going off.
“You know that was fucked-up, right?” Already knowing what he was talking about, I just nodded. Wasn’t nothing I could say because I was dead-ass wrong for snapping out on her like that. “She was just trying to help yo’ stupid ass calm down but the way you blew up on her, I agree with her leaving.”
“She left?” Hearing that fucked me up even more. I wasn’t trying to push her away. I just needed to be left alone and my mouth got a little reckless.
“The fuck you wanted her to do? I would have left yo’ dumb ass here, too.”
“I expected her to stay and wait on me.”
“That’s yo’ girl, but not your wife. She’s not committed to you for life yet, so if she chooses to not deal with your foolishness, then she can do that.”
“You right, I’ll call her and—” I stopped talking and mugged Sin when Bri and my mama walked back into the room with coffee in their hands.
“Don’t look at me like that, I had to scare you a little bit. Fix that shit. We are here to make sure Zoo is good, then we’ll worry about everything else later. That lil’ nigga won’t get too far, so right now, let's focus on Zoo. Calm down and go talk to ya girl.”
Dapping Sin up, I got up and walked over to Bri. “If you aren’t coming over here to apologize then go sit cho’ ass back down, Brooke.”
“Mama, why you mad at me?”
“I heard the way you spoke to her. She should've popped you on yo’ lip so hard that it went cleft.” Mama had everyone in the room laughing but I ain’t find that shit funny at all.
“Go sit down and be careful. You know you fragile. Should have stayed at home anyway.”
“That’s my favorite nephew, ain’t no way I was being left at home.”
“Auntie!” Sin spat, holding his hands up with a shocked look on his face.
“I love you, too, but that Zeus is my favorite. I’m sorry. You’re my favorite, too, Sin, but he’s my favorite, favorite.”
“Get over here and sit down. I agree with Brooklyn. You are fragile as hell, up walking around with no help.” Aunt Renee was going at her now, and Mama just waved her off and walked to her seat.
“My soon-to-be daughter-in-law had me. I wasn’t alone at all. Mind yo’ business, Renee, and worry about your daughter-in-law and why Sin only asked her to marry him because she’s knocked up. It was a guilt proposal, baby, tell him no when you get back home.”
“Auntie, really? Don’t be telling her that.” Sin wasn’t upset because he knew my mama was bullshittin’. Naomi didn’t know that though so he’d have to fix that shit later.
They continued to fuss while I asked Bri to step into the hallway. She looked irritated but I couldn’t be mad because I made her act like this.
“I was wrong for the way I spoke to you. I’m sorry. It’s just this shit with Zoo got my emotions all over the fucking place.”
“We are good, I get it. I don’t like the way you spoke, but it is what it is. Just know, I put up with a lot in my last relationship and I’m not doing it again. I haven’t found my peace yet and before I allow you to fuck me up even more, I’ll leave.”
“Baby, I promise it won’t happen again.”
“I know because I'm stopping it now before it becomes a habit. I only stayed around to tell you goodbye.”
“Huh? Nah, we are good. I was just angry.” My words hit her back as she walked off from me.
“Is this the family of Zeus Smith?” I was already standing by the door when the doctor walked up, then the rest of the family came running.
“How’s my baby?”
“Can we see him now?” PJ spoke after Auntie.
“We had some complications during his surgery. The bullet was too deep in his chest, and we couldn’t remove it.
His heartrate and blood pressure started to drop, and we couldn’t get it back stable.
I’m sorry but we lost him. Someone will be out shortly to take you to another room to meet with the chaplain.
From there, he will pray for you guys and offer any type of assistance that he can to make this process move smoothly for the family.
I know this isn’t the outcome you expected, but we really did do all that we could do. ”
My ears went numb once my aunt and PJ’s cries pierced them. Heated, I walked away letting a loud scream of pain out followed by tears flowing that I couldn’t control. Pushing the doors open, I left out the hospital with one goal in mind—I had to find that nigga Teddy.
brIANNA
“Girl yes, ain’t nobody got time for that at all.” Laughing at Mimi, I dropped my things on the table when I walked inside. Today had been long but I was happy to finally get some me time in.
After months of nothing but ball, me time was most definitely needed.
Mimi and I got out early to do some shopping and then we went to brunch.
I had one too many mimosas and I was feeling every last one of them.
Apparently, Mimi’s orange juice had her feeling a way too by the way she was cutting up on the phone.
She was mad as hell because she couldn’t add champagne.