Chapter 2
ZEUS
“Where’s Pen?”
She was here a minute ago, at least I thought she was.
“She stepped out for some coffee. You fell back asleep.” My mother smoothed her hand over my locs. Her eyes were red from crying, and her voice was raspy also. I hated that I’d put that sadness there.
“I’m sorry, Mama,” I slightly slurred.
“Shh! While me and your daddy are devastated by you being shot, you did the right thing.”
“This nigga doesn’t know who the fuck he came for,” my dad mumbled. He was angry and even scared. I saw it in his eyes. He was being strong for my mama when really, he wanted to flip this whole hospital over.
“Pops, we’re gon’ handle it, aight?”
“I expect the whole family to handle it,” he answered.
I shook my head, which caused me to feel like I was swimming. Shit, this pain medicine needed to wear the fuck off, so I could think.
“Nah, Pops,” I said. “You’on need to send the whole fam after one nigga.”
“You sound like Sin.”
“‘Cause I be right sometimes,” I uttered.
He chuckled.
"The two people you should be most concerned about aren’t back in the States yet.
I can imagine when they get here, they gon’ tear the city up lookin’ for that fool.
Sin and Brooklyn weren’t able to find him, but you know yo’ cousins like to dance with the devil.
Ain’t no tellin’ what crack they gon’ find that nigga in. ”
“Shit is different, Pops. My girl’s name is in this, too, so we can’t be outchea getting her caught up in the crossfire. The media is a bitch, and if they haven’t already, they’ll be dragging her name by daylight.”
I hated this for not only Pen, but Bri and Naomi too. This was the last thing either of them needed. As for Sin, Brooklyn, and I, this was nothing new to us. Time had tamed my family. I was sure the city was glad the Smiths were no longer in the streets. It took one dusty-ass nigga to wake us up.
“How’s my baby feeling this morning?”
I was too busy mugging a note situated on the pillow next to my head to answer my mother’s question. Balling up the neatly written note, I threw it on the nightstand with the rest of the notes I’d accumulated over the last three days.
Yawning, I stretched and grimaced when my shoulder screamed in pain.
“I’m good, Ma.” My shoulder needed some therapy from the bullet ripping through, otherwise, I was fine. The pain was intolerable at times, but I chiefed a blunt to help and to relax me. I wanted to be out looking for Teddy.
“Me and your dad will be over there this afternoon.”
“Ma, that’s not necessary.” I loved my parents to life, but they were getting on my nerves acting like I was mortally wounded.
“It is,” she dragged. “We can go back to spending the night if you’d like.”
“Nah, Ma, chill.” I sighed and scrubbed my hand down my face. “I’ll let Pen know y’all are comin’, so she can make some lunch.”
“Better yet, tell her dinner. That girl knows she can cook!”
Yeah, my baby had shocked me. I’d been home from the hospital for three days now, and each day, Pen made sure I ate three times a day.
She prepared each of those meals, and I devoured them like I’d never eaten in my life.
This was something I didn’t know about her.
Now that the season was over, Pen and I could be a normal couple.
“What the fuck made you do that?” Pen’s voice carried all the way to the parking lot.
Hooked up to machines and all, I tried to reach for her, but she dodged my fingers.
“I keep tryna explain myself, but you’re in here screamin’ at me like I’m hard of hearing, shawty.”
“Don’t fuckin’ play with me right now, Zeus Smith!”
“I’m not. I wasn’t gon’ stand there and let my cousin get shot.
The fuck I look like?” The bullet that pierced my shoulder hurt like a bitch, but I’d take another one for my blood.
Brooklyn and I argued all the time, however, he was my heart just like the rest of my family.
I couldn’t take it if anything happened to anyone pumping the same blood as me.
“Zeus,” she groaned. “I’m not saying you shouldn’t have intervened. I’m saying… You act like this is something you do all the time. Like losing your life wasn’t a thought.”
“It wasn’t,” I truthfully answered.
Pen’s eyes widened and watered. “That’s good to know.”
What I said triggered Pen into giving me the silent treatment.
Yes, she was on her wifely shit, catering to me.
But as far as talking to me, she wasn’t doing it.
Instead, I had handwritten notes all over the damn place.
At first, I was cool with it, because she was in her feelings. Now, she was going too far.
“Did you fall back asleep, Son?”
“Nah. I’ll see y’all later.”
“We love you.”
“Love y’all, too, Ma.”
I hung up the phone and placed it on the nightstand among the notes.
Sitting up, I took inventory of the room and realized I’d slept longer than I thought.
The clock read a little past ten. Climbing out of the bed, I went into the bathroom and showered, being careful not to mess up my wound or move in any way that would further damage my shoulder.
Once done showering, it took me an eternity to moisturize myself. Pen was sweet enough to have everything nicely poured into a bowl for me, so all I had to do was dip my fingers into the lotion. I washed my face and brushed my teeth, hoping lil’ baby was in a better mood today.
Last night, she’d slept next to me with her ass right against my dick. My shit stayed hard the whole night, but Pen wasn’t biting no matter how stiff I was. I swear that girl was more stubborn than me.
I made it into the living room where Pen was perched on the sofa, watching television and folding clothes.
Her eyes took inventory of me before she uttered, “I thought I told you to stay in bed.”
“I should be petty and write yo’ ass a note. Yeen tell me to do shit. You wrote me a fuckin’ note. I could make a whole book from all the damn papers all over the room.”
She rolled her eyes and continued folding.
“How long you plan on walkin’ ‘round here with that stank-ass attitude? ‘Cause, honestly, I’m over it.”
The shirt she was folding hit me dead in my face.
“I don’t have an attitude.”
“So, what do you call this silent treatment shit?”
She’d folded three shirts before she responded, “Me not having a word to say to you until I figure out what I wanna say.”
“If I knew what the issue was, maybe I could help you sort through what it is you gotta say.”
Her eyes narrowed on me. “You’re really pretending like you don’t know what the issue is? That’s concerning, Zeus.” She sighed. “Just go back to bed. I’ll bring you up something to eat in a minute.” She stood from the sofa, clearly aggravated.
“I can’t read ya mind, Pen. Either you gon’ open ya mouth and tell me wassup or I’ma assume you’re being difficult for no damn reason.”
She whirled around and snapped her hands to her hips.
“The fact that you’re acting as if being shot is an everyday thing for you bothers me. If you don’t care about your life, just say that so I can walk away from this relationship before I end up hurt.”
As she ranted, I walked up on her until she had to look up to see my face. Damn, I loved how tall my woman stood. She had no idea how I fantasized about her thighs being wrapped around me.
Taking her chin in my fingers, I said, “Just say you love me and can’t live without me. That’ll go over a lot better than you actin’ like I’m not shit.”
She smacked my hand away. “See, you play too much. I’m being serious.” The look in her eyes said as much. “You literally think this is a joke.”
“I don’t think it’s a joke. Every time pain slices through my arm, I’m reminded that it’s not a joke.”
“So, why are you being so nonchalant? You really don’t care if you die, Zoo?”
“I do care, shawty. At the time, all I was concerned about was makin’ sure Brooklyn was good.
The last thing anyone wants to deal with is a nigga filled with guilt.
They’ll become someone you don’t even recognize.
If something ever happened to one of my cousins, and I was able to prevent it and didn’t, death would be better for me.
I couldn’t live with the guilt, and I’m sure I’d take my anger out on any and everything that I could. ”
Pen blinked back tears, piercing my heart.
“I get it okay,” she uttered. “I guess I just thought… Never mind.” She went to walk away, but I stopped her, pulling her into my arms.
“You think being in love with you should make me think about you first? I get it. Baby, there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you the same as with my family.
Me not thinking about my actions had nothing to do with me not thinking about you and everything to do with stopping what I knew was about to happen.
I apologize for bringing doubt and worry to your mental.
Right here, I take it back, okay? Just like always, I’ma carry whatever I have to, to make sure you’re straight, happy, and at peace. ”
“Just so we’re clear, I’m not upset that you jumped in front of a bullet for Brooklyn. Even though y’all fight like two lil’ dick horses, I know y’all love each other.”
My face balled up. “Why you thinkin’ ‘bout his dick, though.”
Exasperated, Pen threw her hands up and stomped towards the kitchen.
Hot on her heels, I said, “You betta answer me, Pen. I’ain playin’ wit' you.”
“Zoo, shut up and go back to bed while I fix you some food.”
“I’ain gon’ nowhere ‘til you answer me. You think my dick little?”
She turned her nose up while looking me up and down. Without saying anything, she smirked.
“The fuck that mean?” Now, I was irritated. “And anyway, you’ve only seen my dick, so what’s really good?”
Pen busted out laughing while moving to the refrigerator. “I think you should go back to bed.”
“Don’t deflect. You normally ain’t on the hush-mouth, so speak up. We got a problem?”
Closing the refrigerator door, she turned to me still smirking. “You do realize, you’re being irrational, right?”
“Penelope.”