36. Wyn
Wyn
“I should cut my locs, huh Twin? Be on some grown man shit?” Red turns from the mirror to peer at me.
He’s tied his tie around his head like a bandana, letting the tongue hang to the side.
His dress shirt is unbuttoned all the way, showing off his tattoos, but somehow, his deconstructed suit look works for him, even the forces with GPE spraypainted in gold on the sides.
We’re in one of the back bathrooms in Gerinomo Land. The gallery is quickly filling with guests who came for Cochise’s album listening party. The dress code is black tie, even if we’re in the G$ clubhouse, and from what I saw on the cameras, more people adhered to it than I thought would.
The show hasn’t started yet. The guys are in the back, watching the cameras, ragging on Cochise about how uptight he’ll be once he marries his fiancée and takes over.
Red needed to use the restroom, and for whatever reason, he needs me to help him.
But I go, so that the guys can drink and smoke without feeling guilty or leaving.
Besides, I’m starting to see Red as my twin, too.
“You can be a grown man with locs. My friend Turkey didn’t start growing his until after he was grown.”
“Yeah, but I been having mine. Mommy ain’t know what to do with nappy hair, so she locked mine and Trin’s shit up. She ended up cutting hers off and growing out her hair, but I kept mine. I can’t find no one to retwist them, and since ya nigga don’t want me getting in between ya legs–”
“Shut up,” I hiss, kicking at him. He dodges me, and turns back around to the mirror. “That’s incest!” I screech.
He grins at me through the mirror. “So you finally claiming me as ya brother, huh? Knew I’d wear you down. Is Luney cuz coming tonight? Grime had us all weak at how he showed up to yo photo shoot last week.”
My cheeks heat, and on impulse, I check to see the numbers on my new video.
While my first single, “Back Home” with Grime, is going up on the charts, I dropped a single with just me, “Feenin’.
” I thought it was a cute play on words, and a way to showcase all my flows.
We shot a video for it, and Dori held a casting call for my love interest. We picked one and all, just for Rico to trip out, then show up to the shoot to play the role.
All in the video, you see his LUNEY chain shining, even if the camera wasn’t focused on him. I’m sure my homegirl Reina did that on purpose when she filled in for the director, but either way, I’m at two million views and counting in just three days, and the public is officially hype for my album.
“So you can press him? No. I’ll see him after.”
“Scary ass–you, not him.”
“How I’m scary?!” I put my phone back in my clutch and take out some gum.
It’s been awhile, so I don’t think chewing some will give me a headache.
Besides, we can’t stay in this bathroom forever, and no matter how much they think they’re airing out a room, the kush they smoke clings to them like lint.
“If you serious about Luney cuz, he gon’ have to come around one day, or you gon’ go ghost. Just like Coach is one and done, putting up the blue rag for a Brioni suit. Don’t be like him.”
“Coach can’t be a rapper and run the Council, Red. I’m sure there’s some ancient law against that.”
Red just shrugs, and picks up his phone to start taking selfies. “Maybe. I’on know, I ain’t in that shit. Besides, we talkin’ about you. Whatchu gon’ do when it’s your album release party? Cuz ain’t gon’ come support you? Do you want him to?”
“Why are you asking these loaded ass questions? You on something?”
His grin grows in the mirror. “Maybe, maybe not. But still, Twin. Don’t you want yo nigga to be there front row, center, at all yo accomplishments? If not, why the fuck y’all together then?”
I snatch his phone, and go through the pictures he has, favoriting the ones he should post. “I don’t discuss such things with my brother.”
“Ay, don’t make my ears bleed.” He tries to mush me on my forehead before opening the bathroom door for me so we can finally leave. I hand him his phone, and instead of going to the back, we walk to the VIP section roped off for the party, where Turk, Autumn, and Patience already are.
Red’s words dance around my head as I hug my loved ones. Soon, these same people will be celebrating me. Will Rico also be absent?
I never asked him to come with me tonight. I know my man, and even if he’s showing exponential growth by not being the crazy stalker-type man I know he’s capable of, I wouldn’t dare have him in the same room as someone I’ve hunched before. Especially if it’s their special night.
I get enough of him swearing everyone and their mom wants me.
But what happens when it’s me? I almost don’t want to ask and he says no. And when I try to imagine it, it looks… weird. Having all my lives together in one place. Wyn the sister, Wynter Snow the rapper, Rico’s Snow, Wynter, South Kenton’s Ice Princess.
My head starts to pound, and I lean over the trash to spit out my gum.
“You good?” Auty asks, snaking her arm around mine and trying to inconspicuously check my pupils.
I buck my eyes at her just as the lights go low, and pull her hand off my arm. “Girl. You’re being weird.”
“I know you don’t say anything when Rico checks on you,” Auty snaps, folding her arms.
“Squinting to see if my pupils are dilated when it’s dim in here and you’re blind as a bat isn’t ‘checking’ on me, Auty. I’d rather you be extra weird and just ask me if I’m high or drunk.”
“Maaaan–” Turkey starts, but Auty cuts him off.
“Okay. Fine. Well, are you? You were back there a long time.”
“Autumn!” Patience hisses, looking around. Other people probably are paying attention, but Auty doesn’t give a fuck about that. Not with how she glares at me.
Just to fuck with her, I wipe my nostrils like I just did a bump, never taking my eyes off hers. Then, I slowly blow my breath into my hand then smell it. “I guess the gum covered the tequila breath good, huh?”
“Stop fuckin’ with her Wyn,” Turkey intones, but I just roll my eyes hard.
“No, Autumn Night, I did not break my sobriety. Your sacrifice of sending me away is still intact.”
“You know, you’re being funny, but if I’d never sent you to Belize, I’d probably still be friends with Rico.”
The cackle I let out is automatic, as I cut my eyes at my sister before turning to face her fully. “No one is stopping you from being friends with Rico but your own ego. You’ve met Mars, and you love him. You’re the one still holding onto anger; don’t blame me.”
“So, you really–”
“No!” I snap, holding my hands out. “God! Get over yourself, Auty. Stop making everything about you. Like, we’re at a fucking album listening party. Why the fuck are we talking about how you’re ignoring Rico?”
Patience smoothly steps between us and pulls me closer to the wall, away from Auty.
I can still feel my sister’s glare, even as I’m sure Turkey is trying to calm her down, but I shake it off.
The VIP bar is in my line of sight, but I avert my eyes, taking out my phone and going to my text thread with Rico.
“Aw, was that in Belize?”
I place my phone on my stomach and eye Patience, who looks sheepish at least from being nosey.
“Sorry. Just… trying to change the subject. You guys are intense. And, uh, don’t tell Auty, but, I think you’re right.”
My arms fold, since my interest is piqued. While Rico taking up for me gets my panties wet, it’s a fine line between defending me and throwing Auty under the bus, which would actually get the First Nation Princess cussed out.
“I mean about her and Rico,” she corrects, reading my body language. “Royce thinks she’s sad about you guys’ parents, but I think she misses him.”
“Well, Pay, she’s doing that to herself. And yes… that was us in Belize.”
She grins, her cold hands wrapping around my bicep like her wife just did before.
“I’m really happy for you, Wynter. The way he knocked out Mr. Shaw! Girl. That was so hot! To be loved like that…” Patience interlocks her fingers by her head and wistfully looks away, making me snort.
“Once upon a time, your brother did the same thing for me,” I divulge.
That snaps Patience back to reality. She scrunches her face, unable to picture her overgrown brother being anything but a sweet angel baby.
“Cheese?! Punched someone out for you?! I refuse to believe it.”
I lean in and wink. “Believe it, Buttercup. Your brother has a lil’ temper on him, and has a thing about respect. I heard his fiancée is giving him a run for his money. I thought she’d be here.”
Patience’s eyes brighten. “What else have you heard?! Cheese won’t tell me anything, and all Daddy does is grumble under his breath.
The guys haven’t met her. I thought she’d be here by now.
” We look around us, but no one sticks out.
I lock eyes with Dori, who is glued to Sheisty’s side.
Her eyes turn pleading, but before I can even take a step toward her, Sheisty bends down and says something in her ear.
He snaps for security, and they lead a reluctant Dori to the back, just as the lights dim, and the lead single from Cochise’s new album begins to play over the speakers.
I’m so proud of him. Cochise has always had his own unique flow, different from PC or the usual California sound in rap.
His mixtapes have always gone viral, with some even used in movies and games, but this is his first and only cohesive album.
The crowd is hype as he performs song after song, even though they don’t know the words of most of them.
Patience is the loudest in VIP, cheering him on for an hour straight, while he slowly comes up out of his suit jacket, bow tie, and shirt.