Chapter 19
August
While laid up inside the ivory-hued hospital room within the best hospital in the city, my wedding night leading to my wife shooting me never went away. No matter who asked if I needed anything, I was stuck in those times.
The different chimes and phone rings didn’t make me tear my eyes from the bright light as I tried to focus on everything that happened on a day and night that was supposed to have been tear-jerking and filled with pride.
“Aug, you need to talk to August Junior. He’s blowing up our phones.
You know people talk. He knows you were shot.
He’s frantic. You don’t want to leave him in the cold, not hearing from his first protector,” Kingsley said softly, interrupting me focusing on the light to gain some fucking insights into what the hell happened for me to snap at Mona the way I did.
“Continue lettin’ him know I’m fine, an’ I’mma talk to him when I’m feelin’ better,” I told my cousin as I eyed the twins who hadn’t fully looked at me since Kingdon arrived in town two days ago.
“You two fuckin’ gorillas better look at me like y’all’s asses always do an’ tell me som’ shit I’m very sho’ y’all know.
Ain’t a fuckin’ thing addin’ up. I ain’t no violent nigga to no female.
Why did I snap on my wife like that? It gotta be bigger than her questionin’ X.
What the fuck have I done, Kingston an’ Kingdon Abbott?
” I asked through clenched teeth as I removed the thin covers from my body.
Nastily, I hissed, “I’m in a shitbag fo’ life ‘cause I lost my shits an’ hit Mona below the belt so bad she fired my ass up.
Get … to … fuckin’ … talkin’ ‘cause I’m tired of askin’ nicely an’ fuckin’ beggin’.
The sooner I know the missin’ pieces, the quicker I can get som’ damn help an’ my wife back. ”
The twins sighed as Kingsley said, “August Junior isn’t answering.”
“Okay.” I nodded, never removing my eyes from the niggas whose lips had been awfully tight, further pissing me off.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
While turning my head from the door, I looked past my saddened mother.
I hadn’t said much to her. I knew she was disappointed in me; I was disappointed in me as well.
Focusing on the pretty sky with minimal clouds and a brightly shining sun, I dipped into the first day of having a date with Mona.
She was smiling, jittery, but overall confident and full of life.
Her eyes were soft when she laughed at something ridiculous that I said.
“August,” X said softly, placing her warm hand on mine.
“Yeah,” I answered, unwilling to face a woman who was against a man putting his hands on a woman. She’s whooped a lot of niggas who used to run with The Quad Ts, the twins, and me. I was sure she was present to give me the same fate that she’d bestowed on them. I didn’t care. I deserved it.
“Will you please look at me?” she commanded warmly before sitting on the small space to my left.
“If you gon’ hurt me, gon’ do that shit while I ain’t lookin’. Don’t feel like seein’ no mo’ fuck shit come my way ‘cause I messed up,” I offered as she did a surprising thing, interlock our fingers.
“I’m not going to hurt you,” she said sadly, squeezing my hand three times.
“Please face me. You’ve been asking questions, and I’m here to answer them.
Why? It’s my job to answer them as I was the one who told those in our presence …
the main three …. who’s always in your presence never to utter a fucking word about shit. ”
The room spun as curiosity and confusion got the best of me. I didn’t bother to look at her goons or address the sorrow floating around the room. I knew some heavy shit had happened.
Slowly turning to look at the sad-eyed woman with quivering lips, I voiced, “Talk.”
“Do you remember Annalyse Morton?” she asked as I frowned and nodded.
“Yeah. What ‘bout her?” I questioned, unsure why the chick I was only interested in just to fuck on and get over Amana was at the highlight of our conversation.
“All of us were at a party in a rural area not far from this city. Do you remember that?” she questioned as I frowned harder and nodded.
“What that got to do wit’ anything X?” I asked becoming agitated.
“When it was just you, Kingsley, King, Kingdon, my guys, and me, do you remember she questioned about what I do in the streets?” she asked lowly as her eyes became teary, throwing me off.
“Yeah.”
“Do you remember what happened afterward?”
“I went off on her ‘bout questionin’ folks who ain’t got shit to do wit’ her.
I walked off. Got drunk, danced wit’ her enemies an’ woke up at the foot of King’s bed wit’ him watchin’ me like a hawk.
Kingdon was on the floor, eyes glued to me.
Kingsley was behind me, massagin’ my head.
I had one hell of a headache,” I offered as the twins, Kingsley, and Ruger, Baked, and J-Money exhaled sharply and shook their heads.
“Oh, August,” X said choppily, shaking her head. “You are missing time because you got filthy wasted for what I said to you after I spoke my peace to her.”
“What the fuck you mean I’m missin’ time, X?” I asked through gritted teeth, wishing I could rise upright with ease.
“You did go off on her. You did walk off on her afterward. You took so many shots and downed half a bottle of gin and danced with her enemies. In the middle of you dancing with them and drinking more, my fuming ass snatched you from them … dragged you back to where you left your cousins and her. I yoked that bitch by her neck and looked you in your eyes and told you … that if another of your bitches ever questions me … again, I promised you that I would kill you and August Junior,” she spoke, tears sliding down her face.
My right eyelid twitched as I had no choice but to fight the pain to sit upright. Everything X had to say was enough for me to not give a damn about my wounds and pain.
Through dry lips, I asked, “What happened next?”
“I shoved her on the ground and spoke my threats to you slowly while staring into your eyes. I asked you whether you understood me. You nodded and said yes. I said, ‘Good. Don’t make me cross those lines with you. Have a good night.’ We barely made it to the car when Kingsley ran up to us, shaking, saying that Annalyse had questioned him about why you were so bold to say those things.
She told us King and Kingdon were trying to get you to stop bashing her head into the rock.
I took off running while ordering three of my guys to make sure no one came to that area.
When I arrived behind you, smashing her shit in, you were out of it, but not enough to know that I had threatened you and August Junior’s lives.
Repeatedly, you mumbled, you could’ve had us killed bitch, because of yo’ fuckin’ mouth!
That bitch ain’t shit to play wit’! After this, you gon’ learn to look the other way when she speaks!
I love my son way mo’ than I’ll ever love you.
You shut the fuck up when it come to this street shit where we live!
Matter of fact, get yo’ ass a job … so you can fuckin’ life much better so you won’t be in the street shit, pretendin’ you is that bitch.
She didn’t get hit by a truck that night, August. That’s what I told my payroll team to say after I dumped her body on a city road that has many hits and runs. You killed her. I covered it up.”
Silence ran around the room as I slumped back onto the bed and looked out of the window. Tears burned my eyes as my fingers curled into my palm. I hated the person I didn’t know I was. I hated that she was the reason I got wasted again and blanked out on my wife.
“August,” X whined, grabbing my hand. “I was young, but a lil older than you, but I was a powerful hormonal bitch. A lot of pressure was on my shoulders. I’m not making excuses.
I’m telling you, if I could go back and handle that night better with the mindset that I have now, I would’ve spoken an entirely different threat.
I shouldn’t have told you that I would kill you and your son if another of your bitches ever questioned me.
All the fault lies with me, August. All of it.
I’m at fault for Mona leaving you because you can bet your ass you did something to her.
All it took was for me to lash out at her the same way I did Annalyse …
for something deep down in you to be triggered.
That threat. I must be honest. I’m glad Mona questioned me because I needed to let that out.
I hate that I let it out that way. I should’ve asked to speak with you privately.
She would’ve never questioned me. I should’ve …
I should’ve made sure your pregnant wife was okay in your care, August. For three days, I’ve tried to apologize to Mona and explain what set you off.
She’s acting like she has amnesia. I don’t blame her.
August, do you know what you did to her? ”
“Not fully.” I choked up, realizing I was a walking trigger who should’ve known what could set me off.
They, King, Kingdon, an’ Kingsley let me marry Mona wit’out knowin’ this shit. They let me hurt her, knowin’ X be to close to us som’ times. They … let … her … in … my … fucked … up world. A world I ain’t even know ‘bout.
“She’s filed for divorce,” she answered as I closed my eyes, not giving a damn about the many tears flooding my face.
“I was sure that was comin’.” I choked up horribly as my stomach sank. My palms stung from my nails burying further into them.
Gently stroking the back of my hand, X nicely ordered. “Sign those papers. Okay?”
My fucking world was crashing. I was unable to hide my disappointment. Nodding, I cried, “Okay.”
“I’m so sorry I fucked your head up all those years ago, leading to the present events. You were so happy with Mona. She adored the ground you walked on. I loved seeing the two of you together. August?” X sobbed, uncurling my fingers.