Chapter 21
“Ernest!” Erys called from the side door.
“Remedy, I told his stupid ass about calling me Ernest. This nigga forgot who his daddy is. Moves me in here and thinks he’s my damn daddy. A nigga can’t eat a slice of cake, drink his coffee, and look at some soft features in peace?” Ernie fussed, scowling at her.
“Why are you looking at me like I did it?” Remedy asked, smiling at him which only made his scowl deepen. “I said we were getting food later. Why are you opening that box?”
“I want more cake and coffee.”
“That’s not why you’re scowling at me. No cake or coffee until later,” Remedy said, bumping him out the way with her hip.
“You getting thick. That means you in there calling him daddy. I know you did, I saw y’all all hugged up. Now that thieving nigga thinks he’s my daddy. I’m the daddy dammit. He doesn’t call me, I call him!” Ernie continued. “Erys!”
“Ernest,” Erys shouted back, trying to hide the laughter in his voice.
“Erys!” Ernie shouted. “I’m trying to eat cake with my baby momma. Hell, you want?”
“Come here!”
“You come here, nigga!” Ernie shouted back.
Remedy took his coffee in a to go cup and his slice of cake in a bag for later and walked away. “All this hollering is getting on my nerves. Come on, Ernie, before you miss out on something.”
Ernie watched Remedy walk away, huffing and puffing, and followed her out the side door. He trekked past the first garage to the second where his car was parked. He stopped, took in the beauty of his car and placed his hands on his hips.
“Y’all did this for me?” Ernie posed.
Remedy shook her head. “All Erys.”
“Get your ass over here and hug me, boy,” Ernie sniffled.
Erys chuckled, happy he could do something to make his father view him in a different way. Hugging Ernie, he kissed his cheek, earning him a shove.
“Now that’s enough, nigga,” Ernie grunted. “Remedy, go take your sweet self inside and get my cane, my hat, and put yourself in a pretty dress. We going for a ride.”
“First of all, old man, don’t get carried away.
That’s my woman, watch yourself. I’ll get your cane and all the other bullshit you need to leave the house.
What she has on is fine. Y’all get in the car,” Erys said, pointing to the car and getting the things Remedy already had staged for them to take.
Inside the Cadillac with the top down, the trio rode through Cashmere Lakes until they reached the neurologist’s office. Ernie enjoyed the ride so much he dozed off to sleep. Erys eased into a parking spot, turned around and gently tugged on Ernie’s earlobe.
“You keep touchin’ on me, I’m going to turn your ass into my bitch. I heard them young niggas going for anything these days. Leave me alone now, boy,” Ernie grumbled, snapping his teeth at Erys’ finger.
Remedy got out, shaking her head and muffling her laughter. “Come on, Ernie. We’re going to lunch after this.”
Ernie huffed, got out of the car, and followed the pair into the doctor’s office. “Lakeview Neurology and Comprehensive Care. Fuck we here for?”
Remedy left Erys to do the heavy lifting and she went to sign Ernie in.
“I told you we were having a checkup,” Erys said, sitting down. “Don’t show your ass in these people’s office.”
“Why are we here? You getting checked out? The military didn’t put no papers on you?” Ernie asked, leaning in and peering at his son. “I know your ass is insane as hell.”
Remedy sat by Erys and motioned Ernie to sit by her. He sat and huffed. The receptionist wasted no time getting them into the back room. It was Remedy’s whisper to her when she signed him in.
Ernie begrudgingly got weighed, vitals taken, and when he was left alone in the room with Erys and Remedy, he started fussing all over again.
“Why the hell am I here at a quack? How many different ways do you want to prove that I’m crazy?
I ran a few niggas down in the Cadillac.
Do we need to go back further than that?
Huh? I was born and raised in a whore house?
I’m out my fuckin’ mind. That ain’t a secret.
Ernest Moore is crazy, whoopty doo!” Ernie yelled, flailing his arms.
Erys stood and placed his hands on his father’s shoulders. “Pop. It’s the neurologist. They’re going to look at your brain.”
“They’re going to cut my head open?” Ernie’s eyes showed terror and Erys felt that in his chest. “You gon’ let these muhfuckas cut my head open?”
“No,” Remedy spoke up. “You’re going to lay down on a bed and they’re going to take images of your brain.”
Ernie whispered. “You’re going to let them put a hole in my head?”
Erys watched as she held his face in her hands and spoke to him softly and evenly.
Love suddenly, love at first sight and all the things he swore was something made up so people could act on impulse.
It was real. He knew it was because he’d felt it from his toes to the top of his head from the second he laid eyes on her.
“I’m going to let them look at your brain so we know what’s happening on the inside.
I’m going to stand right outside the door.
If you want to take a nap, you can okay?
No one is going to tell you that you’re crazy and no one is going to look down on you for how you came into this world and how you had to survive it.
You did what you had to do, okay?” Remedy soothed his paranoia.
“Okay,” Ernie buzzed. “No hole in my head?”
“No one is going to harm a silk gray coil on that head. Have I ever lied to you?” Remedy posed.
“Never.”
“Okay, relax. You’re working yourself up and you’re safe and sound okay? Sit down by your son.”
Ernie, in a calmer state, sat down next to Erys and asked. “What’s going to happen after they look into my head?”
“They’re going to do some blood work and an echo,” Remedy replied.
Ernie looked at Erys. “Why are you paying for all of this if I’m gonna end up dying anyway?
I’ve fucked, I’ve snorted, I’ve drank, and I lost your mama.
Yes, I’m losing my mind. And I deserve that shit.
I pimped bitches since I was old enough to tell my dick to stand up.
That house you took me from was the same house I was born in. ”
Remedy raised her brows.
“We all got more days behind us than ahead but while I got you, I want to make sure I’m taking the best care of you.
Is that so bad? Part of it is me trying to make up for the time we wasted.
All the times I could’ve tapped in and didn’t.
I know you think this is a waste of time but can you do this for me?
” Erys asked, wrapping his hand around Remedy’s. “For us?”
Ernie muttered. “I’ll do anything for you two.”
Remedy smiled softly at him. “Then do this for us so for as long as we have you, you’re good.”
“Alright, alright. Shut up with all that soft shit.”
When the nurse came back for Ernie, he left with her without a fight. The nurse being young and attractive didn’t hurt.
“Rem, you stay with my face-stealing son. I’m gon’ be just fine,” Ernie buzzed, striding out the room behind her.
“You old dog,” Erys joked, watching Ernie put a dip into his walk. When the door closed, he looked over at Remedy, who was studying a text on her phone. “You good?”
She slowly nodded. “I met Eden Sage-Burton. She wants me to come to a photoshoot and test out my artistic direction.”
“Why you thinkin’ about it so hard? You know that shit is yours,” Erys encouraged. “Your gifts are making room for you. Eden is a big name on the fashion scene and she’s not on none of that bullshit.”
Remedy blew a curl out of her face and groaned. “You got two new artists to develop and Ernie is used to his day-to-day.”
“We can get Ernie an aide. Preferably someone that fits his tastes to help out. You can live your dreams, care for Ernie, build with me. We can have it all, we just have to have a balance,” Erys suggested.
“I will not let you give up your dream. You’ve done enough of that.
You’re going to go to that photoshoot. You’re going to direct the shit out of it and when it’s over, I’m going to take you out to dinner so you can tell me every detail. ”
Remedy smiled. “You like me.”
He kissed the top of her head. “You better know it. And I’m not letting you go.”
She rested her head on his shoulder. “This is going to take a few hours, there’s a coffee shop in the shopping center over there. Walk with me?”
“With you, behind you, inside you, all of it,” Erys assured, popping to his feet.
He kept her close as they walked. Keeping her on the inside of the sidewalk away from passing traffic, holding her hand, protecting and leading her, all stemming from the need growing in him to be everything he could to her.
To be the best at it so he could house all that she was.
Inside the coffee shop, the way Remedy coiled herself around his arm offered him comfort.
“You’re doing the right thing taking care of him,” she started. “Relax. They have our numbers if we need to run back.”
Erys wrapped his arms around her. The mere scent of her put his nervous system at ease, her in his arms settled the residual thoughts from his mind overworking.
“You’re right. The minute he cuts a fool in that scan, they’re telling us to come get his ass,” Erys laughed softly into her curls.
“Remedy?” Her name came out in a scoff that alerted Erys, whoever was calling it wasn’t someone his woman needed to be in contact with. The tension that stiffened her body also told him that. They both looked in the direction of her name being called.
A man in his late sixties, skin a shade lighter than hers. The same upturned eyes Remedy had peered at them. “Why are you over here?”
Remedy released Erys and straightened her spine. She was preparing herself to speak but Erys put her behind him and stood in his position as her protector.
“We haven’t met,” Erys stated. “Major Erys Moore.”
The man raised his brows, coupled with arrogant laughter. “And that’s the felon you chose?”
“It’s the woman you refused. So what’s up? Dr. Worthy?” Erys asked.
“Here you go doc-” Paul’s words fell short, finding the standoff between men and Remedy’s eyes full of assurance. “Remedy. I have an order of protection.”
“If anyone should have an order of protection, it should be her but you’re a bitch. Like to beat women and hide your hand,” Erys gritted only loud enough for them to hear. “I’ll give you two bitches an option each, get fuckin’ lost or get fuckin’ lost.”
“This is my city,” Paul spoke arrogantly. “I’ll have her arrested for violating her probation and you’ll be back where you came from.”
Erys grinned. “I dare you to touch her. Let alone look at her.”
“I’m her father,” Dr. Worthy declared, as if that were going to change Erys’ disposition.
His smile grew. “Nah. I’m daddy now. Get your fuckin’ ass out of here before I revert into who I used to be.”
Erys glared at them while they weighed their options.
When the duo of bitch ass men realized Erys would break jaws, crush ribs, and snatch souls behind Remedy, they moved out of their space.
Unfortunately for them, seeing their faces had awakened the beast Erys had lying dormant.
He was going to erase their existences but before then, he was going to know everything there was about his targets.
He turned to her and cupped her face. A trio of kisses to her lips to bring her back center and his closeness to soothe her anxiety. “You listening?”
“Yeah,” she spoke just above a whisper.
“It’s handled. Now what coffee do you want, Paradise?”