Chapter Eight Trill #2
I know I was standing there a little longer than I anticipated. I was just going through the motions in my head about the whole thing. The fact that I had taken so much time, I didn’t want to hold the line up any longer. I took one last long look before I headed to my seat.
I didn’t want a program at first because I wanted to actually lay eyes on Giovanni before I saw pictures.
I really wanted it to feel like it was the first time I was ever seeing him.
When I took my seat, I asked Mazi to get a program from one of the ushers for me.
I needed one to follow along during the ceremony.
I sat patiently as the line continued to roll as people viewed the body.
I took the time to read over the program.
Looking at the different pictures of my late father.
There weren’t many of him with family, aside from when he was a child.
Most of his older pictures were alone or with Grit.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words.
He was the type of nigga that stayed professionally dressed.
A real suit and tie type of nigga. There isn’t a picture where he didn’t look expensive as fuck.
It kind of fucked me up in a way. I can just tell that the nigga was well off.
I hated that for me because just maybe if he was in my life, I wouldn’t have went down the road that I did.
I may have never turned to the streets selling dope.
Every picture the nigga had a different Rolex, Patek, and all kind of other different watches. He never wore the same thing once.
I never saw myself as that type of nigga. Looking at him though, it made me feel I could pull the shit off. That shit isn’t me though. Being in this position, so many different damn thoughts run through your mind.
“That nigga looking like James St. Patrick on this bitch”, Mazi whispered to me.
“My sentiments exactly. As long as I got my suit and tie face ass”, I said, and we shared a light laugh.
I was really laughing to keep from crying for real. My emotions were in an unexplainable stage right now. A lot of this shit, I don’t even understand why I’m experiencing it.
The place was packed to capacity as people were still making their way in. I looked up and looked directly into the eyes of Savage. Jace nudged me on my back trying to get my attention.
“I see them bitch ass niggas!”
The moment that I saw Savage; I saw his little puppies following behind him.
My jaw muscles flexed as the irritation grew inside of me.
A moment that’s so sentimental to me, I had to share with these niggas.
I’m not feeling that shit at all. None of them had no business being here.
I made a mental note to check my car for a tracker.
It’s crazy as fuck, everywhere we go these niggas show up. It’s like they are following us around.
That’s the main reason I never leave home lacking. You literally never know when the enemy will show his face.
“Let’s just hope they play good little boys. I’ll hate to turn this funeral into a massacre”, Nico leaned up and said.
I looked slightly to the right, so I could hear him clearly.
I said nothing but I agreed with him one hundred percent.
Savage looked at me like he had a fuckin problem.
It was taking every ounce of restraint that I possessed to keep shit cool.
Seeing them made it hard as hell to concentrate now.
Simply because I felt like I had to watch my back for any fuck shit.
For all I know, them niggas could be here to put me in the casket alongside my daddy.
Them niggas will depart this earth before I do. I’ll see to that shit personally. Dre was with their ass too. Him and Ice being in the same room wouldn’t be any good for anyone.
“Yo, you straight”, Grit leaned over and asked me.
My eyes were trained on ACE the entire time.
“Yeah, I’m cool as fan”
I know that I was lying through my teeth. I watched them niggas intently as they took a seat on the opposite side, a couple of rows back. I really was on high alert now. Essentially, the niggas were behind my back and I ain’t with that shit.
The service was going on and I was trying my best to listen. I was thankful that Grit didn’t pry too much. He just gave me a knowing look like he knew that was pure bullshit. He still didn’t budge though.
“Giovanni Laurent, the businessman, the mogul. He was a “unique” individual. One thing I know about him was that money was always his number one priority. He woke up with it on his mind and went to sleep with it on his mind. He worked hard to be successful in life. He was the type of guy that wouldn’t take no for an answer”, the speaker said and laughed lightly.
“No to him, meant we would revisit the conversation at a later date. He had the type of charismatic spirit that could make you change your mind. He knew his wit and he used it to his advantage to make it far in life. I know these things because he and I were childhood friends. Great person but he let his mission cause him to lose sight of the thing that mattered the most, family. So many times, we get lost in our mission and forget about the little people. Or the people who need more from us than what money can accommodate for. There is no time limit on life. When it’s our time, it’s our time.
Theres nothing we can do to prevent it. Nothing we can do to delay it.
We just have to go. If you gain nothing else from my message, take this.
Love on your loved ones, each and every day.
Take time out for the people that mean the most. Take those pictures, because in the end, memories will be all we have to look back on”
Though Savage and his crew showing up dismantled my spirit a little bit.
The speakers’ words spoke to me, and I heard it all loud and clear.
It was like the nigga could see through the windows of my soul.
Like he knew the absent relationship that me and my daddy had.
He was right about one thing though. Time waits on no man.
Life is so short; you have to make shit right with your loved ones while they’re still walking the face of the earth.
Otherwise, you’ll spend the rest of your life living with regret.
I know that the shit between him and I was to no fault of my own. Still hit the same though. Everything after that fell on deaf ears though. It could all be in my head, but I could feel them niggas staring a hole through my back.
Any other time, I play shit cool. Today out of all days though, if these niggas want their issue, I’m going to give them just that.
I ain’t in a fucking playing mood today.
The funeral was ending and for that I was glad.
I didn’t know how much longer I could sit with my back turned to these niggas.
That was like putting a target on my own back.
That was the good thing about being in the family section. We were the first to enter and exit. Me and my boys hauled ass getting outside where it wasn’t shit but space and opportunity. I needed room to be able to shuffle around if need be.
“What the fuck them niggas doing here?”, Ice asked as soon as we made it outside.
“I don’t fucking know. By now I’m sick of these niggas. Everywhere we fucking go, we’re running into their asses. This city isn’t that damn small for them to be showing up everywhere”
“Trill”, I heard Grit call out as he came down the stairs.
I directed my attention to him. He had his girl on his arms., as they made their way over to where we stood. She was pretty as hell, and her small frame complimented his large one.
“I’m really glad you came man. You just don’t know how good that makes me feel. Shit made today a little easier honestly. I want you to meet someone. This is my ol’ lady, Serenity. Baby, this is my nephew Trill”
“So nice to meet you”, she said politely. “I just have to say, you look so much like Gio its insane.”
“The moment I saw his face, that was all I could say to myself. The only thing that was different was the complexion”, I said.
“The only thing”, she said laughing.
My boys were still standing right here with me, so I didn’t want to be rude. They are my family, so it’s important for him to meet the people that mean the most to me.
“This is my cousin Mazi. My boys, Jace, Ice, and Nico. Fellas, this is my dad’s brother Grit and his girl, Serenity”
Still wrapping my mind around calling him uncle aloud.
Hopefully overtime I can get to that point.
Serenity greeted each of them in a polite manner, and Grit did the same.
Grit went inside of his suit jacket to retrieve an envelope.
He handed it to me; my government plastered across the front plain as day.
He gave me strict instructions to only open it when I was alone.
I could only imagine what the contents of this envelope held.
Right now, I couldn’t think about that shit too much.
Especially, because I was in the presence of the enemy.
“I got you”, I said.
I was in tune with the conversation, but my eyes were still trained on them fuck niggas.
“Why are you looking like you see red?”, Grit asked me.
“Cause I do, niggas always want to test my gangsta like I ain’t really on that shit. No matter the time or the place I’m prepared to get active”
“And know if you miss their pussy asses, just know I got them”, Ice said.
As we talked our eyes were trained on them pussies the entire time.
A bitch ass nigga is something I never been.
The shit at Platinum was only example of how shit can really get.
This beef between us has been ongoing forever.
I try to keep shit P, but it’s always these niggas. They’re definitely our biggest haters.