CHAPTER THIRTEEN SEVEN #2
They knew good and got damn well I didn’t do shit to PJ.
I told their asses to arrest me, because I refused to set my people up.
There was no amount of money that would have me turning on family.
Mrs. Sidney could get that convo from Apple; I was more than sure of it.
All they were doing was fucking up and making it easy for Mr. Shy to go after their asses.
When we got to the lab, I still felt somewhat lethargic. I barely remembered leaving the jailhouse. I stumbled a bit when I got out of her car.
“Seven, you okay?”
“Yeah, just a little dizzy.”
“After we do these labs, I’m taking you to the hospital. Somebody drugged you. They done ruined their whole fucking case. I guess they thought I wouldn’t leave Baltimore with the quickness to get here. Incompetent muthafuckas.”
My dad grabbed my arm and helped me inside for them to do what they needed to do. As we waited, I asked, “Anybody talked to Iesha? Royal still have my stuff?”
“I have your wallet and your phone. Iesha knows. She was at the house yesterday evening, waiting to hear from you. We couldn’t find where those muthafuckas had you, so we had to wait for Sidney.”
An old white man was staring at us, and my dad saw him. “Anything you wanna say?” my dad asked him.
“Please have some respect.”
“Respect for who? You the only one in here. I don’t know you personally, and so far, you ain’t gave me nothing to respect.
When we walked in, you turned your head the opposite way.
You don’t like Black people so stay out of Black ass business.
I know exactly who your racist ass is, though.
My daddy couldn’t stand you, but I bet you eating Henderson rice though. ”
That old man was red as fuck. I thought it was strange that my dad was speaking loudly in this public place. He didn’t give a fuck most times, but he knew how to respect people that deserved it until they gave him a reason not to.
“Wesley Henderson was your father? I don’t have a problem with Black people. I only had a problem with him.”
“Mm-hmm. He took their land back that your family stole from his family.”
He rolled his eyes. “That had nothing to with us.”
“Yeah, the fuck it did. You were still holding on to stolen property and didn’t wanna give it back. He should have shot you between your eyes where he put the barrel of his gun at. Step foot in Nome, and I’ll make it happen.”
“Are you threatening me, Mister Henderson?”
“Mayor Henderson. It’s not a threat. It’s a warning. Yo’ old ass better take heed.”
“Seven Henderson, come on back,” the nurse called out.
That old man frowned. “Ma’am, I was here first.”
“Someone will be with you shortly, sir.”
Both of us stared at him and smirked. He was hot as fish grease. My dad grabbed my arm to be sure to hold me steady.
“I swear, the older I get, the less tolerant I am of bullshit like this. That’s why it’s good to know your history, especially your family history.
It could have you canoodling with the enemy.
That muthafucka’s name is James Albritton.
The Albritton’s left Nome after that bullshit with Daddy.
They were pissed that he didn’t get in trouble for what he did.
He was friends with the Jeffcoats back then, and because they backed him up, he wasn’t arrested. ”
I nodded as I sat in the chair so they could take blood. I probably wouldn’t remember a word he said in the next hour.
“Any changes with PJ?” I asked as she inserted the needle.
“Yeah.”
I tore my gaze away from my arm to look at him. He only gave me a one-word answer.
“He coded. They got him back, and he woke up. He was in so much pain. They gave him some heavy meds though. He’s still in ICU for now.”
My eyebrows lifted. “So he’s awake?”
My dad gave me a slight smile and nodded. “He’s awake, asking for food, you, Mythic, and Ace. The nigga was talking nonstop until Lema told him to shut up and leave something to talk about tomorrow.”
I smiled. God was good. I refused to vocalize my negative thoughts, but I didn’t think he was going to make it. Once she’d gotten my blood drawn, I said, “Take me to the hospital to see PJ.”
“You need to be checked out, Seven,” Mrs. Sidney said.
“Let me see my boy, first, then we can go downstairs to the ER. I just need to lay eyes on him. Please.”
She gave me a tight smile and nodded. “Dad, can you give me my phone?”
He pulled it from his pocket and handed it to me. I immediately called Iesha. I knew she was worried about me. The second she answered the phone, she said, “Seven! Are you okay? Are you at home?”
“Hey, baby. I’m not home yet. I’m just leaving a lab where they had to take blood. I’m gonna lay eyes on PJ, then Mrs. Sidney wants me to be evaluated, because I don’t remember anything after getting in my cell yesterday.”
“Okay. Can I meet you at the hospital?”
“Yeah, baby. Better yet, can I go to your place to take a shower before I go to the hospital?”
“Of course. I’ll be waiting. I was so worried about you.”
“I know. You were the first person I asked about when they got there to get me. See you in a few, baby.”
“Okay. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
I ended the call, and my dad shook his head. “You finally got your shit together with that girl. It’s about time. I think she’s good for you, just like your mama was good for me.”
I nodded. “Yeah. I just hate I got all this bullshit going. That was what was keeping her from taking me seriously. When I finally told her the truth of what was going on, she took time to think about it, and she accepted me for who I was after that. I’m glad too, because a nigga had blue balls something serious. ”
Mrs. Sidney rolled her eyes as we walked to the car. Dad chuckled. “Well, you keep doing shit right by her, we may have a quadruple wedding.”
“Shiiiid, I wouldn’t be against that, but Iesha ain’t gon’ wanna move that fast. Besides, her family will have to pay for it. I still ain’t met her parents yet.”
“Oh yeah, that’s right. Shit. After these three, I’m done. Hell yeah. That’s gon’ be a long ass wedding though.”
“I doubt it. They know how you are and so do the Semiens and Red.”
He laughed, then got in his truck. As Mrs. Sidney drove, she said, “You remind me so much of my son. Graham is older than you, but he has finally found the woman that brings out his best qualities. I could see that Iesha does the same thing for you when you were on the phone.”
I gave her a one-sided smile. “Yeah. I saw him on TV with that rapper. That’s who he’s with now?”
“Yeah. They make a really cute couple.”
I nodded slightly. We remained quiet the rest of the way to Iesha’s house. I needed to see my baby. Being in her arms . . . I knew everything would be alright after that.