CHAPTER SEVENTEEN SEVEN #2
He slowly shook his head as Jacob chuckled.
Jacob was always at the house when he was younger.
Lil Wes was starting to look like Grandpa the older he got.
For a second, I was stuck staring at him.
I hadn’t been this close to him since he was a baby.
He had to be at least two or three years old now. I looked at Jacob, and he nodded.
“I feel like Grandpa lives in him, man. Every time I look at him, I can’t help but think about him.
It’s like he’s saying he’s still here through my son.
Some days, when my mind ain’t in the best place, Lil Wes will just come get on my lap and hug me.
It’s like Grandpa telling me he loves me and that ain’t none of that shit we went through with the Andersons my fault. I still struggle with that sometimes.”
I nodded as Mekayla grabbed his hand and kissed it. She was good for him.
“So, Pam, what you been up to?” I asked her, calling her what my dad called her.
“Not too much. I see your sisters from time to time at the clinic. I’m still doing physical therapy, although somebody tries to limit me to female clients only.”
She rolled her eyes, and Jacob bit his bottom lip trying not to laugh. Shit, that was how they met. She was his therapist, so I didn’t blame his ass.
“I’m not gon’ lie. That sounds like some shit I would do too. Good looking out, cuz.”
Mekayla rolled her eyes. I fed Iesha more food, and asked, “What about you, Martha?”
That was my dad’s name for Cassie. She smiled big and said, “I’m still working with Missus Taylor’s sister at her girls’ center, Integrity. Missus Kortlynn still works there too.”
“Mister Zayson’s wife?”
“Yeah. One of their daughters is there too. She’s a little on the bougie side though.”
“That doesn’t surprise me. Missus Kortlynn can give off that vibe too.”
“Yeah, but she’s sweet.”
K-3 came running to the table huffing and puffing as JJ came running behind him. KJ frowned, and said, “Bring yo’ lil bad ass back to your table.”
He shot him the finger and everybody’s eyebrows lifted. I chuckled as Jacob said, “I bet you think that’s funny, huh nigga? Iesha, if y’all have kids together, they gon’ be bad like that, because his ass was a terror.”
When she was about to say something, I held the chicken to her lips, causing everybody to laugh.
“See! That nigga already trying to control you,” Christian said.
Iesha took a bite and glanced at me, then shot them the finger. “Hell yeah! My ride or die. Y’all niggas in trouble now!”
I kissed the side of Iesha’s head as everybody laughed. She was definitely it for me.
“Okay, let’s be seated, family,” Uncle WJ said.
Watchful Eyes all lined the walls of the room as the rest of us sat.
“I asked for the meeting to be here because it’s more secure than the barn. Unfortunately, we need all the security we can get these days. Marcus’s family is outside, securing the perimeter.”
He slid his hand down his face and glanced at Ali. When he nodded, Uncle WJ said, “PJ isn’t dead.”
“I knew that shit!” Royal yelled. “My bad, Unc.”
He and I slapped hands.
Uncle WJ chuckled slightly. “Royal, Ace, Seven . . . I’m sorry we had to let y’all feel that grief.
Imagine how Kema, Lema, and Kiana still feel.
Kingsley, Kane, Crew, and Ryder J. Philly had to feel it too.
Watchful Eyes thought it was best to wipe him off record.
The FBI tried to kill him. There is no longer a paper trail for Philly Junior.
We can’t disclose his location, because frankly, only a couple of people know that. Shy and Ali.”
“And Jericho,” Ali added.
“It’s best for his safety. When the coast is clear, and all of this bullshit is over, he’ll be back.
You can send messages to him by way of the three of them.
He knows that everyone thinks he’s dead.
There will still be a funeral next weekend.
It’s important that no one else knows. The reason y’all need to know is because of the FBI trying to not only take out Marcus but the Henderson Family in totality.
In researching Marcus, we were put on their radar. ”
“On their radar for what?” Uncle Jasper asked.
“All the cases y’all have ever been involved in . . . anything you were questioned about, including that shady ass cop from years ago,” Ali said.
“Reggie? That muthafucka deserved everything he got plus some,” my dad said.
“That may be the case, but they not gon’ see the shit that way.
They know y’all took out those niggas in Liberty, despite the missing bodies.
They want Henderson wealth, Henderson status, and Henderson blood.
The only way to fight this shit is both legally and in the streets.
Marcus’s family will help us handle the streets, but it will be extremely tight.
Not everyone in Watchful Eyes will be on that team.
Jericho, me, and Vegas. We are the three that can go undetected. Seal-like status. Y’all feel me?”
Everyone nodded while Aunt Chrissy wiped tears from her face. She was always so sensitive. Rylan put his arm around his mama.
“Other Watchful Eyes crew will be here on the ground, securing Henderson territories and only shooting in self-defense. I normally don’t share as much intel before the action, so this definitely has to stay extremely tight.
Shy’s career depends on it. We will be acting as snipers and taking these people out.
We will be wiping surveillance in the area and cleaning our tracks as we go. They gon’ be dropping like flies.”
“Baby, we need to have a prayer vigil for y’all,” Aunt Jen said.
Ali nodded, then looked at Rhodes. “Call your lady.”
He nodded. My sister was rubbing her stomach, so Mythic went to her and knelt beside her.
He said something to her, then he helped her from her chair.
They went to a corner of the room, and he stood behind her, lifting her belly, and she leaned against him and swayed side to side.
I watched them for a moment. It seemed nobody else mattered in this moment to him.
He whispered something in her ear and kissed her neck as her eyes closed.
If anybody would have told me three years ago that this nigga would be the best man for my sister, I would have probably wanted to shoot them in their mouth.
Mythic Semien was ruthless, and I would have never believed he would take care of my sister the way he had been .
. . from day one. He loved her with his soul, and that was all any of us wanted for her . . . for the twins’ mean asses too.
As I watched them, Uncle WJ said, “Karima’s here.”
I looked up at the monitor and saw her arriving outside.
One of the cartel guys helped her from her car, and Rhodes went to the door to get her.
Aunt Jen stood from her seat, prompting us all to do the same.
When Karima walked in, she gave us a tight smile.
Rhodes hoisted her onto the tabletop to be sure everyone could see her.
She was just as short as Maui and almost just as pregnant.
She was about six months along. We all literally towered over her and could easily block her view.
She closed her eyes and began. “Everyone, grab someone’s hand. Ali, Shy, Jericho, and Vegas . . . come to the front.”
My eyes darted around to see everyone’s eyes were wide. No one had told her anything . . . just that we needed her to come pray.
“God has called you to be angels of war. Chad, Rondo, Dinalee, Seneca, Jungle, Rhodes, Mythic, and Uncle Philly, y’all are God’s angels of protection. PJ . . .”
Her eyes popped open, and she looked around the room. “PJ is God’s messenger.”
She was gasping for a moment . . . almost hyperventilating. God had revealed that to her. She lifted her hands high and tears fell down her cheeks.