A Chicago Love Story

A Chicago Love Story (Part 29)

I jumped awake because the house phone started ringing, then I ran downstairs and answered it. Boy: "Aye." Me: "Yea wassup?? Anything goin on wit Nique??" Boy: "Yeah they found where he was at." Me: "Is he ight??" Boy: "Yeah the dude that got shot wasn't him..." Me: "What?" Boy: "Apparently Nique was at some girl's house that night and he told allem ppl over there that he wasn't gon be able to come. Ion know who started saying it was him that got shot." Me: "Omg... thank you. Imma call him. I really preciate you." Boy: "Fasho, if you ever need anything just call dis number and ask fa Marion." Me: "Okay thank you so much.." I hung up then ran upstairs to call Nique off my phone. I walked in my room and picked it up to call him. He didn't pick up. Me: "Damn it Nique... Pick tf up." I called again and this time it took a while for someone to answer. It was a female that was yelling and she said "Who tf is this Dominique?? See I knew I shouldn't have been fw chu again! I thought that maybe yo ass had changed but nahh I see imma fuckin dumbass for thinkin that shit about you. I shoulda jus ignored yo ass last night." Me: "Girl I know she fuckin lyin..." I heard Nique screaming back at her then I heard Nique say "Nigga dats my mfn cousin!" She tried to say something but he interrupted her and said "Hello!?" Me: "Nique ppl been sayin that you got shot down there!" Nique: "Man what?" Me: "They said you was down at somebody's house and it was a deal gone wrong and somebody got shot and everybody said it was you." Nique: "Nah I been at somebody house all night." The girl inna back started yelling again and Nique yelled back. Nique: "Ight Lai imma have to call you back. I got sum shit goin on." Me: "Please jus come down to Gramma's house." Nique: "Ight gimme bout an hour." He hung up and I put my forehead down on the table. I was so happy that he was safe. I went back upstairs and checked my phone and seen it was only 7am. I pushed all my hair back and sat down on the bed. I texted Von "Good morning." then cut my phone off and sat it down. I pulled some clothes out of my suitcase then grabbed a towel out the closet so I could get ready for a shower. I walked in the bathroom and cut the shower on then got it.

30 minutes later, the bathroom door opened and I heard the toilet lid get lifted up. Me: "Who is that..." Mani: "Girl I hadda pee, you gon be ight." Me: "Yo ass can't wait til I get out?" Mani: "Uh no? Da fuck. You take too damn long." The toilet flushed and the water got real hot and I said "Damn Mani!!" She busted out laughing and said "My bad, my bad 🤣" She cut the sink on and washed her hands then she said "I been up worried bout Nique all night..." I peeked around the curtain and she was sitting on the counter lighting a blunt. Me: "Da hell is you doing? Dis can't wait 10 minutes?" Mani: "No. I'm worried about him fr Lai..." Me: "He's fine." Mani: "What?" Me: "Why you smokin in Gramma's house?" Mani: "I'm stressed and I'm positive that's da least of ha concerns rn. Whatchu say bout Nique?" Me: "He's fine, he prolly gon be here soon." Mani: "How tf you know that?" Me: "I just do." She shook her head and took another hit. I went back around the shower curtain and rinsed my hair. Mani: "I really hope you right Lai Lai. I can't even think bout losin Nique. If anybody did anything to em I promise you imma be in jail behind dat." Me: "Step out for a second." I heard the door open then shut so I stepped out the shower. I wrapped a towel around my body then said "If anything was to happen to Nique, you know damn well he wouldn't wantchu to get involved wit nun of dem niggas he was fw down there." Mani spoke back thru the door and said "Lemme in." Me: "Girl bye I am not dressed." Mani: "You got a towel on, you can go in yo room and get dressed. You can still talk to me thru dat door too. Open up hoe." I opened the door and she shoved the blunt in my face and said "Huh, take dis." I held it for a few seconds and stared at it. Me: "Why df you make it dis fat?" Mani: "I'm that stressed." Me: "It's gon be ight Mani, I promise you." I took a hit off and passed it back to her. I heard my phone going off in the room so I ran back in there and answered it. Me: "Hello?" I heard a bunch of moving around on the other side then I heard Von say "Aye." Me: "Hey baby... you up early." He sounded so tired but I loved talking to him when he was like that. Von: "I called to ask you bout Nique." Me: "He good. He supposed to be here inna lil bit." I heard the bathroom door slam so I figured it was Mani in there. Von: "Whatchu mean?" Me: "Apparently he was at sum girl's house and ppl started saying he got shot." Von: "So he good??" Me: "Yeah other than sum lil bitch yellin at him this morning, he ight. Whatchu doin tho?" Von: "I woke up and seen yo text so I figured I shoulda called. What yo lil ass doin up so early?" Me: "I hadda worry bout my cousin and take a shower 😂. I could ask you da same question Mr. Bennett" Von: "Lemme see yo face ma." Me: "Uhnt uhn." Von sucked his teeth then I heard more shuffling and moving. He started cussing under his breath then he said "Laiya." Me: "What? 🤣" Von: "Nigga jus cut da camera on." Me: "Hmm..." Von: "I'm not doin dis. Cut yo camera on before I whoop yo ass." Me: "Dassa 10 hour drive boo." Von: "Cut it tf on." I started laughing then I cut my camera on. He was laid back in the dark with his arm over his forehead then he said "Shiii look at my lil shordy lookin all pretty and shit." Me: "Baby you look tired.. go back to sleep." Von: "Imma be ight. I'm finna stay otp witchu." Me: "No, gts." Von: "Nah." I rolled my eyes then sat the phone down so I could put my clothes on. Von: "Pick da phone up mane, I'm not tryna look at da ceiling." Me: "I'm getting dressed 🤣" Von: "I done seen and put my mouth all over allat so you-" Me: "Shut up damn." He started laughing then he said "Whatchu finna do today?" Me: "Ion know. It's prolly too hot to go anywhere." Von: "Don't sit inna house all damn day." Me: "Boy bye it's hot asf." Von: "Yo ass betta get sum ice or sum 😂" I rolled my eyes then pulled my shirt over my head. I brushed my hair out and pulled it up into a high bun then I watched Mani walk in thru the mirror. Me: "Wassup." Mani: "Nun... I just can't be by myself rn.. I'm too worried." Me: "It's gon be ight Mani." Von: "Aye Mani, Durk been talkin bout chu since y'all left mane 🤣🤣" Me: "Stop tellin his business." Mani: "I miss Durk but I'm more worried bout Nique rn..." The doorbell downstairs rang and I picked my phone up and walked downstairs. I looked out the glass and seen Nique and his ex Desiree standing out on the porch. I unlocked the door as quick as I could and threw my arms around Nique and squeezed him. Me: "Omg I'm so glad you're okay Nique." Mani came downstairs on her phone then she looked up and started screaming. She ran downstairs and put her arms around Nique. He stood there with his hands up then he said "Da fuck..." Mani started tearing up then she said "Nique they said you got shot and nobody could get a hold of you so everybody been worried all night." Gramma and my parents came downstairs and Gramma said "Oh lawdy Nique is safe! My grandbaby is safe, thank the Lord!"  She gave him a hug then kissed him on the cheek. Daddy: "Somebody call Shirley!" Mani picked up the house phone and started to call their mom. Gramma pulled Nique in the house then sat him down on the couch. Gramma: "Boy what da hell is wrong wit you?? Why ain't you answer to phone? You had everybody worried sick about you! Nobody got sleep over that Dominique." Nique: "Gramma I'm sorry I was wit Desiree last night... It make me happy to know that yall would be dat worried bout me tho." Gramma: "Of course we would, you family! Just cus you at Desiree house, don't mean you can't answer the phone. Hi Desiree, baby I ain't seent you inna minute and I'm sorry you gotta hear allis but Nique done got my blood pressure SKY HIGH!" Nique: "I'm fine. Can't we jus appreciate that??" Daddy: "We do preciate it, we just want you to know that we was worried sick." Nique: "Y'all can't do it without yelling?" Me: "Nique they not tryna be rude or tell you that you can't be wit Desiree but you was out for a long time and didn't answer yo phone." Mani walked back over and said "Mama gon be here in a lil bit." Nique: "Awe damn.." Desiree: "Ion see why it's a problem... he grown, he should be able to stay out all night with whoever. It don't matter if he answer his phone. He coulda been busy or his phone coulda died." Everybody looked at her and Nique said "Des, jus hush. Ight?" Desiree: "Nah cus I'm really confused on why it's turning into this big ass deal. You said you was out wit me all night and couldn't answer yo phone, dat should be the end of it." Nique put his head in his hands and said "Desiree, it's cool bro." Mani: "Why are you so involved in family stuff? We didn't know he was out with you all night now. We didn't know where he was, who he was with, and whether he was alive or dead. You don't know shit Desiree so you just need to stay tf out of it. Nique is our family member." Gramma: "Imani-" Mani: "No Gramma I'm so tired of her comin up in here tryna act like she sum typa kinfolk. If you was in our shoes you would understand, but you not so just stay out of it." Desiree: "Whatchu mean you ain't know if he was dead or not?" Me: "Sum ppl called last night and said it was a shootout where Nique usually be at and some ppl thought that one of the dudes that got shot was Nique. When we called, we didn't get an answer so.." Desiree: "Girl this is grown folk business." Me: "And bitch I'm grown. Even if I wasn't I'd still be talking bout it cus this my mfn cousin. You jus sum lil bitch he be playin wit." Mani: "Mhm." Daddy: "Lai Lai." I looked at him and he was squinting. Usually that meant for me to be quiet or stop doing something but this time I wasn't going to. Desiree was always a rude ass bitch and I hated her. Desiree: "Nah it's cool you can let her say whatever since she grown. But since she grown now, if she say the wrong shit I hope she willing to get dat ass beat like she grown." Me: "Baby I wish yo ass would put yo hands on me." Nique: "Man go sit out in da mf car! You ain't finna come in here startin shit and threatening my cousin." Desiree: "Nique-" He put his hand up and she kept trying to hold his arm. Nique: "Just go mane." Gramma: "Here baby I'll walk you out.." She got up and opened the door for Desiree. Mani: "Ion know why you still fw dat bitch Nique." I went and picked up my phone off the table. I was still otp with Von but all I seen was a lil bit of his face in the dark. He looked like he was sleeping but I couldn't tell all the way. I muted my side then sat on the couch next to Nique. He was still talking to Mani and Daddy bout Desiree. Nique: "Ha lil ass been arguing wimme since Lai called. She was tryna say it was another female and she know damn well it was my cousin." Me: "I thought y'all was done fw each other..." Nique: "I thought we was too but I called her last night and shit got physical." Daddy: "I'm goin back upstairs wit ya mother Lai. Ion need to hear this." He shook his head and got up. Mani: "You need to block and delete her number and if she come over here, imma have to whoop her ass." Nique: "Nigga yo ass most likely gon be in Chicago if she do pull sum shit." Mani: "And I'll be down here as quick as I can, yo ass kno dis." Me: "Why exactly did you call her..." Nique: "Man I was off da Henny. I wanted sum pussy nd she was da only one I thought of." Mani: "Nique you needa slow down. I hope you stop getting involved in allat shit now. Tell dem niggas you ain't innat game no mo." Nique: "Can't do dat." Mani: "Why tf not?" Me: "Cus once they put you inna streets you gotta stay there. If you leave, they gon see you as a target. Like if issa deal goin down and somebody tells da police, they'd be goin after the person who cut them off." Nique: "Exactly. I see Von taught yo lil ass sum 🤣" Mani: "So you innat forever??" Me: "No, he can get less involved and say he don't wanna do deals no mo but if they really need him and he don't go, dats jus gon be his ass." Mani: "Well do that. Please Nique." He looked at her for a few seconds then he said "Man ight..." Me: "And get a new girl too. Desiree is not it.." Nique:  "That ain't my girl 😂" Gramma came back inside and said "Lawd have mercy Nique. You got a problem on ya hands na." Nique: "Whatchu mean?" Gramma: "Dat girl said she's pregnant." Me and Mani stared at Nique for a few seconds and he said "What??" Gramma: "You ain't know? She said she's bout 2 months." Nique: "She pregnant wit who baby??" Gramma: "Apparently yours" Nique: "No tf she not. Last night was the first night I've been around her in 6 months, ain't no way in hell she got pregnant by me that quick." Mani smacked him in the head and said "Yo dumbass ain't use protection?" Nique: "Ow nigga... damn. I ain't have it on me last night. But aye if she pregnant wit another nigga baby, she can't get pregnant by me. Is she still sitting outside??" Gramma: "Mhm. She said she wanted to talk to you." Nique shook his head then stood up and patted his pants. Nique: "Dis lil hoe get on my last nerve.." He opened the door and walked out on the porch. Mani plopped next to me and looked at my phone. Mani: "Who is dat?" Me: "Who you think?" I turned the phone and she said "Dat don't look like Von." Me: "It is 😭." She took the phone and unmuted it. Mani: "Von... VONNNN. VON!!!" Me: "Girl shut up." Von rolled over and squinted in the camera. Me: "Bitch yo dumbass done-" Mani: "Heyyy fren." Von: "Wassup?" Mani: "Nothing I jus wanted to say hi." Von stared at her and she started laughing. Von: "Where Laiya at?" Me: "Next to her." She handed me my phone back and he said "So what's goin on wit Nique?" Me: "Apparently he got somebody pregnant but he don't think it's his. She's 2 months and he ain't seen her in 6 until last night." Von: "Yeah dat ain't his baby 🤣." Mani: "Imma whoop dat bitch ass. Ion give a fuck if she pregnant or not." Nique came back in and slammed the door. Mani: "What happened??" Nique: "Dat bitch tryna charge me wit child support and don't even know if I'm da daddy!" Me: "Von imma call you back..." Von: "Ight luv you." I waved and hung up. Mani: "Tell dat hoe to get a DNA test." Nique: "She won't do it. She said she knows it's mine." Me: "Cap. You gotta go to the police and tell em." Nique: "I'm not takin care of dat damn baby." Mani: "What if it's yours tho?" Nique: "It ain't." Me: "Ain't no way in hell it's his." Nique: "Dis bitch..." Mani: "Come on." She got up and tapped his shoulder. Nique: "Where we goin?" Mani: "I needa talk to you." They walked upstairs and I texted Von.