Shut Up & Listen

22. Interruption

"Or something." Oz laughed. "Got icicles all on my eyes and shit."

Cole laughed too.

"What you boys got planned for the birthday?" Oz asked as the began to walk, still linked together.

Cole and Dame, although a year apart, share the same birthday of December 20th which was now eighteen days away.

"Uhhhh I'm tryna go somewhere warm fasho." He started, "Somewhere with good food. Any recommendations?" He realized Oz's attention was elsewhere and he looked to see what had caught his eye. 

It was a man, six feet and over, malfunctioned face, scarred and clayed walking in the midst of the crowd with messy braids that had grown down to his shoulders. "Should someone make him leave?" Cole asked immediately realizing that Mo's presence was what had disturbed Oz.

"Nah, I mean— it's a public event." He shrugged, "Look like he got his karma anyway." He added, taking notice of the distortion of Mohammed's appearance.

"Yeah. You know who did that to'im right?"

Oz put his hands up, "Don't tell me shit! Don't tell me shit!" He exclaimed. "Who was it?"

Cole laughed. "You know you messy old man."

"I ain't old."

"Maybe seasoned? Elderly?" He laughed.

But Oz was still watching the moves of Mohammed.

"It was Lonnie." He spoke lowly and close to the man's ear. "It was a whole thing. He thought he killed him but he popped back up looking like that. It happened right before...." he trailed off, not wanting to mention Cobe's death as Oz was already emotional.

"How you know all this?"

"He told me." Cole offered, "I always wonder if maybe he knew something was about to happen and tried to stop it. But, I'm too scared to ask."

Oz hummed, still trailing the Afro-Arab with his eyes, "Sometimes ignorance really is bliss."

"Yeah, but not knowing can eat you up too." Cole added, earning more agreeing hums as they continued navigating through the crowd. "How long you think it's gone take for Dame to show up?" Cole changed the subject. "I told him to focus on his premier."

"Yeah, that boy gone be here in a few minutes. I can feel his presence already." Oz pursed.

"Y'all always talking about me." They heard the familiar voice from behind them making them both laugh. "I'm always on somebody's mind. Especially Cole." He teased, approaching Oz for a hug and only dapping Cole who made it clear he wanted a hug too. Dame rolled his eyes and gave his brother a real hug.

"Oz was asking about our birthday plans."

"I thought you were planning it." Dame told Cole.

Cole pinched his lips together in disbelief.

"Nah, i'm just playing. I threw it to Sadé. She asked to plan it and I had no reason to say no."

"Except for the fact we gone end up somewhere basic and girly like Tulum or something."

"That's a nice place to meet a nice wholesome girl and settle down. I hope thats exactly where y'all go because—" he looked Cole up and down then away. Cole knew he was still judging him for his choice in dating a rumored drug addict.