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Theron Wright, aka Speedy Tee, sat anxiously, awaiting a response. He didn't particular like getting 'permission' from Tripp, but that's just how it went unfortunately. Although the two friends were equal partners in T-N-T Entertainment Group, Tripp was the face. He pulled in 75% of the profit margin. So whatever happened within the company, if Tripp didn't present it first, Speedy had to pass it by him. Tripp had the final say.
After moments of silence in their stylish, downtown Miami office space, Speedy thought Tripp wasn't gonna go for it. Speedy rubbed his neatly trimmed goatee as he studied his friend through his signature, Versace shades. That's when he noticed the blank look in Tripp's dark brown orbs. When he saw him take a sip from his red solo cup, he knew something was off.
"Yo dawg, you aight?" Speedy spoke with more force to jar his friend out of his trance.
"Huh?" Tripp answered absently, grimacing as he swallowed the cups contents.
"I said you aight man?"
"Yeah. Why you asked that?" Tripp said rubbing his throat. It felt like it was on fire all of a sudden.
"Because you just swallowed the ashes from your blunt, nigga." During meetings where it was just the two of them, it wasn't unusual for them to light up and drink. Tripp had been absently placing the ashes in the cup he had his Hen and Coke in. Speedy assumed he was done with the drink. That's why he didn't speak on it, but apparently that wasn't the case.
As if suddenly registering the contents, Tripp began to choke, spitting the burnt pieces from his mouth. Speedy laughed at his friend's misfortune. "Nigga whatchu doing?" Thinking back, Speedy said, "You've been tripping since we came back from Panama City Beach two weeks ago. What's good?"
Tripp wiped his mouth with napkins from the stocked bar in the office, mugging his friend for laughing at him. Speedy was right though. He had been off his game since his fight with his family. All behind some bitch!
"I'm cool, man." Tripp said dismissing Speedy's observation. They were friends, best friends even. They shared things with each other about their families, hoes, aspirations and goals. But Tripp drew the line at deeper, emotional shit. He didn't trust anybody with stuff like that but his mamma and his siblings. What was going on with him was none of Speedy's business.
"That's what your mouth say. Whatever going on, you need to fix that shit! It's starting to affect business." Speedy retorted.
"Whatchu mean?"
"Nigga you just completely ignored the shit I just laid out to you. I'm talking stacks and your head in the clouds somewhere. Leave the bullshit at the door. We got work to do and money to make!"
Tripp sucked his teeth, acknowledging inwardly that Speedy was again right. He needed to get his head on straight. The only way Tripp knew how to do that was to talk to the people who were the calm when he was in a storm. He couldn't do that if they were at odds with each other. There was only one thing to do at this point; clear the air with his peeps.
