Him 2: Problems

16.

Ray

I figured I should take Rashaad home even though its Sunday afternoon. But he got school tomorrow and he didn't have his uniform with him so he got to go home.

I aint want him to leave. But I know Nicki got seperation issues also. She has non-stop texting me asking if he is fine or if his breathing is off or like his hair is done. She need to stop.

"Daddy, why your hair not as long as mine?" He asked from the backseat.

"When I grew up my hair just got shorter. Its not like I cut or anything." I laughed.

"I watched one of your dancing videos." He commented.

I glanced at him from the rearview mirror. "You did?"

"Hmmmhmmm. You still dance?" He asked.

"Why do you ask so many questions? And not really, its not like I wanted to stop it just happened." I said reminiscing over the crew years.

"Uh Daddy, you rode past my house."

"Oh shit." I put my car in reverse and back down the street.

I parked my jeep and got out. Rashaad scurried out his seat and got the back door open. I got his bag out the trunk and we walked up to the front door. I knocked but I aint get an answer.

"Let me do it." Rashaad kicked the door twice and knocked three times. The door swung open and there was Nicki grinning at us.

"Baby boy!" She opened her arms and little homie jumped in them. "I missed you boy. Your hair. Who did it?" She didn't so pleased.

I didn't I see a problem with his hair. I still wear my hair like that. "Daddy did it!" He said pointing to me. Two braids til I die.

"Great." She scoffed. "Listen sweetheart I need you to go straight up stairs. Don't worry about the tv." She said pushing him by his head and sending him on his way.

She turned her attention to me. "So what now you want a twin?" Her smile faded.

Bi-polar ass. "Look you asked if his hair was done."

I seriously don't have time for this bullshit. She need to act right.

"Come in." She sighed. I followed her into the basement and there was blue and red lights only down here. "He took all his meds right?"

"Yeah."

"Listen you remember all that shit we went through to get Sean back." She said stopping in front of the wall with all the guns.

"How could I forget?"

"Well anyway those bitches Qweeny, Cherry, and some random heffa I know nothing about hit one of my traps the other night. When my father finds out he is going to murder my ass." She explained.

"So what the hell this has to do with me?"

"Honestly, you can't be that dumb. That bitch his still mad about you and me when she don't even know if we together, which we not. And Qweeny is just a bitch with an attitude." Nicki look more than stressed. "What Im sayin is I need help."

I made my way to the stairs. "Tell Prince to help you then." She ran in front of me and blocked the stairs.

"Jacob is not that type of person. You are and you been doing this since we met." She snarled.

"And how would you what the fuck I been doing with my life since you kicked me out?" I asked stepping back a bit and folding my arms.

"Because, you work at 1228 Bogus Street in the very first trap my father made. Who the hell did you think you was working for? We own most of the west so I hope you aint think nothing different." She made it clear that we never tore apart like that.

I pulled her off the step and made my way up the stairs. Whole time Im going up them she tugging on my hoodie. "Ray please you the only one that I know won't fuck up."

"So my name Ray now? Teach and make that nigga learn what the hell to do. Just like you did with me you can do with him. Probably did everything else with him anyway." I pulled away from her and went to the front door.

"What do you want from me!" She sobbed. "I'll do anything just tell me."

I wanted one thing since she had Rashaad. Her. That's all I wanted was for her to love me again.

"Nicki," I sighed. "I want you to love me. I want my family. I need you and you just pushed me away without an explanation. I tried but you just shut me out. But that's how you do. I love you and Rashaad with all my heart and you won't let me be a man and do what I gotta do. I want to marry you and love you the way you should be loved. And I understand that I fucked up, I do. I promise you nothing like that will ever happen again. But if you can't give me that then I can't do what you asking because at the end of the day you gon send me back to that trap like the little nigga I am."

She came up to me to the point where our body was touching. "I love you too." She cried into my chest. "I just don't want you to hurt me no more."

"Im not going to do that ever. I think several years apart is enough." I laughed. She grip around my torso got tighter. "I love you girl. I never stopped."

"Me either."