Flaws and All

Twenty-Four

"Boy, you done called that girl a million times. Just let her call you back." Hattie tells her grandson while making him more comfortable on the couch.

"I'm just trying to tell her that I'm out of the hospital but her stubborn ass won't answer the phone."

"What you do to her?"

"Nothing, she found a condom wrapper in my room and I told her it was old so I don't know why she's tripping." Josiah shrugs.

"Is it really old or you had sex with somebody recently?" Hattie asks, walking away then coming back with a red cup of jello and spoon for Josiah.

"It's old enough, granny. I didn't even wanna have sex with the broad but that's the only way she would leave. I'm still single so I really ain't gotta put up with Bailey's attitude."

"Dumbass! I want Bailey in the family so you better get yo shit together! I ain't playing with you either."

Hatties smacks Josiah in the back of the head and disappears into the kitchen. While Josiah is eating his jello, Giovanni walks into the house with his hands in his pockets and sits down at his brother's feet. "Jo, you still mad at me?"

"What you think, nigga? I told you from now on, it's fuck you. Ian doing shit else for you so, gone on." Josiah sighs, sitting the empty jello cup onto the floor.

"Lower yo voice before grandma hears you. How about this, you help me do one last thing and I won't ask you to do nun else. It ain't even illegal." Giovanni smiles mischievously.

"Gimme yo word that if I help you, you'll leave me AND Bailey alone forever."

"I give you my word, bruh." He says extending his hand for a dap.

"Aite, so what you need me to do?" Josiah asks as he touches fists with his brother.

"So basically this crackhead named, Nino, that I used to sell to owe me a lot of money. I been trying to find this nigga for months now and I finally have. He's clean now, got a lot of money and a lil family or whatever...Word on the street is, he was cool with Jerrico so I'm thinking he might know where he hid my shit. All I wanna do is pop up at his house, get my money, and find out where my shit then we can dip. Nothing more, nothing less."

"Sounds like a plan. When you tryna do this?"

"Within the next couple days, I been having my boys spy on him to figure out him and his family's routine. Once his family gone then we can head in and get my shit. I just want you to come with me incase he get rowdy, you can be my backup." Gio says, whispering and making sure Hattie ain't coming.

"G, you know I'm still healing. How you think ima be good backup if I'm not 100%?"

"Man JoJo, I'll let you use my glock. You ain't gotta shoot it.. if he get rowdy, just flash it to scare him. You got me?"

"Yeah, I got you this time but after that, I'm done. Don't ask me to do shit else." Josiah says as he changes the television with the remote.

"Cool, I'll call you when it's time... I'm bout to go get up with my boys and see if they got the routines figured out..Get some rest." Giovanni tells him, getting up from the couch. "I'm gone, granny! I'll be back later for dinner."

"Keep yo hard-headed ass outta them streets." Hattie calls out from the kitchen. "Jo, you want some chicken noodle soup to hold you over till dinner?"

"Yes ma'am and can you do me a favor? I want you to call Bailey's number and if she answers, ask her to come over here." Josiah says while trying to give his grandmother the phone that shows Bailey's number.

"Yeah I will, I already have her number. She gave it to me when she came to get your house key."

Hattie walks into the kitchen and Josiah hears her on the phone with Bailey, asking her to come over. The rest of the conversation isn't heard because the soup pops loudly in the microwave.

"Eat this soup then brush ya teeth and get yourself ready. She'll be over soon and you need a shower. Remember the doctor said you can't get your stitches wet. Once you're finished, you can go in your old room and I'll send Bailey in there with your medicine."

"Yes ma'am, thank you granny. You're the best." Josiah smiles while accepting the warm soup.

"You're welcome.. oh and by the way, I told Bailey that condom wasn't old. So you better be ready to explain yourself... she's too sweet for me to let her be blindsided by you. Next thing I'll tell her is what happened to her brother. I'm trying to let you man up and tell her but you're playing games."

"Awww what the fuck!? See ian telling you shit else cause you meddling in my personal business. Who side you on? Mine or hers? I'm yo blood! Not Bailey!!"

"Jo, I swear on the good Lord's name that if you don't stop yelling and cussing in my house that I'm gone knock yo ass into next week. Ain't nobody meddling in yo business. I'm just not finna let you do her like that. She's been through enough." Hattie says loudly before going to finish dinner.

Josiah continues to eat his soup until it's gone then slowly gets up from the couch and carries the bowl into the kitchen, glaring at his grandma.

"Boy, don't make me slap the shit outta you. You ain't too grown to get beat the fuck down." Hattie says, drawing her hand back at him.

Without a word, Josiah goes into the bathroom and runs himself a small amount of bath water; making sure it doesn't touch his stitches. He cleans himself slowly then gets out of the tub. Pain shoots throughout his body from all of the movement as he limps to his old room and gets into bed; closing his eyes from the pain.

"Here this will help." Bailey says, walking into the room and giving Josiah his medicine and a glass of water.