"Hello?" Toni said into the phone.
"Hey." She heard.
She scowled, "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't hang up."
"I'm not the enemy here." Kenny said.
"But you left."
"What was I supposed to do? Stay and get shot? You know PJ is psycho. Especially when it comes to you."
She sighed, "He's so irritating."
"Just be careful, I don't trust him."
"He said the same thing about you. I trust you though. More than anyone else." She said.
Kenny sighed, she shouldn't trust him either. Not after what he did.
"How's Trey?" He asked changing the subject.
"Creepy." She said making him laugh. She huffed, "I'm serious, he makes me so uncomfortable-"
"Who you talking to?" PJ asked walking into her room like he paid bills.
"Zhané." She said quickly. He snatched her phone making her eyes widen, "You're not my father!"
"Yeah yeah." He said hanging it up and hitting a few buttons. He handed it back to her.
"You deleted his number. Why would you do that?!"
"I told you why. I don't trust him."
"Well I don't trust you."
He narrowed his eyes at her as she walked away.
~~~~~~~
"Why haven't I seen or heard from you?" Kenny's mother Gloria asked.
"I've been busy, I'm sorry." He said sitting across from her.
"Mhmm, what's her name?"
"Not that kinda busy."
"I know you're lying, but I'll drop it for now." She chuckled. She noticed his sluggish demeanor, "What's wrong?"
He sighed, "Mom, I did something terrible. I had no other choice, but I still can't shake the guilt. If I tell people it would ruin a lot of lives, including mine. What do I do?"
"If you really feel that you had to do it and had no other choice, then just live with it. No use in feeling guilty, you can't go back and change it." She said. Afraid to ask for more detail she offered more advice, "If the guilt is eating at you that much, just confess...in a safe space."
"Thanks mom." He said.
"Now let's discuss this woman who has you all...not busy."
He shook his head knowing she wasn't going to let this go.
~~~~~~~
Toni walked out of Josiah's room unable to find him. She heard noise coming from the living room. When she walked in she gasped.
"Oh my God!!" She said gently taking the gun out of her son's hand and putting it on the table.
"Aww come on!" Rod said as Trey laughed.
"Are you fucking insane? How many times do I have to tell you idiots I don't want guns around my son? Then you let him play with one?" She said holding her son. She now noticed the whole gang was there.
"He's gotta learn at some point. Between you and Darnell's short asses, lil man ain't going to the NBA." Trey said lighting another blunt.
"It doesn't matter, my son won't grow up to be like you idiots or his father. I'm not having him ending up on the wrong end of a gun."
"Which side is that?" Rod asked as the guys started laughing at his stupidity.
"Both!"
"Chill with all that, we was just playin'." Trey said.
"My child's life is not a joke!" She said to him.
"She spazzin' and blowing my high I'm out." One of the guys said. They all began to clear out mumbling their disappointment.
"Damn! You always gotta mess up shit!" Trey said in annoyance.
She rolled her eyes, "Next time you decide to play with a gun, point it at yourself and pull the trigger."
"You know, you kinda sexy when you mad."
"Fuck you."
He smirked checking her out as she walked away.
Tainted Love 2morrow😊
