Julio.
"Shut the fuck up before you get us fucked up." I whispered as low as I could, turning my body into a different position, holding my breath.
"I'm covering you so hurry up, Fat ass." Tae tried his best to hold in his laugh as I grunted trying to ease through the tiny ass window. Basement windows were not made for niggas with a heavy frame at all. I started sweating."Tiny ass shit."
"No you just big as shit." He laughed lowly under his breath. I finally was able to turn myself on my stomach, easing the rest of my body inside as I tightly held my arms at my sides. "Watch that glass." Tae spoke up, reminding there was broken glass still on the window frame. Shit could've went all wrong if I accidentally stabbed myself in the stomach.
As soon as my boots hit the ground, I was good. I picked up my GLOCK 17, blowing it off as I wiped it down with the bottom of my shirt. I looked around while Tae continued to cover me, aiming both of his guns at the basement door.
The flooring was made out of cement, and the walls were red. There wasn't much around for me to see besides a couple bullshit chairs from Walmart and empty liquor and beer bottles. There was a brown ceiling fan above my head and the window we had came through was brown. "Must be these niggas chill spot." I ran my hand across the small black table that must've came with the Walmart chairs, checking to see if there was any dust on it or not.
"Been used?" Tae asked, picking up on what I was doing.
"Yeah" I quickly flashed my flashlight, noticing fingerprints and food stains, turning my face up. "Dirty ass niggas just gone leave stains and shit everywhere?"
"Dumb; Ain't no way I would've left my basement unattended when I know the window broken."
"That is pretty stupid." I laughed it off. "Especially when a price tag on your head." The pig on the platter tonight, Tae and I had been personally asked to handle. Both together and separate, but we decided we'd do it together and charge triple on top of what the price was. It wasn't either one of our cup of tea, but after being asked multiple times and the price going up, the money was too good to keep turning down. We'd both be about twenty mil richer tonight.
Juan Rioz— one of the top dogs in the Mexican Cartel in Chicago, personally reached out to the both of us individually, asking if we could take care of his business. I respectfully declined at first without even knowing what he wanted done. I'd never done work with the Cartel, I thought they were manipulative and didn't have no street code when it came to Women and Children. Anybody could go when it came to them and I never wanted to indulge myself into that.
Also, I knew in my gut that he only came to me after Tae told his ass no and I didn't like that. A lot of mothafuckas conducted business with me in that manner and it always rubbed me the wrong way. It had nothing to do with Tae and everything to do with them. I was extremely respected in and out of the City, but niggas still tried me when it came to that.
As soon as I got off the phone with the nigga, I called and asked Tae and he told me he'd met up with him a couple days before and respectfully declined his offer as well. That same weekend, Juan sent us invites to his Home for Sunday Brunch to have a face to face conversation— had Korea getting on my ass for missing Church and everything, yet I still had to decline his offer. He was very specific on how he wanted the job done and it entailed doing shit that I had never done, and that I didn't necessarily agree with but I understood his reasoning. The Pig we were killing had raped his daughter when she was fifteen and he was in his forties. He was actually an inside man amongst the inside men in Juan's business— nigga had it made yet he was a dirty ass pedophile that liked to mind fuck little girls. He knew everything about Juan and how he conducted business, so he fled the City and had been running for over ten years up until about six months ago when he decided to return to Chicago like a dumb ass. I'm sure he figured Juan was dead now or had just charged the shit to the game, but fuck no.
Juan knew exactly where he was every time he'd flee to a new city and could've been killed him or had him killed, but he simply wanted him back in Chicago. He wanted him to rest where he first woke. The psycho ass nigga thought it was an honor to have him killed in his own City and he wanted us to do it. He insisted that we be the ones to handle it for him— nobody else.
"Only one, right?" I asked Tae for clarification, already knowing the answer.
"Yeah" We walked around, observing the basement together for a few more minutes until he kicked in the door.
I pulled my mask over my face as my heart rate started to increase due to adrenaline filling my body. Tae walked upstairs first as I covered him, turning every where I could to check our surroundings. There was trash and newspapers everywhere, the TV was blasting in the living room causing us to not to be able to hear shit, and just from the condition of the house I knew there had to be more people inside, which caused me to feel nervous.
Juan specifically told us he only wanted one person inside, but if there were more, kill everyone regardless of gender or age.
Tae went into this crazy mindset of work is work, but my heart was too big to think of it that way. I didn't know if I'd be able to do it if there were any Women or Children inside.
A gun went off, welcoming me back into reality. I looked towards the couch, seeing a bullet hole and blood leaking out of an old man's head. His body leaned onto the arm of the couch as he still held his beer can in his hand.
He was an older Hispanic Man, chilling in only his boxers, watching TV up until we came and disturbed the peace. I quickly put two and two together, realizing why the TV was so loud and where we were.
Family Home......
"What you doing?" Tae yelled at me in anger as I just stood there while he was doing all the work. He rumbled through the dressers and stands that were disbursed throughout the living room. "Kitchen!" He barked as I nervously moved around, not remembering what I was suppose to be doing.
I ran into the kitchen, seeing the lights were on and so was the stove. There was a pan of Cubbed Steak burning, causing me to turn the fire off. I slowly made my way further inside, not seeing anyone but the refrigerator caught my eye. There were kid drawings on it and multiple different school and family pictures.
"It's clear in there?" I heard Tae getting closer. He quickly scanned the kitchen one time before telling me to come on. He let four shots off in the ceiling as we made our way up the stairs. I closed my eyes as I heard screams, knowing what we had to do.
Tae had long turned the TV off so we could hear everything, literally every little sound. It was obvious this Family hadn't been created until after the Pig fled Chicago and left the Cartel because they didn't know shit about how all this worked. They were being loud as hell, letting us know exactly what room they were in.
"Lupè, we only here for you! I don't want to hurt your family!" Tae lied, yelling throughout the hallway as the floor creaked beneath us.
I tried to steady my breathing but I knew I was breathing hard as hell. "Come out Lupè or I'm coming in and I don't want to hurt your family! I know you got a Wife, I know you got Kids!" Tae slowly walked ahead of me.
"Lupè!" He let another shot off into the ceiling, hearing screams again. "Now you bout to piss me off!"
"Man they scared, I know you hear those kids crying." I whispered to him, grabbing his arm before he could let more shots out.
He yanked away from me. "The fuck is your problem? You been tripping ever since we stepped foot in this mothafucka! Get your head out of your ass and your personal life and remember who the fuck you are and where we at! Don't fucking touch me no more!"
"My bad, Bro" I cleared my throat, trying to get my head where it needed to be while he shot the locks off all the doors.
"Lupè!" Tae went into the room where we heard the screams coming from while I stayed back in the hall for a couple more seconds. I heard a Woman and Children voices, speaking Spanish as they begged and cried for their lives.
"Shut up, I don't understand none of that shit!" Tae kept yelling at them, asking them where Lupè was while I rested my head on the wall in the hallway, squeezing my eyes shut.
"Where the fuck is Lupè?" Tae asked again. "Where he hiding at, huh? Did he jump out this window? It's open!" They continued to cry and plead, not knowing what he was saying just as he didn't understand what they were saying. Little did they know, their pleads only frustrated him more earning them more shots being let off.
"Aye!" He called for me. I crept into the bedroom, seeing the Mother and her three small babies huddled up together in the corner of the bed. They understandably grew more scared once they realized there were two of us. We were dressed identical to one another besides Tae had on a Black vest with pockets over his turtle neck and his boots were different. "Watch them! I see you still tripping, you ain't good for shit else tonight." I could hear the annoyance in his voice and he was right so I didn't comment back.
Normally there wouldn't be a Leader when Tae and I did jobs together— we both knew our lanes and took care of business but tonight I was thankful to have the crazy ass nigga. No bullshit, I would've left the job and said fuck the money if it wasn't for him taking over.
"You don't know how to be professional now?" He asked me as he looked through the room, checking the bathroom and under the bed. His boots could be heard all over the House as he walked along the wooden floors. "This damn sure ain't the job to fuck up on."
"I know, Bro. Shit just so close to Home." I eyed the Woman as she consoled her children, rubbing along their faces and they all three kept their eyes glued to the tip of my gun. The oldest couldn't have been much older than Cali— Two boys and a girl.
"It's not unless you put yourself there." He got up off his knees, dusting his pants off. "I know I'm bout tired of looking for this nigga though." He'd already looked in all the other rooms while I kept an eye on the Family. "Get up!" He yanked the Woman by her arm from the bed as she immediately started screaming and crying, yelling out something in Spanish that we unfortunately couldn't understand.
"Por Favor, Por Favor!" She kept repeating what I knew meant please. "Por Favor, mis bebes!" She stutter-stepped as Tae pushed her out of the room.
I tried to tune out the screams and pleads of her kids, as I yelled at them, telling them to sit down and that they couldn't follow her.
"Where the fuck is Lupè at?" Tae yelled loud as hell in her face as she fell to her knees in front of him, pleading with her hands on his legs. He kicked her off of him, lifting her face up by her hair. "Don't do that, where is your Husband? Where is Lupè?"
"Lupè, Lupè!" She sobbed. "Lupè, nos vas a matar!" I could see her on her knees in the hallway, crying into her hands as Tae looked through the rooms again.
"Outside!" He motioned for her to get up off her hands and knees with his gun. "Aye, bring the kids outside too!"
I hurried to gather them up, making them walk as fast as they could in front of me. They were all dressed in their pajamas, indicating they were either sleeping or getting ready for bed once we came in. The smallest one was the girl, she looked about five or six. She was tightly holding onto her stuffed animal for comfort and it truly hurt me to know what was required of me.
Their Mother let out an ear piercing scream, scaring them. "It's ok" I tried to console them, knowing it was because she had seen her dead Father or Father-In-Law on the couch. I covered the little girl's eyes as we rounded the stairs, following behind Tae and their Mom into the backyard.
"Aw Fuck!" Tae shouted, stomping his foot. "Fuck, fuck, fuck!" He let the Woman go, placing his hands on his head and spinning around a couple times out of emotion. "This pussy ass nigga!"
I simply stared up into the tree, seeing a hanging Lupè dangling back and forth from it by a rope. "You knew?" He roughly jacked the Woman up. "Did you fucking know he did this shit?" He pointed one of his gun's up at Lupè's body, shaking it back and forth as he talked shit. "Coward Motherfucker!" He smacked his lips, most angry about us not getting the twenty million a piece we thought we would be getting.
We'd only be getting half for killing his family and ten million was nowhere near enough for me to kill a Woman and her kids.
"What are you doing, Nigga?" I questioned him and he kicked the chair over and grabbed the rope, pulling Lupè's dead body down.
His body fell at Tae's feet as he flipped him over with his foot. "I may not get my twenty but I be damned if I don't get at least fifteen. I'm still cutting his head off." He explained, sitting Lupè up into the position he wanted him in. "Fucking dumbass!" He let his whole clip off into the nigga stomach, leaving his face free of bullet wounds upon Juan's request.
Juan wanted us to kill Lupè by chopping his head off or however we pleased and then chop his head off, as long as the nigga head was chopped off and his face was left alone. He wanted us to send him a video of the nigga head on a platter literally just like a Pig.
"You scaring them!" I shouted over his silencer going off as he kept shooting into an already dead body. Lupè's family was already dealing with his suicide and us traumatizing them, now here Tae was shooting the nigga body up in front of them.
I threw him the duffle bag we had with us that had everything we needed to complete the job. "Can you handle this or I gotta do this part too?" He took the machete, platter, and marker out the bag.
"I can do whatever else, but I don't agree with us killing them, Bro." I whispered to him, getting closer into his personal space. "Like at all, shit not necessary."
"You been knew we had to do this shit for how many days now? Other people being around was always a possibility— yeah we didn't know the man had a family, but shit like this happens and I rather it be his than mine when the Cartel find out we didn't do what we had to do." He had a point and I knew we couldn't put ourselves or our families at that level of risk. Tae would take on anybody and so would I, but that was one fight that we knew we wouldn't win. "I been told you to learn how to separate business from personal and keep it that way." He looked back at the family as they sat in the dirt, watching our every move. "I'll pay for your therapy from this shit, but it gotta be done and you know that, Ju." He reloaded one of his guns and was telling them to get up and go back in the house before I could say another word about it.
I dropped the knife as my hands began to shake as I heard his gun go off four more times. By the time he came back outside, I was still sawing Lupè's head off his shoulders. No words were exchanged as he made a phone call, telling Travis to come pick up the bodies. I tried my best to be tuff about the shit but I knew it was too much for me to take in and so did Tae.
"I got it, Ju." He took over, grabbing Lupè's wobbly head from my grasp, gripping a handful of his hair.
My eye sight was blurry as I stumbled into the grass and dirt, sitting down and placing my hands on my legs. "What the fuck, Man?" I lifted my mask off my face I was in such agony on what just happened. I couldn't stop the image of how those kids were looking at me from playing in my mind. The fear in their eyes, their cries and screams; the way they begged because they knew what was coming next when Tae dragged them back into the House— I'd never forget it.
The sound of Lupè's neck bone breaking once Tae twisted his head off his shoulders was enough for me. I was throwing up everywhere, while he left me alone, finishing the rest of the job on his own.
He had to handle the conversing with Juan all on his own as well, but of course he still looked out and we'd both still get our fair share from the job.
"You good?" He asked once we were walking up the stairs to Mama Karen's. It was almost midnight on a Saturday, exactly two weeks since we buried Deacon Emory and everybody was still waiting on her hand and foot while she grieved. She was a lot better now, but she still was pretty upset about it and had to handle his passing in her own way every single day.
She hated to be alone now and wanted her grandbabies to stay with her every chance that we all allowed. They all five were staying the night tonight along with Mila, whom had convinced everybody to play drunk Uno while Tae and I were gone.
Poor Elders were tore the fuck up.
"That's enough, Lenard." My Mama grabbed the shot glass from his lips, wasting a little bit of liquor on his hand. "You gone be drunk!"
"I'm already there, Yolanda." He earned laughs from the girls as he put a lime in his mouth, sucking out the juice. They all sat around the Island in chairs and on barstools.
"Where y'all been, Dumb and Dumber?" Mila made everybody look towards us, causing me to fall out of my trance I was in. Korea had my hypnotized by how pretty she was. Tae grabbed Taejin as he tried to run past us, lifting him up in the air.
"What you still doing up?" He asked as Taejin laughed, holding onto his shirt while they went upstairs, leaving me to answer the question.
"In my skin."
"Ew, Tae been in your skin too?" She joked as I rounded the Island, hugging my Mama like I hadn't just seen her hours before.
"You smell like soap, Son. You must've went home to take a shower? Your clothes are different." She commented as I kissed her cheek.
"Yes ma'am, y'all ate all the food?" I turned my back to them, looking through the pans on the stove.
Coincidentally, tonight was Mexican night. Korea made Chicken and Beef Enchiladas, Nicole was on the Taco Salad, Beans, and Rice and Mila didn't make shit. My Mama cooked different types of personal size pies and cookies, and she provided the drinks.
"Who ate all the damn Spanish Rice?" I instantly got upset. "How I'm suppose to eat enchiladas with no rice?" I faced them and they all were giving me funny ass looks. "What Uglies?"
"What y'all went to go do?" Nicole asked with an attitude, standing up. "I feel it in your energy."
"You don't feel shit in my energy but hunger." I laughed but nobody else did. "A man can't go smoke with his boys and wanna take a shower afterwards?"
Tae said we should've just went home for the night, but I needed another plate— plus Korea had rode with me instead of driving her own car.
"That's a lie because if y'all left to smoke, y'all would still be gone."
"You think you know every fucking thing."
"I know you better stop that cursing." My Mama wiped her face with a napkin. That liquor was coming out of her in her skin.
"My bad" I put my plate in the microwave, pressing add thirty seconds three times. "We went to smoke and that's it." I knew I smelled like weed, I always smelled like weed.
We heard Tae coming down the steps. "Taelor!" Nicole annoying ass called out for the Man before he could even step foot in the kitchen. "Come here!"
"I was coming to you anyway." He knocked on the Island, not knowing he was walking into a war zone. I leaned my backside on the marble countertop, watching the show as they bombarded him with question after question.
"You didn't change but Julio did, why?"
I busted out laughing and so did he. "Who ask those type of dumb questions?" He answered Nicole's question with a question. "If Julio jump over the moon, you want me to jump too?"
"If that Moon got a Chanel bag on the other side." Her and Mama Karen high-fived each other while Korea, Mila, Lenard, my Mama, and I laughed. Tae rolled his eyes, breaking their hands away from one another.
"I know that's right Baby!" Mama Karen snapped her fingers in a Z formation, giving her approval.
Mama Karen had been giving him the cold shoulder when she felt like it, but he wasn't sweating it too much.
Tae was just... Tae. Either you loved the nigga and accepted him for who he was, or you tried to change him and ended up hating him for staying himself in the end.
I crossed my legs at my ankles, eating my food as I listened in on their conversation. "I know y'all better be at Church tomorrow." Tae gave all the old people their words back as they continued to get drunk with Mila.
"Boy, will YOU be there?" Mama Karen looked upside his head. "Because if I don't do nothing else, I'ma praise the Lord."
"You better hope he praise you and let you hear your alarm in the morning." They stared at one another.
"I'm grown, I don't need no alarm to wake me up."
"Alright" He told her in a warning manner, pouring his own cup of whatever Mila had them drinking. "What the menu looking like for tomorrow?"
"Ouuu, yeah" Nicole gasped bucking her eyes as she looked from face to face, waiting on somebody to say something. "I was just about to ask."
"No you wasn't." Tae smacked his lips as she pushed the side of his head.
"I don't know, what y'all want?" My Mama asked, shuffling through her hand of Uno cards. "I'm tired of Chicken and Beef."
"Pork Chops it is then." I chimed in. "Smothered and fried."
"Oh hell yeah" Tae agreed. "With some rice and cabbage?" His voice went up and octave as he shook his head, really wanting that meal. I hadn't had no rice and cabbage in a minute— it did sound good.
"Sweet Potatoes too" Korea threw a card down in the middle of the table.
"Why y'all always wanna eat like we in the slave days?" Mila disagreed with what we all wanted. "Don't nobody want no smothered pork chops with those old ass sides!" She made me laugh. "It's a no for me!"
"What do you want then, Mila?"
"Bullshit ass chicken tenders." I answered my Mama's question for her.
"You better stop cursing!" My Mama pointed her finger at me while Mila made a funny face at me behind her head, sticking her thumbs to her temples and waving her fingers.
She never got on they asses for cursing but she wouldn't let me make it. I was thirty-two years old and still had to watch my mouth. "I'm sorry Mama" I gave her a closed mouth smile, winking at her, causing her to smile back.
"Watch your mouth."
"Yes ma'am"
"What about spaghetti and salad?" Mila perked up in her seat. Glancing from face to face, hoping somebody would be on the same page with her. I damn sure didn't want no plain ass spaghetti.
"That's a no for me." Nicole didn't bother looking her way as they played their round of Uno. "I gotta be in the mood for Spaghetti."
"Same" Korea agreed. "No thanks"
"Y'all get on my nerves." Mila slumped back down, damn near out her chair. "I'll just bring my own food from home."
"You do that but make sure you bring me a small bowl of Spaghetti if you do." Tae made us all laugh, standing up from his seat in the middle of Nicole and his Mom. "You ready lil girl?" He pinched Nicole's cheek as she slapped his hand away from her face.
"Don't try to little girl me." She stood to her feet as well, grabbing her purse from the back of her chair. "I been ready but let me finish whopping their tales in this last round." She leaned over the Island, holding her hand of cards out in front of her face.
"Alright but please hurry up, it's been a long day." The Man was talking like he hadn't just went and killed a whole family. He still was dressed in all black but he had taken off his vest and changed his boots to slides.
He made his rounds around the table, saying his goodbyes to everybody before he headed upstairs to kiss their kids. He soon came into the kitchen where I was, grabbing a plastic plate from the cabinet. "Gotta get my fix before I hit the road." He told me as I moved out the way so he could make a plate to go.
"You good?" I asked him, scrapping the last of my six Chicken Enchiladas off my plate and into my mouth.
"Bro, are YOU good?" He lifted the foil off one of the pans. "I'm straight, you the one we need to be concerned about. I ain't never seen you act like that— you were acting like you didn't have a clue."
"Mannnn, I- I don't know." I stuttered, shrugging my shoulders. "Shit just got to me when it came to those kids." I looked around, making sure nobody was listening to our conversation. "That was our first time dealing with children unless it's something you've done that you ain't tell me about." I was asking but not asking at the same time.
"I stay out of that field of work so nah, I ain't hiding that type of shit." I watched him scoop food onto his plate as he spoke. "First time for everything, so I mentally prepared myself years ago just in case I ever had to do some shit like that."
"I thought I did too."
"Me too"
I hung my head, running my hand over my face. "I don't know, shit just a lot to digest."
"I understand that, keep yourself together. Don't let what had to be done eat you alive and I already told you I'd pay for your counseling if you need it. I seen the look on your face and the way you were throwing up and shit, I-" He cut himself off. "Just let me know if you need that shit."
"I will, Man."
He sucked food off his thumb. "Let me fix this crazy ass girl a plate before she try to eat all mine once we get home."
"That shit was so good." I rubbed my stomach, staring into the almost empty pan of Chicken Enchiladas. "Save one for me." I noticed Tae was still scooping and was about to empty the entire pan.
"Fuck no!" He spat, mugging the fuck outta me. "You already ate your portion and you was in here eating when we got back!" He moved as I tried to grab the spatula from him. "You better back up off me!"
"You know you can save one!" I backed away from him, leaning my upper body on the counter as I kept my eyes on his unconsidered ass. "You don't even gotta act like that."
He scooped the last of both Chicken and Beef Enchiladas onto Nicole's plate. "Your girl made them, I'm sure you got some at home."
"That's my wife, Nigga."
"Even more reason for you to have some at home."
*************
Nicole.
"You ever check these?" Tae caught my attention, pointing to the monitor I had above my light switch for my Penthouse Cameras.
"No" He shook his head, reaching over me to grab the tv remote that was sitting on my nightstand.
"I can check my cameras on the tv?"
"That's what I'm trying to see but most likely." He flipped through channels, pressing buttons as I made myself comfortable against his side.
"I haven't checked them since I moved in." I admitted. I had lost count of how many months I'd been living in The Oddessy, but it had been a while.
"That's not good, Bae. You need to check your cameras at least once a week. I check my shit every single day whether I stayed at home or not." He told me as the tv screen went black before all my different cameras started displaying on it. "We need to watch them all the way back."
"Boring, just show me the last few weeks."
"You don't want me to see that nigga you had over here, huh?"
I laughed, covering my mouth while Tae looked at me with a smirk on his face. "What nigga?"
"You tell me."
"You!" I focused on the tv as he selected my birthday, going back three weeks. "Ouuu, look at that body." I smiled, watching myself walk through my house on the camera.
"That ass"
"Of course that's what you're looking at." He fast forwarded through until the morning we left for Dubai.
I glanced over at him, seeing him pulling at his beard hair. "This is boring. That's why I don't watch the film back."
"Boring but safe." He fast forwarded through again, stopping once we seen Nic walking through the house.
"What is he doing?" I sat up in the bed, noticing how suspicious he looked as he walked throughout my home. He went through all of the bedrooms, closing all the doors and he even covered the camera in my kitchen with a cooking rag.
"Dumb ass don't even know you can see him from a different angle." Tae clicked something on the remote, changing the angle from the kitchen camera Nic had covered to the one that was directly above him.
We both went mute as we watched Nic go back to the front door, letting Lexi inside. He grabbed a stack of boxes that he had obviously brought with him as she walked around, touching everything.
"Does it have sound?" I kept watching.
"Unfortunately not, Bae." Tae answered.
"What the fuck?" I asked out of disappointment and awe that my brother had the audacity to disrespect my home the way he was. I was even more pissed off I had no clue until now and it had been weeks.
Nic and I hadn't talked— a lot was going on and he didn't bother to show his face at the funeral so I hadn't seen him since my birthday dinner. He still had his job working at my Spa, although he didn't bother to show his face there either. I kept him on payroll, so I knew he was getting paid and had money.
Tae had no idea and I planned to keep it that way. Knowing Nic had money put my mind at ease. He was no longer staying with me, but I knew he had money to eat, put gas in his car, and to buy all of his necessities.
Tae rubbed my back as I began to cry, watching Lexi grab drinks from my fridge and them argue in the kitchen. "He literally took everything he had here." I sniffed, placing my hand over my chest attempting to soothe my heart.
Each box he carried was piled high with items I remembered buying him. He carried box after box downstairs, placing them all by the front door. "I had no idea!" I looked over at Tae in disbelief. "He didn't even text me or anything! Nothing!" I angrily wiped my tears.
"That's some bullshit foreal." I could hear the rage in Tae's voice and the last thing I wanted was for him to go out and hurt my brother on my behalf, so I bit my tongue, keeping quiet as we watched the rest.
"I'm going to go check his room to see if he left anything." I already knew he didn't but I went upstairs anyway and into Nic's old room, turning on the light. All that was left was his bed, a couple rugs, and his bedroom and bathroom decor.
I sat in the living room for hours, racking my mind on what exactly was going on. I was thinking of the many ways I could hurt Nic, if I should let him be and let it go, or if I should chase him down and beg him to come back home.
I couldn't stop crying about it. My feelings were truly hurt and I couldn't believe he'd moved out weeks ago and I just now was finding out about it; and not from his mouth. I never had any reason to go in his room, I knew he wasn't home and I respected his personal space. Regardless of his drug habits in the past, I never— not once, went snooping through his room. If there was anything I needed to know, I knew I'd find out in due time. Whenever the time was right.
I sniffled, looking up through my tears as I seen Tae's silhouette coming towards my bedroom door. He leaned on the door frame as I stayed where I was, sitting in my recliner in the living room. The room was completely dark besides the lights shining in through the windows and the couple of candles I had lit beside me.
He sighed, staring at me as I cried, dabbing at my eyes with the tissue I had in my hand. "When you coming to bed? Every time I wake up I hear you in here crying."
"I don't know." I tried to get myself together a little bit for his sake. I didn't want him to worry or be mad but I knew that he was. "I'm just so sad about this. I can't believe he'd just up and move out while I'm on vacation. Then to have that girl in my house, drinking drinks out my refrigerator." I couldn't help but to cry. The pain I was feeling brought tears to my eyes every time I thought about it. "I've tried to be a good sister." I pointed into my chest at myself. "I've done all that I can do and that's how he does me— like really? What's the reason?" I vented out loud, speaking what was running through my head.
"I don't got nothing good to say." He responded bluntly.
"Just that you were right and I was wrong?" He sat beside me, yawning as he began to rub my thigh in a soothing manner.
"Actually, no. I can't sleep knowing you in here upset and crying. What can I do to make you feel better?" He looked me in my eye, holding his arms out for me. "Hug?"
I happily fell into his arms as he securely held me, making me feel like a little baby. "You wanna cook for me?"
He scoffed, laughing. "And make you what? You hungry? I brought you a to-go plate with mine from Mama's."
"I know and I ate it at like three or four this morning."
"What you want then?"
"Chicken and Waffles" We both laughed.
"Oh you tryna get fancy? You know I don't know how to fry chicken, better make that one yourself."
"I'm just playing, Baby." I cooed, putting my face to his. "You can make me a sandwich or something."
"How bout some noodles?" He picked me up, sitting me back down as he went into the kitchen, turning on the light. "Chicken kind?"
"Creamy chicken" I admired the tattoos on his back. "Are you busy today?" I jumped further back into the couch, swinging my legs back and forth. Tae's presence perked my spirits up just that fast.
"Picking up money all day today." He grabbed a plastic mixing bowl from the cabinet, dumping my noodles inside it.
Guess that means he won't be attending Church...
"From your rent houses?" I asked out of curiosity.
"Uhhh, yeah" He cleared his throat, starting to bite at his lip. "You going to your Spa for a couple hours?" It was almost six and if I was, I needed to start getting ready for the day.
"Yes" I kept thinking about the white lie he had just told. The first of the month had been passed and he'd already went to collect his rent from his tenants. I knew because I rode with him when he did, but he obviously didn't remember. "You can eat them, I don't want them." I referred to my noodles, getting up to go get in the shower.
"What you mad about?" Tae finally broke our silence as he sat on my bed, watching me zip up my skirt. I had been giving him the silent treatment for about an hour.
I pulled all my hair to the side, looking at how my butt was sitting in my skirt in the mirror. "Nothing"
"Gotta be something, you all of a sudden not talking to me."
I sighed, staring back at my reflection as I wiped the sides of my mouth. Our eyes met in the mirror. "What?" I asked.
"Wh-"
"Tae" I cut him off before he could start. "I got a lot going on in my mind." I circled my head with my hands. "I don't feel like talking." I kept it short and simple when what I really wanted to do was call him all types of liars and filthy dogs.
"Whatever Nicole" He had a little attitude, getting on his phone.
We went back to silence as I maneuvered around my room, finishing up my look for the day. I wore a sleek side-part ponytail with medium sized gold hoops, and a matching nude two-piece set that I paired with my black and brown thigh high boots.
I caught him staring at me as I sprayed perfume on myself; and again when I was reapplying my lipgloss. I quickly changed my purse to a Camel colored Chanel crossbody bag and grabbed my keys from on top of my dresser. "Let me know when you're leaving."
"That's it?"
"What do you mean?" I pretended to play stupid, acting like I didn't know what he was talking about.
"My kiss" He told me in a duh tone. "You ain't fucking forget." I held in my laugh as he slowly made his way to me with a scowl on his face. "I'll be waiting for you to text me or call me to fill me in on what I did for you to not wanna talk to me."
"I told you, I don't feel like talking." I repeated myself.
"Mhm" He bent his head for me to kiss him, causing me to lightly peck his lips. When I pulled away he still had his eyes closed. "What the fuck was that?" He smacked his lips, following me out of my bedroom and towards the front door.
"See you at Church if you wanna get on my good side!" I shouted behind me. Not even God could save him from the treatment he was about to get from me, but he still needed to be at Church.
"So you are mad?"
"No" I slammed the door, hightailing it through the hallway and parking garage to get to my car. I hated walking through creepy public spaces by myself. I always felt like somebody was watching me, waiting to snatch me the fuck up.
A grin broke out on my face once I seen my two cars backed in beside one another. I'd yet to drive my Pink Mercedes anywhere, but I would be getting to it soon. I unlocked the doors to my G-Wagon, climbing inside. I pushed the start button, putting on my seatbelt and locking the doors before anybody could try to kidnap me.
My phone rang over the car speakers and I drove through the parking garage and out onto the street. I rubbed my lips together, rubbing my lipgloss in as I opted for either Starbucks or just a regular donut shop.
"Hello?" Korea's voice made me smile.
"Hi my Love! Were you sleeping?" I kept cheesing while I turned onto a different street. "What are you doing?"
"No I wasn't sleep, I'm cooking Breakfast." I glanced down at the time on my car screen, seeing it was barely eight o'clock.
"What you making?"
"Stuffed French Toast with berries, Turkey Bacon, and boiled Eggs." She paused. "What you doing? Sound like you driving or in a car."
"I'm on my way to my Spa."
"On a Sunday?" She asked in a shocked tone. "For what?"
"Just to check on business and I had a rough night— so." I shrugged my shoulders although she couldn't see.
My Spa had long become my happy place.
"Oh gosh, what do you mean rough? You and Tae didn't get into it, did you?"
"No but he did rub me the wrong way this morning." I furrowed my brows, thinking about it. "That's what I'm calling you about. Did Julio tell you where they really went last night?"
Opposite of myself and my views, Korea respected the hustle and part of that was because Julio was always honest with her if she had questions. I honestly envied that about their relationship. There had been plenty of times I had to go to Korea for answers about the whereabouts of my own Fiancé; and she had them because Julio was honest with her.
"Not yet but he will be soon. He tossed and turned all night, that's why I'm up cooking a hour earlier." I could hear Cali in the background over the speaker.
"Good Morning, Auntie! I love you, see you at Church."
"Awwww, thank you Cals and I love you so much more my big girl!" If I didn't have anybody else's love, I knew I had Cali's.
"Girl she begged me to let her say something to you."
"That's my girl."
"She thinks we all three best friends."
"That's because we are!"
"Period, Auntie!" I heard Cali yell making me laugh, covering my mouth with one hand. I pulled into the Starbucks drive through and tried to wrap up my phone conversation with Korea, but Cali heard where I was and begged me to get her a Pink Drink. Korea told her there was no way they were driving all the way Downtown just to pick it up and by the time Church came around, her ice would be melted so she was out of there, but I got her a ten dollar gift card so she could get one after Church and because I felt bad. Kids are so spoiled.
"Hey Bosslady! Good morning!" Ray hugged me. "What you doing here on a Sunday and where is my Caramel Frappe with vanilla foam and whipped cream? I laughed as he put his hands on his hips, looking at me with his face frowned. "You ain't the only girl that like Starbucks!"
"Sorry, Ray" We went into my Office, closing the door behind ourselves.
"Next time— which is tomorrow, I'll be expecting two drinks to make up for this." He held up two fingers. "Two" He repeated, rolling his neck little bit as he crossed his legs.
"Yeah, two talls." We laughed.
"Don't play like that, Bosslady!" He told me as I typed in the password on my computer, being met with the image of my kids I had on my screensaver.
"Nic came in yesterday." My head shot towards him. "He didn't stay long, but he did come in for his shift."
"Really? Why didn't you call me?" I wish I could've seen my Brother and maybe then he would've told me he moved out of my home behind my back.
"I thought about it but then I watched your Instagram story and I seeeennnnn y'all were having Family Day! Where was my invite? It was at Ms. Karen house too! You know I love her!"
"That's because y'all act alike and I'm sorry Ray Ray." I stuck my bottom lip out. "Forgive me" Ray really did have a thing for Ms. Karen. He stuck to her like glue at every family function we had that he was invited too. He even came to Deacon Emory's funeral and he bought Ms. Karen a really nice Edible Arrangement.
"You purposely put me on the schedule so I couldn't come." I laughed loudly. "You know it, that's why you laughing."
"Ray, please! I don't even make the schedules and you know you have to work weekends."
"Yeah, we need to talk about that!" He scoffed, spinning around in one of the chairs I had in front of my desk. "I'm the Creative Director right?"
"Yes"
"I handle all of the social media accounts, help you design, and style you whenever we have shoots, correct?"
"Where are you going with this Ray?" I knew he was going somewhere.
"I can post and comment wherever I'm at and you hardly come in on the weekends so why I gotta work weekends?" He whined, dramatically falling out of his chair down to his knees. "Pleaseeee Bosslady, please?" He held his hands in praying form, fake crying.
"Rayvon I'm not about to do this with you." We'd had this conversation more than once. Although I rarely came in on weekends, I needed him at the Spa. He fell out on the ground. "You acting like one of my kids."
"I can be! I been asking you to adopt me since I've known you." He made me laugh again.
"You're too old to be my child. Lord knows I can't stand no adult children." He got up off the floor, sitting back down in his seat. "You can come to Sunday dinner today though." I immediately wanted to smack myself for overtalking. I had no problem with Ray coming around my family, but I didn't invite him like I used to because of Mila and Marcus.
Mila was out of her mind so there was no telling what she'd do or say, and I felt guilty. We all knew something he didn't and of course I didn't see Ray as just my employee but he did work for me. I seen him at least five days out the week and I'd known the secret for months, yet I hadn't mentioned it. It came across fake and although that wasn't my intention, I knew that's how he'd take it because I'd feel the same way.
I also dreaded the day when he did find out because I just knew he'd take it out on me and end up quitting. I didn't know if Marcus and Byron were still messing around, all I could do was hope and pray that they weren't because there was no telling.
"Yesss, I'll be there! Five o'clock right?" He remembered the time we'd usually start eating.
"Yes sir" I made a mental note to let Mila know he was coming ahead of time. I didn't need her causing any problems and I was sure she'd already be in her feelings because nobody wanted spaghetti.
"Ouuu, I'm excited! It doesn't even matter what's on the menu because I know it's going to be good!"
"Well I'll tell you anyway because I'm happy about it." I dramatically cleared my throat and popped my lips as I rested my arms on my desk, looking Ray in his eye. "Smothered and Fried Pork-chops, Cabbage, White Rice, Sweet Potatoes, Cornbread, and I'm going to attempt to make a Peach Clobber for Dessert." Normally Ms. Karen was the peach cobbler specialist but I knew she wouldn't be in the mood to cook anything so I was proudly taking over.
"Ouuu Nicole!" Ray repeatedly slapped his thigh. "Mm mm mm!" He had to have been really feeling it because he called me by my actual name. "Y'all gone make me hurt myself!" He started slowly sucking his fingers and I erupted with laughter. "You laughing but my stomach growling already." He fixed his glasses on his face. "It's gone be enough to take home?"
I honestly didn't know but I wouldn't count on it."Don't come no later than five thirty, that's all I'ma say."
"Byron gone be too excited when I tell him we got invited to Sunday Dinner."
We?
"Oh you want Byron to come?" I said the first thing that came to my mind, instantly covering my mouth.
"Duh Bosslady! That way I don't have to cook when I get home." He told me in a duh tone. "It's not a problem if I bring him, right?"
"Of course not" I was crying on the inside but I didn't know what else to say and I couldn't tell him it actually would be an issue.
"Ok, we'll bring a bottle of alcohol!"
*******************
"It's not even nothing to laugh about!" I shouted over Julio's loud cackles. "You're so immature!"
I'd waited until after Church to tell them about Ray and Byron coming for Sunday Dinner— now here we were, standing in Ms. Karen's garage and they thought I'd told the joke of the day.
"Seriously, what are we going to do y'all? Mila is not in her right mind!" I continued to yell over Julio laughing.
"Who is we? You the one that talk too damn much." He wiped tears from his eyes, calming down. "What we suppose to do?"
"I don't know but think of something!" Five o'clock was only three hours away. "What if I just take Ray and Byron a plate outside when they pull up?"
"That's rude" Korea waved smoke out of her face. Of course Julio and Tae just had to spark a blunt up as soon as we stepped foot out the Church. They acted like they couldn't live without smoking and I was sure at this point, they actually couldn't.
"Extremely rude and you already told Ray they can come so let you them come. Mila gone be alright and if not, she know her way around this big ass house." Tae spoke with some sense. "Bet not ruin my meal when I been waiting all night and day for it."
"Whatever, I'm about to go get started on my Peach Clobber."
"Calm down with your nervous ass." Julio blew smoke out his mouth. "You acting like you about to get your ass beat or something."
I flipped him off with my back to them as I went back into the House. "Who is that?" Ms. Karen shouted as the house alarm went off, indicating somebody was coming inside.
"Me!" I purposely locked the garage door behind myself so Tae, Korea, and Julio would have to walk all the way around the house to the front door.
"What y'all out there doing?" She asked once I entered the kitchen where she was. She was at the stove, being nosey, lifting up the foil on Korea's pan of White Rice.
"You know they smoking." I stood beside her, sitting my phone on the counter.
"They gotta have that medicine, Chile." She shook her head, disappointed. "I see I'll have to teach my baby how to properly cook rice." She grabbed a spoon from her draw full of cooking utensils. "She cooked this in way too much water."
I kept quiet because I didn't see a problem with the rice and she obviously was in one of her moods. "You feeling ok? You don't sound like yourself." I asked hesitantly.
She let out a deep sigh like it came from her soul. "I'm thinking about finding myself a new Church home. Things just aren't the same without Emory and it's like the wound reopens every Sunday when I step foot in that Church." Before I could respond, she quickly stopped mixing the rice and sat the spoon down, heading for her stairs. "I'll be back Baby and don't y'all come up here bothering me." I could hear the emotion in her voice and I knew she was going upstairs to have a breakdown.
"Ok, love you." My heart went out to Ms. Karen and I prayed every day that her healing process wouldn't stem from sadness but understanding. She'd lost her partner and had no choice but to pick up the pieces and push forward. I was almost certain that if Deacon Emory hadn't unfortunately been murdered, he would've made her his wife. I knew she wanted that and she would've had it had the World not been so cruel.
I headed upstairs after a while to check on the kids and change Taejin and Troi out of their Church clothes. "Knock knock" I pushed Mia's room door open, seeing them all sitting on the floor. Mia and Cali were playing her PlayStation while the smaller kids were surrounding them, coloring in their books Ms. Karen had bought them from The Dollar Store.
"Mommy, tummy hurt." Troi sadly pat her stomach, leaning in my lap once I sat down on Mia's bed.
"What you been eating?"
"Mia!" She snitched on her Auntie. "Mia, candy!" The way she was frowning her face up you would've thought Mia forced her to eat a whole bag of candy if you didn't know better.
"My candy that you stole, Troi." Mia took her headset off, pausing the game making Cali look upside her head. "Nicole, she was in the closet stuffing her mouth with my Hershey's while we were playing and when we found her, my entire bar of chocolate was gone. I don't even know how she opened it." She plead her case. "She had chocolate all over herself and my wall."
"It's ok, Mia." I assured her. "Now her stomach hurting but that's what she get for stealing." I spotted the evidence on her dress. Troi climbed into my arms, sweetly laying her head on my shoulder since she knew I was talking about her. She kissed my cheek. "You ready to change your clothes?"
"No, see Daddy." I rolled my eyes at her response.
"Let Mommy change your clothes really quick then I'll take you to your big head Daddy." I turned to Taejin, handing him his clothes since he could dress himself. "Don't go outside and get all dirty either." He would be wearing a white polo and navy blue shorts.
"Ok Mommy" He focused on the tv, watching whatever game Cali and Mia were playing as he lifted his shirt over his head.
"Daddy change!" Troi jumped around as I tried to lift her dress. "No Mommy, Troi Daddy change!" She began to cry since I ignored her the first time.
"Girl I am your Mama, I can change your clothes." Cali and Mia laughed at me. "She gets on my nerves always wanting Tae for everything." We watched her throw a fit because I wouldn't take her downstairs to let Tae change her clothes. "This is embarrassing, Troi. I carried you for nine months, you were an extremely difficult pregnancy too and this is how you do me?"
"Troi, pleaseeee!" Cali covered her ears after a few minutes. Taejin was used to it so he didn't mind, Mia had her headset on, and Cari was just staring at her in disbelief she was acting the way she was.
I eventually gave in and FaceTimed Tae, telling him to come upstairs and get his demon child. She immediately stopped her temper tantrum as soon as she heard his voice and seen his face.
"Daddy!" She smiled, putting both her hands on the ground and her butt in the air as she stood to her feet. She had rolled around so much her sandal was half off her foot.
"What you doing all that crying for?" He picked her up, lifting her like she was a weight as he kissed her face.
"Say because I'm bad and spoiled."
"Mommy no change, Daddy change!" She gave me her mad face and although she was so bad and mean, I couldn't help but to smile back at her. She was just so cute with everything she did.
"You sweating" Tae sat down beside me, easing Troi into his lap.
"I know, somebody locked the door and I had to walk to the front." He put emphasis on somebody letting me know he knew it was me.
"Well y'all shouldn't have been laughing." I checked the time on my phone, wondering where Mila was. I damn sure needed her to get to the house before Ray and Byron showed up.
"I didn't laugh not one time and I even looked out for you."
"What do you mean?" He unlocked his phone and handed it to me, showing me him and Mila's message thread. I hugged him tightly, kissing his cheek. "Thank you!" He'd went out of his way and filled Mila in where she was left out so I didn't have to. Tae had a way with his words that just always smoothed things over.
"See, locking me out for no reason and I saved you from an ass whopping."
"Who ass?" He busted out laughing. "Mila not bout it and I've never lost a fight, Hunny." I picked Cari up as she held her arms out for me. "For your information."
"Yeah right, that's what everybody say until you see them get they ass beat." He made Troi stand up while he pulled her gray tights up for her. I smiled watching them interact. He lightly pressed his forehead to hers while she blushed, lighting up. "Daddy love you, Fat."
"Troi love Daddy!" She patted the sides of his face as he chuckled. "Tummy hurt"
"Yeah, tell him what you did since you all in his grill."
"Don't be jealous, Bae." Tae put her white tank top on her. "What she do?"
"Devoured your little sister's chocolate bar then tried to snitch on her like she gave it to her when I came up here."
He laughed "You did that, Fat?" He pulled her shirt down, wiping whatever was bothering him out of his eye as he turned towards me, picking up her denim jacket from the bed. "Daddy like chocolate too." He told her as he ripped the tag off.
"That's not the point, Tae."
"She's two, Nicole." It didn't matter if she was fifteen. She still knew right from wrong and she knew messing with Mia's belongings were wrong, that's why she was hiding in the closet.
"Ok, I don't wanna hear it when she starts real school and her teachers are calling home everyday. When they call me, I'ma tell them to call you."
"Daddy gone answer the phone and ask them what they did to my Fat." She grinned as he loved on her. "Ain't that right?"
"Mhm" She agreed with him.
"You coming with me?" He stood from the bed, holding his hand out for her to grab if she wanted to go downstairs. "Cari, you coming? Let's go play outside."
Cari threw her colors and her book down beside me, turning backwards to climb down off Mia's bed. Tae held his other hand out for her and Troi seen it causing her to push Cari to the ground out of jealousy.
Tae jacked her up and popped her on her butt which surprised the shit out of me. He'd never been too stern with her but today he got to see just how she acted behind his back first hand. "No Troi, you don't do that!" He raised his voice, getting eye level to her to let her know he was serious. Her face fell and she poked her lip out as tears filled her eyes.
Tae helped Cari up, picking her up instead of making her walk. "Tell her you sorry, Troi."
"Sworry" Troi quickly complied with a pout on her face.
"You accept her apology?" He looked at Cari while he rested one hand on her pop belly.
"Yes!" She told him cutely. "We go play?" She was already over it and ready to play with Troi even though she pushed her down not even a minute ago. She was so innocent and sweet because had it been me, I wouldn't give Troi the time of day.
"Yeah I got you, come on Troi." He began to walk out of the room but Troi wouldn't go because she had to walk and Cari didn't. What made it even worse was Tae was the one holding her.
"No, Troi Daddy!" Sometimes she wouldn't even let Taejin get close to Tae. She knew that Taejin was her brother but she didn't understand that Tae wasn't just her Daddy and that they shared him and I. She made the both of us nervous for when the time did come for us to try again for another baby, she'd really try to hurt it out of being jealous.
"I'm not doing this with you, Fat."
"Mommy will carry you." I held my arms out for her. "I'm surprised you didn't say nooo, Daddy do it." I spoke in her voice once she let me pick her up. We went downstairs and into the backyard where the kids' swing set was.
"Ju, why you trying to break they shit?" Tae and I laughed seeing Korea pushing Julio as he swung his legs back and forth. We sat the girls down, letting them run around.
"This shit fun." Korea kept pushing him. "Seats a little small but that's cool because I haven't swung in years."
Once Mila came, she found us outside but didn't say anything to anybody, not even a Hey. She simply opened the back door to let us know she had arrived and shut it back.
"Nobody but Nicole fault." Julio just had to say something.
"It wasn't on purpose and shut the fuck up." I roughly got out the swing I was sitting in, heading towards the house.
"Awww why you getting your panties in a bunch? I was just playing!"
"Hey Ray!" I greeted him as I swung the heavy front door open. He and Byron stood on the other side with brown paper bags and what looked like a Strawberry Crumble cake. I hugged them both, letting them come inside.
"I just love this House and I know Mama did not step out and get some new furniture?" Rayvon went on, staring at Ms. Karen's emerald green living room set.
"Yes she did, courtesy of Taelor Hills." He'd taken her to pick it out a few days after we buried Deacon Emory, trying to kiss her ass.
"It's niceeeee! I know that was expensive!"
"Mhm and its leather too." Byron added, getting in on the conversation. "That couch by itself had to be close to twenty thousand, not including the loveseat and recliner."
"I'ma tell Mama she got moneyyyy!" Ray laughed at himself as went walked the short distance from the front door into the kitchen.
"Hey hey, Everbodyyyyyy!" Ray spoke. "We brought liquor and a cake." He went around, hugging everybody while Byron stood off to the side like he was nervous Marcus would be somewhere around.
I watched Ray interact with Mila, she gave him the cold shoulder just as she had done with us but Ray was Ray so he didn't pay her any mind. He always kept the same bubbly personality regardless of who was acting funny.
"Hey Spider-Man" He hugged Taejin as Taejin hugged his leg, eating on a piece of cornbread. "Where my big girl at?" He asked about Troi.
"Sleeping but she should be up soon." I answered his question as he grabbed Ms. Karen's hand from behind.
She faced him and they immediately jumped around each other's necks, talking a mile a minute. "I brought you a cake girl! Bosslady told me Strawberry is your favorite."
"Make yourself comfortable Bryon." I knocked him out of his gaze he was in. "We have plenty food and we just started eating so go ahead and make your plate to take home while you can." I fake laughed it off while observing him at the same time. I noticed he'd freshly dyed his hair and instead of it being blue, it was a platinum blonde.
"No more blue hair?"
"Oh, I just wanted it to be more vibrant so I bleached it but I'm definitely putting my blue back in." He ran his hand over his head. "I feel so naked without it."
We never all sat the dinner table together often so everybody was dispersed throughout the House, which made it a lot easier to deal with Mila and Byron being in the same space.
"This food is so damn good I'm bout to bit my fingers off!" Ray moaned as he bit into his fourth smothered pork chop. "Lawd!"
"Don't do that." Byron wiped gravy from the corner of Ray's mouth with his napkin. We all were sitting on the couch along with Korea and Cari, chilling and talking about nothing while Ray ate.
"I'm getting some of your peach cobbler next, Bosslady. How did it turn out?"
"Really good" I pat myself on the back, proud. "Ms. Yolanda gave me her approval too so I really feel like I did something." I heard the garage alarm going off, meaning either Tae or Julio had come back inside.
"Ray, you smoke?" Tae came around the corner, ripping open a pack of Backwoods with his teeth. "We bout to get some shit going out there."
"No but Byron does."
Oh hell....
"Oh ok" Tae didn't say anything else due to knowing it wouldn't be a good idea to invite Byron when Mila was in the garage as well.
"I'll come, I'm done eating and I love to hit the blunt." Byron stood up, following Tae as he quickly tried to hurry back to the garage. My heart started beating fast but I had to tell myself to relax, Tae had it under control.
I couldn't focus on anything else until they all came back inside and everything seemed fine. Julio and Byron went into the kitchen to make another plate while Tae and Mila came into the living room where we were. "I'll tell you when we get home." Tae sat down beside me, putting his hand on my leg.
"She's so cute." Ray complimented Sunny as her Mama took her back from Korea. I coughed, waving the air in front of my face. Mila reeked of weed and they'd been in the garage for over an hour so I knew she was tore up.
"Mm, thanks" She rudely replied, not giving the man any of her attention. They were cool before Marcus and Byron messed everything up. Ray actually liked Mila and vise versa but she was too caught up in her feelings to realize she and Ray were in the same boat. None of it was his fault just like it wasn't hers and he wasn't her enemy.
"Do you mind if I hold her? I been obsessed with her little cute self since I got here." He'd asked Korea earlier but she thought it would be best to ask her Mama. Mila was really picky with Sunny and she didn't let many people touch her outside of our circle. A lot of people didn't even know she'd had a baby or that she was pregnant in the first place since she hid the entire nine months.
"Sure you can hold her, y'all gone be babysitting anyway so might as well get your practice in."
"Milan!" Korea got onto her.
"Huh?" Ray looked at her then me, obviously confused.
"Come on Mila, let's go to the store." Tae tried to get her to leave.
"I'm not going nowhere." She sat back down and folded her legs underneath herself, getting comfortable.
"Nothing Ray, she's high." I answered his question.
"I'm not THAT high! Ray, you and blue head wanna come to my baby birthday party? It's next month on the 15th." Sunny wouldn't be turning one for another two months but Mila insisted on having her birthday party early. She said she wanted it to just be her and Sunny on her actual birthday. I found it a little weird but people could do what they wanted with their kids so I kept my opinion to myself.
"Of course. What's the theme?"
"Bumblebee. We stinging to kill, Baby." She smirked.
"We'll be there."