ⓡⓔⓘⓝⓒⓐⓡⓝⓐⓣⓔⓓ: ⓒⓗⓐⓟⓣⓔⓡ ⓔⓘⓖⓗⓣ
~Arlie P.O.V.~
I sat at the kitchen table with a mind full of questions. This still didn't fully register in my head but I honestly didn't care to know what happened with her end and why she's not in the casket. This put me in a personal conflicting situation. I look back at everything her and I went through and that surface the pure hatred I have for her, which is the logical feeling. But she's my love, since day one I've never been able to stop loving her- I let out a deep sigh and sat back in my chair.
I never thought in a million years I'd be in a war over emotions. Any other situation; I would have chose the logical emotion and been fine. This time... I just don't know-
"Hey are you coming up to bed at all?" Amber asked as she came around the corner rather quietly and sat with me at the table. She was in one of my shirts again and looked a lot better than what she did this morning. She reached over the table and grabbed my hand. Holding it comfortably between hers.
"Yeah in a little while." I said cracking a smile to her. "Did you just now wake up?" She shook her head, "What have you been doin' then?"
"I was just in bed reading for a while. You alright? You look a little distraught." That's not the word that even comes close to fitting the bill. Try emotionally wrecked and struggling to put the right pieces together.
"I'm good. Just got some thoughts goin' on." A lot of thoughts. I can at least say I was right because I knew Heather would have never killed herself. She was way too full of herself to ever do that. I should kill Joey just for wasting my time with that suicide letter he gave me all those years ago.
"Do you wanna talk about it?" I wish we could but I don't have the patience for an argument. Especially since you know how I've always felt towards Heather.
"Not right now. Come on, let's just go upstairs." She slowly nodded her head and got right back up, making her way up the stairs. I turned off all the lights and followed her right on up to our room. "Are you at least feeling better?"
"A little bit but it's better than earlier." I closed the door to our room and proceeded with crawling up on the bed, slipping under the covers."You sure you're okay though?"
"I'm fine. Don't even worry about me. Good night Amber."
"Good night." She turned off her light and fell asleep on her side with her back to me. I just laid here on my back, staring up into nothing. I wonder what Heather's done this whole time? What's she been involved with, who she's been involved with and why did she just now decide to show up?
All these questions and only one way to get the answers.
***
"Aye Sweets." I said when I walked up the driveway to find Sweets watering her flowers like usual. She looked up at me and gladly gave me a hug.
"Aye Arlie, what's up?" She had to adjust her robe, closing it more since the tie started to come loose. Sweets, you know better than to be out here in a robe watering your flowers. Especially on this damn block so early in the morning. I could tell it was goin' to be another hot day just by how warm it already was.
"Just thought I'd take a walk. I thought I'd see Ginot out but is he still asleep?" She nodded, "Lazy ass. Where's Varo at?"
"He's inside feeding Natalia, I believe."
"I needa talk to him right quick." She nodded her head and moved the hose some more for me to pass by and I continued into the house. I heard that wild laugh coming from the kitchen and was not suprised to see a mess in the kitchen. "You had one job Varo." I said as I took a seat next to Natalia. "Hi Baby Cheeks."
"Hi." She said with a mouthful of whatever the hell Varo made her. It was something really red? I couldn't even tell what it was but she was stuffing her cheeks with it- Oh my God they're red pancakes.
"We like to play with our food. I'm not gonna say she can't, she's a child. Children like to have fun." He said with a shrug. "So what brought you on by to my domain?"
"I always confide in you for just about everything and you know that right?" He nodded. "Don't say a damn word to anyone, but Heather's back. She's a few houses down from the old house on the intersection."
"Heather? Like Nicole's Mom?" I nodded. "Oh shit, how you feel about that? What she look like now? She got any more kids?" He set the plate of red pancakes down on the table and just stared at me as if somehow he'd get the answers by just looking at me.
"I don't know how I feel. It's mixed emotions right now. She looks nothing like the last time we saw her. She's been clean for a while now and I know nothing else. I was at her house last night just talkin' for a little bit-"
"Hold the fuck up. What if this is some bullshit Joey's pulling? I still don't trust him completely and I remember the love triangle between y'all three." Make that a love square. Ivette was involved too and it was something that should have never happened. "Remember, you got a fiancé and son at home."
"I know what I got at home and she said she was done with Joey- I already know what you're gonna say. If this really was something to mess with me, that'd be so low. That's the mother of one of my children, I'll always have love for her regardless. Fuckin' with the heart is a new level of low." Hence why as a gang, we don't normally go for loved ones. The loved ones weren't the ones who fucked up a deal or tried us, it was the nigga that decided to get bold.
"Just be careful man. I don't wanna see you fall to your knees 'cause of Heather. I'm gonna try to get a hold of Joey. Now that Heather's in the equation, I wanna know why and what made this all happen now. Why didn't she just show up sooner? But you think she changed?"
"I'd be happy to know she changed for the better just so I know she's at least taking care of herself and doing well on her own. What experiments were you doing yesterday with the twins?"
"Nothing. Nothing at all." Shut that down quick huh? "It wasn't anything involving a person for the record. I've actually decided to go to medical school-"
"You're so full of shit. Lemme find out what you were doing." He stood up from his seat, carrying his plate to the sink and that's when I noticed he had a bundle in the pocket of his money robe. All I could do was shake my head in disbelief.
"Finna get that masters degree. You'll be the dumb ass when you're at my graduation and I'm givin' my speech." He came back to the table and cleaned up Natalia's spot. "Anyways, I needa get ready because I got shit to deal with at the trap again."
"I'll stop by there a little later on."
"Bring Joel so Baby Cheeks can have someone to play with." I nodded my head and stood up from the table.
~Trey P.O.V.~
"Was it so bad checkin' out those dealers?" I asked DeShawn with a laugh as we both sat at the bench outside Rio and Ivanna's classroom. It was early release for them and I decided to pick Ivanna up so Dad could focus on his business.
"I was just waiting for the gun shots but it was chill. I get anxious when I'm with you and it involves the gang stuff."
"You was fine. Gotta live a little, plus the action shit makes great stories to tell." Especially him since he isn't locked up in a hospital whenever the cool shit happens. I missed out on a lot of key events that he got to be there for.
"Yeah-"
"Shawny!" Ivanna screamed when she came out of the classroom. Her backpack on her shoulders and hair that sat up in a neat doughnut like bun on the top of her head. "Ooh Hi T." She said coming over to me, wrapping her arms around my neck.
"Hi Ivanna." I laughed. "How was school?" Rio still hadn't come out yet so we continued to wait.
"It was good. I drew Mommy and Daddy pictures today." She took off her backpack and started digging around till she pulled out a picture. "It's Mommy, Daddy, Nala, King, and I." She continued to say.
"Where's LJ?-"
"No T. He's mean and pulls my hair." She grabbed onto the bow that sat on her stomach to her dress. "I'm going to draw Shawny, Ty Bear, Beezy, and You next time."
"Awe. Well Mommy and Daddy are gonna love it. Put it back in your backpack." She nodded her head and went right to it- ooh hello. I saw a female that caught my eye for a split second. Where'd she go though?
"Hi Rio." DeShawn and I both said in unison. A smile on his face, I saw he was still eating some kind of cupcake. Frosting on his chin and cheeks, I couldn't help but laugh because it looked like he had a sole patch.
"Let's go, I don't wanna be here anymore." DeShawn said. I gladly stood up and felt Ivanna tug on my shirt, hinting for me to bring my arm down so she could grab my hand. "You do that to Daddy huh?"
"Yup." She said with her own pop of the 'p'. Wonder who she got that from.... Mom.
***
"Yvonne?" I called out when I walked inside the house. I wanted to kick it with Breezy, maybe take a trip to Vanessa's Grandparents house and kidnap her for the night again. I'm sure she'd want that and we can get the twins, Isabella, Ty, and August to come along too. Just anything to take my mind off of IRG for the night. "You home?"
"I'm upstairs, hold on." She called back to me. I heard what sounded like the tub water cut off and decided to just lean up against the back of the couch.
"If you're in the middle of something, there's no need to come down. I just wanted to know if Breezy was home or nahh." I said back up to her. His car was in the driveway so I assumed he was home but I didn't hear him laughing or saying anything.
"He actually went out a while ago." I watched her come down the stairs with Breezon wrapped in a dark blue towel, squirming around in her arms. "All I know is, today he was supposed to meet up with Christian at noon. He's been gone since around then." She finally gave up and set him down on the ground. He just stood there looking between me and Yvonne, unsure what to do with his new found freedom.
"It's nearly six though?" She shrugged. "When he gets home, can you have him call me?"
"Of course. If he calls me or texts me letting me know about anything, I'll let you know."
"Thanks Yvonne. I'll see you around." I gave her a quick hug and showed myself the door, closing it behind me. So... now what?
My SMUBNBF isn't around and I'm all on my own.
***
"Aye Isabella." I said when she hopped in my car. "Easy with my door damn-"
"I didn't even close it hard you dumb ass but hi." She said back trying to hold in her laughter... I knew she wanted to laugh so badly, so I poked her side and all the laughter came rolling out of her mouth.
"It's not good to hold in your laughs." I said point blank as I proceeded with driving off from her house. "So what's new with you?"
"Not a whole lot actually. Just been getting my money and saving up. What about you? I heard about Breezy being back and I'm sure you two idiots probably threw an entire block party."
"We couldn't because his son has to be asleep before a certain time but there will be a huge party on our friendaversary, best believe that." Gonna take up two whole blocks. "I heard rumors about you and Tavian though." I semi cocked a brow and looked over in her direction.
"Who'd you hear it from?"
"I never rat out the reporter." She let out an irritated groan and an obvious roll of her eyes. "So what's the real scoop?" Ooh Ice cream... that could be licked off a female right about now. She could be all up on the ledge of my tub, ice cream all on her stomach and chocolate sauce on the base of her neck dripping down the valley of her chest and blending with the ice cream-
"You aren't even listening."
"If you knew I was in serious thought, you shouldn't have started talking. I was in a good thought and you just ruined it." It would have been vanilla or strawberry ice cream so it could easily balance out the chocolate sauce.Can't forget the sprinkles either, especially on the ice cream. Is this what food lovers really dream about? Well I actually do this but I wonder now, do others do this? Breezy's a food lover so I'll ask his ass because if this is just me, then daaamn... I'm one of a kind-
"There you go again."
"Well I can't help it- shut up Isabella. I offered to chill with you and you're pulliln' this-"
"I'm sitting here trying to have a conversation with you and you're not even listening!"
"Ooh! Just for the record, you yelled first! You started all a this shit!" I yelled right back at her- whoa. I just caught a glimpse of myself in the rear view mirror and just had a moment... I still look good.
"You made me! Don't even play this game Trey!"
"You started yelling! I was chill and just in Conversation-Mode, you upped it up to World-Star-Hip-Hop-Hoodrat-Hussy-Brawl-Mode!" I had to literally park the car off to the side of the road, cut the engine, take off my seat belt and turn to face this woman. "You can't deny that!"
"Oh my God, I hate you!"
"Just admit you started it and we can move past this!" It's not that hard. Just admit you're wrong and we can put this argument to rest.
"N-"
"Isabella. You started it, and since you wanna be a child about this, I get to choose where we're gonna eat." I said proudly as I started the car back up and turned back onto the main road. "By the way, I choose Taco Bell."
"I still hate you." She folder her arms up under her chest and kept her head turned to look out the open window... I rolled up her window with the button on my side and started laughing when she was trying to roll it back down but I had locked the window buttons.
We arrived at Taco Bell in one piece. She went right to the bathroom because she has the bladder of a hamster and I went up to the register.
"Oh fuck yes." I said when I saw who was working. "Tavian, I thought you worked at Walmart?"
"Nah, they fired me because I kept flirting with the cashier on lane 6. So I came here and they hired me right on the spot. What'chu wanna order though?" He asked as he reached across the counter to dap me.
"See, I got Isabella here and she in the bathroom right now. She didn't see you when she came in here." This was a beautiful moment right here. I swear all the planets must be aligned and God must have won a game of dice just because of how perfect this moment was right here.
"Trey please tell me you ordered- Oh wow." She said when she came walking around the corner. She looked at him, then me, then back to him, and mugged me. "You're an ass-"
"I literally had nothing to do with any of this, I swear." I said holding my hands up in defense."My luck game was just too strong-"
"You so knew! I know you did!"
"How!?" Tavian was just laughing and I actually was too. "Oh so that rumor is true and this that awkward phase... shit bruh."
"Since you brought that up, that hook up was great. We should do that again." Tavian said with a smirk at her. She just looked back at him with cheeks that were just so red... I couldn't even talk because that silent laugh was just too much for me. I had to hold onto the counter with one hand and hold my stomach with the other. I don't even fully understand why I find Isabella and Tavian so funny, I just know I do and I'm enjoying this.
"Tavian just don't say anything. It only feeds into what Trey wants to hear." You're damn right!
"Oh I see, aight well I'll just text you later then. What'cha'll want though?" I had to point to what I wanted, my voice was just nonexistent and I know all my laughing is what drove Isabella insane.
Finally after a while, Isabella and I were sitting at our table with nothing but wrappers in front of us. Tavian had to go to the back of the building to work so it was just Isabella and I in the front.
"You gonna try for Vanessa's custody?" I asked on a more serious note. We had our jokes and laughs earlier but I wanted to know more about their situations.
"Nope. She just ran away to my house. She still goes to school and whatever but she's with me."
"So she at your house right now?" She shook her head. "She's out with her friends right now. I'm not her Mom, so if she chooses to act up, that's her fault and she understands that." Damn... "She's smart so I don't worry."
"At least she's finally happy. How did your Grandparents react?" I took the last sip of my drink and set the empty cup on the tray with the rest of our trash that needed to be thrown out.
"They were mad and were going to get cops involved but they never did so I don't know what happened. One of my Dad's sisters could have talked them out of it or they just realized they were too old to watch over her. I don''t care what happened, I just know everyone's happy." She said slightly unamused. "You gettin' your gang soon?"
"I always tend to forget you don't associate with IRG anymore, but I don't even know to be honest. It feels like I'm never gonna get it so I've kinda lost a lot of my passion for it."
"You'll get it Trey." That's what I keep hearing but I have yet to see anything that backs up that statement.
"I hope. Look we needa go. I actually got a shipment to pick up with the twins. You want me to drop you off at home or do you want to come along?" I asked as I slid out of my chair and grabbed the tray with all our trash.
"I'll come with." I nodded my head and threw away the trash before the both of us walked out of the building and back into my car.
~Breezy P.O.V.~
I finally showed up at my trap- seven hours late for reasons that don't need to be explained- and took a seat in my office with Christian sitting across from me. I kicked my feet up and leaned back, getting comfortable before we begin our discussion.
"You comfortable enough?" He asked.
"Now I am. So where do we stand at this point? We're not having west coast - east coast versions of NBG because at the end of the day, they're apart of the same gang."
"I know. I want my gang, that I built up from day one. You couldn't handle it and for that NBG almost completely lost its money." So quick to point out your wants. He was stern and had a serious ass look to his eyes... it was nothing brother-like.
"I understand where the hell you're coming from. I really do, but last I checked, you said you were done with NBG. You said I could have my way with it and I did. It failed but is it in ruins now? No. I never said you would be the leader of NBG if anything happened to me. It was automatically left for IRG since I was still in an alliance with them. You illegally got NBG even though the gangs themselves are illegal but you know what I mean."
"The gang was brought down to nothing when you left. There was no alliance anymore, therefore you were wrong. I didn't illegally claim shit. I was the founder and starter of that gang, so I re-claimed it since you were supposedly dead. You built your own gang, so change the name and roll with them-"
"I was never dead. I was still alive and that makes me still in charge of NBG. I never said I pulled NBG out before I left, I said I was going to re-establish it. Christian this bullshit it seriously comin' between us and I never approved of that." This is just sad.. here I am arguing with my older brother about a gang. "NBG is still my gang because you gave it to me and you all assumed I was dead. Show me the death certificate that proves I was dead, then."
"Then we're done. This is business and you're fucking it up. Gon' ahead with NBG but when things get bad, don't come back to me and don't even try Nitty. We're just done Chris." He said as he stood up and walked out of my office. I quickly got up and followed after him, just watching him as he continued through the trap till he slammed the front door shut behind him.
"What's goin' on?" A member asked as he walked up next to me carrying a box of guns that probably needed to be cleaned and reloaded.
"Christian and I are done but I run NBG. I want you to spread that around, make sure that's what the streets are sayin' too. I got the guns." I took the box from him and he nodded his head, going back to where he originally came from. "Tell other members to stay loaded at all times and be cautious of Christian." I added in.
"Alright Boss." He said back.Before I knew it, I was standing alone in the main room of the trap and I felt like I just lost a piece of me. Christian is- well was my older brother and now we're done? Just like that? Well he said it so he must not want to deal with me anymore, which is fine I guess. My next step is to unify both gangs and expand elsewhere.
I left the trap and just decided to head home. I'll deal with NBG tomorrow and I'm really hungry so I'm just gonna go home and eat till I just can't eat anymore or I run out of food to eat. Simple as that.
***
"Hi Mama." I said as I walked into her kitchen and gave her a hug. "Been a hot minute since I saw you." I continued to say as I washed my hands at the sink.
"Why the hair?" She said as she stared in nothing but confusion. "I'm really starting to worry about you Christopher." She reached up, well I had to bend down a little bit, and she ran her fingers through my curls as if to see if it actually was my real hair.
"Why? Vonnie wanted to dye it this color and I personally don't give a shit because I still look sexy with any hair color." I opened her fridge and started to look around in hopes to find something that looked good to eat.
"Speaking of, how are Yvonne and Breezon?" I pulled out something wrapped in foil... this as like Christmas for me.
"They're good. We're all just chillin' and gettin' by. Where's Christano?" I was surprised I didn't hear his ass screaming or making noises with his toys. I put whatever meat thing she had on the plate in the microwave and patiently waited for the blessed beeping noise.
"He's already in bed. Sure Christopher, just help yourself. There's potatoes in the back and cornbread in the oven if you want." She said when she took her seat at the table.
"Thanks Mama. So I came over here to explain to you that Christian and I are officially done. This gang bullshit just got the best of us and that was that. Mama don't cry or anything, obviously the both of us are still here for you but if you have family dinner, don't expect one to be here and the other not." The microwave beeped and I took the plate of deliciousness to the table. I'll go for the potatoes a little later.
"It's not able to be repaired?" I shook my head but stopped about mid shake and just shrugged instead. "I hope you two decide to fix it later on down the line. I didn't bring three boys into this world for them to be enemies with each other." You brought us in because you were greedy for children but aight. "Where's Christian at now?"
"I don't know and I really don't wanna know. I'm sure if you call him he'll answer. He might be mad and an asshole for a few weeks though."
"These gangs... nothing good comes out of them. Absolutely nothing. It's dirty money." She said with a voice that made me feel bad... I didn't intend for things to be over between Christian and I.
"All money is dirty Mama. Every last dollar bill you have was either used for crack lines or down a stripper's underwear." No lie. I've put a few ones down some strippers underwear before, so trust I know.
~Heather P.O.V.~
~The Next Morning~
"Good morning Arlie." I said pulling him in for a hug before I let him inside my house. "I'm glad you're over." I closed the door behind him and again we made our way to the living room to take our seats on the couch. The years have been too good to him. He's not as young as I remember but he still looked younger than his actual age.
"Hey Heather, yeah I'm glad I'm here to. It's just strange to see you."
"I could say the same. Tell me what's new in your life though." I was all kinds of curious to know what was going on his life or what big events had happened. I always wondered about him, for years it was always 'Wher's Arlie and what did he do?'.
"I have a son now, he's still really young and I'm engaged. Still gang bangin' with the same gang as you know and just been around family." He said with a small smile on his face that slowly faded away the longer he looked at me. "What?"
"I didn't expect you to have anymore kids after Nicole." I said with a chuckle. "Or a fiancé, tell me about her." I was a little upset he was engaged, but nonetheless happy at the same time for him. It's interesting to see he found someone that fit his criteria.
"She's the opposite of you, we'll leave it at that even though she's a decade younger than us. She had a lot more maturity than you or I ever had when we were young."
"I thought we started a clean slate yesterday Arlie."
"You're right, I apologize for that." He brought his eyes up to mine and just continued to look. "Last time I ever saw those eyes that shade of true dark blue was the first day we met. It's still mind blowing that I'm sitting here with you like this."
"And the last time I ever saw softness in your eyes was also the first day we met. After that, you always had hatred in your eyes when you'd look at me." I said with a small laugh as I pinched his cheek. "But why ten years younger?"
"If you saw her, you'd understand why." He teased. "She's just a good person. She's not a Lady G, just an average woman who's open minded and accepted the life I'm all about."
"So she was never around gangs?" He shook his head. "Arlie, why would you do that? Why would you bring an innocent woman who had no associations with that life into your life?"
"She knew what she was getting herself into. I told her up front what I do and that I had a daughter. You never had associations either-"
"Are you forgetting where I was born and raised? I grew up around all this at least. I know all about this drug game." He laid back on the couch, getting more comfortable and I chose to lay back with him. "Do you see the point I'm making?"
"I do but she seems fine with it. Enough of me though, explain yourself."
"I've changed completely since I was last up here and asked you to help me with my unborn baby. The father was Joey, who ran off, and I chased after him for so long. I had my child and gave him up for adoption- no I wasn't in Oakland at the time. After the baby I went off to Reno and did what I did best. Drugs and sex. When Joey told me about his little experiments he was doing, he said he wanted to take a stab at you and I went through with it because I was mad at you for not helping. I wrote that letter and gave Joey that promise ring." I said reaching down his shirt to grab the chain with the welded rings. "A year after that, I checked into rehab and have been clean since then. I work as a Realtor now and recently came back here when Joey told me things were shady in the drug game so if I wanted to see you one last time, this would be my only chance."
"You were so damn petty." He said with a laugh. "But I'm glad you're clean and that you made a smart decision to give your child up for adoption before you did something stupid to traumatize the child. Now that you have your life straight, looking back do you really think all you did was worth it?"
"It wasn't worth it in the long run but in the heat of the moment it seemed so worth it."
"Are you settling down now?" I eagerly nodded. "That's good in all honesty. Glad you left that carefree life behind you." That makes two of us.
"If you weren't in your current situation, would you have beein willing to try things again with me?" That burning question I've had in the back of my mind for so many years and now I'll finally get an answer.
"Naturally, yes." I looked up at him and just smiled. I reached for either side of his face and pulled him down close, so his ear was right near my mouth.
"I'd love if one day that could actually happen." I whispered right into his ear and pulled myself back so I could look back into his eyes. This is the only good thing that's ever come from Joey; the fact I'm here talking to Arlie.