"Take off your watch." I took off my watch and threw it in the plastic bucket.
You need to be careful with him. That gang life carries ova into yo life now...
"Empty your pockets." I reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone then threw it in the plastic bucket.
No, they were looking for HIM! I been telling you about this shit from day one!
"Take off your earrings." I took off my earrings and dropped them in the plastic bucket as well.
I've been in control running shit since I walked through tha door. You've been so fuckin' clueless that you don't even know half tha shit that's been going on.
"Take off your necklace." I reached around my neck and unhooked the necklace LaMarques gave me only a few hours earlier, then dropped it in the plastic bucket.
You my lioness and I'm yo lion. They represent how I got cho back and you got mines.
"Take off your ring." I looked at the guard then down at my engagement ring.
Marry me and let me love you forever...baby please...
"I SAID TAKE OFF YOUR RING NOW!" The guard yelled. I jumped and hurriedly took off my engagement ring and dropped it in the plastic bucket.
"Proceed to booking. Make sure to take off his wig and nails!" The guard that was standing behind me grabbed my arm and we started walking towards the booking area.
"Make sure to send a copy of her fingerprints." I knew that voice....I wasn't ever going to forget that voice.
"You fucking snake!" I yelled turning around.
He stepped closer to me.
"A snake that slithered his way into your garden." He gave me a little smirk and I looked at him from head to toe. His shirt was covered in blood.
"Barnett!" Some lady cop came and stood next to him. "I can handle him. Go check on the other suspect." He backed up then turned around and started walking away.
"Whose blood is that?!" I asked. He never turned around and just kept walking. "WHOSE FUCKING BLOOD IS THAT?!" I yelled. The guard snatched my arm and pulled me into the booking area.
I was starting to panic even more now. I needed to know who was shot. The guard grabbed my hands and started taking my fingerprints, then cut my nails down.
"Take off your wig and step back inmate!" I took off my wig and stepped back. "Turn to your left." I turned left and the guard took my picture. "Turn right." I turned right and the guard took another picture. "Face forward." I faced forward and the guard took another picture.
"I wanna make a phone call." I told the guard.
"You'll get your call in a minute. Now move!" The guard pushed me, and I started walking to the next area that had showers.
" Take off your clothes." I looked at the guard and didn't move. "I said take off your clothes now!" He put his hand on his baton and started to move closer to me.
"Okay, Okay!" I said and started to take off my clothes. Everything was so messed up. I was on the verge of having a breakdown. I stepped into the shower and started to clean myself the best I could with what I was given.
"Times up!" The guard cut the shower off and I stepped out and grabbed a towel. I swear it felt like I was only given five minutes to shower.
"Bend over and spread your cheeks." I went into another moment of shock because when he said that I didn't move.
"Inmate are you refusing?!" The guard put his hand back on his baton and moved closer to me again. "You're going to find out that us guards don't like having to ask twice."
I dropped the towel and bent over.
"Lower!" I bent over lower and touched my toes. "Now cough!" I coughed. "Cough again!" I coughed again. "Okay stand up." I stood up and a correctional nurse came over to me.
"Heart rate is good." She said and wrote it down on her note pad. "Breath in." I took a deep breath in. "Breath out." I took a slow breath out. "Lungs sound good." She looked over my whole body. "The inmate has no signs of physical abuse, heart rate is good, and lungs sound good. This inmate is cleared to be taken to his cell."
She left and the guard handed me an orange jumpsuit. I got dressed and he grabbed me by my arm and walked me towards the phone area.
"You have ten minutes."
I quickly went to the phone and dialed LaMarques number. It went to voicemail.
"Fuck." I said and hung up then dialed Woddy's number. It went to voicemail as well. "Shit." I hung up and dialed Big L's number. It also went to voicemail.
"What tha fuck is going on right now?!" I hung up and dialed Andre's number. "Please, please, please pick up." The phone rang three times and then I heard. "Please hold, your call is being connected."
"Andre! Thank God you answered! It's Uncle Clifford. Listen I'm at North Mississippi Correctional Facility. Listen, they think I've been selling drugs."
"Selling drugs?!"
"I was arrested tonight at The Pynk. They raided the club and took me to jail, but I wasn't selling I didn't- "
"Clifford! Shh...stop talking! Don't talk to anyone at all about this or anything, do you understand me? Stay out of trouble and I'll be there first thing in the morning. I'll make sure you get out."
"Okay, Okay, Andre please make sure to find Big L."
"I will. I'll- "
"FIVE MINUTES!" The guard yelled.
"Andre I need you to find Lil Murda." I told him.
"Lil Murda... what does-?"
"Andre please just find him and let him know I said, "Nothing else matters, I just want to be with him... and to please don't do anything crazy."
"Be with him?... Clifford I'll- "
"TWO MINUTES!" The guard yelled.
"I don't have much time left. Andre just get down here as soon as you can and please find Lil Murda...Okay?!." I didn't hear him say anything. "Andre did you hear me?!...Hello?!" I pulled the phone back and looked at it, like that was really going to do something, then put it back to my ear.
"Andre!" I yelled.
"Clifford I- "Before he could say anything else the guard came and snatched the phone from me and hung it up.
"TIMES UP!" He grabbed my arm. "Let's go inmate!" He started walking me down the hall to a cell. Other inmates started yelling out all kinds of stuff to me.
"Fresh meat!"
"Booty looking good! You gone be my new bitch!"
"Yo niggah you CFC or HVH?"
We reached an open cell, and the guard pushed me inside. I turned around looked at the guard.
"Welcome to your new home." He said laughing. "Night, night."
As soon as the cell door closed I sat down on the bottom bunk and started crying.
After I got off the phone with Clifford I stayed in my bed for another few minutes' thinking before getting up and going downstairs to my office. I was starting to realize my relationship with Cliff and The Pynk was going to be a long one.
I sat down at my desk and called Keyshawn; she didn't answer. I called Woddy and he didn't answer either. Just as I was about to try calling Woddy again I heard banging at my front door.
"Alright...ALRIGHT! I'M COMING!" I yelled making my way to the door.
Who in the hell was banging on my front door at this time of night? I opened the front door and Big L rushed in.
"Aye Maine. I need chu to go down to the jailhouse. They took Uncle Clifford to jail." He said pacing back and forth.
"Calm down. I already know." I told him walking back into my office. I sat down at my desk.
"Drug Distribution." He said still pacing back and forth.
"Big L!" All that back and forth he was doing was starting to drive me crazy. "BIG L sit down!" I took a deep breath and took out my notebook.
"I need you to tell me everything. EVERYTHING and leave nothing out! Drug Distribution is a felony with a maximum of 20 years in prison." He sat down and look at me. "Leave. Nothing. Out." I told him again.
"Look maine we wasn't doing nothing but holdin' we wasn't sellin.'"
"What kind of drugs?" I asked him.
"Just pills."
"Are you sure it was just pills?" He got quiet for a minute and looked at me like he was thinking.
"Are you sure it was just pills?" I asked him again.
"No, it was crack to...."
"Crack!!"
"But we wasn't sellin' It was one of the gurls at the club, but Uncle Clifford beat her ass and kicked her out. Then I got rid of all the pills we had left."
"So, the cops just came out of nowhere and raided the club?"
"Yes."
"I'm assuming this wasn't ya'll first time holding...Something or someone must have tipped them off...are you sure it was only one girl selling in the club? And ya'll got rid of her and the drugs?"
"I don't know if she was the only one. All I know is that they came out of nowhere. The night stated off like any other night. Well Uncle Clifford had just gotten engaged to Lil Murda and- "
"Wait what?! Lil Murda...Uncle Clifford." Now it made sense why she wanted to know where he was....
"Okay wait. Does he have something to do with this? Is he the one that was dealing the drugs? Was she holding the drugs for him?" I ask him.
"Nah, he didn't have nothing to do with that part."
"That part..."
"Look maine can you go get her out? Uncle Clifford ain't built for jail."
"It's not that easy Big L. I can't just go pay her bail and get her out. Drug Distribution is a major charge, hell I don't even know if that' all she's being charged with. It could be more. And if they found anything it's gone be a while before she gets out. She's going to have to go before the judge. Only thing I can do is talk to her and that won't be until later today. It's 11:00 PM right now."
"Fuck man!...what do you need me to do?" He asked me.
"Just stay low." I told him. "Stay out of trouble, I can't handle both of ya'll being in jail."
"Okay, I can do that." He said getting up.
"Wait...where is Lil Murda now?" I asked him.
"I don't know. When somebody started shooting all heyell broke lose. Everybody started running and- "
"Wait wait wait... so the police raided the club, and it was a shooting?...Do you know who it was? Did they die, are they alive?"
"I don't know. I took off running like everybody else. Man, I got two charges, ain't no more chances for me."
This was a lot to take in right now and it was to many gaps that needed to be filled in.
"I'ma try to call Keyshawn & Woddy again to see if they know where Lil Murda is." I started thinking. "Wait was Keyshawn at the club?"
"Yes."
"So, it could have been her?"
"I don't know."
"What about Woddy? Was he at the club as well?" I asked him.
"Yes."
"So, it could have been him who got shot?"
"I don't kn-"
"Know." I said finishing what he was about to say. I closed my eyes for a second and rubbed my temple.
It was time for him to go. He couldn't help me with nothing right now.
"Look I'll make some calls and handle it." I told him and picked up my card. "Here's my number. Call me if you find out anything." I told him.
"Please handle it Andre.... Uncle Clifford won't make it in jail."
"I promise I'll do my best." I told him and walked him to the door. Once he left I went back into my office and started making calls.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
"SHOTS FIRED! SHOTS FIRED!"
"What tha fuck!" I turned towards where I heard the gun fire coming from and saw someone running fast from that direction. They hopped in a blue box chevy and sped off. I started my car and followed them.
They were going so fast I could barely keep up with them but once they hit Enon St. I already knew who it was.... I turned my car around and headed towards the one-person house that I needed to.
"Fuck fuck fuck!" I said walking into the house. I went straight to the kitchen and grabbed my bottle of wine and poured a big glass. I couldn't believe the club was raided. I barely made it out.
"Where tha fuck is my money?"
"What tha heyell!" I jumped and dropped my glass of wine.
"Roulette...is that you?" I went and cut on my kitchen light and saw Roulette sitting at my dining room table.
"How tha fuck you get in my house? How you even know where I live?" I asked her.
"Don't worry about all that. Where tha fuck is my money?"
"I- I don't got it." I told her. She got up from the table and came over to me and put a gun to my head.
"We bout to play my favorite game. In this gun is one bullet and we don't know when it's gone come out, now, but what we do know is I'm pull this bitch every time."
She pushed the gun further into my head. "Now I'm ask you again. Where tha fuck is my money?"
"I- I don't have it."
"Wrong answer." She pulled the trigger.
"WAIT!... I don't have it cause the club got raided."
"Where my drugs at?" She asked me.
"I- I didn't have time to get'em."
"Wrong answer again." She pulled the trigger again.
"Wait! Just- Just tell me what you want me to do!" I screamed.
"I want my money or my drugs."
"I can't get it...I- I can keep working for you." She moved and stood in front of me with the gun pointed to my head.
"You gon have to do a lot of suckin' and fuckin' to make up for all tha drugs I gave you tonight." She walked closer to me and let the gun touch my forehead.
"Nah I see this as a loss."
"Pl- Please don't kill me." I started crying.
"You fucked up. You don't have my money and you left tha drugs. Now cops involved...how long before you think they start really snooping around?" She pushed the gun further into my head. "Huh? I'm not going down for shit!" She yelled.
"It won't come back on you. They took Uncle Clifford to jail. It was her club. She gone take the fall. I can keep the cops away... I- I- I promise."
"You better hope you can because I got a real good relationship with death...and if I go down, you go down with me.... six feet deep."
"We can take it at any speed you want Key." We stared at each other for minute then I pulled out my phone. "Come on, you gotta take a picture."
"Oh lord Woddy...you stay being extra."
"I stay being extra behind you." She posed and I took a picture of her. Of course, she came over to look at it and I laughed.
"Let me guess you want me to send you this?" I asked her.
"Nah, you keep it." I grabbed her hand and we walked to sit down at the table that had been set up in the back.
Key was about to sit in the chair next to me and I stopped her. "Sit with me." I told her and pulled her down to sit down on my lap. "You really do look beautiful. I like your hair cut."
"Thank you. Murda said it make my forehead look big."
"Hol'up let me see." I pulled her closer to me and kissed her forehead. "It look good to me." She just laughed and shook her heard. "You get the kids tomorrow right?"
"Yep, you sure you ready for all this Woddy?"
"I been ready Key. Matter of fact when we get home let's just gone head and move yo stuff out that spare room and- "
"EVERYBODY FREEZE!"
"What tha hell!" I said and stood up. I grabbed her hand and went through tha back door into tha club. Just as I was about to go further I stopped.
"Woddy they got Uncle Clifford in handcuffs." Keyshawn said. I scanned the club real fast looking for one person.
"Key. I want- "
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
"Shit!" I picked Keyshawn up and threw her over my shoulders and went back out tha back door into the parking lot.
People started running from the club and more police started showing up. I reached Keyshawn car and put her down.
"Key I need you to go home now." I told her. I wanted to get her far away from tha club as possible.
"Woddy I don't want to leave yo- "
"KEY LEAVE NOW!" I told her. She hurried and got in the car and drove off.
"SOMEBODY GET AN AMBULANCE NOW!"
By the time I made it towards the ambulance to see who it was that had got shot they were pulling off. I looked the pool of blood and the car next to it.
"FUUUCCCKKKK!!" I scream then hopped in my car and followed the ambulance.
________________________
I thought back to just a few hours ago when everything was good. My brother had just got engaged, me and Key were finally on the same page then all that change in just a few minutes. Now here I was with Tru and Miss Christine waiting to hear from the doctor.
"I'm getting tired of this waiting shit!" Miss Christine said and got up. She walked over to the emergency room front desk.
"Excuse me I need an update on my son. LaMarques Howard he was brought in hours ago and I haven't- "
"Ma'am please! It's literally been less than forty-five minutes since you last came up here asking for an update. They'll notify you once the surgery is done with."
"Bitch! I'll come across this counter and strangle yo little ass don't fucking play with me about my son. You gone fuck around and find out I ain't tha one to play with. You better fix your attitude before I- "
"Miss Christine please calm down." I went over to the front desk and tried to pull Miss Christine away.
"Don't fucking tell me to calm down. That's my motherfucking son. She need to realize you don't get no attitude with me." She yanked her arm away and sat back down next to Tru.
I sat back down as well and noticed she was bouncing her leg.
"Please just try and- "
"What did ya'll tell me?" She looked at me and Tru. We looked at each other then back at her. "WHAT THA FUCK DID YA'LL TELL ME?!" She yelled. "Ya'll can't say shit you know why? Cause ya'll supposed to be right back there with my son!"
She got up and walked over to me. "You!...Don't worry ma, we got his back. Bullet gon have ta' hit me first."
She then walked over and stood in front of Tru. "And you! And befo' it hit anyone of them, it's gon have 'ta hit me. We gon be skraight."
"We were- "Tru tried to speak up and say something, but she cut him off.
"I'on wanna hear shit cause it's nothing ya'll can say! My son fighting for his life and ya'll out here look sad and wanna tell me to calm down! I'm supposed to be out here in this waiting room by myself cause ya'll said ya'll HAD HIS BACK but he tha only one fighting. I thought- "
"FAMILY OF LAMARQUES HOWARD?" We all looked over at the doctor and rushed over to him.
"Yes, that's my son. Is he okay?"
"LaMarques was shot four times but nothing fatal. He was shot in the chest, arm, side and one bullet grazed his neck. We were able to remove all the bullets, but he may have some residual side effects. Right now, he's in a coma and we won't know anything until he regains consciousness."
"Oh my God! ... When can we see him?" Miss Christine asked.
"We just finished surgery. We'll start visitation within the next hour. The nurse will come out to get you. Do you have any more questions for me?"
"No. Thank you Doctor." The doctor left and we went to go to sit back down...except for Tru, he started walking out.
"Aye where you going?! Tha doctor said we can see him in about an hour." I told him.
"Fuck you mean where I'm going?! I'on wanna see my brother like that. I'm bout to go kill that CFC niggah. I know it was him."
"Tru we don't know shit?! And we ain't gon know shit! Only LaMarques can tell us who shot him. You leaving right now ain't gon do nothing but make shit worse, and I guess you also forgot that Cliff got arrested...A-rrest-ed meaning cops are WATCHING! We can't afford no more fuck ups or for you to go and start a war."
"Fuck that! I'm not about to sit around and do nothing. Somebody gone pay for this and I'm gon start with that niggah."
"Just calm tha fuck down! I don't want nothing to happen to you...Niggah you got a baby on tha way? Or did you forget?!"
"Somebody just tried to kill my fucking brother! Nah...fuck sitting around waiting."
"Tru! Your brother is fighting for his life...if you walk out and don't go see him right now you're going to regret this for the rest of your fucking LIFE!." I turned and looked at Miss Christine. "You not gone say nothing?!" By the time I turned back around Tru was gone.
"Let him go. At least he's doing something. You just sitting around!"
"Miss Christine I love you to death, it's nothing I wouldn't do for you. I love LaMarques like he was my blood brother...but right now you wrong. Dead wrong. You know if we were there next to him the bullet would have hit us first. YOU KNOW THIS! You know how Tru is, he'll literally kill anybody he thinks was involved. I can't- "
"Excuse me are you the family of LaMarques Howard?" A nurse asked.
"Yes, I'm his mama."
"You can come back to see him now." She said looking at us. "ICU only let's one person back at a time."
Of course, Miss Christine went back first, and I went to sit back down. I tried calling Tru, but he just sent my call to voicemail.
"Fuck man!" I said and put my head down. My leg started bouncing. This shit was so fucked up. Everything was moving too fast.
I just needed everything and everybody to be still for a minute so I could think and piece shit together.
My phone started ringing and I picked it up quick hoping it was Tru, but it was Keyshawn. I couldn't talk to her right now. I let it go to voicemail and not even a minute after she called Winter called me.
I didn't answer her call either. I knew for a fact she was calling about Tru. I was about to just turn my phone off when it started ringing again. It was Andre calling this time. Remembering that Uncle Clifford was arrested I answered his call.
"Woddy I've been trying to call you man. Uncle Clifford was arrested and taken down to North Mississippi Correctional Facility."
"Yeah man I know...what was she arrested for?" I asked him.
"Drug Distribution."
"D-Drug Distribution?!" I put my head back and closed my eyes. "Who- "
"I don't have any other details. You probably know more than I do. The most important thing you can do right now is keep everybody calm. That's really why I'm calling you right now. Uncle Clifford want to know where Lil Murda is and to she told me to tell him "Nothing else matters, I just want to be with him... and to please don't do anything crazy." Is he with you?" Andre asked.
"Lil- Lil- "
"Woddy man...what's up."
"Lil- Lil Murda was shot and he's in a coma."
"SHIT! Oh My God...Woddy please, that's the last thing Cliff needs to hear right now. If she calls you, please don't tell her."
"Andre I can't just not tell her! That's her fuckin fiancé man. She's going to ask!" I yelled.
"Woddy listen to me. Clifford has just been arrested for Drug Distribution...DRUG DISTRIBUTION. A maximum sentence of 20 year in prison. To tell her that her fiancé was shot and he's in a coma when she can do absolutely NOTHING about it would be useless. She will not be able to focus, and I NEED her to focus to help me get her out of jail. You hear me Woddy?!"
"I hear you man, damn. But you better figure this shit out man, she's going to ask."
"I know, I'll see her later today and I'll deal with that. Just please keep everyone calm. Cops are watching."
'I'll handle it. I'm good at handling shit." I told him.
"I'll get back in touch with you after I see Clifford."
"Alright." I said and hung up the phone.
I stayed in the waiting room about another fifteen minutes then saw Miss Christine come out. She was crying. I walked over to her and tried to give her a hug, but she held up her hand stopping me.
"I'll look after Miss Earnestine." She said and started to walk away then stopped. "He's in room 27"
________________
Just as I was about to open the room door my heart started beating fast and my hands started shaking. I couldn't do it. I couldn't see my brother like that. I shook my head and backed away from the door until my back hit the wall. I started to walk away.
"Sir, Sir are you okay?" I heard someone say from behind me. They came and grabbed my arm. I was feeling dizzy and couldn't walk straight.
"Hey, let's go take a seat okay?" The lady walked with me to an area that had chairs and we took a seat. "Can you look at me and tell me your name?" She asked.
"Wo- Wo- Woddy." I told her.
"Woddy, I'm nurse Tanzania Allen. But you can call me Nurse Allen okay?" She put something on my finger and took out a cloth and wiped my forehead.
"Your sweating, your hands are shaking, and your heart rate is high. Are you having any chest pain?" She asked me.
I just shook my head no.
"You're having a panic attack and I need you to do just as I do. Take a deep breath in." I took in as much air as I could. "Good, now slow breath out." I took a slow breath out.
"Good, now again deep breath in. Slow breath out." I repeated the breathing technique and started to feel better. She looked down at the thing she put on my finger then smiled at me. "You here to see LaMarques Howard?" She asked me.
"Yeah." She gave me this look and I quickly corrected myself. "I'm sorry. Yes ma'am."
I could tell she was an older nurse...one that didn't take no mess.
"Is he your friend or..."
"He's my brother." I told her.
"Okay, I'm going to be your brothers nurse. Tell me what your brother would say if he knew you were out here panicking?" She took the little machine off my finger and put it back in her pocket.
"He would say, Woddy calm yo ass down!" I said laughing.
"Well, I'll be your brother right now and tell you. Woddy calm yo ass down." We both laughed.
"You're going to be okay. I have to go back and check on your brother." She stood up and looked at me. "Are you coming?" She asked me.
I shook my head yes and stood up to follow her. We walked back to his room and before she opened the door she turned around and looked at me.
"Deep breath in and slow breath out." I closed my eyes for a quick second and nodded my head and took a deep breath.
She put sanitizer on her hands and then opened the room door. I sanitized my hands as well and walked in.
"LaMarques, your brother Woddy is here to see you." She said and started checking all the monitors.
It was so many wires, so many monitors, so....so much shit hooked up to him. This wasn't my brother; no this wasn't my brother at all.
Seeing him lying there with all that shit hooked up to him and seeing the tube down his throat made me start feeling dizzy again.
"It's a chair over there, if you need to sit down." Nurse Allen said without looking at me. She was in full nurse mode checking all his monitors and everything that was hooked up to him.
I went to sit down and wiped the tears that had started falling.
"Wha-what's all this stuff hooked up to him?" I asked her.
"Everything you see is keeping him alive." She continued checking his monitors and IV bags then she pulled his blanket back and checked his bandages.
"Are you a praying man Woddy?" She asked me.
"Sometimes." I told her.
"May I pray with you?" She asked me.
"Yes." I told her and stood up. She held LaMarques hand and reached her other hand out to me.
"Hold his hand baby." She told me. I held both her and LaMarques hand and bowed my head.
"For I will restore health to you, and your wounds. I will heal, declares the Lord. Dear Lord, we're coming to you today to pray for LaMarques Howard. We prey you bring him strength, peace and comfort. May he have a speedy recovery a soon be able to see his loved ones again. Lord bless him with your healing grace. Lord we know you are the greatest physician and have the power to heal. We ask for your healing touch to be upon LaMarques. We ask that you restore his health and bring his family strength during this difficult time. Calm their fears and let them experience the healing power of your love. Amen."
"Amen." I said and looked down at LaMarques. Nurse Allen let go of my hand and went to bring me a chair.
I sat down and held my head down, still holding LaMarques hand.
"I've been a nurse for over 10 years. I've seen what God can do. Trust him." She told me.
"I'm going to leave you alone with your brother." She left and closed the door.
"Man, I never thought you'd have a niggah crying like this." I wiped my tears and looked at LaMarques.
"I need you to wake up... I need you to come back. You my best friend...my brother...you my framily and I can't do this shit without you. We can't do this without you.... please...just wake up...you got a niggah scared man." I wiped more tears and looked back at him.
"Remember when we first met." I laughed a little. "Man, I was getting my ass beat until you came. Came out of nowhere and them niggahs ran away scared.... ever since that day we ain't never left each other side. I'ma be right here when you wake up. I made you a promise, you gone make it out. This not the end. I'ma take care of tha framily. I just need you to come back, wake up and I promise to be a better best friend. I promise to be a better brother. I promise to be a better manager...and I promise to protect you. J- Just wake up man.... I love you LaMarques."
I stayed a few more minutes with LaMarques then I left and went to my car. So many thoughts started running through my mind and I started to get angry. Angry with myself. How could I have let this happen?
________________________
"Please leave your message for- "
I threw my phone down on the couch and started pacing back and forth. This was my fifth time calling Woddy and he still didn't answer.
I was starting to get scared. What if something happened to him? I sat down on the couch and tried to calm down.
After a few minutes I reached for my phone and was about to call him again when I heard the front door open, and he walked in. I rushed over and hugged him.
"Woddy...I was so scared something had happened to you. I been calling you." He didn't say anything or hug me back.
I stepped back and looked at him.
"Woddy..."
He dropped down to his knees and started crying.
"Woddy...Woddy...baby." I walked closer to him, and he wrapped his arms around my waist and held me tight.
"Ke- Ke- Ke"
"Woddy baby please tell me what's wrong.... you're scaring me." I tried to lift his face to look into his eyes but he just held me tighter.
"Keyshawn I can't handle this.... I'm- I'm supposed to be good at handling shit.... but I can't fix this...I can't- I can't handle this."
"What happen?"
"La-LaMarques...was shot."
If it wasn't for Woddy holding onto me so tight I would have fell down to my knees right along with him.
"S-Shot...LaMarques was shot...is he- is he dead?"
"He's in ... a coma."
I closed my eyes for a minute and let out a breath that I felt like I had been holding in since the moment he told me LaMarques was shot.
"Woddy, look at me." He lifted his head and looked at me. I've never seen him in so much pain.
"It's going to be okay.... he's going to be okay. We just have to stay strong and pray."
"It's all my fault Key, I should've been right by his side. I shouldn't have- "
"No, I won't let you do that. You can't blame yourself. This isn't your fault.... come on."
I managed to get him up and we walked to sit down on the couch. He laid his head on my lap and we just sat there in silence.
Buuuzzz...Buuuzz...Buuzzz...
"Woddy...baby your phone." I looked down and saw that he had fallen asleep.
I didn't want to answer his phone, but it could have been an emergency. I reached into his pocket and took out his phone and answered it.
"Hello?"
"You have a collect call from...Cliff, an inmate at North Mississippi Correctional Facility do you accept the charges?"
"Yes."
"Please hold while we connect your call." I took a deep breath.
"Woddy what's going on? Where's LaMarques?! I been trying to call him. His phone keeps going to voicemail."
"Uncle Clifford it's me... Keyshawn."
"Keyshawn...thank God you're okay.... where's Woddy? Is he with LaMarques."
"Uncle Clifford...I have something to tell you......"
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