My phone buzzed again, and I looked at Cappadonna’s name coming across the screen.
“Yeah.”
“Assalamu alaikum,” he greeted.
“"Wa alaikum assalam,” I replied, leaning back on the bench with my eyes closed.
“Shit cool, G?”
“Fam shit… what up with you though?”
“Block party… forgot, nigga?”
I laughed because it had slipped my mind that quick. “Nah.”
“You straight, G?”
“Not really, but not bout to get into that right now… I’ll be there, Cap.” I assured him.
It was Labor Day weekend, and right before school started, Brandon did a back-to-school block party to give back to the kids. Every business on the block participated, including the tattoo shop that Havoc and Sim owned.
“Look, I know you may look at me like a guidance counselor, but I’m also?—”
“Cappadonna, leave me the fuck alone,” I laughed, because only this nigga could make me laugh when I felt like the walls were closing in on me.
He did the shit on purpose because he knew it would make the people around him feel better. Cappadonna may have been the oldest out of Capone, Corleon, and Capri, but the nigga was like a big brother to everybody. Always down to toss out wisdom and help you learn from his mistakes.
“Love you, fuck nigga.”
“Yeah, love yo touched ass too… see you in a while.”
“Bet… one.”
“One.”
I ended the call, shoving my phone into my pocket, while taking in the fresh air. People took fresh air for granted, but not me. When that shit was taken away from you, and all you had to inhale was bounce that ass while being housed in a cell block with all men, you learned to appreciate the small shit in life.
Whenever I saw the sun rise or set, I always took a moment to take it in. It was something beautiful about taking in Allah’s creations and taking a minute to bask in it. Life was always on go, so you often forgot to stop and smell the fucking flowers.
It was the reason I sent my baby flowers every week. She was all work, and I wanted to be her reminder to stop and smell the roses.
She was my rose, and a nigga couldn’t wait to stop and smell her.
All of her.
All the kids were getting their face painted, bouncing on the bounce house, and lined up to get fake tattoos. Me and Havoc were seated under the tent where he was applying water on the fake tattoos for the kids.
“Fuck you so quiet for?” I whispered, forgetting the kids were lined up to get their fake tattoos.
Havoc looked from the little boy he was putting flames on and then looked at the sponge and water bowl beside him. “You could help.”
I snatched the sponge out the bowl, and Elijah jumped off the line and ran over toward me. “What up, Prince Inferno?”
“Ain’t nothing but the sky.” He smirked.
When I first met Elijah, he was this meek little boy that almost cowered whenever you spoke to him. He was so broken, and it broke my heart because no child should ever feel that way.
There was this confidence that he had now. That Inferno confidence that Sim instilled in him. He walked with his head up and wasn’t afraid to speak his mind. I loved witnessing him come into his own and get the love he always deserved.
