I knew all too well what it was like to take on the parental role, but not fully. As much as I looked out for my brother while my mother worked, she was still there. She still raised us and was a parent.
“I hear you.”
“She’s not someone that’s going to be easy to slip in and change. Giving her dick and love ain’t gonna fix whatever the fuck is wrong with her… shit gonna take a lot of work, patience.” He spoke from experience.
He and Alaia’s journey wasn’t the easiest. She was an abused woman, who didn’t know who to trust, and he had the earn that.
“I’m over this shit… for real.”
“You have that option too… I know you though, G.” I watched as he took a box from the man restocking and started to put it on the higher shelf. “Pass me that second one… I used to manage a store over in Far Rockaway.” He lied with a straight face.
“Oh yeah? I have a cousin over that way… do you know Tyson?”
Capp paused, snapped his fingers like he was trying to remember. “Darkskin Tyson?”
“Yeahhh!” The man became excited.
“Tell him Capp said what’s up… stay up.” He stacked the last box, picked up his cranberry juice, and went to the cash register.
“How the fuck you knew he was darkskin?” I asked, as he handed the older lady cash. Way more than she needed.
“I guessed that shit… everybody knows a darkskin Tyson.” The lady tried to hand it back to him. “Oh, no Beloved, that’s for you.” He took it from her and put it in the tip jar at the end of the conveyer belt.
“Th…Thank you, Sir.”
“No worries.” He smiled, and walked out, opening his juice. “America be worried about everything else but taking care of our elders. Ain’t no way she should be fucking working at her age. Fuck ass country too busy in everybody business but need to be minding our own,” He vented, more to himself than to me.
By the time we came out the store, Capone had moved his truck over toward the store. Everyone else was gone and I was glad, because I didn’t want to hear Zoya’s mouth anymore.
“She had some words for you,” Capone chuckled.
I looked over where she was once parked. “She better watch those fucking words… I ain’t those other niggas.”
We hopped into Capp’s truck and headed back to the lounge.
CHAPTER 10
GOON
Recommendation: Listen to The What by Notorious B.I.G ft Johnny Blaze & Method Man
The DJ hadthe music blasting, so I nodded my head as we walked in. There were sections to the left of us, and then the bars were on the opposite side. All eyes were on us when we walked in, Capone and Cappadonna walked ahead of me as I checked my phone.
Erin came over from the bar with two drinks in her hands, handing one to her husband. He pulled her closer to him and kissed her neck. Every woman in this spot had their eyes locked on Erin, and now Alaia.
They were considered legends along with their husbands. Alaia and Erin had locked down the Delgato twins. They could sleep every night knowing that their men weren’t out here making them look bad.
Alaia grabbed her husband’s hand and showed him over toward the private sections that Havoc had reserved for us. I looked toward the bar, and Capri waved me over.
“What up, Lady Inferno?” I asked, as I leaned against the bar.
She and Blair were sipping their drinks. “What the hell was that about?”
“Ask your girl.”
“We asked, and she said that you cursed at her.”
I laughed, because leave it to her to be the victim in the mess she caused. “You know me, Pri… fuck I look like coming at her like that for no reason.”
