“Mhmm. If I was here right now, I’d say he’s old. How do old people die? Not loudly or in any way to cause any sort of investigation.”
“Yo, you just lost me. You not here right now, but you’re telling us what we’re supposed to do,” Akillah responded, showing his confusion and not even trying to read between the lines.
“I mean, yeah. You didn’t die. Neither of you, so his next step would be putting your names in a file. You don’t want that.”
The entire time Liora spoke, Posydiann was quiet, studying her and her words. “She got a point.”
“Now, I’m going back to the car I should be in right now. Nice meeting you gentlemen.” She walked off without another word.
Silence filled the space before Akillah put his phone to his ear.
“Yo, Ce. Slip that old nigga Pete a hot one and make it his last.” Then he was off the phone and looking from me toPosydiann. “What? She said make it quiet. He’s about to hit his last blow.”
I didn’t mean to laugh but I couldn’t help it. Akillah was funny as fuck without even trying.
Posydiann shook his head. “Yeah, so you make him OD. Yeah fool, you’re off your shit, but whatever ends this is fine with me. Iso, are you stepping back in and taking the blocks back or what?” he asked, mind on business as usual. While Akillah dealt with everything concerning force, Posydiann had always been about the money.
“Nah. I’ve been away too long. Think I’ma kick it with this legit motion for a minute. See what’s to life without looking over my fucking shoulder.”
“I feel you. And Lucky?” Akillah asked.
“In due time.”
I gave the door where RJ’s body was one last look and shook my head. The thought of all this really came down to him throwing his whole life away because he couldn’t fathom his father’s bastard child being something he wasn’t.
I was parkedoutside of my mama’s house, the same spot I had been in the last several times I pulled up just to see them. Those times were different from this one. Those times I couldn’t interact. This one I was nervous as fuck like these weren’t my people. This all just felt surreal because at a point during this journey I didn’t think I’d ever get back here. Like I’d never make it back to them.
“You know this works better if you get out of the car, handsome.”
“I know. I just can’t get the pain on my mama’s face at my funeral out of my head.”
“She won’t go through that pain anymore. You’re coming home to her and your son. Now come on. Let’s get out of this car.”
I glanced at her and she was giving me the sternest look her beautiful face could muster. “Yo, you’re not gonna always be right.”
“So you think. Now can we get out or are we gonna stalk the front door for a while longer?”
I didn’t even respond to her little rude ass. I just opened the door and got out of the car. Every step I took felt heavy, like there was something unsaid and unfelt. I closed my eyes, standing against the truck. Seconds later I felt her squeezing her hand into mine.
“Let’s go, handsome. I’m tryna meet your mama and your youngin.”
I laughed and allowed her to pull me in the direction of my mama’s house. When we finally entered the gate, the climb up the stairs felt endless. Once we reached the top, there was no turning back.
I stood there staring at the door for fucking ever before Liora rang the doorbell.
“Yep, count that as me helping, because if I let you, we’d be standing out here for another hour instead of in there.”
Shuffling on the other side of the door interrupted any response I was about to give. Then about five seconds later, the door opened and I was looking down at my mother. Tears were in her eyes and those motherfuckers were contagious because they were in mine too.
“What I tell you ’bout not looking through that peephole, lady?”
“Arsenial, my baby.” She clutched her face with her hands before I stepped in, pulling her petite body into mine. I felt her crying in my arms and that broke me. I felt how much she missed me and how much me being dead had affected her.
“You were dead. They said you died.” She spoke into my chest. I literally felt the wetness of her tears.
“I didn’t, Mama. I had to figure it out before I came back to y’all.”
She then pulled back, looking up at me. Her face was red and so were her eyes. “And did you?”
