I nodded as Bali and Noni stood in front of me, fuming.
Noni broke her silence. “Nigga, you gon’ talk or what?”
“I think it’s best if we wait for Maui, your mama, and Remy. Your mom is on her way back from Houston. Remy will be out of school later, and Mythic and Maui will also come back later,” my dad said.
Bali rolled her eyes, and Noni put her hands on her hips as everyone else, except Uncle Marcus, stood to leave. They all kissed unresponsive twins, then left. Those heifers continuedstaring at me until I’d finally had enough. “He said we gon’ talk later. Damn! Y’all can’t intimidate me. Get the fuck on!”
They glanced at each other, and Bali said, “If I wasn’t pregnant and about to get married, I would fuck you up. As if the Hendersons don’t naturally attract drama, you had to go looking for some. As smart as you are, I swear you a dumb muthafucka at times. Don’t listen to no-fucking-body and think you know everything.”
“Same. I wanna jump on you so bad,” Noni added.
“Noni, you’re pregnant?” Dad asked.
She smiled slightly as Bali rubbed her back. “I didn’t mean for it to come out like that, but yes. I found out yesterday.”
He went to her and pulled her in his arms. “Y’all finna give me three grandbabies in a matter of months apart. Lord have mercy. Them babies gon’ be fucked up if I’m gon’ be babysitting them.”
Noni giggled, like she wasn’t ready to squabble a minute ago. I stood from the couch and said, “Congratulations.”
I walked away, heading to the stairs. I needed to try to call Iesha again. She never responded to the voicemail I’d left. I needed her. She was my peace away from all this bullshit. She could fuck around if she wanted to, but she knew she belonged to me. I was gon’ make sure to remind her of that shit every chance I got.
“Man, why you didn’t tell us? When I found out they would be coming for you, I was headed your way to warn you but then thought better of it. Those muthafuckas would have followed me and had me on the chopping block next. I mean, I ain’t workingfor the FBI or no shit like that, but still. I ain’t still hanging around them for the same reasons anymore.”
“I wasn’t supposed to say anything to nobody. When your name came up, I knew there was some shady shit going. They don’t know you working for Watchful Eyes. They just think you still into that shit. Hell, for a second, I was confused, thinking you was still fucking around out there until Ali told me better.”
“So we could all be in danger since you won’t do the job? Or because they know you a snitch ass nigga?” Royal asked with a frown.
I shot him the finger, then said, “Both, muthafucka. Them knowing I was undercover is fucked up. The FBI leaked that shit. They want me out of here, and they want Uncle Marcus before the cartel can give him all that fucking money. I’m already sick of this shit, and it just started. I’m glad that Mr. Shy and Watchful Eyes have experience when dealing with the government.”
“That puts all of us in danger. Me, Mama Syn, Seneda, Malia, and Hendrix. Probably my mama too, since she around the family so much. Pops gon’ get that money. It don’t matter where it come from. If that shit supposed to be his, it’s gonna be his, even if he gotta leave the fucking country and go live in Mexico,” Ace added.
Kingsley, Kane, Crew, PJ, and Ryder J chuckled. Ryder J had just gotten home from school and came straight for the drama. We were seated at one of the corner tables at the diner. My family had a meeting without me last night. They wanted everyone to be able to say what they wanted to say, without saying it in front of me. I didn’t give a fuck about what they had to say. I knew they loved me, and whatever they said in their anger wouldn’t offend me.
I could take what I dished out. They must’ve forgotten what household I grew up in. I had to learn to be tough. The twins didn’t give a fuck what they said to me. I remember one timethey had jumped all over me for something, and I finally found my balls and got back at them. They’d jerked their heads back like I’d spit on them. Bali glanced at Noni and had said,“He must’ve dipped his face in some pussy.”
I was like fifteen years old and still a virgin. My fucking mind was blown after that altercation. Not long after, I found out what the fuck they were talking about and had a bitch bucking all over my damn face. That shit had my facial hair coming in quick as hell.
“So what did Shy say they would do?” Kingsley asked.
“Well, as you can see, Watchful Eyes is very present. He will be filing a complaint against the FBI for what they are trying to do. As far as those niggas in Liberty, we just have to be aware of our surroundings, like we were with the Andersons.”
“This shit ain’t gon’ ever be over. Somebody is going to always be trying to fuck with us. First, it was jealous ass, hateful ass niggas, and now it’s jealous ass, hating ass white folks. I guess we all we fucking got,” Ryder J said. “The Hendersons like a biracial kid in the seventies. Don’t identify with nobody. Ain’t Black enough for the niggas and ain’t white enough for the insecure, thieving ass white folks. I swear we can’t win for losing.”
“Shiiiid, we winning. That’s why neither of those muthafuckas can stand the shit. They tryna figure out how we got so blessed or ‘lucky’ as they would say. We paid our dues. Our people worked hard for what they got and fought hard to keep the shit. Shit didn’t come easy for us, no matter how it may look now.”
We all turned to see Jakari standing over us. He slapped everyone’s hands. He was right under Uncle WJ as far as the business was concerned. He was doing so well with it, until Uncle WJ was only in the office for an hour a day and only got involved when there was a problem or something reallyimportant to discuss. Jakari was basically running Henderson Ranch and Farms.
When he slapped my hand, he pulled me in for a half hug. “We got’chu. That wasn’t the greatest decision, but we got you.”
“Thanks, cuz.”
When he took a step back, I noticed we were surrounded by cousins. No one said anything. I assumed they were just showing that they were still here for me. I looked around at all of them and nodded. I couldn’t have been born into a better family. While my decision wasn’t the greatest, they still stood behind me.
I looked around and saw my sisters. When their eyes met mine, they rolled theirs and walked off. I hoped they wasted food on those white coats.Salty asses.We had talked as a family yesterday evening before they met with the entire family at the barn. I hated my decisions would affect them, but it was too late for regrets. I had to be proactive now.
Pulling my phone from my pocket, I sent Iesha a text.I love you, girl. See you Tuesday.
She was a fool if she thought I wouldn’t be at that meeting. I didn’t typically attend all of them, but if she was gonna be there, I would be present. She may as well take off her running shoes. Shit, I could run, too . . . right after her ass. I was gonna be in her space regardless, whether she wanted me there or not. Honestly, I knew deep down, she wanted me in her space. When my phone buzzed, I quickly picked it up, only to see it was from Mythic.
