“I feel like Grandpa lives in him, man. Every time I look at him, I can’t help but think about him. It’s like he’s saying he’s still here through my son. Some days, when my mind ain’t in the best place, Lil Wes will just come get on my lap and hug me. It’s like Grandpa telling me he loves me and that ain’t none of that shit we went through with the Andersons my fault. I still struggle with that sometimes.”
I nodded as Mekayla grabbed his hand and kissed it. She was good for him.
“So, Pam, what you been up to?” I asked her, calling her what my dad called her.
“Not too much. I see your sisters from time to time at the clinic. I’m still doing physical therapy, although somebody tries to limit me to female clients only.”
She rolled her eyes, and Jacob bit his bottom lip trying not to laugh. Shit, that was how they met. She was his therapist, so I didn’t blame his ass.
“I’m not gon’ lie. That sounds like some shit I would do too. Good looking out, cuz.”
Mekayla rolled her eyes. I fed Iesha more food, and asked, “What about you, Martha?”
That was my dad’s name for Cassie. She smiled big and said, “I’m still working with Missus Taylor’s sister at her girls’ center, Integrity. Missus Kortlynn still works there too.”
“Mister Zayson’s wife?”
“Yeah. One of their daughters is there too. She’s a little on the bougie side though.”
“That doesn’t surprise me. Missus Kortlynn can give off that vibe too.”
“Yeah, but she’s sweet.”
K-3 came running to the table huffing and puffing as JJ came running behind him. KJ frowned, and said, “Bring yo’ lil bad ass back to your table.”
He shot him the finger and everybody’s eyebrows lifted. I chuckled as Jacob said, “I bet you think that’s funny, huh nigga? Iesha, if y’all have kids together, they gon’ be bad like that, because his ass was a terror.”
When she was about to say something, I held the chicken to her lips, causing everybody to laugh.
“See! That nigga already trying to control you,” Christian said.
Iesha took a bite and glanced at me, then shot them the finger. “Hell yeah! My ride or die. Y’all niggas in trouble now!”
I kissed the side of Iesha’s head as everybody laughed. She was definitely it for me.
“Okay, let’s be seated, family,” Uncle WJ said.
Watchful Eyes all lined the walls of the room as the rest of us sat.
“I asked for the meeting to be here because it’s more secure than the barn. Unfortunately, we need all the security we can get these days. Marcus’s family is outside, securing the perimeter.”
He slid his hand down his face and glanced at Ali. When he nodded, Uncle WJ said, “PJ isn’t dead.”
“I knew that shit!” Royal yelled. “My bad, Unc.”
He and I slapped hands.
Uncle WJ chuckled slightly. “Royal, Ace, Seven . . . I’m sorry we had to let y’all feel that grief. Imagine how Kema, Lema, and Kiana still feel. Kingsley, Kane, Crew, and Ryder J. Philly had to feel it too. Watchful Eyes thought it was best to wipe him off record. The FBI tried to kill him. There is no longer a paper trail for Philly Junior. We can’t disclose his location, because frankly, only a couple of people know that. Shy and Ali.”
“And Jericho,” Ali added.
“It’s best for his safety. When the coast is clear, and all of this bullshit is over, he’ll be back. You can send messages to him by way of the three of them. He knows that everyone thinks he’s dead. There will still be a funeral next weekend. It’s important that no one else knows. The reason y’all need to know is because of the FBI trying to not only take out Marcus but the Henderson Family in totality. In researching Marcus, we were put on their radar.”
“On their radar for what?” Uncle Jasper asked.
“All the cases y’all have ever been involved in . . . anything you were questioned about, including that shady ass cop from years ago,” Ali said.
“Reggie? That muthafucka deserved everything he got plus some,” my dad said.
