“Flocco.”
“Let me hold something.”
I left my car running and headed into the store. The first and only thing I grabbed was a charger. As quickly as I’d come, I left. Ahmad would add that shit to my tab. I wasn’t worried about the consequences of walking out.
I plugged the charger into the cigarette lighter slot and then into the phone. Impatiently, I waited as the device I hadn’t powered on in three years had enough juice to work with. The logo and black screen brought me a bit of satisfaction. I entered the code I remembered by heart and was able to locate the voicemail tab.
I placed the speaker to my ear and pressed the triangle on the screen. My mother’s voice raised the hair on my arms. It had been so long since I’d heard it. Since I’d heard her. Saw her. Touched her. Kissed her cheek.
My chest tightened.
“Leodis, he’s coming back.”
“Get behind my desk, Sherry. Keep quiet.”
“Leodis– he has a g–”
“I’ll see you in hell, Po–.”
Replay.
“Leodis, he’s coming back.”
“Get behind my desk, Sherry. Keep quiet.”
“Leodis– he has a g–”
“I’ll see you in hell, Po–.”
Replay.
“Leodis, he’s coming back.”
“Get behind my desk, Sherry. Keep quiet.”
“Leodis– he has a g–”
“I’ll see you in hell, Po–.”
Replay.
“Leodis, he’s coming back.”
“Get behind my desk, Sherry. Keep quiet.”
“Leodis– he has a g–”
“I’ll see you in hell, Po–.”
I tossedthe phone onto the passenger seat as Hot Dog’s words replayed in my head.
“Cause he said he was your brother.”
The wheels began turning in my head.
Same height. Same stance. Same frame. Same skintone.
My eyebrows furrowed as I bent each corner. Though baffled, there was one thing I was sure of. I’d figure the rest of that shit out later.
