I rolled my eyes. He could have been playing me just like I was playing him, but it was okay. I knew how to get on Gio’s soft side.
I nodded my head, and we shook hands.
“Can we start now?”
I didn’t know what time it was, but it looked late.
“Now, Gio? We can start in the morning.”
He shook his head and pulled me up by my hand, leading me downstairs.
In the living room, he bought some food and had an air mattress set up with blankets and candles all around.
“What is this?” I asked.
“A movie night. Got you some chicken from the spot you like, ya half and tea, and my green juice. I even got you some edibles from that lil’ shop you liked around the corner. They were happy to know that you were back around.”
I laughed. That was low-key thoughtful. A bitch for sure needed to de-stress.
“That’s cool and all, but I would like a shower. I have no clothes. I need bathroom shit.”
Gio smiled and walked into the kitchen.
“I put in an order while we were getting closer. I got you some clothes until we can go shopping, and I got you all ya bathroom shit you liked.”
I took the bags from him and went back upstairs to the room I was in, locked the door behind me, and went into the bathroom, looking at myself in the mirror.
I looked tired, fucked up, over everything that was going on, then I placed my hand on my stomach, remembering the life Iwas growing inside of me, and the life and the man I had waiting for me in Atlanta.
I knew Love was working overtime to find me; I could feel it.
“I have to tell Love where I’m at. Play ya part and get back home, Islah,” I mumbled to myself.
It’s been a minute since I had to play a nigga, but a real bitch never forgets… Gio was finna learn a lesson or two.
Chapter 8
Mission
Ihad my YNs all through the country looking for that bum ass nigga, and they was coming up short, making me mad daily, to the point that after I finished at the store and picked Amir up from school, we went and looked for our damn selves.
And was still coming up short. The more time passed, the more the nigga was going to pay for this shit, and I wasn’t mad at that at all.
Amir asked to get a snack on our search, and I stopped at a corner store and slid him my card to get what he wanted while letting Keith and Sammy know what was going on.
When Amir got back in the car, he handed me my card and opened his bag of chips.
“You know what, Dad, I wish it was a way you could check cameras.”
I looked at him, confused. “What do you mean?”
“You know, like on TV, when the police is looking for somebody, they check the cameras through the city.”
My mind had been so busy, I didn’t even think about that shit. I looked over at Amir and smiled at him.
“You a smart lil’ nigga, you know that?”
Amir nodded. “I do.”
