I leaned up, placing my elbows on my knees, and leaned in, still staring at Keith. “If you want to live, don’t ever say some shit like that again.”
Keith stood up slow. “Yeah…I got you, boss.”
After he walked out. I rolled up and focused on work for as much as I could. I had my staff get some orders ready to be picked up. While I focused on my next batch of custom pieces, Amir walked into my office.
“Dad, can I ask you something?”
“Yeah, son, what is it?”
I was focused on the base of the piece I was creating, waiting on whatever Amir wanted so I could cop it, but he caught me off guard.
“Is Islah ever coming home?”
I put down what I was working on and turned to face him.
“Yeah, son, why you ask that?”
He looked around, eyes looking heavy.
“Because you haven’t talked to her, nobody has found her, and you look sad.”
I nodded. “Yeahh…” I said low. “I can’t lie to you. I am sad, you and Islah and...”
“And what?” Amir asked, catching my pause.
I exhaled. “We were trying to make a big thing out of it to tell everyone, but Islah is having a baby.”
Amir’s eyes lit up.
“So I’ma be a big brother?!”
His excitement made me smile for the first time in days.
“Yeah, son, you are, and that’s another reason why I am so worried. I love you and Islah, and our baby in her stomach, and I don’t want to lose any of y’all.”
Amir nodded. “I get why you’ve been so uptight now.”
I laughed. “Boy, what do you know about uptight?”
“It’s the way you’ve been, driving around the city, looking crazy, asking people that look crazy if they’ve seen Islah. I get why now.”
I sat back in my chair. “To be ten, you are a bright young man.”
“I learned from the best. But Dad, Islah wouldn’t want you to go crazy looking for her. I have always been told my dad got steppers under him; let them step for you.”
I laughed again. “Did Keith tell you to come in here and talk to me?”
Amir shook his head. “Nope, I’ve been watching you.”
I exhaled. “Didn’t think you were paying attention like that. I am sorry, son, I didn’t want this mess to bother you.”
“I know, Dad, but it’s okay. I just want you to find her so we can get back to normal.”
Little did he know, I wanted that more than anything.
Once Amir let me know all he wanted to say, he went back out to fuck with Keith while I got back to work. The whole time I was designing, I was thinking about what Amir said, what Keith said, what Sammy said days ago, all while picturing Islah in my head.
I was moving like a nigga in shock, not a nigga with power.
