“What time was that?”
“Little after four.”
I looked down at my watch and sat down. “What happened?”
She opened her mouth, closed it, then pulled her glasses off the chain and pushed them onto her face even though there was nothing in front of her to read. “Something ain’t right with that boy.”
I glanced toward the kitchen. “What he do?”
“He was high.”
Shit irritated me even more as I flexed my jaws. “High how?”
She looked offended by the question. “Don’t ask me no foolishness like that. I raised enough of y’all to know what high look like.”
“I’m asking what he was on BJ.”
“That powder.” She confirmed. “I don’t care what this big pretty house looks like, I’m still from the hood and I knew a no good powder head when I see one.”
I looked away and blew hard before rubbing my hands over my head clenching my jaws.
BJ watched me. “You knew?”
I nodded my head. “He denied it, but yeah, I knew. Told him he need to leave that shit alone.”
“He was sniffing, wiping his nose, walking around here talking so fast I could barely understand him.” Her voice rose as she moved farther into the living room. “Couldn’t even sit down and every time I asked him a question, he started answering something I never asked. That fool was looking through myblinds like somebody was outside. He even went in that kitchen and opened every cabinet like he was searching for something.”
“What was he talking about?”
“Everything and nothing.” She pressed her palm against her forehead. “Said somebody was watching him, also said he couldn’t trust nobody. He started talking about people stealing from him, then told me you were trying to take over his life.”
I gave a dry laugh. “Yeah, that sound like him.”
“It is not funny, E’Levyn.”
“I didn’t say it was.”
“That bullet did something to him.” She pointed toward me as though I had denied it. “Ever since he got shot, he ain’t been right. He got out that hospital acting like he was fine because he could walk and talk, but something in his mind changed. Now he’s back sniffing that mess, running around here like he’s losing whatever sense the Lord gave him.”
I leaned forward with my forearms against my thighs still listening letting her vent because I knew what was coming next.
BJ finally lowered herself into her chair, but she didn’t sit back. “You need to get control of him.”
I looked at her. “BJ.”
“Don’t BJ me. You heard what I said.”
“He’s grown.”
“So are you.”
“Exactly, which means I can’t keep my eye on another grown man every hour of the day.”
“You his cousin.”
“I know what he is. He also has siblings too, you forgot?”
She placed her hand on her hip and frowned. “But he listens to you.”
