I would try this out, but the one thing I was gone do was let Baby know what’s up. I’d always been able to separate my business life from my personal, but I had to be extra careful now because my woman was involved. She got months left on parole and, until then, I wouldn’t physically go near that shit. I’d let Messiah handle it and stay in the background until Baby was free. I ran my hand down my face.
“Move it.”
“Bet, I’ll get at you later,” he spoke with excitement.
“Yeah.” I hung up, sighing.
What the fuck I just signed up for? It had been years since I’d been out there like that, swore to myself I was never going back. However, times had changed.
Mama sick and who knew how much her medicine would cost me. I ain’t counting all the other shit that may come up with her. I got a lil’ nest saved up, but it ain’t gone last forever.
I sat for a minute tryna figure out how I was gonna play this. I left my keys when I came to grab my shit. I didn’t have access to get in without Lauren knowing.
We gotta talk. Where you at?
I sent her a text message and waited for a reply.
I’m inside, come on. I’ve been waiting for you, Daddy.
I shook my head. This hoe couldn’t be helped!
Grabbing my phone and black snapback, I put it on backwards and hopped out. Hopefully, after I set her ass straight, she’d take the hint and find somebody else to fuck with.
39
BABY
I’d beenon the clock for three hours and I was ready to go home. My feet were on fire, and I had to keep walking outside due to the gas pumps constantly shutting down. Twice, I had to go help someone who didn’t know how to work the nozzle.
I mean, how hard was it to press a lever?
Now, I was on my break, sitting outside on a bench. I was minding my business when I heard a car pull up blasting loud music. Holding my hand over my eyes, I squinted towards the vehicle to see who was inside. I sucked my teeth when Tranae hopped out with two other girls with her.
I continued to eat my hot dog like I didn’t see her, ain’t nobody got time to deal with my messy ass cousin today.
“Well, well, well. Look who it is.” I rolled my eyes, as she walked over with her friends following behind.
“Sup, hoe!” she said, chewing her gum way too loud. Throwing her a fake smile, I cut my eyes to her friends, dusty and dustier, before looking back at her.
“Hey,” I replied with a dry tone.
“This my cousin y’all.” She waved her hand in introduction. I nodded, offering nothing more.
“So...” I could already tell I wasn’t gone like the next thing that came out her mouth. “We need gas.”
Popping out a bubble, she threw her hands on her hip. Her entourage thought it was the funniest shit ever when they laughed out loud.
“That was cute,” I muttered, unmoved.
“Y’all, she fresh out. This job was the best she can do,” she mocked me.
I chuckled humorlessly, cleaning up my garbage. “Nae, girl. Please find something to do and somebody else to play with. You already know how I get down.”
Her neck rolled too fucking hard. I thought her head was gonna disconnect from the rest of her body. “Girl, you won’t do shit. Jay told me you just got this job.”
“And I’ll just lose it, keep it up!” I promised. It took every bit of my strength to stay where I was. By the time I said that, she was furious. I decided to play along, since she came here with all intentions to shake me up. “Don’t make me knock you out in front of your friends.”
Her groupies tried not to laugh behind her back, should’ve known this bitch ain’t have no real friends. She stepped in my face.
