Page 49
“Nothing much, honestly.”
“Pick Nyx’s brain and see what you can find out.”
“Nigga, I ain’t finna be out here doing research for you. Figure out how to bag her on your own. It’s about time you ran into someone who doesn’t bend to your every whim, anyway.”
“So you get a new shorty, and suddenly you’re too good to look out for your brother? Bet,” Jude ranted. “I can’t wait until the next time you need something.”
“Only fuck niggas count favors, Jude,” I joked.
“Well, I guess I’m as shiesty as they come,” he shot back.
“Damn, you were only around her for one night. How are you sprung over Rae already?”
Dragging the vacuum from behind the counter, Jude sighed heavily. “To be honest, bruh, I don’t even know. She was just giving me all this energy one minute and then when I tried to press her, she shut it down.”
“Maybe she’s just a flirt and not interested in anything serious. Or maybe she’s a flirt but has a man at home. Shit, I don’t know.”
“If she does have a man, that’s dead. He finna get his girl snatched and doesn't even know it.”
“Yo’ ass is insane.”
Our conversation paused as he started working on the floors while I stocked the shelves. Once he was finished, Jude threw a question at me from way left field. “You talk to Pop?”
“What?’
“Stop looking at me like that. You heard me.”
“I did, but I’m still processing that shit. Since when do you worry about what’s happening with Dad?”
“I’m always worried. He might piss me off, but that’s still the OG. Usually, you’re the one giving updates and making sure he’s good. Shit is a guessing game now that y’all are beefing.”
Part of me felt bad as his words sank in. Logically, I was aware that I hadn’t done anything wrong, but my brother was right. After my mom left and he and Jude decided their relationship worked best when they weren’t in each other’s space, I was my dad’s only constant.
As irritating as he could be, I knew how lonely he was. We hadn’t spoken at all since our last conversation. If Judah hadn’t said anything, it probably would have stayed that way.
“I’ll stop by there in a couple of days to see what he has going on.”
“If you don’t, just shoot him a text.”
“Nah,” I shook my head, breaking down a box. “That’s the coward’s way out.”
“I swear, sometimes it scares me how much you sound like him.”
A knock against the glass interrupted my rebuttal. Glancing up, I started to yell to whoever it was on the other side that we were closed when I realized it was Xi.
Holding up a finger, I jogged behind the counter to grab the keys to unlock the door and allow her inside.
“Goddamn, it’s cold outside,” she huffed, jumping around a bit. “Hey, Jude.”
“What’s up, Xi,” he returned her greeting.
“Damn, I’m the one who opened the door for yo’ ass,” I joked. “I’m not invisible.”
“Hmm, with as much as you’ve been missing lately, you may as well be. Do I have Nyx to blame for taking up all your time?”
“Yes,” Jude answered before I could get a word in. “Call him T-pain because your boy is sprungggggg.”
“Fuck both of y’all. It’s not even like that.”
