by Coco Shawndé
“That meeting, it wasn’t me trying to cross you. Rocco told me how stressed you´ve been, and I know bro being gone hurt you everyday like the day he passed, if not worse because the shit just keep building on your shoulders. We took the meeting to take more off you.” he apologized, and I accepted. “We good?”
“Yeah we good.” I said with a roll of my eye. We both knew dwelling on shit we couldn’t change was a done deal. Chaunce was gone, and what would being at odds do for us when this was a mess Chaunce created?
“Aye, now that we on speaking terms, I don’t agree with you being in that nigga Hosea´s company. I seen the two of you looking at each other in that warehouse, and I’m telling you now...dead it. That ain't yo lane. We doing business, and I´d like to keep it as such.” he lectured, like I was his damn child.
“Who said we doing business?” I asked, knowing that those lines been crossed since the first night I was in Hosea´s bed. Murk just didn’t know. Hell, no one knew but my girls. From how stern his face appeared, I knew it was something that he could never get a whiff of.
“Me and Hyatt think it’s best you take a back seat. Let us run shit. You can have time to be home and taking care of C.J. It’s no pressure and you not left out of the loop...but we think its best.” he said, and I couldn’t say he was wrong for it. Chaunce had never had me mixed in with the drug trade, and I was always doing my own thang. Now that he was gone, I was filling shoes I never imagined to even see. In deep thought, I thought about every other hole in my life I could be feeling with more time on my hands. The step down caused me to take a long pause because I had grown into the position, but it was never my dreams.
“Y’all can have it. Maybe this time can give me some time to myself.” I said knowing by me separating myself, I could even get back to going to the Royal’s every day. I had been pushing off starting up the other location, but the time seems now for it. I had been securing Chaunce legacy he left behind and forgot about mine.
3
Obasi
Aci and I stayed up late, so we didn’t get up until around noon the next day. Seeing that she was straight, I left out to go slide on Hosea after getting ready to go out for the day. After my day went left yesterday, I needed to be around my right hand. Pulling up to his crib, I parked behind the line of cars. Seeing a new whip in the line, I shook my head because this nigga stayed having the new shit that wasn’t even on the market being delivered. He got that shit so fast, I teased that the manufacturer didn’t even test the airbags yet because he would get them so quick. Going up to the door, the chance of ringing the doorbell was over with when Hosea was sending a woman on out the door. She was dressed in a fitted all black business suit with six-inch heels to match. Her briefcase wasn’t overlooked or the fact she had lingering eyes on Hosea.
“Excuse me.” she said in her sweet voice, stepping around. Hosea´s dog ass was drooling over shordy, and I glanced back finding out why. That ass sat up real nice and them hips were sticking out. Going inside, I wasn’t surprised he was still at the door.
By the time he joined me with pouring a drink, he was firing up a blunt. “I heard you cut up with Oletta yesterday.” he laughed, thinking it was soon enough to come with the jokes.
“Mane, they could have been put this shit out. Now I’m questioning everything. Like, was y'all waiting for me and Aci to be grown to get together because what sense does that make? I always looked at Konvict as a father figure because he was there. I just feel slighted that they couldn’t tell us. I ain’t got no issue besides that one.” I said shaking my head.
“You can’t say you didn’t see that shit coming though bloods?” he asked, and I put my head down looking at my cup of liquor.
“I ain’t see it, fam.” I truthfully answered.
We chilled back in front of the big screen looking at animal planet, and I didn’t know why we were watching this shit while getting high. Hearing feet running down the hall, I ain’t know what the fuck was coming, but I sat up. When I seen Duchess and Yosohn, a big ass smile came about. They came jumping over the back of the sectional, and I flipped them over onto my lap.
“Yosohn! Man, where you been?” I said knowing I hadn’t saw neph in a minute.
“I was with my mommmm.” he laughed with a big smile on his face.
“Duchess came to my house, and you missed all the fun. Tell your mom to drop you off at Unc house.” I let him know.
“Daddy! Duchess went with Unc?” Yosohn asked with his mouth dropping.
“You was with yo mom’s man. You know how that go. Your mom wants to spend some time with you too this summer.” he replied, passing the blunt, but I passed to talk to the kids. Playing with them, it made me miss my little homie. I hadn’t seen Little E since Weston got put in the dirt. Off the strength that I knew Miani wasn’t trying to face me, I played with the kids a little longer. Sending them back upstairs, Hosea got me hip on how he ran into Dice at the movie theater.
“She probably thought some shit was up. Females ain’t used to how cool Tyrah is and that it’s not like that with y’all.” I said laughing, knowing Hosea and Tyrah would never cross that line again. They just were cool on that level to kick it with their son with both of them present. Wasn’t no baby momma beef with them. Tyrah was like a sister to us now, even though she was Hosea´s baby momma. She was just that damn cool and I didn’t get the idea that she wanted Hosea.
“It don’t even matter with all that. Dice was out of pocket, and I got her ass together for even trying it. If she was going to clown with me about who I’m out with, she shouldn’t have left the next morning after we first fuck. That let me know what terms we were really on. I know women sometimes say shit they can’t keep to. I’m cool with that, but Dice had the ball moving in her court, and still called a foul on my end. That ain’t in the rule book.” he said taking a long drag from the blunt.
“Sound like you feeling some salt because she left yo ass the next morning like a nigga would.” I said straight up. “She do got nigga tendencies.”
“But that pussy...I don’t know. Any other time I be cool, but nigga I ain’t cool. I took the dick away, but shid, she might have started some shit.” he said sounding like a fiend. Shaking my head, I had to hear him rant about the situation with Dice. I had no problem with it because I never got this side of Hosea. He was always so lowkey with his shit. It never was a point to stay on a bitch too long, because as soon as he told me about her, he be on to the next. He was never misleading to the women he dealt with, and they all knew what they were getting into. No one had him slowing the fuck down like this, and that stood out more than anything.
“Sound like you cutting her off hurting you more than her.” I joked.
“Shiddd, it feels like it. That’s why I plan on fucking Marie. The one that just left.” he said with a grin on his face.
“Fuck was that anyway? Like who is she??” I questioned.
“My father been slacking with the business. His head ain’t in it like it should be...We been losing money and I be damned if the casino go down because we don’t have the right group of business people in there to keep shit in order. Marie is an accountant and she’s trusted. Moss been dumping hundreds of thousands away with bullshit. I need Marie to clean this shit up.” he answered, shaking his head.
Telling him that he has been having his pussy too close to business was going to fall on deaf ears. When he had eyes on a woman, it was a wrap. Wasn’t shit you could tell him.
“How Moss been? Besides him slacking up on the casino’s?” Knowing that old man tried to move around like he was younger than us.
“Same drug addict. You know I don’t deal with him too much and the most he sees me at is the conference meetings that happen monthly. You already know I went back to his home here, and I had to snatch my sister up out that house. Shit just ain’t fit for a child. Drugs all in his room, random bitches, and Regina so damn high, she forgot she even had a kid.”
“I swear she acts like sh
e didn’t even birth Duchess.” I said knowing how Regina has always done Duchess. It was like she treated little sis like a step-child that she didn’t want to have no dealings with.
“Tell me about the shit.” Hosea huffed. “Tyrah brought it up again that I just need to take her.”
“What you think?” I questioned, trying to see where his head was at.
“She ain’t going back.” he said gazing off. “I just had flashbacks of me as a youngin’ and how my mother and father had that shit around me. I don’t want her in that. Moss think because he got all this money, million-dollar homes, and butlers, it’s acceptable. Like he gets a pass. That shit pisses me off because at any point is a crackhead not a crackhead because they got some money in their pockets...My worst fear is Duchess finding them two dead from an overdose. That would kill me because I know that pain.” he said, and I could see how badly his parents had scarred him. We had two different upbringings, but our struggles had somehow matched us together. He came from a wealthy background, but they had problems just like the rest. I came from a single parent home that made it happen by any means, and wasn’t shit always sweet.
“Duchess all I got.” he said breaking down more weed. “Of course my son...But Duchess, she’s my sister. The bond is different.”
“Mane I feel you.” I said thinking about Aci. It took me to take down the next blunt to give him that whole spill on Aci. The way his eyebrows came together, and his mouth curled up in the corner, he wanted to get at this nigga Ralph.
“Aye, how she meet this old ass man?” he probed.
“I don’t know. She talked about it when I had to get her a new phone from the mall. I can tell he kinda been running shit with her, which was probably why she was always running in and out Oletta´s shit like she pay bills. All that shit over with. Aci told me how she felt trapped with the baby, and I believe her. She doesn't even know how to take care of herself, let alone a baby. She told me she wanted an abortion, and Ralph was keeping her under him, so he could know she wouldn’t.”
“Nah, this nigga done had too much reach. You know Aci still a fucking baby herself. This grown ass man shouldn’t be trapping no eighteen-year old with no baby. Aci damn sure don’t have to lie about it either.” Hosea angrily spoke, and I knew I wasn’t tripping on where my head was going. Aci wasn’t perfect in the situation, but Ralph was the adult. He shouldn’t even have been dealing with her. How far she was looking, I knew it was possible that Ralph got her pregnant before her eighteenth birthday.
“We gon’ handle it, but first Aci need to figure out what she wants to do.” Hosea said, looking back to check on the kids.
“Aci might be too far to have an abortion now. Ralph was making sure that baby got here.” I said shaking my head. “She begged me not to kill that nigga last night...and I want to grant her that because my niece/nephew might have to live with that. But fuck! I don’t know if I can let this nigga breath, let alone be here to take care of his seed.” I voiced, knowing this could go either way.
“Aci sholl know how to pick a baby daddy.” he said shaking his head.
“I’m no coward, so I’m going to let Aci rock with her decision on what she wants. If she said before she didn’t want the baby, maybe she’ll still want to go through with it. Right now, I needed to get away to clear my head space.”
When my phone began to ring, I didn’t even reach for it. When a text came through, I finally took a look. Putting it back away not even looking at Tiesha message, I wasn’t feeling all that.
“Who that be?” Hosea asked.
“Mane, Tiesha ass. I told her I would come through, but this shit with Aci got me thrown off last night. I didn’t even tell her shit and turned my phone off on her.” I admitted.
“I think it’s more than the Aci situation.” he said holding the lighter at the end of his finished rolled blunt.
Leaned back, I didn’t even argue him down. Little E and Miani were constantly on my mind, throwing my days off to add to all the madness. I knew Miani separated herself for a reason, and I wasn’t trying to come clouding her mind when I knew what it was. She was in a spot where I needed to keep my distance, so she could grow. Her vulnerable state was known, and I´d be ready to stick dick in her fine ass, something we both couldn’t answer for if it happened. She was in the midst of a divorce, and I wanted her two feet out of that shit before I even sniffed in the direction of the pussy. When I had her crawling on the ceiling screaming for the neighbors to hear, she needed to do more than say that pussy belonged to me. She had to give me all rights to that muthafuka.
4
Hosea
Between having my son, little sister, and work in between, a nigga was tired. When Tyrah offered to take the kids for the weekend, I thought I could sleep in for the weekend. Getting calls back to back, I didn’t know what was so urgent this early in the morning. Pissed off but still reaching over to get my phone off the nightstand, I didn’t even attempt to check the caller ID.
“Yoo, what up?” I answered.
“Mr. Juelz? This is housekeeping at your father´s main residence.” she spoke, and the tone of her voice had me waking the hell up. She hadn’t said much, but I could guess this wasn’t nothing good. They rarely called, but it was never on good terms when they did. “I was calling with concern with your father. We have been sending his breakfast and dinner up. He’s been refusing to eat, and I’m overall worried about the fella. He hasn´t come out that room, and I know you're busy...but you think you could stop on by? Just to see if it’s anything he would like to talk to you about? This isn’t like Mr. Moss.” she said overly concerned with my father.
Letting her know that I would be up there as soon as I could. We hung up, and I headed off to the shower. Seeing my early morning wood, I shook my head knowing wasn’t shit that could relieve me like Dice. It was tempting to hit her line, but I knew I had to stay firm. Until she could recognize what she saw in a nigga, I couldn’t let her keep confusing everything between us. She had to be woman enough to know what she felt, she could speak on. Not to hold back from me all because the last nigga she gave herself to was dead now.
After I knew I wasn’t getting no pussy, I took care of myself with my right hand. I felt like I was playing myself because I had a log of bitches in my phone that could have came through, but my mind wasn’t set on them. Marie had gave it up sooner than I thought, and now that chase was over with. Not even her fresh pussy seemed to have me craving her this morning. Shaking my head, I got ready for the day since it was kicking off early.
Heading to Moss´ crib, I didn’t know what I was stepping into. I had already been keeping business afloat, so Moss didn’t have that worry. I took care of everything when I hired Marie and her team. Now Moss was locking himself up in his room like he didn’t have responsibilities out here.
Walking through the front door of his estate, everyone was more than glad to see me. The head housekeeper came pulling me to the side before I went into the master suite, and gave me more details.
“Regina packed up and left last week...I didn’t know how to tell you that part over the phone. I figured that was something you would want to know face to face.” she let me know.
Nodding my head, I let her know that I appreciated her services. I went into the room, and Moss was awake. He didn’t give a wave nor speak. He simply put the liquor bottle to his mouth before he gulped it down like water. I could tell already that he was high, and the shit had me on edge with him.
“You trying to kill yourself? Is that what you are aiming at?” I asked, standing with my hands in my pockets.
“She left!” he slurred. “That bitch...she left me.” he said sounding a fucking mess. He had drool coming from his mouth, sweaty wife beater on, and white linen pajama pants on. With his mouth pinched together, I could tell he was angry, but also sloppy drunk to add to his high.
“I’m not surprised.” I shrugged, not here to baby his grown ass. Regina was younger than me, and she was wilder. How t
he fuck was he expecting to keep up with her?
“Where’s Duchess?” he asked, and I didn’t even want to say. The whole time I had her, he never called. Him or his wife.
“Where she needs to be.” I corrected. “Look...I showed up today because you need to get off yo ass. Clean the fuck up and get out of this stuffy ass room. Regina gone, but you got other obligations. I can’t feel sorry for you pops. Regina been showing her hand, and all you have done is act as if you could keep up with her. I don’t know...maybe it’s best she’s gone.” I said not able to cover up my dislike for the broad.
“You always misunderstood your stepmother.” he said shaking his head, and it was so heavy, he ended up leaned over in the chair. Taking the bottle from him, I knew he didn’t need another sip. “You never-took the time...to get to know-her.” he pointed out, with breaks between his words because he was that fucked up.
“That’s it, huh?” I said not being serious at all. He always fell from the chair because that’s how much he was out of it. Knowing this what had me out of my bed and had interrupted my sleep, I was more than ready to leave. Wasn’t shit I could help him with. Regina was gone, and I was fucking happy. Moss just needed to divorce her ass, and cut her out of his life. How out of it he was right now, I knew that was unlikely to happen. He was on his way to a drug overdose if he kept on.
Helping him to the bed, he was laid out snoring by the time I hit the door. Letting the housekeepers know to keep him hydrated and someone near the room, I left. Moss wasn’t about to stress me out with the business and his failed marriage.
Going home, I wasn’t even tired enough to go back to sleep. Deciding to call Marie to come through, she didn’t let me down one bit when she arrived on my doorstep dressed in next to nothing.