Page 80 of Adonis Gates

“How’s school been going?”

“It’s straight,” he answered, glancing up at me.

Mr. O’Neil looked my way too, furrowing his brows before turning his gaze back to AP for a few seconds then lifting the lid on the grill again.

“You know I still have connections in the district and friends at all of the schools.” He glanced AP’s way.

“Yes sir.”

“So you know I heard about your latest stunt at school.”

AP immediately looked my way, but I shrugged. I wasn’t intervening. I didn’t know what his angle was, but I knew he meant well, and it may be good to hear how disappointing his decisions were, and how much better he was than the choices he’d been making, from someone else.

“Don’t look at your brother. I’m talking to you.” Mr. O’Neil pointed the spatula toward my brother. “What are you doing smoking, Apollo?”

“I wasn’t.”

“Don’t lie,” I frowned. “You’re a man. Be honest.”

“I was just fooling around with my friends,” he mumbled.

“And where’d fooling around get you?”

“Suspended for five days pending expulsion.” He dropped his head.

“Hold your head up, son.” Mr. O’Neil turned to face him. Apollo straightened up in his chair, holding his head up as he was instructed. “Let me tell you something, Apollo,” he walked over to the brick island of their outside kitchen. “When I was your age, we thought we were invincible too. We did crazy things thinking there would be no real consequences to it… until therewere. Those consequences ranged anywhere between the streets, jail, or the grave, but never anywhere that we wanted to be.” He paused to allow his words to marinate. “Every choice, every habit, it’s either building you or breaking you. You might not see it now, but that’s how men are made—through what they decide to do when nobody’s watching.” He nodded at AP before journeying back to the grill.

The burgers and hot dogs were done, so he started to fill the tin pan sitting on the tray of the grill.

“Your brother may be hard on you at times, but it’s because he cares,” he started again. “There are so many young men, hell, children period, that wished they had someone like that. He’s been where you are, maybe even worse, but trust me—you don’t want to get in those white people’s hands.” He glanced back at AP. “Don’t give them the chance to choose who you are before you do. You’ve got too much potential for that.”

“Yes sir.” AP nodded.

“Come on and grab this,” he pointed to the tray. “I know my wife’s in there fussing about me not being done.”

AP nodded before he climbed to his feet to do what he was told. Mr. O’Neil waited until he was inside before turning to face me.

“I hope you don’t mind me talking to him. Jru filled me in on last night and what happened with him at school.”

“Naw, it’s straight,” I replied. “I tell him the same sh—stuff.” I quickly corrected myself. “Maybe he needs to hear it from someone else.”

“Could be it,” he agreed. “He’s going to be alright though. I’ve worked with kids for a long time; Apollo isn’t one of the ones that will throw his life away that easily,” he assured me.

“I hope not.” I sighed heavily. “I be thinking sometimes I’m too hard on him then there are times I think I didn’t go hard enough. It’s a task finding that middle ground.”

“Trial and error, son,” he gripped my shoulder. “Raising kids is no walk in the park and it damn sure doesn’t come with instructions. Just don’t give up on him.”

“Naw,” I shook my head. “Never.”

He smiled and gave me a firm nod. “Let’s go eat.”

I followed him inside feeling lighter after hearing him talk. It wasn’t just what he’d said to me but hearing him speak to AP as well. I didn’t have that growing up. I had to find my own way my whole life. It made a nigga feel good knowing that my brother had another man in his life that cared about him and his future as much as I did.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Jruelle.

I had been counting down the minutes until the end of my shift. It seemed like I’d barely seenanydays where I was in pain since being with Adonis, but with my cycle starting today, it was rough. I was ready to get home, take a bubble bath then climb into my bed with my heating pad.