Page 10 of Always Been You

Terror

I was rushing to get to everything this morning.

I quickly realized what my mom meant when she said everything needed to change.

I was due to pick up Junior in four hours, and I still had to meet Chubby and the inspector at the restaurant.

After that, I had to swing by and get a cut before I made a few drops of product.

I wanted to do my part since Chubby was the one making up the menu.

I was tasked with everything else. We both were pouring our money into this, and it needed to be successful.

I turned into the parking lot on damn near two wheels. As soon as I got out of my car, the inspector turned in behind me.

“Good morning! I know I am a little early. I can wait until you guys are ready.” He said, popping out of the car.

“Just give me a minute. I’ll be right back.”

I walked inside and found Chubby behind the bar area.

“Aye, you made it.” Chubby’s tall ass looked over at me.

Seeing him, everyone thought he was a basketball player.

Nigga had been 6’8 since we were juniors in high school.

He’d always been his own person. He didn’t play around in the street, and I respected him for that.

In turn, he didn’t judge me for getting to it the way I knew how.

Imagine being best friends with a nigga that big, and he's the type who brings plates to school and makes you try new dishes. When I came back to town and ran into him, he had earned a degree in Culinary Arts, so going into business together only made sense. We were trying to bring new energy to the area. Something upscale that many people weren’t doing.

“The inspector just pulled up. How did it go with the cooking staff?” I asked.

“They are coming along. I have three stronger than the others, so I’ll pair them with the slower ones so we can make sure that everything will run smoothly.”

“Cool. I meet with the bartenders tomorrow.” I sat down on the stool and yawned.

“Nigga you need a nap?” Chubby teased.

“Fuck you. I was up with Junior the other night when he was sick. It’s like I haven’t recovered since.” I admitted.

“So, you were for real? You and Crystal are really done?”

“After the shit I saw that night? Hell yeah. Let me get this inspector. I’m trying to get a cut after this.” I hopped up just as fast as I sat down. I walked toward the door, debating an energy drink.

“You can come in.” I opened the door, and the inspector was standing so close he had to take a step back.

“I’ll get started right away. If I find anything that needs attention, I will let you know.”

Just like that, he was off, looking at the building. The whole situation was new, but I felt invigorated that I was doing something worthwhile. Something I could pass down to my son with a sense of pride. I didn’t know if this would be the end-all for me, but it was a step in the right direction.

“This should be the last inspection. I’m ready to be done with this shit so we can finally open. It’s been months.” Chubby came around the bar and took a seat at one of the tables. I pulled up next to him and sat as well.

“I know. All this red tape ain’t been easy. I’m glad Chris ass helped a lot.” I said.

“Chris? What that smart nigga been on?”

“Shit. You know he's strictly into that computer shit.” I spoke of my tech guy. Chris was the nigga to see about anything technically, and I was happy to have a nigga like him on my payroll.

“His smart ass. I may get a cut with ya ass. You know these new school barbers have more links than these bitches at the beauty shops. Last time I went to a nigga, he had me stretched out talking bout some, you want a wash and a facial for an extra 50.”

“What’s wrong with a facial?” I asked, chuckling.

“Nigga, I ain’t bout to have a nigga’s balls by my face while they leaned over me washing my hair. I wash it before I come. Just cut my shit bro! All this new shit going on, I can’t get with.”

“Yo ass always acting like you 50 or some shit. But, nah, guess who I ran into? Dyami’s pretty ass.”

That made him sit up. “Damn, I ain’t seen Dyami in a minute. What is she doing here? Visiting her people?”

“She lives here now. Say it’s been a couple of years.”

“She must be tucked all the way in. I don’t ever see her. She was always screaming, she was never coming back.” Chubby replied.

“Right! She still bad as fuck. I got her number the other day when I took ma to breakfast.”

“Oh, I see why you ain’t worried about Crystal. Dyami been your girl since forever. She got kids?”

“I wouldn’t give a damn if she did. I got one.”

“Everything seems to be in order!” The inspector came back.

“That was quick.” Chubby stood and shook his hand.

“This was a follow-up. All boxes are checked. Have a wonderful opening, guys.”

The inspector walked out as quickly as he came in.

“Damn, so that’s it? This shit really happening?” I couldn’t ignore Chubby’s excitement as we went to the door and locked up. On the way to get a haircut, we discussed the plans for the restaurant. We were so excited and filled with so many ideas that the ride passed in a blur.

Chubby and I walked into the shop shoulder to shoulder.

“T!!!” Nate called as soon as he saw me.

He came and slapped hands with Chubby as well to get started on our cuts.

Brick Cutz was still standing even though Brick had passed.

Usually, there were at least 10 barbers there on a weekday, but since his passing, a lot of barbers have started to straggle in here and there.

There were six barbers here today. Chubby and I slid into the two free chairs.

We started talking shit like always. Halfway through the cut, we looked up, and a hush fell over the room. A nigga walked in, I wasn’t familiar with, but apparently those here must have known him well. I sat up, and Chubby looked in my direction to gauge me.

“I guess muthafuckas around here really don’t know who the fuck I am for real. When I come in niggas get out the chair.” The nigga said cockily.

“Kole? What up, bruh? Where you been? It ain’t too often that you get out this way.” A barber said on my left and pushed a nigga out of the chair with his hair half cut for the new nigga that walked in. I made a note of his name.

“You know I gotta touch down now and then so niggas know I ain’t forgot.” Kole walked up to the chair, and his eyes fell on me a little too long.

“That’s what’s up. You know I got you.” His barber said, patting his chair and getting to work.

I looked around at all the niggas that were in here, damn near fangirling over a grown ass man.

He was dripping in jewels, and you could tell he had money, but the niggas trying to be seen were worse than females.

Too many niggas in here chasing hood dreams.

“What up, Terror?” Kole calling my name caused another hush to come over the room. I didn’t respond. The tension rose, and Chubby looked at me to gauge my levels again.

“How you know me, bruh?” I asked. There were so many who knew me, but I could tell when he walked in the door, this shit was on some personal level.

I wasn’t about to pop off in here, but I wasn’t going to act like I was cool with a nigga that was disrespectful to me.

Simply calling my name was out of pocket.

I wasn’t the type to keep the peace, but I also knew to choose my battles wisely.

“Damn, we ain’t cool? I thought since we were fucking on the same bitch we were something like brothers.

No, wait, y’all broke up, right?” He batted the barber away with his hand and rose from the seat.

I stood up, too, and so did Chubby. He may not have been a street nigga, but he was a thorough ass friend.

We’d throw hands together plenty. I didn’t need his help with this, though.

Whatever lil shit Crystal was on, he was free to have her.

“Ain’t no way yo tender ass approaching me about a bitch, bro.” I laughed in his face.

“Some niggas need to understand that they money ain’t nowhere near close to long enough to fuck a chick that belongs to a boss. You need help to get that?”

“Help? Nigga you gone show me?” I snapped back because the shit was on principle. Fuck Crystal and what we had in the past. Wasn’t no nigga gone check me in front of nobody.

Everyone in the room held their breath, and next thing you know, he let out an uproarious laugh. Everyone except Chubby and me joined in nervously. “I’m just bullshitting with you. These females do whatever the fuck they want. Can’t trust em. Especially one like her.”

This nigga.

“You run yo mouth like a woman when you need to be making sure you have hands like a man. You over there selling wolf tickets nigga. Fuck out of my face.” I sat back down.

He threw his hands in the air mockingly. “Ooh.” He teased. “Let me stop fucking around because you know you ain't shit without that gun.”

I cracked a devious smile. I was never afraid to throw hands.

Shit, that was one of my favorite things growing up.

I was labeled as a pretty boy, so a lot of niggas tried me, but they learned quickly I wasn’t with the shit at all.

It was clear that he didn’t want to fight.

He was there for a show. He thought that since he had an audience, I would back down.

I was done talking. If he wanted smoke, all he had to do was climb up the chimney.

“Clearly, I ain’t hard to find, my nigga. Don’t let pussy I already gave up, get you put in the dirt.”

The door chimed, and everyone looked at it. A man walked in with what I assumed was his son. That made Nate step in.

“Alright, fellas, it’s over.” “You're right. I’m good on the cut.” Kole dropped a hundred on the barber and walked out the door. A few moments later, the conversation picked back up like nothing had happened.

“Watch that nigga, T,” Chubby said when we walked out the door.