Page 17

K inga

Harlem was likely about ready to murder my ass by now because I had texted her for the fifth time that I was on my way. I was on my way but had something I needed to handle. I knew the only way I’d be able to rest easy was if I finished this shit fully. I had already called everything in with a friend of mine up for the game I was playing. I had sat up all night wondering how I’d finish this shit, then it hit me. I didn’t need to because I knew a guy. Somebody who would drop Memphis at the drop of a dime while I was standing right in front him. I wanted his ass to feel that heat, and me to be the last face he saw, but I wasn’t willing to risk my freedom doing it right in the open. I had more to lose now.

I was standing in the middle of a grassy field overlooking the long forgotten industrial parts of Chicago. Money was funny in these parts so it was miles of open uninhabited space and abandoned buildings. The perfect place to be unseen for a meeting.

A black on black Range pulled up in front of my car and stopped, leaving the lights on and the car running. We wouldn’t be out here long.

“Yo, the fuck we meeting up in dead man land for, youngin’?” Aroyal asked, walking up and leaning back against his truck.

“Because I need a man dead.”

He nodded for me to continue and I explained what I needed and what I was willing to pay to have it handled tonight.

Aroyal shook his head after I finished speaking. “You sure?” he asked, eyes now searching mine for any inkling of uncertainty. “That’s your blood.”

I spat onto the ground before correcting his statement. “Blood doesn't make you shit in my book. Memphis has been a dead man since Sora found out where he lived all those years ago.”

“That’s a long time to hold a grudge.” Aroyal’s stare was intense. He was up for the job but didn’t want me to regret my request. Not many were privy to the tainted history between me and Memphis. It was no secret. I just didn’t broadcast it and neither did he.

“First time I met Memphis, he called me and my brother the ho’s sons. Unlike my brother, I didn’t give a fuck about him. Sora did though, he wanted to know the nigga, so the next time we saw him he had shown up to a basketball tournament at the gym. Sora was trying to get a word in with him and Memphis treated him like dirt. I beat his ass so bad, they arrested me and he pressed charges later on, doing a press conference and calling me a fucking monster. Maybe I am but I didn’t go picking this fight. Weeks ago my shop was raided. I found out he gave my name to the feds because he wanted to clean his streets and put in a bid for mayor. Blood don’t make a nigga shit in my book, so if you wondering if I’ll regret this? You are wrong. Death has been his legacy since he came for me. It just took me a minute to figure out how I wanted it to happen. So why not die on the very streets you call yourself cleaning?”

Aroyal nodded. “Then you want it loud, also sending a message to whoever he gave your name to.”

I threw my head forward in agreement.

He chuckled. “You young niggas sure know how to make it happen.”

I chuckled. “Making sure the retribution is just as loud as the initial act.”

Seeing somebody like Aroyal laugh was a foreign sight. As a matter of fact, anytime I had seen him, he was always frowned up, always serious. “I’m sure. But at a ceremony to the opening of a park he was supposed to have revamped? That shit is cold.”

“It’s genius because I’ll be standing in front of him.”

Aroyal shrugged. “Genius and cocky. When you nod, I’ll take the shot. Simple nod.”

Aroyal and I parted ways, both headed to the same address, just different spots in it. Memphis had an unveiling of a park he allegedly renovated near my blocks. Son of a bitch had even named the park after himself to commemorate the work he claimed to have done. He hadn’t done shit but piss people like me off and risk his life for cameras that wouldn’t save him in the end.

It was an outdoor event, people dressed in black tie attire standing in the middle of the hood with fucking champagne flutes and their good diamonds. Loitering on the streets where the usual fiends and winos got their fix or a forty. His words made these random uppity folks think they were safe out here at seven in the evening on a Saturday. The only reason these spaces were empty was because police had blocked off the streets, only allowing access to a few early in the day. Memphis had to be a cocky son of a bitch to think this would fly. I wasn’t the only one gunning for him after his latest news appearance. He called himself declaring war on all YNs on his streets. Who died and made the streets his?

I laughed aloud at the thought as I walked up the three steps toward the porch in front of the new fieldhouse where he stood proudly, dripped in gold. Nigga thought he was a prophet or something. He was talking to two other suits, also standing pompously with champagne flutes in their hands. Everything was decorated for this phony ass event, him and everybody acting like they gave a shit about these parts when they really didn’t.

I approached him, not giving a damn if he was in the middle of a conversation. The two men excused themselves, leaving us alone. He glanced around to see who was looking before he gulped the champagne.

“What the fuck are you doing here?”

I chortled. “You look like my presence scares you.”

“It doesn’t, you fake ass thug. I’ve faced tougher problems with a much better way of protecting what’s important to them.”

“Is that a threat, Memphis? See, you thought you’d pull me out of character and probably get me arrested again, but nah, not again, Pops.” I said that last part with venom spewing from my lips.

“I’m not your father. Never have been. Yeah, I married yo’ mama but she couldn’t see a good thing if it hit her in the face. She had to sleep with scum. That hood shit runs deep in your veins. She didn’t think I knew she was fucking Ortega, a motherfucker with a rap sheet as long as my achievements and a slew of fucking chop shops. I knew every fucking thing. Bitch was ungrateful and so are you. I let you breathe out here for long en?—”

His words shocked me, but none of them moved me. I was never looking for a father, so him saying he wasn’t my father did nothing for me. The man who raised me was my father, my uncle. “You let me breathe?” I laughed. “Maybe… but I’m done letting you breathe.” I nodded, and before he could ask what I meant, a single shot pierced the air and his skull at what seemed like the same time. His body dropped instantly and chaotic screams filled the streets. For a minute I stood there, watching the blood seep from behind his head as he lay on his back staring up at the sky.

I finally pulled myself to walk away, moving in slow motion while everybody else panicked and ducked like more shots ensured. They didn’t, the only target here was him.

By the time I made it to the car, my phone was going off in the center console. I pulled it out and saw Harlem had texted me three times, back to back.

Harlem: The food is getting cold.

Harlem: If you’re busy just say that.

Harlem: Don’t say you’re coming and not be coming.

Me: I’m coming right now. I promise.

Harlem: Don’t lie to me.

Me: I’m not.

I left the park in less of a hurry than anything but knew I needed to speed up my pace. I told Harlem I’d only be an hour and had been gone at least three. From her earlier messages, I knew her mother was there with her, so yeah I had to speed. I eased through the city, mind completely focused on the vehicle sitting in my garage. I was doing some sound system rewiring, a young nigga wanted to blow the streets this summer. I wasn’t mad at him; I just had to wire it so the speakers fit under the floor and in the trunk, leaving some trunk space. Those thoughts disappeared when the sound of my phone ringing filled the car. I expected it to be Harlem but it wasn’t. The console read Aroyal Ortega. Memphis’s words replayed in my head.

She didn’t think I knew she was fucking Ortega, a motherfucker with a rap sheet as long as my achievements and a slew of fucking chop shops. I knew every fucking thing.

I dismissed the thought from my head and answered Aroyal’s call. “Yeah.”

“I hope that shit brought you peace.”

I nodded as if he could see me. “Not as much but it lifted a weight off my shoulders. I’ll drop that off in the morning.”

“Nah, keep it. Just take care of yourself, young nigga. There’s a lot to these streets. Don’t get too caught up in them, especially when you know the world is much bigger than them. Stay up.”

When we hung up, I was exiting the freeway about three minutes from Harlem’s house. Shit, it wasn’t really her house since I had lowkey strong armed her into staying with me. I didn’t regret it either because I wanted her as close as fucking possible at all times.

By the time I pulled into her driveway, I peeped another car pulling in as well, a silver BMW coupe. I watched as OA got out and laughed. Apparently I wasn’t the only one late to this dinner.

“Damn, nigga, it’s been what? Three years? Then the next time I see you I find out you done wifed baby sister?” OA was the first to speak as we shook hands at the stairs.

I chuckled. “Shit happens, you've been good?”

“Hell yeah. Keeping my head above water if you know what I mean. You serious about my sister or i?—”

“Dead ass serious. All due respect, she grown and so am I. Harlem is my fucking heart, hurting her would be me hurting my damn self. Hell nah I ain’t going out like that.”

He nodded. “Respect.”

We made more small talk before getting into dinner. For the first few minutes she gave me her ass to kiss but for the most part dinner was good. She had already broken the news to her mother, so when she said she was pregnant, the only shocked one at the table was OA.

* * *

A Week later …

“Uncle, my daddy said he may be coming home soon.” Aja entered the kitchen dressed in school attire with a fresh bun and a smile. Harlem followed in a sweatsuit so similar to mine we probably got it from the same store. My baby looked like a fucking boy this morning, with exhaustion in her eyes. She was so tired this morning I got up and took the dogs out. I felt like that was the least I could do since I knew it was my baby making her tired like that. We had gone to the doctor last week and they indeed confirmed she was carrying my baby, as if either of us had any doubt. We knew what was up.

“Yo, did he say when? ’Cause I’ma need some funds on your expenses, shorty. You're expensive,” I joked, just to mess with her.

“No, but he said I could stay with you for as long as I want. He’s gonna get a house close to yours so I can just go up and down the street.”

I laughed at her dramatic nature. “Up and down the street, who's giving you a key?”

“Harlem.” She smiled in a teasing manner, then turned to hug the zombie that was Harlem this morning. She had gotten up, made breakfast, took care of the puppies, and went back to sleep.

“Won’t you, Harlem?” Aja asked, still hugging her.

“Yeah, baby girl, whatever you want.” She hugged her back with one hand and went to grab her purse.

“Yo, you sure you don’t want me to tell Blaze another time?” I asked, eyes locked on her holding the fawn-colored puppy Sora and Blaze wanted to buy. It was about that time for the puppies to be leaving and my baby was ecstatic because she knew she needed a break. Two litters back to back was enough to wear anybody out.

“No. We can go there, then I need to stop by my house. I look like a little boy because I’m running out of things to wear over here.”

“Then just like I told your ass last week and last month, move in.”

She kissed her teeth. “And I told you I don’t want to break my lease.”

I shook my head. “Then you’ll be packing a fucking bag every week until that motherfucker is up. That is, unless you want me to go see them for you.”

Her eyes bulged briefly, then she shook her head with a quickness. “Nope.”

“Good, then handle that shit before I do, baby.” I stood up from the arm of the couch and moved toward her to take the puppy. “I’ll meet y’all in the truck. We’re taking the Range.”

“Thank God,” I heard Harlem say behind me. She hated my Jeep because she said it was flashy and too fast. That was funny to me because though the electric blue was a bit flashy, it was possibly the slowest thing I owned.

Harlem and Aja met me in the car ten minutes later. Aja holding her bookbag for school and Harlem just holding her purse.

On the way to Sora and Blaze’s spot was lil mama’s school, so that would be a quick drop-off if I was lucky and not behind the bitch in the chocolate Odyssey with a kid for every fucking grade. I questioned if her ass even had cable. Being behind her made my drop-off an extra twenty minutes every time, because why the fuck did she have to kiss all her kids on the cheeks as they got out of the car? She had about eight kids, meaning by the fifth those lips were dry as fuck and scratching the fuck out of those kid’s faces. I honked at her ass every time.

For the duration of the drive, I couldn’t help but take Harlem in. Any time she was in the car with me, or near me, I couldn’t keep my eyes off her. She was my whole fucking heart and didn’t even know it.

“I see your best friend is behind us.” Harlem’s voice broke into my thoughts as I pulled into the drop-off line.

“Man, fuck that lady.” I pulled into the drop-off spot to get out and let Aja out.

Harlem laughed and I was about to get out when Aja’s door was opened for her. I looked out the back window, and of course it was Sabastian, smiling and grinning.

“Good morning, Aja.” He greeted her which had me about to get out of the car and grab his little ass by his head. “Good morning, Ms. Harlem. What’s up, old school?” See… the lil nigga was testing my gangster and didn’t even know me. The fuck type of shit was this? I was about to get out of the car when Harlem grabbed my arm.

“Bye, guys. I love you.”

“Leave them alone; he’s just helping her out of the car.” Harlem had the nerve to have a smirk.

I side eyed her then looked in the mirror and saw Sabastian throw his arm around Aja’s shoulder as they walked into the school.

“I’ma see his little ass.” I nodded, knowing I was gonna catch his little smooth ass during pickup.

Harlem laughed just as the lady with the chocolate Odyssey honked behind me. I had half a mind to flip her off but I didn’t feel like hearing Harlem’s mouth.

“What are you gonna do if we have a daughter, Kinga?” Harlem asked on the way to Sora and Blaze’s house.

“Fuck you mean? She’s going to an all-girls school. I don’t even have to worry about that.”

“And when she gets older?”

“What do you mean? She ain’t dating until she’s at least thirty-five. No earlier. Just like Aja isn’t either. That lil nigga Sabastian keeps trying me, but it’s cool, I’ma yoke his ass up.”

Harlem laughed. “Bye. They’re just kids.”

“Hell nah. That lil disrespectful motherfucker knows what he’s doing. Gonna call me old school. I’ma show him old school.”

Harlem’s hand found the back of my neck, fingertips easing between my locks. “I’m sure that’s not necessary, baby.”

“Yeah it is.”

She continued to massage my scalp. “Sure,” slid from her lips as we went in the direction of Sora’s crib.

“Ain’t no sure. You either with me or against me, Harlem Bleu.”

She giggled. Exhaustion evident. “I’m with you baby. Always.”