Page 9

K inga

I was at the shop, handling business today. One of my normal tasks was having my latest project towed to me. No lie I was excited to see it considering I was an old school fanatic. I loved to restore ’em and see just what I could do. It was an interest I had somehow gotten from my uncle. My whole life he’d spend morning until night in his garage, building some shit while my auntie was in the crib making the house feel like home.

“Boss, I got Remy on the phone. He’s saying there’s a mess on one of the blocks,” Big Jay called out, interrupting my thoughts.

“Like what? What happened?”

“Somebody came through spraying. Yellow tape and a lot of blue lights over there.” When he said that, my thoughts immediately went to Jewlz and her warning a few days ago.

I was on my feet in seconds, giving the candy apple old school one last look before I turned to Jay. “Anybody know who did it?” My fingers itched and my skull was on fire. I didn’t go messing with nobody, even when I could have. Folks loved to disrupt the peace with greedy hands. Cup handed ass niggas.

“Fool named Kyro who works under Maj from what I gathered,” Big Jay responded. He has worked with me long enough to know I didn’t like questions with no answers. Even if you didn’t have any answers at first, it was best to find some before telling me the situation.

I dropped my tools. “Cool, then where is Maj at?” What irked me more than anything was people thinking we were peers because we weren’t. I ran this shit and earned my stripes. Not a soul walking this earth would ever be able to challenge that.

“Getting a location right now. He hangs out at a lil hole in the wall named Willows near his territory. Making sure he’s there now.”

I nodded. Pissed off was an understatement. Most days all I wanted was to work on these cars, but I was always pulled out of my element, always taken to places where I had to move in ways that were no longer first nature to me.

His phone rang. “We got confirmation. He’s there.”

I nodded. “Then let’s go.”

While Jay drove, I sat in the passenger side of his car with my mind full. I’d always be down with the gunplay, but why didn’t people get tired of it? If we all knew how I was gonna react, why fuck with me when we know how I’ma react every time. I had always been consistent with my reactions. The ride was all of fifteen minutes.

“You strapped?” I asked Jay before we got out of his car.

“I’m riding with you. Don’t I have to be?”

I chuckled. He was right. I didn’t fly off the handle much but I’d handle something in a minute. Let Nine tell it I gave a look when I was about to get busy. I didn’t know what he was talking about, but I did know if something didn’t sound right I got busy and did the talking part later. I didn’t much care for anything coming out of anybody’s mouth because nine times out of ten it was all lies.

“You good. I ain’t on nothing for real,” I assured him as we walked into the restaurant.

When we walked in, the aroma of good barbeque hit my nose. The space was decorated like an old school Famous Dave’s with the red plaid plastic tablecloth and wooden outside tabling. I remember Harlem telling me how much she and her girl loved this place. I could smell why, but I didn’t want anything in here. I was eating at Harlem’s tonight, then fucking her real good and eating again.

I stood at the door scanning the spot for Maj’s fat ass. Then I spotted him. He was sitting at the table in the corner, face all in his phone. That was the quickest way to get murked out here. Then again maybe not. As I approached the table, I peeped buddy to the left of him get up like he was about to stop me.

Jay stopped him in his tracks, with a pistol to the gut and a warning to stand down.

“What’s up, Kinga? I didn’t know you were stopping by.” Maj caught me just as I slid into the seat across from him. Too slow.

“You want my blocks.” I wasn’t asking; I was making a general statement.

“Nah, man, what yo?—”

“Obviously you do. Your boy seems to think they’re up for grabs. That I’m one of the lil homies. Do I look like one of the lil homies to you?” I wasn’t letting him get a word in, I couldn’t. Unc said you instilled fear in a man by letting him hear and feel you speak. With every word from my lips I knew Maj was tensing because one, I had walked in his joint and popped up on him, and two, I was unpredictable.

He grimaced. “Hell nah. Which one?”

“Kyro.”

He looked at me, face filled with confusion and seemingly emotion. “What did he do?”

I shook my head. How can you run the streets and not know what’s happening on your blocks or with your youngins?

“I’m already hearing he wants my blocks, then a shooting happens and I hear he was the one behind the gun.”

He shook his head. He was truly clueless in this and that pissed me off. I could’ve handled Maj right here and went home. Problem was handling him gave me blocks I didn’t want nor need. I had no desire to overtake anything he was doing because I was on bigger things.

“He’s new to this shit. He doesn’t know the chain of command like you or me. Let me handle him and I’ll make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

I gave him a skeptical look. I didn’t know too many willing to go to bat for their workers. I mean, yeah, have their back, but if they fucked up? I was letting them deal with the consequences of their actions. It was what it was.

“He’s my auntie’s only kid. I can’t let her lose him because I put him in the streets.”

I nodded. “Any more transgressions I’m coming for your head, and on my mama, I won’t miss.”

I was on my feet leaving the restaurant less than a minute later. I hoped my warning was enough because I meant every word. It was cool to get money with blood until blood got in the way of money. I’d never had that problem with my blood because we were all go getters, with only one goal in mind.

“Do you think he’ll make sure he gets his boy in line?”

“Nah. Anytime somebody under you does something on their own, they don’t respect your authority. Blood or not, Kyro ain’t listening to him, and when he doesn't, things will be handled and those blocks will be up for the taking.”

“You don’t want them?” Jay asked.

“Hell nah. Too many problems and I got bigger fish to fry. Shit, you do too, so don’t be getting no ideas.”

He chortled.

When we arrived back at the shop, I was tempted to go back in and work on the oldie, but the way my stomach was rubbing my backbone, I was going straight to Harlem’s. Aja was with Sora and Blaze for the night, meaning I didn’t have to get up at the top of the morning to get her to school.

I was about fifteen minutes from Harlem’s when my phone started ringing. The center console let me know it was my auntie, which I was shocked about. Ever since she moved, her old ass had been busy. Shorty became a social butterfly within weeks of moving out there. Though I acted like I had a problem with it, I didn’t. I was glad she wasn’t cooped up but instead living her life and moving around. When Unc died suddenly, that shit broke her but she tried not to let it show.

“What are you doing up this late, old woman?”

“Minding my grown business. And I oughta hang up on you because that’s damn sure not how you answer a damn phone, Kinga.”

I chuckled. “You right, it ain’t. My bad, Auntie.”

“Nope, not your bad. You’re deliberate. Now before I find myself cursing you out, how have you been?”

“Life's been on bullsh—some other stuff right now, Auntie,” I answered honestly.

“You've been keeping your cool, right?” I hated when she asked questions she already knew the answer to. She talked to Sora more than anything, so I was sure she knew if I was keeping it or not.

“Been trying to.”

“Least you try. That’s all that matters. Your brother slipped up and told me about your girlfriend. What’s her name?”

“I’on got no girlfriend, Auntie. I’m still out here sol?—”

“FaceTime me. Let me see you lie to my face.”

I laughed.

“Right. Now… what is her name? Tell me about her at least. It isn’t like you’re gonna let me meet her anytime soon.”

“She isn’t my girlfriend. We’re just kickin it.”

“Even that’s a step for you. Son, you’ve never had adequate enough people skills to deal with people. You don’t even like being bothered, so the fact that you’ve been spending time with this young lady means a lot. I may not have to fear you growing old alone.”

I chuckled. “You never had to worry in the first place. I’m a real nigga, auntie. Just because I’m alone doesn’t mean I’m alone.”

“I know, but I still worry about you. I have no choice but to. I just want you to be happy, shoot it’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

My auntie and I talked for a while longer. By the time I got to Harlem’s house, Auntie was yawning. After promising her I’d make a special trip to come see her in a few, we were off the phone.

* * *

“Y ou come over here to eat or actually see me?”

“Shit, both.” I chewed through the tender pot roast, feeling fulfilled as hell. I hadn’t had pot roast in years, since way before my auntie moved. It just wasn’t one of those meals I realized I missed until the moment Harlem held a piece out for me to taste.

She grinned, lighting up the entire room. Something about seeing her smile made me feel lighter. As a matter of fact, just being around her did. I’d never purposely admit it aloud but everything about her made me feel a little less complicated. Coming home, or to wherever she was, made me feel like everything in the world was alright.

“What makes you happy?” she asked, voice making me gaze in her direction just a little bit longer.

“Shit, I don’t know. I’m not the overly happy type.”

“What about your cars? Do they make you happy?”

The thought brought a smile to my face. Maybe she was going somewhere with this. “Not so much happiness as fulfillment.”

“Why?”

“Because for as long as I could remember my uncle used to spend days under those cars, making something out of nothing.”

“Is that how you feel when you work on yours?”

I nodded. “Feels like peace, like none of that other shit I be dealing with matters. Everything else is for the money, but the cars? That’s for the heart.”

She smiled. “I love that for you. You look like you’re at peace when you talk about them.”

“I know what else brings me peace.” Before I could stop myself, I was spewing corny shit.

“What?”

“Being right here with you… like this.”

She tried to correct me. “You mean knowing I cooked and coming over here to eat.”

“Nah, hearing about your day, eating with you, and knowing where we’re gonna end up after I’m finished.”

She laughed. “Well not right now, buddy. I wanna watch a movie, well… after you shower.”

“You finna shower with me?”

“You want me to?”

“Stop asking questions you already know the answer to. Meet me in th—” My sentence halted when I heard my phone ringing. When I picked it up, and saw it was Bry, I answered.

“What’s good, old school?” I called him that to fuck with him.

He laughed. “Y’all youngins get on my fucking nerves with this old school shit. I was calling to invite you to the bar. It’s Aro’s birthday and you know his grumpy ass doesn't really like anybody.”

I chuckled because that was true. Every time I saw him he was frowned up about something. “I’ll slide through. When is it?”

“Shit, in about thirty or forty-five minutes. You're good.”

I laughed at his last minute-ness, then my eyes went to Harlem who was trying to act like she wasn’t watching me. “Tonight for real?” I rubbed her exposed thighs, thinking about them on my shoulders and how if I agreed I wouldn’t be able to do that until we got back.

“Yeah. Bring your young old ass out of the crib.”

“Aight, man,” I agreed. We hung up a little bit later, my attention on what I could get cracking before we walked out of the door.

“What was that about?” she asked, nearly squirming under my touch.

“We’re about to slide somewhere right quick. My boy is having a bir—” I started but the expression on her face made me pause. “The hell are you looking like that for?”

“Because I didn’t know you had friends.”

I laughed. “I don’t. I got people that I came up around in the trenches. Go put something on, baby, we going to a bar and coming right on back here.”

“For how long?”

“Long enough to show my face,” I assured her, knowing damn well her homebody ass wasn’t feeling this sudden change in plans. I liked the fact that she liked to stay in because I did too. I wasn’t one of those people comfortable in crowds and loud spaces. That gave me anxiety and irritated me while my brothers thrived in it, everybody except Nine. He was just like me, not messing with the crowds and extra human interaction. Shit was aggy.

It took us both a minute to get dressed, especially since Harlem refused to shower with me now. That was comical seeing as how before I got that call she was all up for being bent over in the shower. Anyway, I hadn’t been dressed two minutes when I walked into Harlem’s closet and saw what she was wearing. I wanted to tear that shit off of her because I promised she had me messed up. Most of all, she had me possessive.

The way those jeans fit her frame was like they had been painted on. Then she wore a silk type tube top, held up by nothing but the breasts I knew like the back of my hand and God. Hopefully He held it up tonight because I was sure to send a body to the morgue for seeing something that didn’t belong to them. When it came to Harlem, I was jealous off rip. I didn’t want fools talking to her, looking at her, or even thinking about it. A lot of motherfuckers better be glad I didn’t have telepathy because I promise they would’ve been sent to see their maker off thoughts alone.

By the time we pulled up to Bry’s, I was lowkey ready to go home. Thing was, I was already here and climbing out of the truck. When I rounded the truck to get Harlem, I checked my waist to make sure I had my shit on me. I didn’t go anywhere naked, it was unheard of, especially in this day and age.

With my hand draped around her shoulder, I walked her into Bry’s, not bothering to stop near the fat nigga on the stool in the corner. Couldn’t be a bouncer because he damn sure nodded at me like he knew me instead of trying to stop me.

“Kinga, my dude.” Some random walked up on me, but I shook my head. Fools acted like they knew me, but they didn’t know me. If they knew me, they’d know walking up on me in the middle of a function wasn’t a good idea.

We entered the space, my eyes scanning the crowd before one of the waitresses tapped my shoulder and pointed toward the back area. With the dimness of the lights and the crowded space of people, it took me a minute to spot Bry on what looked like a balcony holding his hands up. Big bro had come a long way, from opening a restaurant to opening a second location of his first bar. This location, however, had a second floor, giving the space a real secluded feel upstairs. There were a few TVs and things, removing the feel of a club and keeping the true bar atmosphere.

With Harlem’s hand nestled in mine, I led the way to the stairs. When we reached them, I put her in front of me and we ascended the metal stairs to where the party was happening.

We reached the top seconds later, where Brysheer met us with a big grin on his face. “You made it.” We shook hands and he looked from me to Harlem. “This you?”

I nodded, eyes scanning the much less crowded space than downstairs. Up here was more intimate and I got the feeling everybody knew one another.

He nodded then reached to take her hand… the free one . “Bry.”

Harlem was unlike me. She was polite and quiet around people she didn’t know. She shook his hand, then nuzzled closer into my space. My lil homebody.

A few seconds later his girl Krisis walked over and greeted me, then introduced herself to Harlem as well before asking her if she wanted to get a drink, to which she agreed, leaving me and Bry standing there.

“The fuck is the birthday boy anyways?”

“Late. Nigga got kids and he ain’t too keen on telling his daughter no. I ain’t either, but my daughter happens to love her dog more than she loves me some days, so of course she’ll kick it with her bonus grandma and dog for a few hours.” He chuckled while speaking a language I wasn’t too fluent in. I hadn’t really thought about having kids, shit not until I ended up with Aja, paying an expensive ass tuition and getting weekly reports on her progress. Then there was Harlem, the woman I was completely fucking obsessed with, the one I was seeing where shit was going with, because usually by now I was annoyed with women and trying to get them out of my face. She was different.

“Last time we talked you wasn’t too keen on finding somebody to mess with exclusively. If I remember correctly, you told me that was for the old niggas.” His voice broke my trance as I watched her interact with Krisis and another woman from afar.

“Shit… I wasn’t. Me and Harlem are just chilling.” I lied to him and myself at the same moment.

“Are you telling me that… or yourself?”

I laughed. “Both of us. But nah, that just snuck up on me out of nowhere.”

“Don’t it always?” he questioned just as Harlem and Krisis returned with drinks.

She found her way under my arm, closer to me in a way much more emotional than physical. I hadn’t much realized that until now in a room full of people and it only felt like her and me.