Page 70

forty-nine

. . .

He’d left Eden curled up on the couch hours ago.

From the balcony, he watched her body rise and fall with blanketed peace while he smoked to ease both the physical and emotional pain.

Ribbons of smoke danced in the air around his hair in desperate need of Eden’s touch, and the TV mounted on the far wall only served as background noise to drown out his thoughts.

Keon: Big Rod is calling for a meeting. Turn on the news.

Maximus dropped the phone in his lap and turned the channel to the news.

“Good day, Waynesville, we have breaking news. UVE CEO Anzel Ellis, and leader of the Trae Way Gangstas, Moriah Ellis, known as ‘Mama’, have been indicted on charges of wire fraud, money laundering, forgery, human trafficking, murder-for-hire, bribery of government officials, and countless other charges. Anzel Ellis has turned herself in, and Moriah Ellis is still at large and considered a fugitive. ADA Shanna Lewis requests that if anyone knows her whereabouts to call 537-932-0865. We will provide information as it becomes available. Now to Sarah O’Day for the weather. ”

“Just like that,” Eden’s soft voice followed, gracing his ears. “What happens now?”

Maximus blew the smoke from his lungs and placed the blunt in the ashtray. He waved her over. “I don’t like you talking to me on the other side of the room.”

Eden tightly wrapped the blanket around her and traipsed over to him. Taking a seat, she sighed, “Hearing that just makes the last couple of days real.”

“I thought it was a fuckin’ dream myself. It’s real.” Maximus slouched down in the seat and groaned. “I guess the good thing is we had a plan. We knew it was coming and adjusted.”

Eden grunted. “It really would’ve been nice to be brought into that plan. Whatever it was.”

“I can’t change what I didn’t do, E.”

“I know. Still doesn’t make the sting just go away. But I’m not trying to argue. Especially not now. Not with everything you’ve done and ...” Her words trailed off.

“And what?” Maximus questioned.

Eden shook her head. “Nothing. I just want to make sure my mother’s shit won’t fuck with yours.”

Maximus watched her as she watched the city, stories below, begin to come alive. People were starting to appear, rushing to the coffee shops, public transit, or restaurants, businesspeople whisking into their high-rise offices. For them, it seemed their world was at a standstill.

“I need to know something,” Maximus started.

Eden didn’t move her eyes off Midtown. “What’s that?”

“You never thought about what would happen to your shit for being mixed up with me?”

She swayed her head. “Never.”

“Why not? You know like I know this shit could touch us.”

“It has touched us. I also know, like you know, what it is to lose – everything. More than once. Why would I let fear keep me from knowing what this is like? I admit, in the beginning, fear held me hostage. But it was never because of the potential damage you could do to me. It was always about what my connection could do to you.” She finally turned to look at him.

“The thought of not having you feels like death. The idea alone feels like what it’s been to live without Poppi.

I choose you just like you choose me. We got to ride that wave. ”

He reached out and pulled her close to him. “I don’t like being at odds with you.”

“Me neither.”

“You got to understand that as your man there’s going to be some shit I just won’t tell you.

Not for the sake of being sneaky, but for your protection.

It wasn’t my place to tell you about your moms. I’m never going to stand between you and Staysha.

I’ll always make a plan that keeps us moving forward. ”

“I hear you. And I accept that. And the next time you tell me to beat it, I'll leave.”

“Good ‘cause Big Rod has sent me several texts cussin’ me out for having you in the spot. He don’t give a damn that you a stalkin’ ass Tasmanian devil or the holes in his wall.

Nigga didn’t even ask me if I was alright.

He’s more concerned with why his “babygirl” was in the spot in the middle of some gang shit.

You know that nigga said he was going to shoot me in my other shoulder? ”

Eden laughed softly. “I’m sorry, that’s not funny. I’m sorry.”

“You wait ‘til my arm don’t feel like it’s hanging on by a thread. I’m really gon’ be on all them nerves that be havin’ you shaking and messing up furniture.”

“It is being held on by a thread, though. You took a bullet for me,” she crooned, slightly touching it. “You don’t need to worry about crawling in my skin until you’re healed.”

“I’d take a million more, and I’ll go to war behind you. Heard me?”

“Heard you.” Eden kissed his lips.

He gripped her chin. “I’m sorry.”

“I forgive you with conditions.”

Maximus huffed. “You haven’t eaten, have you?”

Eden shook her head no. “Neither have you.”

He handed over his phone. “Order whatever you want. I'm going to finish this and lie down. I'm fucking tired.”

“You’re just going to leave this with me?”

“I’m not hiding nothing, E.”

Maximus had happily been held up in Eden’s apartment for a week until receiving the all clear text from Big Rod.

Things were starting to return to their normal order.

Mama wasn’t blowing his line up about money, his mother was still safely tucked away, and Augustus was no longer an issue.

He thought he might’ve felt more than what he did.

After a couple of days, his methods of handling a snake didn’t bother him as much.

Eden’s voice broke him out of his head. “You think the pharmacy still has your script?”

“Even if they did, I’m not taking that shit,” Maximus grumbled. “I’m not trying to end up like the people I share blood with. The Motrin and weed is fine. Shit sore but this ain’t the first bullet I took.”

He climbed out of her SUV and rounded the back. After Brody drove them to the hospital, he had a member of security take it and detail it. It was restored to its new car status. Opening her door, he reached for her hand. Eden gingerly took it and slid out.

“Why you looking at me like that?” she questioned, looking up at him.

“Gettin’ thicker ain’t you?”

Eden nipped her lip and shrugged. “Something like that.”

He lowly tapped her ass. “Mm. I like that shit.”

“I hope so,” she muttered. “What are we getting? Something you can cook with one arm?”

“Yeah, and I'm going to be talking you through these recipes like I talk you through that nut.”

She pinched him. “Stop it.”

Maximus laughed and winced. “Aight, aight. I just miss it. You touch me like I’m going to break.”

“You might,” Eden replied, grabbing a shopping cart. “What’s on the menu?”

“Gotta teach you the basics – salmon, chicken, pasta. Can you at least make rice?”

“Pound cake, toast, eggs, peas, and rotisserie chicken.”

Maximus cut a look at her before they both shared a laugh. “Rotisserie chicken ain’t even something you put effort into. I’ll grab the meat and meet you in the produce aisle. I think I deserve some pound cake. Both cakes,” he grumbled the end of the sentence against her cheek.

“Stop it. You know people are watching,” she giggled, wiggling away from him. “And you can’t handle me excited right now. I’ll grab your shoulder and ruin the whole moment.”

“Let them. And pleasure is pain, baby.”

“Until I grab your shoulder and you buckle. I barely touched it this morning when we were changing the dressing, and you almost cried.”

“Come on now, baby, everyone don’t need to know you got a nigga soft.”

“Okay, okay. I’m sorry. I’m going shopping.”

Going their separate ways, Maximus went to grab a few things. He stood at the counter, waiting for the butcher to return with his selected cuts.

“I said sit yo’ ass down. Shit.” That voice made his skin crawl with bitter memories.

He slightly looked over his shoulder, finding Priya and her three children.

Karma had definitely had its way with her and wasn’t letting up.

Before he could look away and ignore her like he’d done before, she caught his eye.

A smile formed over her worn face. “Max. What’s been up?”

She attempted to reach out for a hug, but he dodged it.

“What’s good?”

“Nothing, just trying to feed these kids. I’ve been seeing you on TV and shit. You’re really doing it like you said you would.”

“Yeah,” he nodded, adjusting the flowers and juice he’d grabbed for Eden. “My lady is waiting on me. You take care of yourself.”

“You think you can give me like twenty dollars or something?”

Maximus looked at the set of children. The oldest of the three looked a lot like Wando and not Augustus. From the corner of his eye he caught Eden creeping down an aisle toward him from the front of the store. He curled his lip and then chuckled.

“Imagine my blood snaking me out for some kids that weren’t even his. Nah, I can’t help you. Be good, though.”

Priya’s eyes roamed in shame from Maximus to her children, then to Eden, who was now fully in view. She was glowing. Priya knew that glow, and she knew that Eden had not only gotten the best man she’d ever known, but that she was going to treat him better than anyone in his life ever had.

“Eden, take care of him.”

Eden smiled faintly. “I am.”

“Ay, how long you gon’ keep me waiting?” a stern voice sounded off, making Priya slightly jump.

Maximus repositioned himself to block Eden. Priya headed in the direction of the man, Rocko Smalls, a known pimp. Now that Mama was out of the way, he’d essentially swept up all her money makers.

“Hurry yo’ ass up. You got a schedule to keep,” Rocko grunted.

Priya ushered her children away, only to be stopped by Eden. “What are you doing?”

“I don’t like you, but I don’t want you to die in this shit and have your kids live it over and over again. Here’s a card. When you’re ready to get out, call.” Eden stuffed a card in her pocket, enough money folded in it for Priya to ensure that her and her children eat. “Take care of yourself.”