Page 15 of Body Language (Mind, Body, & Soul #2)

Kendrix

The second she told me to drive, I didn’t ask questions. I just grabbed the keys and we were gone. But when she directed me toward Gun Hill ?

Man. I tightened my grip on the wheel, staring out the windshield as the scenery got rougher. Streetlights busted. Graffiti covering brick walls. Kids still outside, even though it was late, posted up like they ain’t had a bedtime in years.

Why the fuck Niv, of all women, needed to be over there? I didn’t know, but I wasn’t about to ask yet.

I kept one hand on the wheel, the other resting close enough to reach the Glock tucked under my seat if shit popped off. I had a couple more in the truck too. Old habits. My pops always said: Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

“Park there,” she said, pointing to a busted-ass spot in front of a building that looked like it was one cough away from collapsing.

I pulled in, cut the engine. She hopped out fast, like she’d done this walk a hundred times. I slid out right behind her, shutting the door.

That’s when I saw a woman, thin and jittery, face marked by every bad decision life ever handed her, standing toe-to-toe with a dude. She was yelling, shoving at his chest like she didn’t give a fuck. He was gripping her wrists, jaw tight.

“If you don’t stop pushing me,” he barked, “Ima beat yo ass, I swear to God.”

My jaw flexed. Niv didn’t even hesitate. She stormed right up like she’d been born for that shit.

“Touch her,” she snapped, “and you gone be laid out on this concrete before you blink, nigga.”

The whole block went, “Ooooh!” like somebody just threw gas on a fire.

“Girl, shut up,” some lady on the steps hollered. “You always acting like you better than everybody ‘round here.”

Niv spun around so fast. “Bitch, don’t get dropped in them fake-ass Uggs! If I was better, I wouldn’t even be out here breathing the same broke air as you.”

Another dude chimed in, “Man, y’all too loud. It’s kids out here.”

She cut him down without blinking. “Then take your ass inside and parent them, since you clearly not doing it now.”

I tried not to laugh.

The man threw his hands up. “Man, I ain’t even on that with her. She said she was gone have my money for them rocks, but she didn’t. So I took my shit and I’m tryna leave.”

The woman whipped around, eyes glassy but her mouth sharp. “He a lying-ass nigga. I might not know much, but I know how to count, motherfucker!”

“Ma!” she snapped.

I froze. Ma? My head turned so fast I almost gave myself whiplash.

The jittery, loud, strung-out woman throwing her whole life into the street…

was her mama? I looked from the woman back to Niv.

Same fire in their eyes. Same don’t-back-down stance.

Only difference was Niv wore it polished and controlled.

Her mama whipped toward her. “Don’t you ‘Ma’ me like you the boss!”

“You damn right I am!” Niv shot back, eyes blazing. “‘Cause you sure as hell ain’t acting like one! Go the fuck upstairs!”

Everyone around yelled “Damn!”

That’s when the flashing lights hit the block. Two cops stepped out, hands on belts, scanning the mess. “What’s going on here?”

Before anybody else could speak, Niv stepped up, calm.. “It’s a misunderstanding. It’s handled.”

Her mama, loud as ever, pointed at the dealer. “Ain’t no misunderstanding! I want my fix! He tryna play me!”

The cops froze, eyes wide. And that’s when I knew I had to step in.

I moved forward, dropping my voice low so only she could hear. “Come with me,” I told her mama. “I got something for you.”

She blinked, eyes flicking me up and down, her face softening like I’d just walked straight out of her daydream. “Now this somebody I’ll go with.”

Behind me, I could feel Niv rolling her eyes so hard the earth tilted.

“Yeah,” I said smooth. “I got you. Let’s just get outta here. No more scenes.”

She huffed but started shuffling toward the stairs, her eyes still on me like she couldn’t believe a man that fine was talking to her.

I followed close behind, every sense on alert, while Niv stayed back, sliding right in front of the cops with that sweet smile she wore like armor.

“Look,” I heard her say, “I don’t know why they called y’all. It’s handled. She good. I’m good. And trust me, this neighborhood don’t need no more chaos today.”

Meanwhile, I was trailing her mama upstairs, already wondering how the hell I got myself in the shit.

Walking into that apartment was like stepping straight into hell with no AC.

The second the door creaked open, the smell hit me.

Weed, old grease, and something sour I couldn’t place.

The carpet looked like it had seen the Civil Rights Movement.

The couch was leaning like it had arthritis.

I damn near wanted to stand in the doorway with my shirt over my nose.

But I sat down anyway because if I didn’t, she was gone think I was too good to be there. And even though I was, I needed to play it cool until I talked to Niv.

Her mama plopped down across from me, lit a cigarette, and blew the smoke straight into the air. Nails chipped,clothes half falling off her shoulder.

“So, who are you?” she asked, squinting at me through the smoke. “And what you doing with my daughter?”

I leaned back, resting an arm on the armrest like I was comfortable when I wasn’t. “Just a friend.”

She smirked like she didn’t believe a damn word. “Mmhmm. Y’all always start off as ‘just a friend.’” She took another drag, exhaled slow. “You hitting it?”

I raised an eyebrow, but I kept my face straight. “That’s between me and her.”

She laughed, this dry, raspy cackle that made my skin crawl. “So you special, huh? You must be. She don’t bring nobody around here.”

I didn’t give her shit. Just shrugged, calm.

Her eyes narrowed. “Where that shit you said you had for me?”

I slid my phone out, typing quick.

Dirt. Bring it to my lo. ASAP.

My boy texted back almost instantly.

Bet. 10 minutes.

I looked up at her, cool as hell. “It’s on the way.”

She grinned, ash dropping off her cigarette onto the carpet like it was an ashtray. “See? Now you talkin’.”

Niv stormed through the door.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?!” she yelled, slamming her purse down so hard the whole table shook.

Her mama didn’t even flinch. She just leaned back, blowing smoke out her nose like a dragon. “Don’t come in my place of peace with all that yelling, girl. You already loud as hell.”

Niv’s eyes damn near bugged out her head. “Peace?! Mama, you was outside tryna fight a grown-ass man over some rocks!”

Her mama laughed. “Shit. He was gone give ‘em to me until you showed up acting like you my parole officer.” She waved her cigarette toward the door. “Go on back to your house with all that bullshit. Don’t nobody need it here.”

I sat back, watching Niv and her mama go at it. I could tell Niv was trying hard to keep that respect in her voice. But you could see it in her eyes that every nerve in her body wanted to snap.

“Ma,” she said through gritted teeth. “You out here acting like a damn fool.”

Her mama smirked, tapping ashes. “Better a fool than a fake. You out here acting like you’re perfect.”

Niv inhaled, deep, like she was counting to ten. I knew that count. That was the don’t cuss your mama out even though she deserve it count.

Before she could let loose, my phone buzzed.

Outside. By your truck.

“Be right back,” I said, standing up.

I headed downstairs, grabbed the bag from my boy without a word, and jogged back up. I ain’t know if I was helping or making shit worse, but fuck it. I wasn’t about to let that circus drag out with cops around.

I walked in, set the weed on the table, and her mama lit up like Christmas.

“Well damn,” she grinned, sliding a tray out from under the table with papers already laid out. “Now you speaking my language.”

She started rolling like she’d been waiting all day.

Niv’s eyes burning a hole in the side of my head. She didn’t have to say it. Her whole body screamed Nigga, I should beat the fuck outta you right now.

I shifted in my chair. “It’s handled.”

“It’s not handled,” she snapped, finally looking at me. “You just fed the problem.”

Her mama chuckled low, licking the paper closed. “You can go now, sugar,” she said to me like she was queen of the damn projects. “She’ll get someone to take her home.”

“I’m not leaving her here.”

“I don’t need a babysitter,” Niv said, voice sharp. “This used to be my home. I’m fine here.”

I leaned forward, locking eyes with her, even when she tried to look away. “I don’t care. If you need to get home, I’m taking you. Point blank.”

Her mama sparked the blunt, laid back like she ain’t just set the whole night on fire. “Go on, Niv,” she said, smoke curling around her words. “Let that man take you home. I’m tryna get high and relax. I don’t need you here all in my face, telling me what I need to do and not do.”

Niv snatched her purse off the chair, saying something under her breath, and walked out.

We hit the stairwell, and I could feel the steam rolling off Niv. She wasn’t even looking at me. Then this little voice came from nowhere.

“Niv… can I talk to you?”

We both turned.

Shorty couldn’t have been more than fifteen, sixteen. Pretty little face, nervous eyes.

Niv sucked her teeth, annoyed as hell. I knew she wanted to keep walking, but she stopped. “What you need, Zejah?”

The girl twisted her hands. “I, um… I need to go to the doctor tomorrow. And I need some money.”

Niv tilted her head. “I know your mama got Medicaid. Appointments should be free.”

Zejah looked down, shaking her head. “Niv, please. I don’t need a sermon right now. I just… I just need what I need.”

I saw Niv’s jaw flex, but she didn’t argue. She dug into her purse, pulled out three twenties, and handed them over.

The girl’s eyes got glassy, but she nodded quickly, clutching the bills like they were gold. “Thank you, Niv.”

Niv turned, heading for the truck.