Page 33

“We got Shotta in the building! And he brought a special guest with us.”

“So the rumors are true then? You have a daughter?”

“She looks just like him, Dro. What do you think?”

I stop cleaning up to look at my tablet. Shaddy took Sadé to one of his interviews for this popular podcast. Her hair finally started growing back in the back, so it looks like she has a little undercut with two lil pigtails.

They’re in matching pink Nike techs, looking every bit the father-daughter duo they are. And Sadé is soaking up all the attention as she sits on Shaddy’s lap, while he looks stoic in big ass blacked out sunglasses.

“Yeah, she’s my heart. I actually delivered her at home. Crazy ass story actually…”

The days seem to blur into each other. Between finishing my pieces for my show, and watching my daughter learn new things, life has been on fast forward. When Shaddy came home, it seemed like time slowed down a little, but now as Sadé passes five months, and I see her sitting up on her own on Shaddy’s lap, I realize it’s still going at warped speed.

Soon she’ll be walking. And talking. Probably talking first, since she already loves to holler.

Maybe I should start looking for my own place…

Just thinking about it makes me want to throw up. Living by myself? With a child?

You can always shack up with your baby daddy, my inner voice snickers.

I roll my eyes inwardly and grab my tablet, where Shaddy’s freestyling to an old 50 Cent song. He’s going crazy, the podcast hosts bobbing their heads, while even Sadé is mesmerized, her little chubby hands wrapped around his fingers.

I catch the tail end of it, and swoon as he blushes at their praise. That lil dimple of his pops out as Sadé reaches for the microphone.

“So this new song K.A.N.O. name drops fellow South Kenton rapper Sincere. But when he was independent, almost all of his songs were a Shotta beat. Even after his chain got snatched, you never commented negatively. Why are shots being thrown now?”

Shaddy’s smile drops as he licks his lips. Even Sadé notices his change in demeanor, peering up at him as she guides his hand toward her mouth.

“Any issue I got with a nigga will be handled on wax or in the streets. So really, all I needed to say is on the track. Stream that, and be on the lookout for more new music–”

My phone switches to a picture of me and YT, as my special ringtone for her replaces Shaddy’s voice. Knowing it must be important for her to call and not facetime, I answer.

“Hey–”

“Are you dressed? I invited Baby Girl to lunch and got nervous when she didn’t reply right away, so I told her you and Wyn are coming, too.”

“YT,”

I sigh, walking toward my closet.

“You don’t need buffers. You’re family. Talk about Young shit.”

“Look, I’m outside. And I know DW is at work, so you got five minutes before I crip walk all over her ‘no entering while she’s not there’ rule, and then you and mini Shaddy will be banished.”

She clicks in my face just as I pull some jeans off the hanger. So fucking dramatic.

I trade my leggings for the jeans, put on some Vans and spritz some perfume before meeting YT outside. She barely lets me close my door before she zooms off toward wherever we’re eating.

Wyn turns around in the front seat and wiggles her eyebrows at me. Gone is her blonde forty-inch bussdown. She looks more like Autumn with a jet black unit layered to perfection.

“Wow, Wyn. I love your hair,”

I gush, leaning forward to run my fingers through the silky strands.

“It’s for my music video shoot later tonight, but I’m liking it, too. Maybe the blonde is played out.”

“I wanna see your natural hair. Are you a bright red Anne ginger or more ruddy brown?”

Wyn cuts her eyes to YT as she faces forward.

“I’ve never seen your roots. Are you a natural blonde? Does the carpet match the drapes?”

YT winks as we pull into the valet of a cute Italian restaurant I’ve never heard of. Brina and Set are sitting at a table on the patio, Brina on her phone, Set scanning the perimeter.

I link arms with YT and pull her toward them.

“Try to relax. Don’t say anything too crazy. You got this.”

“I tried to tell her Brina’s a sweetheart. I mean, she’s cool with me and I–”

“You what?”

YT hisses, turning to Wyn.

I shake my head as we lock eyes briefly, before Wyn smiles and squeezes YT’s shoulder.

“It’s in the past. This is the future! Heyyy B! Hey Set! I hope they know how to make a lemon drop with tequila here!”

She skirts around us to hug Brina, who also has on a fire layered black sew in. I hug her, too, then nod at Set before taking my seat.

“I was already with Casey at physical therapy when you texted, so I’m glad it’s a group thing,”

Brina explains.

Wyn snorts as she flags down a waiter.

“Don’t tell me you had to put the smackdown on another physical therapist?”

I mout.

“put the smackdown”

to YT, but it’s Set that chuckles at me.

Brina just rolls her eyes.

“Them thirsty ass hoes. I been researching the exercises and stretches, in a minute it’s finna be me working him out.”

Set turns Brina toward him with a finger on her chin.

“You be working me out every day anyway, mama.”

Wyn and I gag as they kiss. Thankfully, the waiter comes, busting up their PDA, and we all put in our drink and food orders.

After the waiter leaves, Brina smiles at YT, who stiffens beside me.

“I feel like it’s been forever since I’ve seen you, True. You’ve been here almost a year; how are you liking Kenton? Is it better than back home?”

YT makes a weird popping sound before clearing her throat, and I’m glad Wyn and Set are in their own conversation, so they’re not witnessing her clam up like this.

Right as Brina’s brows furrow, YT finds some words.

“Uh, yes, it’s been a… while. I see why you decided to move back. It’s cool… but I haven’t had food better than Big Mama’s yet.”

“Right? I think we’re gonna go back for Christmas this year. I’m serious about Cody and Cam knowing their cousins. Are you, YC, and Prince going back?”

YT simpers like Brina’s serenading her.

“Yeah. We’ll be at Big Mama’s like every year. I know she’ll be happy to have her favorite in town twice for once.”

Brina rolls her eyes and waves her off.

“Oh please. I’m only second-best because of my daddy. You’re the favorite overall. I know it’s because of those snickerdoodles you refuse to make me.”

I see YT finally exhale all her tension before really diving into the conversation. Everything happened so fast with Qi and then her own situation with his brother, that by the time the dust settled, she was in jail and Brina was back home in college. Now with her being free, and Brina around more, this is what she’s been dreaming of. Having a real relationship with her.

A sisterhood.

Movement in my periphery makes me glance up, and a bad taste creeps into my mouth.

Why I keep seeing this bad built ho, I’ll never know. She’s probably a professional streetwalker.

“Well, well, well. Look who it is,”

she sneers. But for once, that colored contact covered hatred is centered on Brina, of all people.

“Um, is there a problem?”

Brina asks.

“Yeah, is there?”

YT grabs a steak knife from the table and brandishes it.

“Nope,”

she smirks.

“None at all.”

“Move along, Sahara.”

Set rubs his waves, letting his jacket casually lift up to reveal his gun holster.

Sahara waves at us before strolling off.

“Enjoy your lunch, Sabrina Young.”

She glances back before walking to the corner and turning.

“I’ll be back. Don’t move.”

Set takes out his phone and starts going toward the back.

“She’s such a weird ass bitch,”

Wyn remarks as our food and another round of drinks come.

“Ugh! So glad Shaddy upgraded. Let’s not let her fuck this day up. Brina, switch with me so I can get a picture of you, Mace, and YT.”

Brina smirks at YT.

“I don’t know why you don’t like your name. It’s so cute and so you. I love it.”

“And that’s why you’re the only one I let get away with calling me that.”

I go to get up but YT squeezes my wrist, so I stay in the middle of them.

“Yaaas! Three Northupton baddies taking Kenton by storm!”

Wyn flicks us up dozens of times, directing us to do different poses and faces.

“Okay! One with just the Young girls!”

Brina smiles and stands to pose. YT cuts her eyes at Wyn before going by Brina, and I lean on the railing to watch them pose.

It’s always been said Brina looks just like her mom. Standing next to YT, though, those infamous Young genes pop out. In the full lips. The cat eyes, the same ones Big Mama has and loves to squint at you. They even smile the same, YT’s shining brightly when Brina wraps both arms around her.

Tires screeching have me glancing behind me, but it’s just a delivery van, so I turn back around.

YT’s smile drops as she reaches behind her.

“Get down!”

I turn to see a barrel of a gun pointed right at me. My breath catches as I slump out of my chair, bringing the table top with me just as he fires.

Thank God for solid granite, I guess.

I keep the table on me as I crawl toward Brina, who’s grabbing her own piece out of her purse. She stands as YT ducks down, but ducks again as heavy firepower begins to assault our fallen tables.

“They got Wyn!”

YT shrieks.

Over the screams of the other diners, I hear doors slam and tires burn rubber.

Brina’s pulled up from the floor by Set, and he pats her down quickly before crushing her to his chest.

“The fuck happened?”

YT and I both stand. She goes toward the valet to get our keys and then all four of us make it to the back parking lot.

“They took Wyn,”

I manage to say as YT answers her phone.

She throws Set his keys.

“Meet us at my crib,”

he tells her, before helping Brina into the car.

They speed off, but YT is still standing there, frozen, holding her phone.

“YT come on!”

I yell. People are running everywhere, trying to get to their cars as sirens start filling the air.

I run up to her, but she doesn’t budge. Doesn’t snatch away from me, but doesn’t move, either. Just… stuck. Not even blinking as a single tear rolls down her cheek.

I hear someone yelling into the phone, so I pry her fingers off and look at the screen. KhiKhi.

“Mekhi?! It’s . What’s wrong?! YT’s just–”

“Them Mathers niggas sprayed my Pops’ whip. Junior…”

My chest cracks. My eyes immediately go to YT, still standing there. Uncle Junior may not have biologically been her father, but he was in every other sense of the word. She was a Daddy’s girl to the T. He taught her to walk, to talk, to hustle. To not take no shit. Tre’s influence got him unlimited visits with the Triplets during his bid, but it was YT who he guided and taught the most. It’s YT who was unequivocally his favorite, his pride and joy. His True Love.

It’s why she couldn’t tell him she found out she wasn’t his. She didn’t want to break his heart. She didn’t want their relationship to change on his end, because regardless, on her end, he was her father.

And now he’s gone, just like that. Done in by the same family that took her unborn from her.

“Fuck, Mace. I’m so sorry–”

“I’ll call you when we get to Brina’s.”

I hang up and pocket her phone. I can’t even begin to think about how much Uncle Junior meant to me. To Mo. To Mom.

Fuck. The sirens are getting louder and louder. We gotta go.

I grab YT’s wrist and yank her as hard as I can toward the passenger seat of her car. She’s compliant enough to slip in without my help, so I book it to the driver’s side, and in fifteen seconds we’re speeding toward the sirens, pulling over to let the police pass.

They don’t even look our way, thank God.

Still, I avoid the freeways and take the streets to Rolling Estates.

YT whispers something, but I can’t hear her.

“I said pull over. PULL OVER! PULL THE FUCK OVER!”

I slam on the breaks, just as she opens the door and vomits all over the gutter.

Once she’s done, she leans back into the car, closes the door, and wipes her mouth with the bank of her hand.

I cup her other one.

“We gone do what we should have done years ago, and wipe all them muthafuckas off the planet, YT. For Junior.”

“For Junior,”

she whispers, squeezing my hand back.