Page 54 of Cannon

I prayed that ZaZa would get better. I’d hate for life to become a series of severe highs and lows. I’d hate to keep having to pick up the pieces too.

“You don’t need to buy any other tequila but Casamigos and Don Julio. That Patron has sat on the shelf for four months,” Nori said as she went through my liquor inventory spreadsheets.

“I know. No one likes it anymore. I’m thinking of doing a special to get rid of it tonight.”

“You need to,” she chimed in.

“I know I don’t thank you enough for doing my accounting. But thank you.”

“You thank me just fine with what you pay on a part time basis,” she laughed.

“True but I couldn’t trust anyone else with this. You hold my baby down,” I said lifting my hands around at my club.

“Speaking of babies, how is your demon spawn?”

“So far, so good. I just pray it lasts. Girl, why is Javi trying so hard to get back in my life. He’s been showing up for ZaZa and swears he’s gonna get her a job.”

“That’s because he can smell that YN energy in here. You know niggas got sixth sense when some other man is feeling you. They gotta come in and try to fuck it up,” she pursed her lips.

“You think that’s what it is? It ain’t like there’s anything going on between us…”

“Oh there’s something going between y’all. Why you actin’ so scared. Let lil boy clear those cobwebs. Shit at least dust it off a lil bit,” she laughed as she stuck her tongue out in all its vulgarity.

“I am not fuckin’ Cannon. He’s too young and he’s arrogant. He treats me like he’s tryna own me. And I’m a boss bitch. Don’t no nigga own me.”

Nori rolled her eyes and laughed at me. “Well pass him along, I need a young nigga to own me.”

All I could do was laugh at Nori and her ridiculousness. She knew she wasn’t letting go of that old man she was fuckin’ with so I don’t know why she bothered. But I did feel a tinge of jealousy when she asked me to pass him along. If I saw him with another bitch, I’d flip the fuck out. I’d hate to whoop my best friend’s ass but I think I would for Cannon.

“Well sis, when you stop acting scared, go get you some before he end up with one of those hoes on the pole,” she said as she stood up.

My face must’ve turned in pure darkness because she said, “See right there. You can’t stand the thought of him with someone else. Get it together.”

“Bye,” I dismissively waved her off.

“Uh huh. Run the special on the Patron. I’ll holla at you later,” she said before disappearing down the hall.

I was about to run those numbers again when my phone rang. The screen lit up with a name that always made my stomach drop: ADELE. My mother. I stared at it, feeling like I’d been punched in the gut. The last time we spoke, she had me come over and then that note appeared on my windshield. I knew that she left it to spook me. That man was long dead.

I almost let it go to voicemail, but experience told me she’d just keep calling. With a deep breath, I answered.

“Hello?”

“Baby girl, thank God you answered.” Her voice was frantic, breathless. “I’m in trouble. Big trouble.”

Here we go. I pinched the bridge of my nose. “What kind of trouble, Ma?”

“They’re watching me. I can see them outside my window right now.” Her words tumbled out fast, slurring slightly. “It’s a man in a black car. Been there for three days. I think they might be feds, or maybe those Jamaicans I owed money back in the 2000s.”

I closed my eyes, trying to stay calm. “Have you been taking your medication because I’ve paid those Jamaicans for you.”

“This ain’t about my meds!” she snapped. “This is real! I need to get out of town, like yesterday. I need you to give me some money baby girl. Help me get out.”

And then it hit me. That’s what the note was all about. She was trying to set me up for a big ask. I told her years ago I was done with giving her money. And when she married that rich guy, she stopped asking. But by now, she’s probably blownthrough her cash. It’s crazy, she’s been doing so well the last few years. As well as can be.

“I can’t give you money, Ma,” I said, my voice firmer than I expected. “Every time I help you, it just enables more of this paranoia.”

“This ain’t paranoia!” she shrieked. “You think I’m making this up? I need twenty thousand dollars to disappear. Just for a little while.”