Page 29 of Cove City, Volume II

After my auntie left, I waited by the door for Naheem to come out. I was already disgusted that their old asses were in there fucking, but to know Naheem’s dark secrets were even more shocking, but good for me. It took a few moments before he came running out of the room to chase my auntie. I could tell she had a hold on this nigga because the way he fumbled on his own two feet was crazy. I emerged from the dark corner next to the door, scaring him.

“Sup nigga.”

“How the fuck did you get in here?”

I smiled.

“It’s that Avery type shit,” I winked.

“If you knew what was best for you, you wouldn’t be here.”

I nodded as I circled him.

“Tell me what’s best for me,.

“I paused.

“Brother.” I smiled.

The agitation that set on his face was very satisfying.

“So, all this muhfuckin time you knew I was kin and you and your bitch ass son treated me like I wasn’t one of you. Matter of fact, does Bishop know I’m his muhfuckin uncle? Huh?”

Naheem’s sinister laugh filled his halls.

“What? I’m supposed to be scared of you, nigga. I’m supposed to curl up like a bitch, huh, baby brother!.

“he yelled.

“You ain’t no kin to me nigga. You are some fucked up nigga whose mother laid up with a man she wasn’t supposed to. What did you come here for, sympathy? For a hug? For acceptance? Wrong muhfucka. Now welcome to the family!”

My fist curled, my nose flared. That was my momma he was talking about, and although I didn’t give a shit about her, it was something only I could do, not anyone else.

“Fuck you!.

“I leaped toward him, and he jumped back.

He slapped his chest before raising his hand to the ceiling.

“Wrong nigga, fuck you!.

“he shouted back as he swung on me, hitting me in the jaw.

Naheem then hit something on his stairs, and out of nowhere, he pulled out a gun, “Oh shit!.

“I said as I dived across the hall.

Bloaw!

“That’s right, oh shit! Come in my muhfuckin house!” He barked

Bloaw!

He came down the hall as I tried to escape his crazy ass. I knew Naheem was with the shits, but this I wasn’t expecting.

“Nigga I just need some money!.

“I shouted as I dived into another room.

“Money? Again, wrong nigga. Quinton Avery, bring your bitch ass out here now!.

“he roared.

I hid behind the bed in one of the rooms. His footsteps sounded like they were getting closer. I glanced at the cracked window, then at the open door. I saw his shadow emerge and rushed to the window, lifting it then diving right out.

Bloaw!

My body plowed into hard concrete. “Ah,.

“I groaned.

I stumbled to get up and took off. This was living proof that I wasn't destined to have family, because although he knew I was an Avery, he still treated me like shit. Now I see why Bishop didn’t like his father, because the Avery curse was real.

We had finally made it back to Bishop’s, and the place looked different. Indigo had been really invested in this party Keith was throwing for his little shorty. It annoyed Bishop, but for Indigo, he sucked it up. As soon as we stepped into the house Indigo came out of the kitchen with wide eyes. “Vari!.

“she yelped, running into his arms.

She hugged him tightly.

“I’ve missed you,.

“she said to him.

He nodded.

“I missed you, too,.

“he slurred.

I tapped Bishop’s shoulder.

“Let me holla at you for a second.”

I wanted to check his temperature before I took off. He picked up London before he walked over to me. I laughed.

“Maybe it’s time you had a kid of your own?.

“I said, pointing to London.

“Whenever Indigo is ready. I’m not fucking with her sobriety. What’s up, though?”

“You straight my nigga? You want to talk about it?”

I could see his eyes drift off as he stroked London’s soft fur.

“She’s dead, ain’t nothing to talk about.”

“Bop, nigga you don’t have to be that way with me. I—”

“I’m good nigga leave it alone. She will get the proper burial, I need to make sure my brother is good, though. I know Naheem did that shit, I know it.”

I didn’t know what to say because I had the same feeling.

“I know, and however you want to handle it, we can.”

He put London down, letting her run off.

“I will handle Naheem. You find that nigga Quinton. He’s been out here too long unscathed. Let me get through this party, and everything will be on go from here. I just hope Indigo can forgive me because a nigga has been real patient while shit is happening around me, and I can’t sit back and watch anymore.”

“Bet.”

Bishop was fed up, and I didn’t blame him. He had been through a lot, and to see him as calm as he has been is still a surprise to me. My nigga didn’t even take his summer trip as he had many times before, so I knew shit was getting real. I dapped him up and left. I wanted to stop by my mom’s and check on her. It had been days since I had talked to her, and I tried to get her advice on how to approach Tuesday. I needed her back because every day without her made me feel like we were growing further apart, and that’s what I didn’t want.

It had gotten pretty late, but I knew my mother should still be up. I exited the highway and passed an abandoned building. That’s when I noticed motorcycles zooming past me. I knew it was those Zoo niggas, but they went from a handful to a dozen, which let me know that Quinton was right, they had put his niggas on. Sasha’s bike came swooping out last, swerving past me to catch up with them. I was proud of her, happy she found her tribe, but wasn’t sure how I felt about her being on the orange side while at war.

I pulled out my phone to call Tuesday. I had never felt nervous to talk to her before, but for some reason, I was. The phone rang twice before she picked up. “Pierre!.

“she called out.

I briefly closed my eyes and shook my head because her voice was what I needed. “Baby,.

“I replied.

I sensed her smiling on the other side of the phone, and not only did my dick respond, but so did my heart.

“Where are you?”

“Driving, you good? You need something?”

“I want to talk.”

Tuesday was talking like she was around the goddamn corner and that frustrated me because I would have much rather talked in person than over the phone. However, I didn’t want her to hang up on me. It was something about a love being snatched from me. I put her on speaker.

“We can talk baby whatever you want to do, just don’t’ hang up on a nigga,’ I told her.

She sighed loudly.

“But Pierre—”

“Tuesday, I can’t take this shit. Don’t hang up. How long you want a nigga to beg? You left me, you didn’t let me explain. You didn’t give me a fucking chance, and here you are trying to do the same shit again. I’m losing my fucking mind. So please, baby, please don’t hang up.”

My eyes bounce from the phone to the road as I turned onto my mother’s street. The screen went black, so I didn’t know if she hung up. “Hello?.

“I called out.

“I’m here.”

“Give me a second, and we can talk about whatever.”

I pulled up in front of my mother’s house and parked. I wanted Tuesday and I to get out whatever it was before I went inside to talk to my mom. I put the car in park and sat back.

“Are you going to allow me to explain now?”

I could see my mom’s door open, but I figured it was her coming out to tell me to get out of the car because that’s what she always does.

“You can explain, Pierre, you just have to let me in first.”

“Let you in what?.

“I said, looking down at the phone.

“Look to your right,” she said.

When I glanced up and turned, she was standing right there. Tuesday, my baby, my heart was standing at my goddamn window. A nigga melted inside, it almost made me feel like one of those YNs crushing over a shorty. I ended the call and got out of the car. I walked over to her. My tall frame towered over her. Tuesday raised her eyes to me.

“You ready to talk?.

“she muttered.

I reached down and lifted her chin.

“I’m ready to do whatever you want to do, as long as you promise you won’t dip on a nigga. Tuesday, I-I can’t take that shit.”

“You missed me?.

“she asked.

I smiled.

“Like a muhfucka.”

She reached out and her thumb slid across my lips.

“Sss,” I hissed.

It was her touch. It was as gentle as the smoke lingering from my lips when I smoked. When our eyes locked in on each other, the feeling I felt couldn’t be ignored. A nigga was gone, and there was no denying it.

“Something is wrong with your mom,.

“she said to me.

I glanced up at the house.

“What’s wrong with her?.

“I asked as I headed toward the house.

Fuck did she mean something was wrong with her? That was the second part of my heart. I couldn’t even walk toward the house because my feet automatically began running.

“Pierre!.

“I heard Tuesday but ignored her.

She was talking about my mom. The only superhero I had, and if I needed to kill a nigga, I was ready to splat their brain open like a fucking Basquiat.