Page 41 of Cove City, Volume II

I finished reading the last letter from Naheem and Best to Pierre. I closed the letter and placed it to the side. My eyes focused on his reaction. He sat there with mixed emotions on his face, from happy to sad to confused to angry.

“How do you feel?”

“I don’t know. It’s crazy that Bishop and I ended up being best friends, not knowing that our parents were with each other. Then Naheem, that nigga is a dead man walking.”

I wasn’t here to take up for anyone, but after reading the letters and putting all the pieces together, I believed that Naheem and Best’s breakup destroyed him. It turned him into a careless, heartless man. Pierre turned to me.

“Now I’ve got to tell Bishop, and he already has a lot going on,.

“he muttered.

Pierre’s loyalty to his friendships, his family, and me was something I appreciated about him. He knew how to separate each instance. How to spread his time equally and navigate hard situations, however, it also made me worry. How long could he continue to do these things without driving himself crazy? I knew how it was to take on others’ problems and make them your own.

Pierre was holding on to a lot and I wasn’t sure if he had fully let go of some of the hurt from his cousin to the situation with Naheem. All I could do was be there for him like he needed me to be, and if I could step in, I would. He lay back on the pillow and tapped his chest. I lay on him, soaking up all of his love.

“I want you to move in with me,.

“I heard him say.

I didn’t even have to think twice because the answer was.

“Yes. I will.”

“If you want, I can get your mother a spot not too far from here,.

“he laughed.

“That’s fine. I think she likes it over at your mom’s though.”

I could feel his stomach going in and out from him laughing.

“Yeah, moms needs the company. Shit, tell yo momma to hook her up with the bingo.”

“Bingo, gosh, don’t bring that up.”

He and I both shared a laugh.

“I’m happy to be in the Wizard of the Cove. It’s like a hood fairytale.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah. Thank you, Pierre. Seriously, thank you.”

He kissed my forehead.

“No, thank you for healing a part of me. Thank you for having a hood nigga like me. I love you Tuesday, the long way.”

A smile crept across my face because this wasn’t the way I had pictured love when I was a little girl, but I was happy I had found it.

“You ready?.

“Bishop asked me.

I tugged at my suit jacket.

“Yeah nigga I’m ready.”

I had to creep out of the bed after the night Tuesday and I had. I took a quick shower and got dressed. I wore a midnight blue blazer with matching slacks, a black button-up, a pair of expensive flats, and finished my look with my gold chain, watch, grillz and earrings. Bishop was dapper as usual.

When we entered the establishment, the atmosphere smelled like rich muhfuckas. The dim lights, mellow music, and smell of cigars were the first things that hit you. There were only women servers. They wore a one-piece tuxedo body suit with fishnet stockings. All of their hair was slicked back in ponytails. They were in uniform.

“Welcome to For the Black Prestige,.

“the lady at the front podium said to Bishop and me.

“Do you have your invitation?.

“she asked.

The shit was robotic, and it spooked me out.

“Ay, Bishop, you sure about this?.

“I whispered.

The lady gave me a side eye.

“Here you are safe.”

“Yeah, a’ight.”

She came around the podium and led us beyond a bookcase. When we stepped inside, all I could do was shake my fucking head. I didn’t even know this shit existed in the Cove. The walls were filled with different wines. Tables were spread throughout the space, accompanied by brown leather chairs. Whisky glasses sat at each table, accompanied by a box of cigars. This was some rich shit. Another woman came out of nowhere.

“Please sit. They will be out shortly. We’re waiting for our other guest,.

“she said as she pulled the chair out, and once we were seated, she walked off.

I quickly turned to Bishop, “Nigga,.

“I laughed.

Bishop glanced around.

“You got your strap?”

“Of course.”

“Good, I don’t trust this shit. Naheem could be up to anything.”

“You’re right.”

The bookcase we came through opened, and when I saw who had entered the room, I knew this shit was a setup. However, who he had with him surprised me. As many times as we’ve crossed paths with Chevy, I’d never seen the nigga in a suit, but the nigga came through stepping. He wore a black suit with a burnt orange button-up. The gold he finished his look with snapped. Alongside him was the young nigga who fought Keith. He wore something similar, but his shirt was black.

When Chevy’s eyes landed on us, he smirked. The young lady seated them at the large table, which we sat at, but on the other side. Bishop sat up and flicked his nose.

“You and that little nigga are a joke.”

“Don’t let the age fool you. The name is Dionysus, a God nigga.”

Before anyone could clap back, one of the wine cases opened, and five people came out. Naheem first, two older people, another man, and a lady. All of them in their finest wears. The hosts smiled as she introduced them.

“Let me introduce you to the Black Prestige. Naheem Avery, Bobbie and Fiona Laureaux, and Clark and Cynthia Mercier.”

I leaned toward Bishop.

“Nigga get yo pops,” I joked.

Chevy shook his head.

“What type of secret agency shit is this?”

Clark Mercier turned toward him with a conniving smile.

“Clark, relax.”

“Clark?.

“I blurted out.

“That’s the nigga?” I asked.

“My name is June Calloway, muhfucka.”

Clark Mercier stepped forward.

“We know your name, but the fact is you are a Mercier, whether you want to accept it or not. This grandson,.

“Clark turned, pointing around.

“This is your legacy.”

Naheem stepped forward.

“Clark, don’t get ahead of yourself. You are not the only one who built this. All of our investments did this.”

Everyone found a seat at the table. Fiona smirked. "The Laureauxs are here to provide mediation to the two families. As long as our money stays long and I mean longer than my husband’s dick, I don’t give a shit if you shoot each other dead in this room.”

Chevy turned toward her.

“You’re Beans’s mother, yes?”

Bobbie interjected.

“Beans? You mean Braylen? Yes, that’s our son.”

“Humph,.

“Chevy replied.

Bishop glanced at everyone around the room.

“Why the fuck am I here? What is this? Because me and this nigga will never get along.”

Naheem stood as he pointed around. He unbuttoned his suit jacket as he took a cigar from his mouth.

“Prince Avery versus Calloway Mercier, it sounds good. I honestly don’t care for the Merciers, but we’re here. They have sucked the life out of everyone. Lake Hill was built on the backs of the Cove. So, I figure today we take back what’s ours, Clark,.

“Naheem smiled at Clark.

Naheem was full of shit because he didn’t care about the Cove, and to see him putting on a show made me want to smoke his bitch ass. The laugh that left Clark’s belly. Clark’s old ass looked like he would suck someone dry. He seemed to be willing to deceive his own family for riches.

“Lake Hill owes the Cove nothing. I know that, James knew that, and besides your son can’t run a city, just like his mother—”

Bishop shot up from the table.

“And your fucked up in the head daughter did better?”

Chevy leaned back.

“Chill on my moms nigga.”

“Fuck yo momma, nigga!”

Chevy whipped his gun out and set it on the table, and I returned the energy then, Dionysus.

My eyes scanned the room as Clark and Naheem seemed to be getting satisfaction from the two. It was almost as if they couldn’t wait to see who was going to win this round.

Chevy’s finger circled the trigger.

“See, you’re talking to a nigga who didn’t know his mother, but to speak about her in my fucking face is dangerous. From what I heard, yo momma met her demise just as mine did, so I guess it’s fuck her too,.

“Chevy clapped back.

Bishop pulled his gun out and aimed it at Chevy. Chevy stood and leaned forward, allowing the barrel to meet his forehead.

“I’ve been faced with death. This shit doesn’t scare me. You and I got all the beef. From my shit being burnt down by one of your Cove niggas to every time your son came to my fucking house, climbing up trees to get to my daughter. For every time I got to think about you being with my sister, to now. I don’t fuck with you, so if you’re going to pull the trigger, do it muhfucka.”

Bishop’s hand clinched the gun.

“You think I care about your speech? Nigga you don’t pump no fucking fear in my heart. From the day you bumped into me on some fuck shit, I knew what it was. That shop, I didn’t burn it down, but the way you move, I wish I had. You came to my business and aired it out, but I’m supposed to be some bitch and sit back and let you do it? Huh? And this daughter you speak of was the same little fast ass girl in my muhfuckin house with her goddamn legs open for my son. The same little nigga who went out of his way to show her a good time and she shitted on him for that little nigga,.

“he said, pointing to Dionysus.

Dionysus slammed his hand on the table.

“She has a fucking name and it’s Samara. She didn’t want that nigga. I suggest you keep her name out of your mouth because I’m not Chevy, I don’t mind serving your brains to these walls. I’m the nigga that doesn’t have it all up here. So, watch your mouth.”

Clark sat back and nodded his head, as if he were proud. Like he had just won the fucking jackpot while Cynthia rubbed his hand. Naheem puffed on his cigar like he was the fucking king. His eyes were eager to see what would happen next.

I knew Bishop was going through a lot, and I wasn’t about to let them gang up on him. I stood.

“Listen, I don’t care about any of this shit, to be honest. However, what we’re not about to do is gang up on my nigga. So, if this is about to be a shootout, let that shit commence, but at the end of this shit, I got somebody to get back to, so what’s up?”

Cynthia cleared her throat.

“Gentlemen, please, we’re not here for all of this—”

Chevy kicked the seat back.

“Fuck that! I’m out this bitch. I don’t know what witchcraft shit this is, but it ain’t me. Bishop, nigga, stay on your side if not I’m not going to be as nice as I am tonight. Let’s go, Dio.”

The two walked over to the bookcase and waited for it to open. Chevy turned in our direction.

“And my name is Mr. Calloway, muhfuckas.”

As soon as the bookcase opened, they stepped in. This entire situation escalated beyond control, and the beef that started with the Averys and Merciers came to an end. Then began again with Grace and Angela, and that died only to be resurrected with Chevy and Bishop. I didn’t know how they were to coexist in the same world, but at the end of the day, Bishop was my best friend, and whichever way he wanted to move, we would.

Now it was time to get back to Tuesday, where the love resided, because this side of my life sucked everything I had out of me. The Cove was like a book of its own, and no matter how many times we tried to come up for air, something or someone drowned the city with chaos.

I didn’t know if this Cove Zoo beef would ever end, but what I did know was that through all of it, a nigga found a love of his own and someone who finally had my back.