Page 15 of Half Sight Whole Heart

ZYRO COLEMAN

The sky was still gray as hell, but the rain had finally backed off to a drizzle.

It was after four now. Time had crawled by, and I’d been watching out the window for the last few hours, sitting on Eriss’s couch with my phone in my hand and the TV on a movie.

She was lying on the other end of the couch, freshly showered with the same blanket I slept under last night.

Mahlia had called, and she’d told her everything.

Mahlia had texted me that she knew I’d do what I had to do to get Ermias, but not go to jail. She knew me well.

“Aight. Let’s head to this nigga’s shit,” I announced, sitting up.

As I sat, I had scheduled for ADT to come out tomorrow and set up security for her place without her knowing.

I planned on telling her tonight, but I wasn’t letting her and Ermias stay here.

They were coming to stay with me tonight, or I would get them a room.

I ain’t trust shit, and I hate we lived in different cities, but I’d do anything to give Eriss and Ermias some type of security and relief.

“You think it’s safe to drive? I don’t want to get to Ermias and then be stuck somewhere,” she asked, standing up fast. After the breakdown she had, I’d watched her put some drops in her eyes.

Eriss said it helped with the pain. That made me want to break her baby daddy’s jaw for even causing her the pain to begin with.

She rushed down the hallway to dress. I had to get home to shower and change out of last night’s clothes.

“The roads are still wet, but we ain’t gon float away, baby. You know where he stays?”

Eriss nodded and picked her phone out of her purse. Her hands trembled.

“Do you need a jacket?” she inquired, stopping before locking her front door.

I rolled my head in refusal. “Nah, I’m good. ‘Preciate you for asking.”

Eriss offered a faint smile, then locked up. We jogged to my truck. She sat quietly in the passenger seat, scrolling through her phone until she gave me directions. I kept my eyes on the road. The soft thump of the windshield wipers kept up with my thoughts.

The rain had the streets shining and littered with puddles, but folks were out and about. I adjusted my grip on the wheel.

“You don’t have to go be Superman. I think you showing up alone will make him give me Ermias,” Eriss said after telling me to turn left.

I chuckled lightly. “I can tell that nigga ain’t as hard as he is gon try to appear. He ain’t givin’ your son up easy, baby. I can tell you that now.”

Eriss sighed. I’d dealt with plenty of foul situations in my life, but not one like this. By the time we hit the turn to the apartments he lived in, my hands had curled tighter around the steering wheel.

“Right here,” Eriss announced, pointing.

I parked and cut the ignition.

“Which one?” I asked, unbuckling my seat belt. “I can go by myself.”

“Oh no,” she said, shaking her head with a grimace. “I need to lay eyes on Ermias and make sure he is okay. I can’t just sit here, Zyro.”

“Aight,” I agreed, not that I was gon win that battle anyway.

I locked my shit up and followed Eriss to apartment 45B.

Before she could knock, I stopped her and carefully moved her out of the way.

I knocked a slow, heavy tap at first, then harder the second time.

Without Eriss’ knowledge, I’d grabbed my Glock from underneath my seat and tucked it in my waistband just in case it was needed.

Footsteps shuffled on the other side before the door swung open. A balled up face, Delion stood there shirtless in some ball shorts, squinting at me like he couldn’t believe I dared to show up on his doorstep. His face twisted deeper when he spotted Eriss behind me.

“What the fuck I say, Eriss, and why the fuck you bring a nigga to my crib?” he spat.

“Fuck allat. Bring her son out,” I said flatly. I wasn’t tryin’ to cause a scene where someone called the cops.

Eriss shifted behind me. “Delion, just go get Ermias. He still has daycare.”

The nigga ignored her and kept his eyes trained on me. “Y’all can get the fuck on. I said Ermias is staying wit’ me. The boy needs his father, not a random nigga that’s just getting your ass wet.”

“Watch yo’ fuckin’ mouth,” I warned. That would be my only warning.

A softer voice floated from inside the apartment. “Babe, just give them the boy. We have enough mouths to feed around here and don’t need to be adding another.”

Eriss attempted to push past me, but I grabbed her up.

“Talking about my damn son like that as if he wasn’t here before you decide to open your legs, bitch!

” she hollered. The woman appeared, waddling.

She was okay-looking, but didn’t touch Eriss at all.

Her braids looked to be a year old. Eriss laughed hysterically.

“You keep letting that bum of a nigga shoot inside of you, dummy. Go. Get. My. Son. Since. He. Is. Not. Wanted.”

The girlfriend crossed her arms over her belly, watching Eriss with a mix of shame and boldness.

“Get from in front of my door. Bitch can’t even see, but wants my damn son. I should—”

Before that nigga could say more, I’d cracked him wit’ a clean right hook that sent him stumbling back inside and onto the floor.

“Stay here,” I told Eriss, who, with wide eyes, nodded swiftly.

Stepping over the nigga who was attempting to get his bearings together, I called out to Ermias.

“Homeboy!” I hollered.

“Big dawg?!” A door opened, and Ermias came running out to me, hugging my legs. “My dad said I would never see Mama again,” he sniveled.

“Grab your tablet and whatever else so we can go. Your Mama is outside waiting on you,” I told him. He ran back into the room and did as he was told.

The girlfriend started mouthing off again. “Y’all are foul. You hit my man!”

“And I’ll do that shit again if he disrespects his son’s mother again. Shut the fuck up ‘fore you stress that baby out,” I spat. Delion was trying to get to his feet, but was too dazed.

Ermias came running out with his backpack and tablet in his hand. He ran right into his Eriss’ arms. She dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around him, kissing his cheeks over and over.

“You don’t have to worry about an extra mouth to feed, ‘cause he’s good,” I said. “If I catch you comin’ ‘round them, you won’t have to worry ‘bout my fist.” I lifted my shirt, exposing the butt of my gun. “I don’t make threats just to be makin’ ‘em. I’m really ‘bout that.”

I closed the door behind us with a sharp pull, locking eyes with Delion one last time through the crack before it shut. I slid my palm against the small of Eriss’s back and steered them both toward the truck, which Ermias got excited about seeing and getting inside again.

Rain still drizzled on us, but the storm in Eriss’ eyes didn’t ease.

She held onto her son’s hand like she was scared somebody might snatch him back.

I wanted to make a U-turn and pop that nigga in his mouth again, knocking some teeth out after he said that slick shit about Eriss.

I prayed we crossed paths again. Just me and me.

We got to the truck, and I opened the doors for both of them. I smirked a little. Eriss knew not to touch that door. Baby girl was learning quickly.

“Can I...sit in the back with him? I mean, you don’t mind?” she whispered.

I brushed a strand of wet hair out of her face.

“I don’t mind.”

I helped her up in the back. She buckled Ermias, and in turn, I buckled her. Eriss’ eyes met mine and then looked away just as fast. I shut the door and rounded the back of the truck to the driver’s side.

“I wanna go home now,” Ermias said through a yawn.

“We’re going home, baby,” Eriss said quickly. “You don’t have to worry about coming over here ever again.”

Through the rearview mirror, I saw him nod.

“Hungry?” I asked. “We can stop and grab something.”

Ermias shook his head. “Just sleepy.”

“I feel you. I am too,” I said.

I pulled out of the driveway. As soon as I started the both of them fell asleep, Ermias lying on his mama, and Eriss against my window. Good thing because I wasn’t headed to her house. I was heading to Love Grove.

The rain had stopped. Ermias had shifted in his seat, his little head resting on Eriss’ shoulder, and I couldn’t help but smile.

He was happy to be under his mama. Then I caught the tension in Eriss’ body.

She wasn’t relaxed, and when I made the turn onto the highway toward my house, I saw her stir, and her eyes fluttered open. She looked out of the window.

“Wait…” she gasped. “Wait, where are we going? Where are you taking us, Zyro?”

“To my crib for the night,” I answered her. “Just to be sure there won’t be any pop-ups tonight. I just want y’all safe.” Her brows furrowed for a moment, then softened when I added, “Mahlia is staying the night, too.”

“Oh…okay. I guess that’s fine, but I don’t have our things.”

“Anything you need, I can get. You have medicine for your eye in you purse?” I quizzed, turning left onto the dirt road that led to my place.

“Yeah, I do. How am I getting home in the morning to get him to daycare and myself to work?”

“Mahlia is going back home in the morning, and she’ll take you. I’m also having security installed at your house tomorrow, is that alright?”

Eriss’ head tilted slightly to the side. “Thank you.”

I nodded.

I veered into my driveway, pulling into the garage.

“Yeeeees!” Ermias cheered loudly, causing Eriss to cover his mouth. When she dropped her hand, he said, “I love it here! The house is big!”

I winked at Eriss. “Stay as long as you want, homeboy.”

Eriss laughed and shook her head from side to side. “Don’t tell him that. He’ll want to stay forever.”

“And y’all can,” I found myself saying. Eriss blushed, then began fidgeting with unbuckling herself and Ermias.

I exited the truck and helped them out. I couldn’t wait to shower, eat, and take a nap.