Page 7 of Half Sight Whole Heart

ZYRO COLEMAN

“Yo’ boss, who piece of shit car is this?” Tatum, one of my employees, called out when I came into view.

Tatum’s voice carried across the shop, half-laughing, half-disgusted, as he stood over the Camry.

“Chill out, Tatum. It’s one of Mahlia’s homegirls,” I said, wiping my hands on a microfiber cloth as I sauntered over.

“Shiii, what fine ass Mahlia doin’ these days? I miss her poppin’ up at the shop,” Tatum joked, wiggling his bushy brows.

“Oh, you must want to be standing in the unemployment line today, nigga,” I shot back, causing Marco to snicker.

“I’m just sayin’, she’s lucky this thing didn’t die on the freeway.”

Tatum wasn’t lyin’. The car looked even worse under the shop’s bright LED lights. Paint faded in spots, tires were fuckin’ balding. I was gon get on Eriss’ ass about that shit. Just like a damn woman, running the wheels down to the thread. The most important thing was the diagnosis.

I had to leave in a few minutes to head over to the county jail. I’d opened the shop for the fellas, and while I was gone, Marco was in charge of operations. We had one car that was getting a full paint job, and that was Tatum’s specialty.

“Boss man, the alternator is fried, the belts look like they’re from back in the day, and the battery is done for.” Marco sighed.

“The whole car needs a come-to-Jesus,” Tatum cracked, and I couldn’t lie, I agreed.

“She ain’t gon like that phone call,” I muttered, checking the time on my watch.

“Aye, is this just Mahlia’s friend or is there more to it?” Tatum questioned with one eye squinting.

“What I say? She’s her homegirl wit’ a kid, nigga. Customer pulling up. Take care of my damn shop while I’m gone!” I hollered out, cutting that conversation short.

I greeted the customer waiting near the bay door and let them know Marco would take care of them. I slid into my truck and peeled out of the lot, heading toward the county. Conrad had texted, letting me know that he was en route. If the traffic were light, we’d pull up about the same time.

On the way home from dropping Eriss and her son off at home yesterday, Mama had called me, livid about Leek being in jail.

She was even more livid when she found out the reason he missed the family reunion.

I could still hear her voice ringing in my ears now as I pulled onto the highway.

Mama wasn’t wrong for being upset. She’d buried enough of our people to know the system wasn’t built for men like Leek.

Like me. Men with tempers when pushed, and it was hard coming down from it.

My jaw clenched as my hands tightened around the wheel.

Just thinking about Leek’s situation pissed me off even more.

At least helping Eriss took my mind off him on Sunday.

Now it was one thing after another ‘cause I still needed to call her about her car.

That would have to wait. I needed to put eyes on Zyleek first.

I spotted Conrad as soon as I pulled up and parked.

He was on the phone, pacing back and forth near his vehicle.

His face was screwed up as if the person on the other end was saying some bullshit he ain’t like.

I hope it didn’t have shit to do with Leek.

I killed the engine and locked my shit up after hopping out.

When Conrad noticed me, he held up a finger, telling me he’d be with me in a moment, but fuck that shit, I walked up on him ‘cause something was telling me it had everything to do with my brother.

“This is fucked up,” Conrad growled and ended the call.

“What’s up?” I asked.

“Please stay calm when I tell you this shit, Zyro,” he begged with his hands stretched out, palms facing the ground.

I swiped my nose with the pad of my thumb. “It depends on what the fuck it is, Conrad.”

He sighed. “Zyleek got in a fight and his eye is swollen.”

“With whom? An inmate? A CO?”

“Another inmate, so they tryin’ to stick more charges on him, Zyro.”

“Fuck no! he had no business being in there in the first place, Conrad. Get him out of there, for I turn this whole county upside down,” I gritted through clenched teeth and walked away from his ass.

How the fuck did Zyleek get in a damn fight already?

That sounds like a fuckin’ setup ‘cause he wouldn’t have done shit to fuck up his chance to get out today over a fuckin’ gram of weed.

I could hear Conrad walking behind me. My head was pounding. My phone rang, and when I saw that it was Pops, I groaned. I stopped in my tracks to answer.

“Aye.”

“Any word?” he asked right off.

I cleared my throat. Conrad dipped his head and entered the building.

“I just got word Leek was in a fight and they’re trying to slap more charges on ‘em,” I told him.

“Maaaan, if I gotta bring my ass up to that county jail, I’ma show them folks some,” he barked. I could hear him moving around. “Is Conrad there?”

“He here,” I uttered, rubbing a hand down my waves.

“Well, he’d better work fuckin’ magic! Leek’s baby mamas been calling and textin’ Zena like crazy. You would think he was still screwin’ all of ‘em!”

“I had to snicker at that. “He probably is.”

“Well, he’s a damn foo’! Let me know what they say, Zyro.”

“I will, Pops. I’ll have to wait out here ‘cause I think the lawyers are the only ones that can go in,” I let him know.

I hung up with my Pops, dragging my hand down my face.

My temples were still throbbing. My fists flexed and unflexed.

It was quiet outside, except for the doors opening and shutting as people came and went.

My phone vibrated in my back pocket. I slid it out, thinking it was one of my people, and saw it was Eriss instead.

She wasn’t saved in my phone, but I remembered the last four numbers—4656.

I cursed under my breath. This wasn’t even the time to talk about her damn car, but seeing that she was impatient because I was supposed to be calling her and not the other way around, I answered.

“This Zyro.”

“Oh, hey. This is Eriss. Any news about my car? I know it’s early in the morning, but—” Her voice trailed off.

I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Yeah, my boy got a chance to take a look at it right when he got in. Um…it ain’t good news though.”

She groaned. “I knew it.”

When I reached my truck, I pulled down the bed and hopped on it, taking a seat. I didn’t know how long it would take Conrad to come back out, but I was sitting my ass right here until he did.

“I’m not at the shop right now. I kinda got some family shit going…”

“Oh yeah, your brother. Um, Mahlia told me, and I hope everything is okay. I’m sorry to be bothering you.”

“You ain’t botherin’ me,” I was quick to say.

“When I was leaving, I was told it was a few issues wit’ your car.

We can fix it, but it’ll be costly, or you can think about trading it in and gettin’ some else.

” Silence hung for more than a second. That was some she didn’t want to hear, so I was sure she was processing that shit.

“The alternator’s gone along wit’ the battery.

Let’s talk ‘bout those bald ass tires. That car shouldn’t even be on the road wit’ you and lil’ man in it. ”

Eriss inhaled sharply. “I figured it was bad, but not that damn bad.”

“Yeah, I’ma always keep it real wit’ my customers.”

“I appreciate that.” She sighed softly. “I don’t know anything about trading in a car.”

I glanced up when I noticed movement and saw Conrad come out of the building. I jumped off the bed and pushed it back up.

“I don’t mind helping you, but you have to do me a solid first.”

“Niggas always want something in return,” I heard her mutter, causing me to chortle.

“Like what, Eriss? I don’t want any pussy if that’s what you’re saying? I just want to take you and my lil’ homeboy to the fair tonight,” I replied. “Think about it, and I’ll call you later. The lawyer just came out, so I gotta go.”

Without waiting for a response or a rejection, I ended the call and met Conrad, sliding my phone back into my pocket. I met him halfway across the lot. His tie was now loose, with his jacket slung over his arm.

My chest was tight. “Well?”

He let out a breath through his nose. “Leek is a damn fool, Zyro,” he started, telling me something I already knew.

Conrad had better be lucky he was damn near family to even be talking sideways about Zyleek like that.

“They wanted to slap him with those fresh charges, but I argued excessive provocation and self-defense. I also made the judge aware that Zyleek was profiled Saturday night. The judge agreed to grant bail instead of holding him.”

“Let me get this straight, Conrad. My brother was profiled, and we still gotta give these bitches some money?” I argued.

I was relieved my brother could come home today, but he should be walking out of there free, no damn bond needed.

“I know. I know. It’s fucked up, but we just need to get Leek out of there and then figure out what we gon do about it. I don’t want them getting away with that shit. If they’ll do it to Leek, they’ll do it to another Black boy or man,” Conrad snarled. “That shit makes me sick to my stomach.”

Conrad clapped my shoulder. “You always come through for him, Zyro. Make sure he doesn’t land right back in there. We don’t know what the fuck them people on.”

I gritted my teeth. “I’ll handle Leek, just get him processed out, and I’ll send the bread.”

Three hours later, Leek walked out. The second I saw him, my blood heated. This nigga grinned, slapping one fist into a palm.

“You should see the other nigga.” Zyleek pointed to his eye. “This ain’t shit.”

He pulled his falling pants up and slapped hands with me. His eye was swollen damn near shut, the skin purpled and split. Zyleek was lighter than I was, taking after our Pops. His lip was busted too, dried blood crusted at the corner. They ain’t let him get cleaned up for court. Wild shit.

“Man…” I muttered, clenching my fists until my knuckles cracked. “I wanna go fuck those niggas up.”

“I’m straight, bruh. I fucked that bitch ass nigga up. They thought he was gon come in there and handle me.”

I shook my head and motioned with my head toward my truck.

“C’mon, man. You need a couple of showers. Yo’ baby mothers been callin’ Mama.”

I opened my car door and slid behind the wheel.

“They put money on my bail?” he asked.

“Nah, nigga. You know it was all me,” I snorted.

“Well fuck ‘em!” he shouted. “All three of ‘em.”

I sucked my teeth. “Them yo’ kid’s mamas, man.” I shook my head. “They need to make sure yo’ kids straight. Fuck puttin’ money on yo’ books.”

Leek side-eyed me, and I returned the look.

As ratchet as his baby mamas were, they still took care of their kids.

They didn’t get along with one another, pissed that Leek lied down and procreated with the other, but my two nieces and nephew knew their ABCs and 123s.

They were always dressed nicely, clean, and their hair was always done or had a haircut.

“You never on my side,” he smacked.

“Nigga, I’m here, ain’t I?” I rebutted, finna smack the fuck out of this nigga.

Leek sighed and reclined my seat all the way back. “I need a nap. Let’s hit the booty club tonight? I know you’re tired of Leesa’s pussy.”

I cackled. “Nah nigga. I have other plans tonight.”

“Maaaan like what?” Leek asked with his mouth twisted.

“The fair, bitch.”

“The faaair? The fuck you goin’ to the fair fo’? Who you goin’ to the fair fo’?”

“That ain’t none of your business lil’ bro. Focus on lettin’ some water and soap hit yo’ ass. You smell like a fuckin’ dumpster,” I said, glancing at him briefly before putting my eyes back on the road.

He waved me off, saying, “Whatever, nigga. I appreciate you.”

I nodded. “Just stay out of the way, Leek. Let me handle the shit.”

Zyleek snorted obnoxiously. “Yeah, okay. You ain’t doin’ shit without me, Ro.”

I stopped at a red light and looked over at my brother.

His light-skinned ass now had his eyes closed, probably getting the rest he couldn’t get in jail.

Leek was what you called a pretty boy. Short curly hair that was tapered at the sides.

We were both six feet even, getting our height from our Pops.

“And whatever female you takin’ to the fair, I need to meet ‘cause I know it ain’t Leesa’s stank ass.”