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T hree weeks later and we were back home.

It took a while for them to sort out the paperwork for the baby.

The battle was just starting for Merci. She had to go through several loopholes to get her baby back.

I was willing to do whatever I needed to do to help.

I could only imagine how hard it was to get attached to a baby and then have him snatched out of your arms.

Today I was waiting on Lucky to babysit Kani because I was finally heading back to work.

He didn’t understand why I was so damn happy, but it wasn’t for him to understand.

I liked having my own money. Lucky would have given me anything I asked for but to keep things on a platonic level, I never asked him for shit. Nothing but to take care of his son.

Since he was going to be babysitting, I gave him the code to my condo.

I got the notification on my phone that he was on the way up.

I grabbed my bag and sat it on the sofa while I went to unlock the door.

I had everything our son would need while I was gone.

I didn’t plan on working late but I did have a goal in mind that I wanted to make before I came home.

“Oh, I didn’t know he would be here.” Lucky walked in with his son, Jason.

“Is it a problem?”

“No, it’s not a problem. Is it a problem with you know…”

“We worked all that shit out. We are good. He needs to start bonding with his brother. Kani about to be one so it’s time they get to know each other.”

“I agree. He’s in the playpen. He just ate and he may want to lay down within an hour. Try to keep him on schedule.”

“You can stop acting like we weren’t together when we had him. I know his schedule, Bless. Don’t stay out too late. Do you got that thing I gave you a while back?”

I opened my bag so he could see it. “It’s a suite so I doubt I’ll have to use it. It will be other business owners there. Probably the safest I’ll be. I’ll try to be home no later than six.”

“Do I need to cook?”

“Please, no! I’ll grab something,” she laughed.

“I’ll see you when you get back. Be safe.”

I stopped and got me some snacks and bought me a speaker for my music since I hadn’t done any shopping for the suite yet.

I planned on putting a television in there soon, but I was too busy making sure I had all my favorite clippers and chair.

Since I provided facials for men as well, I had to have a sink in my suite.

I greeted a few people before opening my door to my suite.

I didn’t have time to get my drinks in the door before I had people walking in.

I had another chair for Perc, but he was busy with Merci and the baby.

I was definitely going to need some fucking help.

I was surprised to see Capone sitting waiting to get the next person out of my chair.

I thought with the way things ended with us, he would never show me any type of love again.

He always had good conversation, and he tipped good.

Glad to know that he still trusted me to cut his hair even with the beef between him and Lucky.

When he first got in the chair, he only spoke and told me what he wanted.

“It’s good to see you back doing what you love. You good at it and as long as you cutting, I’ll be supporting you. The last muthafucka pushed my tape back too far.”

“I appreciate your business more than you know. I never got a chance to tell you, but I apologize about that night.”

“What’s done is done. We should’ve never tried to even take it to the next level knowing he was still checkin’ for you. I ain’t got no beef with buddy. Shit, I would’ve come for yo neck too.”

“I’m glad we cool. Can’t have you walking around with a fucked-up head and people thinking I did it,” we shared a laugh.

“Nah, Atlanta knows who the hardest barber is and that’s why you need to hurry up and get out this cramped-up shit and do it bigger than the last shop. Show these niggas know they ain’t did nothing but made you boss up on their ass.”

“I plan on doing just that. Trust me that’s my plan.”

As usual, he paid me and left a big ass tip. His tip easily put me over my goal for the day. Capone used to slip it in my cleavage but this time he placed it in my hand.

“I’ll see you next week.”

If he was going to keep tipping like this, then I only had to work about three days a week. I started sweeping up the mess I made from several of my clients when my door swung open.

“I’ll be with you in a minute,” I said with my back turned.

“Take your time. I know you done some of the best cutting in the city ‘cause I taught you.”

The hairs on the back of my neck stood up.

I eyed my purse that sat only a few feet away from me.

The building was still busy, and I didn’t want to turn it into a murder scene.

If I played it cool like I didn’t know what was going on, then we both could make it out alive.

Well, I could because if I got the chance, I was going to slit his neck wide open.

I sweep the chair out and grabbed my cape, “Have a seat.”

“You’re a hard person to find. Someone told me that you posted a flyer on social media that you were cutting again. You know I had to come and get lined up. It’s been a while since I cleaned myself up.”

“Why are you really here?” I started on his haircut.

“I want you to call your nigga and tell him to stop while he’s ahead.”

“Why did you do it?”

“What did I do?”

“You are responsible for all this mess. His mama, my mama, and Merci. What did we do to you? I just can’t believe that you’re the same man that raised me.”

“I am the same man that raised you. I always had a problem with gambling. Your mama hated it, but it was something I liked to do. When you get yourself in so much trouble, it makes you do crazy shit. When it comes to my son’s it’s a little more personal.

But when the time comes, we’ll sit down like real niggas and talk about it. ”

“Do you honestly think I’ll let you leave out of here after finding out you were responsible for the death of my mother?”

“You don’t have to let me do shit. I didn’t pull the trigger on your mama.”

“But you were behind it. You tried to kill me and Lucky.”

He laughed as I laid him back to shape up his beard. “I thought I raised you right. Never believe what you hear only what you see. You didn’t see a muthafuckin’ thing that night. You only heard I had something to do with it. Assumptions will make an ass out of you.”

I gripped his chin and lifted his head back to get a good view of his Adam's apple. In my other hand was a freshly bought razor. It would be nothing for me to quickly take it across his throat but what would I tell the police when they got here? There was no forced entry, there wasn’t a struggle in here and I was battered.

“I already know you’re thinking about slicing my neck with that razor. You can do it, but I got a few boys outside your door that are waiting to come in here and have their way with you. Now finish up before I make you meet your mama quicker than you expected,” he stared up at me.

A soon as he walked out the door, I rushed to lock it.

I was done cutting hair for the day. I thought I was going to be safe here, but it wasn’t.

Any mess that I had made, was going to have to stay until I made it back.

It wasn’t going to get done tonight. I locked up and rushed to my car with Lucky on the phone.

“Why the fuck did you let him walk out? You could’ve slit that muthafucka throat and tore yo damn suite up like he came in after you. Shitttt, I gotta teach yo ass every damn thing. Fuck! You had him right there and didn’t take him out? Man bring yo ass home.”

He was fussing at me like I was used to dealing with street shit.

Yes, I’ll beat any bitch ass, but I wasn’t used to being in no nigga shit like this.

Fuck was he mad at me for? It was me against three niggas.

I wasn’t as dumb as Lucky made me seem. I made sure to watch my mirrors and make sure I wasn’t being followed home.

My gun sat in my lap just in case I felt like someone was going to jump out their car on me at a red light.

My nerves were completely shaken. Lucky jumped right back down my throat when I walked into the house.

“You had the nigga. Whyyyy Blessyn? All the shit this nigga did to our family and you were scared.”

“I think it’s time for you to leave.”

“Damn, I’m not trying to piss you off. You watched me murder a bitch in cold blood after she told me she was working for my pops.

You heard the bitch. The same bitch you welcomed into our home to prove a goddamn point that was invalid.

What more do you need? Is the scar on yo neck not enough?

The bullet hole in my back not enough or the death of yo mama?

You should’ve killed that nigga dead and I would’ve paid a muthafucka lawyer millions to get you off.

Next time you better take that nigga head the fuck off. ”

“I’m sorry it just took me by surprise. He had two other niggas waiting outside my door. He told me if I did any harm to him, they were waiting to come in and have their way with me. It was just me against them. You doing all this hollering and shit but not once have you asked me was I okay.”

“He brought niggas with him?”

“Ain’t that what the fuck I said.”

“I gotta go handle this nigga tonight. I’m sick of playin’ with him. Can you watch Jason until I get back? He’s in your bed watching television while Kani sleeps.”

“I don’t know about that. He’s mama doesn’t like me, and I don’t really like her ass either.”

“That ain’t got shit to do with my son.”

“Has he ate?”

“Nah, we were waiting for you. Call a pizza or something. I’ll hit you up when I’m on the way back.”

He wasn’t coming back. I could fell it in my bones that he wasn’t coming back. I packed the kids up after he left and headed out behind him.