Page 8 of June: When Gangstas Collide

The loud rumbles of rap music filled the house. When I realized what was playing, I burst out laughing. I got out of bed and left my room with London behind me. It wasn’t like I got any sleep because Indigo wasn't sleeping beside me, which were the nights I would never sleep. She wanted space, and I was going to allow her some, or at least for now. In the back of my mind, the thought of her breaking and using lingered, and I prayed she didn’t relapse.

London and I walked downstairs, where the music had gotten louder. The smell of breakfast cooking piqued my curiosity. When I walked into the kitchen, Keith was moving around rapping to Hit’ Em Up. I knew he was mad about Dio and Samara. Keith, being in his feelings, was dangerous. I watched him as he went on his rant.

“You better back the fuck up before you get smack the fuck up. Any of you niggas from Cali want to bring it, bring it. Fuck you and yo muhfuckin mama, Fuck Dio, fuck Chevy, fuck the Zoo, fuck you and all them niggas that stand beside them. Fuck you and fuck you too!”

he pointed in the air.

I stepped further into the kitchen, “Slow your roll, Keith Pac,”

I said as I pressed pause on his music.

“You are a little hype, aren’t you?”

He slapped the bacon in the pan.

“I’m straight Bop, just a little upset. Dio is going to have to catch these hands again. It’s not even about Samara, it’s him.”

“No, it’s her. You like her, and I get it, but she chose who she wanted, so why are you pressed?”

“Same reason you pressed that Indigo left you.”

I had been so caught up in Indigo and me that I hadn’t realized Keith was in the house last night. A nigga didn’t even have a rebuttal for it.

Keith turned to flip his pancake but took peeks over his shoulder.

“What are you going to do about those Zoo niggas, Bop?”

“Shit, the way them niggas move, they trying to be here permanently. I don’t fucking know.”

Keith shrugged.

“Hit them where it hurts. If they don’t have a way to make money, how can they afford to live here?”

I quickly shot him a look. This little nigga was a trip, but had some smarts. Keith needed to be focused on other shit than my business, so I decided to change the subject.

“What are your plans for today?”

“I’m going to see Kareem today. I had been promising to go see him; besides, I miss my brother.”

I knew Keith missed his brother, but what I didn’t want was him picking up any bad habits and bringing that shit back. Kareem was a wild kid. He was much like Leek and Quinton. Robbing niggas, catching bodies recklessly, and trying to impress the next nigga that got him caught up. Keith swore that when Kareem got out, he was going to make it big by rapping, but if the nigga never learned, he was going to end up back in jail.

“Well, you be careful. Let me know if you need anything. I will be out most of the day,”

I told him.

Keith walked over to me, “Bop, I know I haven’t said anything, but I’m sorry about your mom. I know you’ve been doing your prince shit and all, but I wanted to thank you for what you’re doing for me. You’re for real like a nigga’s dad. You and Bleek gave me a second chance, and I will always be thankful for that shit.”

Keith thanking me made me feel like I had done something right with all the things going on in my world. To hear him think of me like his pops struck something in me. I thought about Indigo and me having kids so many times; was this a sign? I tried treading lightly in fear that any little thing would affect her sobriety, but maybe that’s what she needed, a family.

Before I could even think about any of that, I needed to get this nigga Chevy gone. He was in the way, and until I handled that shit, I couldn’t move forward.

However, today Anthony and I were going to meet up and make arrangements for our mother. Once I was able to get peace with that, Naheem was a dead nigga. I just hoped Anthony understood because he and I saw Naheem in two different lights, and if I couldn’t get Anthony to understand, that was another war I would be entering with my fucking twin.

I wanted to leave all the negative shit behind me and move on, but I couldn’t do any of it until I handled what was still lurking.