Page 10 of On Everything 2

"Maybe. If you grow up and finally start being a man, then I'll work with that version of Tony. But never again with this leaching ass little boy in front of me."

Tony looked up at me with puppy dog ass eyes and then the front door to their brownstone opened up behind him.

"Hov. My favorite nephew. I didn't know you were out here, baby."

My aunt Tiny's voice could be heard before I could even see her face.

She was the smallest lady I know, hence the name Tiny.

But her voice was high-pitched so she was loud as hell.

Her Dominican accent was thick, and talking to her, you could quickly tell that English was her second language.

Aunt Tiny has always been my favorite aunt, and that is why I try to look out for her dumb ass son the way I do.

Aunt Tiny wrapped her arms around my waist, and I kissed her on top of her head. She always talks about how she used to carry me around on her hip, and now she's a third of my size.

"How are you doing, Aunty?"

"I'm fine, my baby. Had I known you were stopping by, I would have made some Quipe."

She spoke of one of my favorite dishes. She had to make it for me since my mama's been locked up because it was only out of her kitchen that Quipe ever tasted right to me.

"I didn't know I would be stopping by either. I saw your son and decided to come through and try to talk some sense into him."

"And I thank you so much for that. God knows that someone needs to."

She pushed him upside his head.

"But tell me why I was just in there on the phone with Kassandra, my homegirl who works at the salon with me, and she said that Councilman Davis didn't show up to the city council meeting that was going to discuss redoing the sidewalk on 5th and Lester.

Have you heard from him? A lot of people are disappointed because they went up there with signs and shirts. "

"Nah, I haven't heard from him since the tournament. I'm not sure if Cashmier has, but I'll ask her."

"Okay. I also wanted to let you know that I have a video call scheduled with your mama for next Tuesday at 3:30 pm.

You should come over and speak with her.

She talks all the time about how she misses you.

She should be getting a release date within the next couple of months.

You two really need to reconcile before then. It's been almost 20 years."

"Yeah, I know, but I will have if I have the time to talk, Aunty. I'm a busy man, you know."

"Oh, I know. My money getting nephew."

Her eyes looked past my shoulder towards my car.

"Oh, is that my boy Crew? With his cute self. Hey baby!"

I looked back over my head and saw Crew standing outside the car, waving back at my aunt.

"What's up, Ms. Tiny! How are you doing, beautiful?"

"I'm good, baby! Why didn't you come over here and speak?"

"I didn't know you were in there. Did you cook?"

"Not today, baby. I told your friend he should have let me know when you were coming, and I could have had something done! Especially for your cute ass." She said that last part under her breath.

"Alright, bet!"

Crew yelled back to my aunt.

"Well, anyway, I guess I'll get back inside to my Kindle. You two finish what you were discussing, and please don't hold back on this one, aunty baby."

"You know I'm not. See you later, Aunt Tiny."

She walked back up the stairs and went into the house.

"So, what should I do, Hov? I know you said I should grow up, but how?"

"First, you should surround yourself with mutha fuckas who want to win just like I did. Get a job and show me you can keep it, and then we can talk about you working for me again one day, alright."

"Alright, man. I hear you."

He and I slapped hands before I walked back to the car, and Crew and I took off to Grandma's spot.

We rode in silence for a minute until some shit from earlier popped up in my head.

"Yo."

"What's up nigga?"

"What the fuck you had going on with Pernelle when y'all left earlier?"

"Who?"

"Pernelle, Ciara's homegirl. The one you left with from my house."

He smiled and chuckled quietly.

"Oh, nothing is going on."

"So, you didn't fuck her?'

"I didn't touch her, I swear." He placed his hand across his chest, but I still never know when to believe this nigga when it comes to these hoes.

"Well, I would prefer if you don't fuck with the girl. She may not be my bitch, but she means a lot to someone who I care about. I don't need your dog ass ways rubbing off on my shit."

"Look at you nigga, tender as a Jamaican oxtail while you have a pregnant girl at home. Sounds to me like you not the one who should be telling me what to do with my dick."

"Say what you want to say, but all I'm asking you is not to dog out her friend. Ciara cares a lot about her, and I'm protecting all things, Ciara. I'll be tender for that, you feel me?"

"Yeah, I feel you, bruh, I'm just ready to see what you have planned for you and Cashmier's future. You got her pregnant now, so she's not going away easily. Shit, especially since you told her all that sweet shit in the backseat the night she got kidnapped."

Crew reminded me of the way I put my foot in my mouth in that car. I knew I no longer cared about Cashmier separately from the baby, yet I lied to her instead of being real. That shit I can take fault for.

It was almost as if we had talked her ass up when my phone rang through the dash, and it was a call from Cashmier.

"Damn, that bitch is going to live forever." Crew commented before I answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hey, where are you at?"

"Heading to grandma's for a minute. What's up?"

"Nothing. Just wondering if you heard from my dad today? He still hasn't reached out to anybody and missed another important meeting this morning. I, plus everyone else, am really getting worried."

Crew smacked his lips, and I elbowed his ass.

"Nah, I haven't heard from him, but I'll keep reaching out."

"Oh, okay. Well, when are you coming back here?"

"I'll be back there a little later. We have some shit to talk about, though."

"Uh, okay. That's fine. Bye."

She hung up the phone. I can't believe I'm letting Crew of all people pass judgment on me, but I think it's because I know he's right. One day soon, I'll have all this shit figured out. I just hope whenever it is, it's not too late to keep the peace. After all, that's all I want.