Page 3 of On Everything 2

When I stepped out onto Wesley Lane, a sense of familiarity washed over me immediately; the flood of childhood memories instantly took over my mind, and I paused right on the side of the road to soak it all in.

There were things about the street that were exactly the same as back in the day, like the tire swing hanging from the old pin oak tree in the yard.

That, along with the bike ramp on the side of the house that I built with my old homeboy Luca, made it seemed as if time had stood completely still.

Even the scent of fresh grass gave me that nostalgic feeling of playing outside while my grandpa cut the grass.

It's really sad that I only come out here on holidays, but that's all about to change.

My grandma will be happy to hear of my new plan to frequent her downstairs basement. My visits have always made her day.

"Jehovah, hi baby! I wasn't expecting you."

My grandma came out of the door on the porch to greet me as soon as I walked into her front yard.

She always gave me a huge welcome since I was a kid getting dropped off over here by my mama.

Grandma Iva was and still is my favorite person.

The only thing I didn't like about her was that she was way too kind.

She showed compassion to people I would've told to kiss my ass a long fuckin time ago.

"Hey Grandma, how you been?

"I've been alright. Thanks for asking, handsome."

She kissed me on my cheek.

Her and I sat down on the two rocking chair sitting on the porch near the front door.

There was a time where it would be my Grandpops sitting right next to her anytime she came out here.

He died about seventeen years ago, and the only people who could sit in this chair were my father and me. Well now, just me.

"Well, what do I owe the pleasure, baby?"

"Just riding through to see you and check out the basement unit downstairs."

"Really, why so, baby?"

"Just thinking about fixing it up and making it a spot to chill. The inner city gets stuff sometimes."

She looked curiously out of the corner of her eyes.

"You sure? You sure nothing is going on? Are you running from anything?"

"Me, run, same sentence, grandma?"

She let out a laugh from her gut.

"You are right, who am I kidding. You weren't even scared of the boogeyman when you were a kid. The only thing that put fear in your heart was your father. But you know you are welcome to it. I can be honest, that part of the house doesn't exist to me anymore since your father passed."

"Do you still have all of his stuff in there?"

"Yeah, well, all of the things that Jessabelle gave to us. There is no telling what she didn't send from his house."

"Nah, trust, she sent it all. I know because I went over there and personally packed his shit the day of his funeral and called the movers to their house. Shit, that should be your house now instead of hers."

"Nah, baby, that's okay. I'm fine where I am.

That house out there doesn't hold the memories that this one here does.

I'm closer to the church here and also close to my favorite grocery stores.

Mrs. Tidewell is still across the street, and Mr. Frank is next door.

I wouldn't feel comfortable way out there in Rosalyn Estates no how. "

"Well, someone in the family should be living in it. I know for sure not a woman he met and married only four years before he died."

I didn't really like to think about my father and his assets much because, besides the street business, which consisted of his contacts, his runners, product, and other illegal shit, I didn't get anything from the riches he created for himself.

My father died with at least ten cars, a house out in Rosalyn Estates, and a few condos and penthouses across the United States that all went to his wife, Jourdan.

She was a blonde fake titty bitch that wasn't his type compared to my mother and his other girlfriends.

I never could figure out what it was about her, but he loved that bitch.

In trying to keep her satisfied, he neglected his own health.

"Anyhow, how is Cashmier? Her father is speaking at the church scholarship fundraiser on Sunday. We think he can bring in a lot of money because the city believes in him. I haven't seen people so quick to stand behind someone since Barack Obama. Especially at the church"

"Yeah, he probably will. His ass knows how to talk people out of shit for sure."

"Wait, what's wrong. Why are you looking like that?"

I must've had a mug across my face without realizing it after hearing that nigga name.

That shit disgusted me right now, but my grandma could never know why.

She loved that man and his family. She's one of the people who is brainwashed to think the Davis family makes New York a better place.

Carl Davis once had me brainwashed, too.

"Nothing, Grandma."

"I just don't get why I can never help out on scholarships or fundraisers.

I have offered plenty of money to that church, and they won't accept anything from me, as if I'm offering them drugs.

Shit, besides wanting to help the community, charity helps lower my taxes according to my accountant.

With the pastor blocking my donations, I've had to resort to giving to city assistance centers and shit, and there I don't know where that money is really going. "

"Baby, they know that your wealth comes from drug money.

They are not going to want to accept that in the lord's house.

Plus, after the shootout you had in the parking lot years ago, I think your face around the church just brings back bad memories.

I still have a scrape on my knee from ducking from you two fools.

That, along with years of embarrassment to go along with it. "

My grandma turned her face up, speaking about when shit turned left after my father's funeral, when my uncle Gio stepped into the building, knowing my daddy didn't fuck with him.

Gio and my father have never been close, simply out of jealousy.

Uncle Gio hated the fact that my pops came up while he was stuck manning a mechanic shop passed down from their father that wasn't bringing in any real bread.

Instead of being happy for his brother and fitting in where he could, he tried to rob him several times and lied about it later.

That's why I wasn't allowing him to stand over my father's casket.

I put his ass out by the collar of his shirt, and this pussy ass nigga came back and started bussing at me when I stepped outside the church.

I don't know what everyone at the funeral expected me to do.

I had to defend myself and bust back. Now, years later, I'm not welcome at Davis Memorial over some shit that was out of my control.

That's why I say the church is full of shit.

Had I not shot back Gio could've killed a lot more people.

"Speaking of, you heard from that nigga lately?"

"Who?"

"Gio?"

"No, I don't hear from him much since he sold your grandfather's shop and moved to New Mexico. He told me he was leaving me and the city behind him once he left. It sad that Gio was even jealous of my grief for your father. I don't know where we went wrong with that boy."

My grandma shook her head. I know not talking to her only living son bothered her but sometimes shit had to be like that.

Gio knows if he ever steps foot in New York, I'm going to murder him in cold blood.

You only get one time to shoot at me; I don't care who the fuck you are. Family is family, until they are not.

"Anyway, Grandma, you got the key to the door downstairs?"

"It's in my room in that nightstand that my bible sits in. What are you going down there for? I wish you had told me that you were coming. I would've gotten Hector from down the street to help me clean it up a bit."

"Nah, you didn't have to do that, Grandma. I'm going to get someone to come clean it up and move Pops' stuff to a storage unit."

"Why so?"

"I want to make it comfortable down there for me so that I can stay with you sometimes. Me and Crew going to love being down there on Sundays waiting for the food you cook to be done."

"I would love that. I love Crew, my other baby. I know his greedy butt is ready to eat some of my famous Stew once it gets cold here."

"You already know."

After I kissed her on her cheek, I went into the house to fetch the basement door key.

I hated to lie to her, but if she knew I planned to stash millions of dollars down there, she would have had way too many questions and worries she otherwise wouldn't have.

With the large fence around the house, this neighborhood being quiet, and a heavy police presence around the area, I know my money will be safe here, and neither it nor grandma will be touched, and I'll make sure of that.

I entered her house, which was coated thick with the scent of greens and some meat in the oven.

I'm going to be sure to get a plate of whatever it is before I leave here.

Home-cooked meals only come for pay these days around my house whenever Bam comes through.

I hope Ciara can cook and if she can't, I hope her ass is willing to learn how.

After grabbing the key from her room, I walked out of the back door towards the unit downstairs.

When I put the key into the door and turned the lock, I had to put a little force behind the push to get inside. The door was dragging along the floor, and I saw instantly all the work that would need to be done inside here.