Page 18

Papa Inferno

Des chuckled as he walked into the barbershop. “You remind me of back in the day with the low cut… no more curls, El DeBarge?”

I held my middle finger up and laughed because only Des could make me laugh while going through something like this. Brandon finished lining me up, then squeezed my shoulders.

“You know I’m praying for the guys, Papa… always sending up one for them both.” He told me, and I dapped him up before getting out of his chair.

Des sat in one of the waiting chairs. “What made you get rid of the hair?”

“More hair is liable to catch fire, and I want Red… shit personal. I warned him, D… told him what happens, and he went against that.”

“You need sleep, Papa… I can see the redness in your eyes and know you haven’t slept.” He took notice, and I ignored him.

How could I sleep when I had both of my sons laid up, my daughter-in-law pregnant and wanting to be out in the field, and then my grandson, because nobody was telling me that Elijah wasn’t an Inferno.

My wife wanted to relive her glory days and wasn’t taking no for an answer. How the fuck could I lay my head on the pillow at night knowing all that we were faced with? On top of all of that, we had been betrayed by a God.

I expected some disloyal shit like this to come from the new generations of Gods, not my own. Not someone I handpicked and treated like fucking family. Larry had been in the field with me. We starved together, came up, and fucked bitches together. He took part in witnessing my boys grow up.

He was Uncle Larry, and now I had to put that on his tombstone, because he fucked with the wrong one. To go against the family that claimed you as theirs and would give anything for you was some wicked shit.

That nigga should have tried to tongue kiss me before going against us the way that he did. He almost took my sons out of here, and now I had to take his ass out of here.

Des sat there quietly with war in his eyes.

I never had to ask if he was riding because I already knew the answer to it.

He was coming behind me like Jean was going behind Mina.

Certain shit belonged together, like peanut butter and jelly, or ketchup and mustard, and that was how the Infernos and Delgatos were.

Long before his daughter and my son married, this was how the connection had been forged.

On a beach in Staten Island, we promised that we would always come together and remain.

Life dragged us all different ways, and we had broken that promise.

It was funny how our kids were the ones who brought it back together and truly made us become one family.

Me and Des always considered ourselves brothers. Always riding for one another, never turning our backs on each other, and now we shared a grandchild together. His blood and mine mixed up into one curly headed angel.

“You sat back and remained quiet… show ‘em why you was leaned back. I’m ready, and my boys on whatever you on. We’re on the Inferno’s word.”

I stared at myself in the mirror when I heard the chime for the barbershop door. Through the mirror, I watched as Fawn came in with Yasin behind her.

Fawn always wore a signature red lip. Ever since I met her years ago, that woman always kept the same lip color. I knew Fawn before I met Mina, and everyone always assumed she would be the one that I would lock down.

Certain people were sent into your life to become family. Fawn was one of those people, and I never looked at her as anything other than a sister. Through the years, children, divorces, and life, she had remained loyal to me and my family.

It was only right that her boys became Gods and ran with my son. The new generation was going to do better than we did. When we got Mina’s diagnosis, it was Fawn that pulled up on me and allowed me to cry on her shoulder.

“Why didn’t you tell me that Mina was back out there handling business… it’s been a long time,” Fawn smiled, thinking of all the shit they used to get into.

“Mina is with the boy?—”

Yasin had come in behind his mother, then dipped out when he received a call. “Kiki just called me… shit went down in Delaware… and they got Mina with them.”

When I heard that Mina wasn’t where I left her hardheaded ass, I didn’t give a fuck about the conversation at hand. “Suga Cane just said fuck being a DA, huh?”

“Cappadonna, Capone, and Corleon are with her.” Yasin assured him, because he was ready to leave the shop this second.

I looked down at my hands. “She’s sending a message.”

“Indeed,” Fawn replied.

“Turn it up.” Yasin told Brandon, who turned the news on, and we watched an entire block nearly destroyed. Four houses were burned to the ground, and the block was fucked up with cars tossed any way.

“Good evening, I’m reporting live from Wilmington, Delaware, right here on the 400 block of Howard Street, where a devastating situation is unfolding.

Moments ago, multiple homes exploded. Officials believe it’s tied to a long-standing gas issue plaguing this area.

Reports indicate that residents had complained about a strong smell of gas earlier today, but at this time, it’s unclear if city officials responded before these explosions occurred.

Behind me, you can see the blue home in question.

Authorities are concerned that there may be victims inside.

Additionally, the other two homes that caught fire were previously abandoned, but police tell us these properties are often used by the homeless population.

Search teams will be thoroughly inspecting them for any possible casualties.

This is a developing story. We’ll continue to bring you updates as more information becomes available. Stay with us.”

“My girls.” I muttered to myself.

Recommendation: Listen As We Lay by Shirley Murdock

Shirley Murdock played lowly in the warehouse that us old heads used. Fern was for the youngins, and we preferred listening to old jams and having a drink while discussing whatever pissed us off.

Every time I went to Fern, I was reminded of the times when I was younger, and now being older, those niggas pissed me off. Then you had the chicks that frequented because they wanted a chance at bringing an Inferno God home.

Pop may have been King Inferno, but I spoke to each of the Gods and told they asses to be careful with some of these bitches. Some were good, and then it was the others that wanted to trap they asses with a baby.

I took a pull of my spliff and nodded my head to my song while I polished off the rest of my bourbon without a wince. Des stood behind the bar making a drink while Fawn nursed hers. Buck and Sonny came walking in the warehouse with Larry with them.

They were shooting the breeze and bullshitting with him because they knew his ass was done for. I took the longest pull while staring right at him, never choking or blinking my wide eyes. The smell of betrayal had me ready to fucking throw up.

“Why the fuck you listening to this sad ass music?” Larry chuckled nervously, while squeezing my shoulder.

Fawn kicked her foot out to stop me from grabbing that nigga around the throat. “Sonny, how is the grandchildren?”

She tried to make things light. “Driving me crazy as shit… took one of them to Florida to Universal, and spent a grip on that shit… who the fuck knew mythical creatures and worlds cost that much?”

Fawn laughed. “Kids will break your pockets. I’m just glad both of mine are grown… No grandchildren to worry about yet. Yasin may make me a grandma before Hamza.” She admitted.

“Don’t count my guy out… he’s waiting for the right one.” Sonny took a seat beside her, as Des slid the drink across the table at him.

She sighed. “He finally left that one girl alone. She was using him and didn’t give a damn about him. My boy is quiet, and he needs someone who respects him and cares too… you know?”

“That little lima bean that was in Barbados seem like she liked him,” I replied, staring at the back of Larry’s crooked ass line up.

God knew he was out here being disloyal, so he made his barber fuck up his hairline up. “Lima bean?” Des chuckled.

“That girl was small as shit… beautiful, but she small as hell. Let’s not act like I’m body shaming her and shit…

fucking world too damn sensitive. They called fat women fat bitches for years, and now everybody wanna be talking about body shaming once the skinny bitches start getting called skinny. ” I vented.

Fawn shook her head. “Papa, you compared that girl to a lima bean… lima bean.”

When we heard the door creaking, we turned our attention to the door. “Hey baby, I knew I would find you here,” Jean walked in with Mina right beside her.

Mina had this silly grin on her face because she knew what I told her ass. She came over to me and I kissed her neck. “You know exactly what I told you, Mina.”

“Sue me,” she whispered back, as her vanilla scent caressed my nose, along with her curly hair.

Jean went around the counter and Des bent down to kiss his wife and made her a drink. “Heard you been busy, Mina?” Buck snickered.

Since she was still on medication, she couldn’t drink alcohol. When I watched Mrs. Inferno enter a room, I still felt like that knucklehead that swore he didn’t deserve her. Seeing her come back to life each day had been a blessing.

My boys knew how to be great husbands because they saw the shit. I already showed them how to get crazy in the streets, so the least I could do is show them how to be good men to their women.

“Larry, what you been up to? I haven’t seen you in forever,” Jean looked over at Larry as she swished her drink around in the cup.

He looked up from his phone. “Trying to maintain… can’t really complain, considering all that is going on.”

“Tell me about it…. Can’t believe someone would be dumb enough to take Quasim out. How you taking it, Larry?”