Page 148 of Steel

I looked up to see Neha with a nervous look on her face. I’d barely said a word to her the last three days, but she was always right by my side. She’d taken a short leave of absence to be with me during this time. Honestly, I didn’t know if I would have made it through this without her.

Even if I couldn’t eat, she gave me Ensures to make sure I had something on my stomach. She took care of Nayelli and I, all while being emotional about this herself. I heard her cries in the shower. I could hear her praying over me every night and every morning. She’d been with my sisters, going all over the city to see if they spotted any sign of the car Ms. Anita left in.

To say she was my rib was an understatement.

She was exactly what Donna wanted for me.

“We’re good, Mommy,” Nayelli said, wiping my face. “Daddy just needed a good cry.”

Neha smiled softly. “Dinner is ready. Go wash up.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

She kissed my cheek before hopping down from the trampoline and heading back inside. I slid to the edge and lit my blunt again, taking a long pull from it.

“Can you try to eat something for me, baby?” Neha asked softly.

“I’m not hungry.”

“You still need to eat. I don’t want you to pass out.”

“Baby—”

“No. I’m putting my foot down. Come inside. Sit at the table and eat something. At least three bites of everything on the plate and I’ll let it go.”

She reached for my hand. For a moment, I stared at her while puffing on the blunt. It just so happened that my stomach made a liar out of me and growled at that very moment. She pursed her lips and cocked her head to the side. With a heavy sigh, I putout the blunt out and took her hand. Sliding off the trampoline, I allowed her to lead me into the house.

Much to my surprise, my siblings and their spouses were there, along with my mom and Pops. They all looked at me with sympathy, and I hated that shit. My mother came over to hug me. Her eyes were bloodshot red, and I could tell she’d been crying.

“Hi, baby,” she said, sniffling.

“Hey, Ma.”

Pops was next. He pulled me into a strong hug and kissed my temple.

“Hey, Son.”

“Hey, Pop.”

My siblings all gathered around to hug me one by one, and I was ready for all of them to get the fuck out. I loved that they wanted to be here, but I really didn’t need them making me feel even worse.

“What are y’all doing here?” I asked.

“We just wanted to lay eyes on you,” Deuce said.

“I just saw y’all yesterday.”

“So,” Smoke said. “You need us right now. Where else are we gonna be?”

“Unless y’all have some new information, I really don’t want to see anybody right now.”

They all just stared at me in silence, nobody making a move to leave. I shook my head.

“I’m gonna go take a drive,” I said, brushing past them.

“Kerrion,” my mother called.

I kept walking and went to grab my keys.