Page 77 of The Mob: Shio Cuppacio

You gotta go to Dixie Queen. It ain’t shit fancy but the best late night wings, especially on some drunk shit.

“Big tyme! You home, baby?”

Straggling up the yard was a man who couldn’t be much older than my little sister. He was clearly under the influence, of something and with the way he could barely hold his eyes open, my bet was on weed.

“Yeah, yeahhh,” Tunan replied.

He was done with my hair, so he tapped my thigh for me to stand. Once I let him up, I sat back in the seat that now felt cold with the absence of his body. I was toggling from the phone to the interaction in front of me. Tunan slapped hands with the guy who also gave him a welcome home speech.

“Baby on live and shit,” Tunan informed him.

The guy, whose swagger reminded me much of Tunan’s with his jean shorts, chain hanging from them, Jordan 1s, and a graphic tee, pulled his pants up his waist and grinned. “Okay den! What you on… Facebook live?”

Picking up the phone up, I turned it so that he could see. “No, TikTok.”

“TikTok… I shol’ been tryna get my shit poppin’. Damn.” His brows drew together. “It’s five thousand people on dis hoe. God damn! Aye, what’s up with it? Aye, dis hoe live!”

He placed his fist to his mouth in excitement, and asked me, “How da fuck you get dis bih jumpin’ like dis?”

He hadn’t turned away from the live, so before I could respond, he was reading the comments out loud. ‘“Brickhouse99 Damn Memphis just got all the fine niggas. What’s yo name?’I would tell you my name, but I’d have to cut dese bitches off first.”

“Shit, last I checked… you had a lil’ junt you was tryna wife up.” Tunan set the comb on the windowsill before leaning against the railing.

“Aye, foo! ’Bout that. So you know yesterday was my G-day?”

“Nah, I didn’t know. Happy birthday, my nigga.”

“’Preciate that, foo. Anyway, I’m in da shower, you know… gettin’ my shit cleaned up so I can murk dem folks ass in da Balencies. I hear dis bih on da phone with her slaw-ass sister, talmbout she ’bout to turn up cuz it’s haniggabirfday.”

“Ain’t she white?”

He held his arms out in front of him, but at an angle where his hands were facing the ground. “Ex-muhfuckin’-zactly. Bih white as my teeth and pull dat bullshit. I hopped out dat shower so fucking fast, I damn near broke my back. I pop my head ina room like, who a fuckin’nigga? Mane, stop playin’ wit me before I make you touch ‘er wall in dis bitch. She apologized and shit, but soon as I got back in da shower, I hear her call up her nigga, making plans wit’ him and shit.”

“On yo’ b-day, G?”

“On…my…fuckin…day!” He slapped his chest with each word. Since he was the source of entertainment, I flipped the camera back around. “I wanted to knock them danglin’ ass blonde hairs off her fuckin’ head. I stamp dat! I let da bitch make it tho’ cuz I’m still on papers. Bitch ain’t ’bout ta send me back to fuckin’ jail.”

Tunan shook his head while I couldn’t help but crack up at the story.

“Anyway, I’m Doom, Miss Lady. I’m fuckin’ up y’all vibe and shit wit’ my drama.”

I gave him a small wave. “Nice to meet you, Doom. I’m Glow.”

“Glow. Like Glorilla?”

“Umm, yeah…” I lied.

“Cap.” He twisted his lip. “But, I’ma let you rock. I’m too fuckin’ high.” He ran his hand down his waves.

Doom couldn’t be more than twenty years old. Even though he was cursing like a sailor and could barely stand up, he was handsome in a boyish, thuggish way.

“Aye, let me see dat live again.”

With my permission, he grabbed the phone. He squinted his eyes as he read the comments. ‘“Dom. Yo name Dom like, Dom like Dominican?’Nawl, baby. My nameDoomlike, any muhfucka that try to go against me isdoomed. Fuck kinda lame-ass name is Dom?”

“You ignat, bra,” Tunan sounded from beside him.

‘“BlaykeNoU How old are you?Uggh Glow for sure should have never left us.”’