Page 20 of Welcome to the Table

I crossed paths with him five years ago while on vacation with Athena.

We conversed about what he did in Colombia and how we could merge, but I always told him I would think about it.

He would always be an ally, not an enemy.

He gained my trust over the years, so I had no reason not to trust him and what he told me.

I didn’t like the fact that I couldn’t bring my wife with me, and I knew once she found out, she wouldn’t be happy about it either.

“Ahhhhhhh, fuck. That shit feels so good.” Athena caught my attention again, and she was in the same spot. Her pussy was squirting the nectar that I craved every day. If I could mix her juices in my smoothies, I would. I walked back over to finish the job.

“What was that about? And don’t say nothing because your entire demeanor changed with that one phone call, so tell me what the fuck is up.” She tried to close her legs, but I was quicker than her.

I kneeled before my wife and devoured her until she creamed in my mouth. Legs trembling, words barely audible. I needed to take her mind off what the fuck was about to happen. Once I licked her dry, I pulled her up and kissed her.

“Get the boys together, and I will tell you everything that’s going on,” I said, pulling her into my arms.

“You know they going to the second line today, and Calliope hasn’t been out in years, so let them have their fun, but I’ll send a message for them to come after that.” She grabbed her phone and started typing away.

I knew they wouldn’t be on time, but I would make their asses come earlier than later.

CURRENTLY

I stood when my right hand, my best friend, and my brother walked into my house.

He never needed an invite when I was concerned.

My house was his house, and that held so much meaning at that point.

Wisdom never smiled. Our friendship stemmed back more than ten years.

I knew I could put my life in his hands, but I was still a little paranoid about leaving my family behind.

This shit with Fanucci was personal, and I didn’t want Athena involved.

This nigga had every piece of evidence to hand over to the Feds on me.

He was the fucking snake, but I couldn’t bring my mouth to form the words to tell Athena.

I wanted to handle this shit myself, and I would.

Fanucci had been begging for a seat at my table for years, but I knew it would be risky because he wanted to bring drugs to my city.

The phone call had already confirmed what I already knew.

My mind raced, my hands were clammy, and I was standoffish with my wife.

She knew my soul, and I didn’t need to have a weak moment with her and spill what I was going to do.

Athena was the only woman who could make me open like a fucking butterfly.

“What this nigga doing here?” Hellcat said, smacking his teeth. He had a love/hate relationship with Wisdom, and I didn’t understand why.

His eyes went to Hellcat, but he didn’t say anything. He continued into the dining area and took a seat at the other end of the table.

“Nigga, if you wanna know why the fuck I’m here, address me, not Melph,” he said and sat down. He pulled his gun from his back and set it on the table.

Wisdom was a silent killer, but I knew he was doing that shit because of Hellcat.

I knew he wasn’t gonna use it because we were all family.

I nodded at him, and he gave me a half smile.

The table was silent once again. Everybody’s mind was on what the fuck was about to happen or be said out of my mouth. All eyes were on me.

I noticed Calliope didn’t speak too much because he was probably thinking.

That’s what I admired about my son; he was a thinker first and strategized his every move.

I knew he didn’t fuck with me tough, but he was good at his position in this family.

The only thing that pissed me off was the shit with Klarity.

He knew better than that, or he really didn’t know the reason behind the shit that happened. It was up to Athena to tell him.

“I really don’t give a fuck why you're here, to be honest, or that you set your toy on the fucking table. I could be knee deep in some pussy. If you here, why the fuck all of us gotta be here?” He pulled out his blade and twirled it around in his hand.

I knew what type of time he was on, and it was pissing me the fuck off. I’d had enough of Hellcat’s mouth.

“Respect, nigga, and put that shit away. Now ain’t the time for the bullshit. Your sister and mother are at the table.”

He looked at me, and I knew he wanted to say something but refrained. He was a wild one, but he knew when I gave him a certain look, he would back the fuck down. I shook my head and stood with my glass in my hand.

“Before y’all think that the beef is in the streets, it’s not. This shit is much bigger than y’all can imagine,” I told them, and everybody’s antennas went up.

“What about the shootout in the hood? Who was behind those niggas?” Calliope finally spoke.

I looked at my beautiful daughter, Jaci, but she was in tune with everything that was being said. I knew she was ready for this, but I didn’t want her a part of it.

“Oh, I did that shit. I paid some young niggas to shoot some shit up so y’all could leave, and the shit worked. Y’all here now, and I can get this shit over with, so I can spend time with my wife,” I told them, and they all frowned.

“So, you mean to tell me we almost got our shit pushed back because of your fucking antics!? Man, I’m out this bitch,” Hellcat stood to throw his jacket over his shoulders.

“Sit down, Hellcat. This is important,” Athena said, rubbing my shaking arm.

I was about to jump across the table on his ignorant ass.

Her voice had to be angelic to his fucking ears.

He stopped in his tracks and turned to look at Athena, dismissing me.

I didn’t trip because he always listened to her ass.

She didn’t even have to raise her fucking voice.

They had an unspoken bond that I couldn’t break, but the shit did make me a little jealous.

He jumped at anything she told him to do, but I had to damn near kill his ass for something as simple as a conversation.

“Look, this shit is lasting too long anyway, and I know everybody is on pins and needles about what the fuck is going on. I got a call from a reliable source that there is a snake in my camp. Outside of that, the streets talk, so don’t trust anyone outside this room.

I don’t know who the fuck it is or if the shit is true or not.

Niggas been hating and trying to get a seat at our table for years, but I believe my source,” I lied and looked at all of them to gauge their reaction. Nothing.

“Tomorrow, I will be going underground, but shit don’t stop moving.

Just be more careful about how you move.

Hellcat, that means slow the fuck down with the killing and shit, if people don’t make their monthly payments.

In my absence, some shit gon be moved around as well.

Wisdom is here because, as my underboss, he will take over everything as if I were still here,” I continued, but nobody said anything.

Hellcat’s nostrils flared, but he didn’t speak. He knew not to.

“Until this shit blows over, I will be out of commission,” I told them and sat back down with my drink.

“You keep saying that like I’m not going with you.

” Athena turned to me, blocking everybody in the room out.

I knew her mouth would be the first to open once I was finished.

“And you still ain’t said who the fuck was on the phone earlier.

” She was pissed, and I didn’t blame her because we never kept secrets.

“Fanucci called me earlier and told me that the feds were on my ass, and I needed to be off the grid for a minute until shit cooled off,” I told her.

That got Calliope’s attention. I hated to lie to my family, but I knew how ruthless they could be. This shit was for me to handle as a man.

“And you trust this nigga because? Doesn’t he run Colombia?

And, let me guess, he wants you to come his way alone?

You don’t see the fucking setup, Melph? Come on, now.

Let’s be realistic about this shit. His family has been trying to get a seat at our table, and you turned him down every time.

Now, he wants to help? Where the fuck did he get his information from?

Way across the fucking world? Think about that shit before you be so quick to run to that nigga for protection. ”

Calliope didn’t know the type of relationship Fanucci and I had, and I wasn’t about to explain it to him. My word was law.

“You don’t know the relationship we have to speak on shit, Calliope. Trust me, I got this,” I told him, looking over Athena’s head.

“Yeah, trust him until you can’t and leave us to pick up the fucking pieces to your fuck up. We don’t have no more seats at our table for them Colombian motherfuckers,” he said and took a swig of his drink. That nigga never showed emotion. His face remained the same.

“Fuck what they talking about. You leaving me here to fend for myself, Melph? We have never been separated. What the fuck am I supposed to do without you? You don’t even know how long you gon’ be gone, and what am I supposed to do?”

I hated when she used her whiny voice. I looked down at her with a scowl on my face.

“You boss the fuck up and handle business like you been doing. You ain’t new to this fucking life, and I never shielded you from this shit.

The only difference is that Wisdom will be here with you instead of me.

He could either live in the west wing or out back in the pool house.

I always told you that one day this would happen because niggas get greedy and jealous.

The shit is happening now, and you gotta stand yo’ ground with or without me,” I told her, and her eyes turned to slits.