by Desirée
I felt my body become numb with nerves. Everyone looked at me, ready to back him at any cost. “She gave those to me.”
“Nah, no the fuck she didn’t!” he screamed, pushing me back hard against the wall.
“She gave them to me! I’m not lying about that!”
“Maybe she gave them to him, big homie. Females ain’t shit these days,” one guy said, trying to stand up for me.
Shiloh kept his eyes on me before backing up, nodding his head with a smirk. That smirk was the last thing I wanted to see. Nigga was sarcastic as fuck, so I knew it wasn’t over. This wasn’t the end of it.
“You right. Bitches ain’t shit these days,” he agreed, hands in the air. “What’s yo’ first name, Mayes?”
I said nothing. I couldn’t even speak. I was struggling to find the perfect lie to protect me. He continued to stare at me, waiting.
“Ain’t that nigga name Michael?” someone muttered from a distance.
Shiloh’s head turned so quick in that direction that I started to back up, realizing I had no other place to go but the corner.
“Michael?” Shiloh repeated. He stared at me as the room became even more intensely quiet. “Nigga, you the one that’s been harassing my girl. You the one that’s been calling her and showing up at her fucking house this whole fucking time!” he screamed, causing me to flinch at the sound of his voice. He shook his head, dragging both hands down his face. “You tried to fuck my girl. It was you this whole time.”
“I didn’t—”
Without warning, he struck a blow to my face so hard, causing my head to bounce off the wall before he grabbed me and slammed me to the ground. I tried to block myself, tried to fight back, but the nigga was over me, not letting up.
Feeling them pull him off me, I laid limp on the ground, bloodied up, trying to find the strength to speak. I couldn’t see out my left eye, and I barely saw out my right.
“Shiloh, calm down.”
“You put yo’ hands on my girl, nigga. Why would you try me like that?” he asked with a groan, trying to calm himself down. “You took my fucking money, too! You knew where that shit was the entire time!”
“Olivia,” I let out, blood spilling out of my mouth.
“Get that nigga up. I just put new carpet in this shit!” Shiloh spat. “Take him outside. Don’t want him in my house.”
Feeling them lift me up, I cried out as the pain started to overtake my body. I was dropped hard on the cold grass.
“Who else knew about this?” he asked.
No one spoke up, but I could hear Kev being dragged out of the house before being tossed on the ground with me. Both of us were lying on the grass together.
“You the closest nigga to him, so I know you knew he—”
“I didn’t know!” Kev pleaded.
I watched in horror, seeing Shiloh pull out his gun and shoot Kev on the spot before letting out a thing of spit as he kicked his body to the side.
Nah. Fuck, nah. Olivia is taking this blame. It was her idea in the first place. I was just the nigga dumb enough to fuck with her calculating ass.
“Olivia did,” I said, coughing up blood as I struggled to breathe.
Shiloh came up to me and kicked me hard in the face. I felt myself losing consciousness.
“Olivia . . . It was yo’ sister’s idea.”
Shiloh bent down to my level, grabbing my head as he stuck the gun inside my mouth. His eyes were cold and soulless. I started crying, pleading for my life.
“I hope everybody is fucking watching this and taking notes!” he announced to the crowd standing behind him. “I am the wrong nigga to fuck with on any level! My woman is off limits. Don’t even look her way! My money is off limits, and my family is off limits!”
“Olivia—”
He pulled the trigger.
Elijah
“Nigga, get up!” Jahiem let out, hitting my leg hard as I groaned. “Get these mothafuckas out yo’ house, bruh.”
Turning over slowly, I could feel a thick arm next to me as I quickly, eyes still closed, reached over to feel for a face. This nigga here. I opened my eyes, seeing Trent lying on the other side of my bed, mouth wide, looking handicapped like fuck.
“Why is this nigga in my bed?” I asked in a groggy voice as I sat up, shaking my locs loose.
“He was already here when you got back I think. I don’t know,” Jahiem said, shrugging as I stood up, head pounding, stomach growling. Cold air hit my bare chest hard as I reached down for my hoodie, throwing it on with my basketball shorts.
“Last night was crazy as hell. I don’t think I drank that much since last year at Mansion Elan,” Jahiem said.
“What people are still in my house?” I asked, yawning as I followed my older brother out of the room, closing the door behind me.
“Shit, I don’t know. I just woke up in the other room, but I heard voices. All these people made their way back to this house and passed out, I guess.” He laughed as we went down the halls, opening doors, getting every female out.
Whether they were clothed or not, they were leaving. I didn’t even know how niggas made it back to this house, but they was laying up in my kitchen, eating shit out of my fridge, looking at me like I was the fucking stranger. Black people don’t do shit like that. Only niggas. There’s a difference.
“Get out,” was all I had to say. Clearing out my house, I let my dogs inside to make sure they ran everyone off before sitting down on the couch with a tired sigh. All I wanted was Jordyn at this point. I didn’t want my brothers there; didn’t want my house to look like a tornado blew through it. I just wanted my girl. That’s how I had planned this night: turn up, and then wake up in her arms, like always.
“You good, li’l Carter?” Jahiem asked as he sat down, carefully trying to roll up a joint.
“Nah, these women in Atlanta are a trip, bruh.” I sighed, rubbing my face to wake me up.
He smirked with a jump of his shoulders as he cut his eyes at me. “Only if you let them be, E,” he said as Ontrell came around the corner, rubbing his eyes.
“Where the food at, E? You ain’t got shit in this fridge,” he complained.
“Y’all black mothafuckas ate all my shit.”
“Where yo’ nigga at?” Jahiem asked, taking a light to the joint before taking a pull on it.
“He in the room, ’sleep still,” Ontrell said, sitting down as Jahiem passed him the joint.
I let out another groan at the thought of him and Ty fucking in one of my guest rooms.
Shit, I’m gonna have to change everything about that damn room—sheets, pillows, walls, everything. Love ’em both, but hell nah. Not in my house.
“I want my Jordyn,” I mumbled, closing my eyes, thinking about what she was doing at this time of the morning. I was so used to being around her peaceful ass that just sitting in the room with my brothers alone was chaotic for me.
“Where Talin at?” I asked.
“Home with the wife. They left early. You know he not about to have her out that late with a baby,” Jahiem said knowingly as Ontrell passed me the blunt.
We sat in silence, thinking about all that had happened, passing back and forth, when Tyree came down wearing a robe—my robe, at that.
“Bruh,” I started, hearing him smack his teeth.
“Don’t even start, Elijah. I don’t have nothing on under here, and I can’t find my clothes, so I got to wear this,” he said as Jahiem and I groaned in protest. Ontrell just laughed, pulling him down next to him on the floor.
“Keep that shit,” I mumbled, grabbing my phone off the coffee table, trying to call Jordyn. I knew she wouldn’t answer.
Fuck! Why do I have to fuck up so many times with this girl?
“Aye, we need to get something to eat,” Ontrell said, blowing smoke out his mouth. “I know Ant should be up by now,” he said, pulling out his phone.
The phone rang loud on speaker, and then we heard the sounds of kids in the background.
�
�What’s good, Trell?”
“You making some breakfast?” Ontrell asked.
I tapped Jahiem on the shoulder, already knowing what Anthony’s response was going to be.
“Why? So your begging ass can come over and eat all my kids’ food off they plates?” he snapped, and we laughed.
“Well damn, nigga! Make enough for me and it won’t be a problem!” Ontrell went in.
“Uncle Trell!” We heard Baby Girl in the background. “Uncle Trell, I gotta show you what I made in daycare!”
“Tell yo’ daddy to let me come over.”
“First Shiloh, now you. If anyone else come over eating up my food, I’m going the fuck off,” Anthony retorted. “Hurry up and come on, Trell.” He hung up, and we all looked at each other.
“Shit,” Jahiem started, standing up. “Time to go eat a meal for free then.”
“Leh go!” I laughed as we all made our way upstairs. I woke Trent up, opting to be his caretaker for the day, since we still hadn’t taken him back to the hospital.
“Where is Taylor at?” he asked as I helped him in the bathroom. “I ain’t all the way comfortable with you doing this shit for me.”
“And you think I want to be here?” I laughed, turning my back so he could take a piss. The things you do for your family. “I don’t know where Taylor is at, though.”
“Has Jade called me? Or—”
“Nigga, I don’t know,” I snapped. “They not here. That’s all we both know at this point—Taylor, Jade, or Jordyn.”
“Well, you fucked up with Jordyn. I didn’t mess up with Taylor or—”
I quickly backed away, dropping my shoulder from his grip as he hollered out in pain, trying to balance his weight on the counter.
“A’ight! I’ll shut up!” he pleaded as I smirked. “Fuck!” He couldn’t stand on both legs without support, and the moment he stretched that arm out, his side and shoulder was fucked, so really, he needed to learn to keep his mouth closed.
* * *
Soon as everyone was dressed, they helped me get Trent into the truck, and then we all piled inside before pulling off. It was rare when we had a whole weekend from the music, but we were about to take full advantage of it.
“Aye, so, only ones left now to have kids are E, Trent, and Shiloh,” Jahiem noted from the back seat as Tyree cleared his throat. “And Olivia.”
“Uh, what, we can’t have no kids then?” Tyree pressed with an attitude.
“I mean, unless y’all plan on adopting or something,” Trent pointed out.
“We will in about two years or so,” Trell said with a yawn. “I want a daughter. He doesn’t want no kids, but honestly, nigga really don’t have no choice.”
“Aye! Like a boss! Tell him like it is,” I called out, and they laughed. “Nigga putting that foot down.”
“Whatever. I want kids one day,” Tyree said with a smack of his teeth.
I turned down a street that led into Anthony’s subdivision, tuning them out as I pulled up to the two-story brick house, seeing Anthony. Shiloh’s truck was parked outside. Nigga had no idea we were coming. I blew the horn, bringing the truck to a park just as the front door opened. All four of his bad-ass kids came rushing out, barefooted, pajamas still on, with Baby Girl carrying her nappy-headed Barbie doll in hand, stomach poking out of her little Winnie the Pooh thermal shirt. Anthony stood in the doorway, shirtless, with an apron on, looking like Rick Ross’ mama with dreads.
“This nigga ain’t got no type of tact in front of these white people.” I laughed, hopping out of the truck.
“Uncle Jodie!” they all screamed as I grabbed my nephews, hugging the boys before picking up the one girl.
“Trell, I’ma beat yo’ fucking ass!” Anthony screamed as we all laughed.
Trent was helped by Jahiem, who placed him in the wheelchair as we made our way in, with the kids tugging at each of us. Shiloh was sitting in the dining room, giving us a heads up in greeting as we grabbed seats. Baby Girl climbed from one uncle’s lap to another, while her brothers went back to playing video games in the huge living room. Anthony went back in the kitchen, occupying the stoves as he continued to cook. When I say this nigga can throw down? I mean, him and Noelle probably were neck and neck. I ain’t never had her breakfast, though, but this nigga here, though? Shiiit.
“Aye, you remember when we all got high together for the first time?” I asked as everyone laughed.
“We came straight to this nigga’s house in the middle of the night and started cooking up everything he had in the kitchen.” Jahiem laughed.
“Anthony was always the nigga made for the kitchen,” Trell said as Anthony threw a dish rag at him, hitting Baby Girl instead.
“Daddy!” she cried.
“Hit yo’ uncle for me, Baby Girl,” he demanded.
Trell shook his head, pleading to his niece, who laid the tiniest hand on his face before smacking him hard.
“Daamn!” I let out as we laughed. It felt good to be with the family. We were just missing one other brother, but I knew he had his wife to look out for.
“A’ight, so what’s the problem?” Anthony asked, setting the last plate of food down on the table before sitting down himself at the head. We had pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage, orange juice, and waffles. The little boys demolished their shit while playing video games, but Baby Girl sat in Anthony’s lap, eating alongside him. She was a true daddy’s girl at heart.
“What you mean, what’s the problem?” Trent asked as Ant looked at him knowingly.
“Y’all don’t come here unless it’s a problem. Usually it’s a one-on-one type thing, but all of y’all here at the same time? Nah,” he said, shaking his head. “Who did what?”
“I got a baby mama who is on the other side of Georgia and doesn’t plan on coming back, if that counts as a problem,” Jahiem said sarcastically. We all looked at him. “I told her to stay down there. Not trying to raise no damn kids anyway. Even though she was in the wrong. She lied, and somehow, I’m being punished for it. My life would have been over if I had kids anyway, so I’m better off.”
“Nah, kids don’t ruin yo’ life, bruh. I hate when people say that.” Ant sighed, looking at his daughter, who was eating. “Aye, y’all watch this,” he whispered. He turned his fork upside down and started picking up the food that way, with his daughter no doubt watching. Sure enough, she turned her fork upside down and started to imitate. “Kids are a beautiful thing, Jahiem. One baby ain’t gonna ruin yo’ life, nigga.”
“Try three girls,” Jahiem said, and we all damn near choked on our food.
“Three?” we shrieked together.
He nodded. “She’s having three girls.”
“And you just gonna leave her by herself?”
“She don’t need my help! She said so herself!”
“You tripping. I would have dragged her ass back up here if it was me,” I stated, taking another bite.
“Oh, but what about you then? You and Jordyn, since everybody wanna judge me?”
“Hold up. All y’all got women problems?” Ant asked, looking at everyone.
Shiloh shook his head with a huge grin on his face, like he was trying not to laugh.
“Fuck is so funny about that?” I snapped at him.
“Yo’ girl left you on the doorstep,” he said, pointing at me. “Yo’ baby mama is a ho,” he said, pointing at Jahiem, who snorted. “My girl don’t want shit to do with me no more, and you treated the females that was holding you down like shit,” he said, pointing at Trent before laughing. “Now we all sitting up in this house, looking like some lonely-ass Carters. I came over here to get some advice from this nigga on how to get Noelle back, but if I think about this shit, Ant is the wrong person to ask, because he got three baby mamas that can’t stand him, and another kid on the way.” Shiloh laughed as we all looked at him. He just shrugged.
“Nigga, you wanna try wearing a fucking condom or something?” I let out, and he laughed.
“I don�
��t know what a condom is, bruh,” he said, getting up to unlock his front door before sitting back down with his daughter.
“The one person we need to ask is the main nigga not here—the only one married with a kid on the way,” Jahiem said.
“Somehow, Grandma wanna see all of us, including the girls, over at her house tomorrow for her birthday,” Shiloh said with a sigh. “She wanna meet Noelle so bad, and I can’t even get the bitch to answer a text back.”
“So, go get her. You know where she stays and where she work,” Tyree chimed in for the first time. “Go after her.”
“I don’t chase after no female, bruh. Never have; never will.”
“See! That’s y’all problem!” Tyree snapped. “Y’all too proud, thinking that Carter name is supposed to get y’all somewhere. Noelle don’t care who you are or where you come from or what you do. You did wrong; you need to fix it. She won’t come to you, and the longer you wait around, the faster she is going to move on, nigga. Stop acting like you too cool to care, nigga, and show some actual emotion for once.”
“Elijah,” he said, looking at me. “You so scary, boo. I don’t know why you so scared to fall in love with that girl. You did yo’ best last night to push her away, and she was holding out until you said the abortion thing in front of them girls. You ain’t shit, nigga,” he said, rolling his eyes as I dropped my head.
“Trent, you a dog, and I hope one day you find a girl that’s going to do to you what you done to others. Jahiem, I think you should drag that bitch back up here, simple. There,” he said with a quick smile before continuing to eat as we all looked at Tyree.
“What you think yo’ uncles should do, Baby Girl?” Ant asked as we all looked at her.
She put her finger to her chin, pretending she was thinking hard, with her afro puff ponytail resting on Ant’s chest.
“I want . . . I want you guys to be happy,” she said in a soft voice as I smiled.
“The only Carter in the room that makes sense. Damn shame,” Tyree mumbled as Ant kissed his daughter on the head.
Suddenly, the front door opened, and Olivia stepped in the house with shopping bags. “Hellooo!” she greeted, taking her shades off as the kids ran to her.
