To Boston, With Love

by Chenell Parker

  “Fuck outta my face,” Boston snapped, wiping the smile off her youthful expression. Carla was beautiful and Boss got his long, beautiful grain of hair from her. His height, complexion and attitude all came from Bear.

  “Wow. I just wanted to say hello. Sorry for speaking,” Carla said sadly.

  It was almost like she enjoyed provoking him just so she could play the victim. She couldn’t possibly be dumb enough to think that everything would be all good after how she did him. Time may have moved on for her, but it stood still for Boston. In his mind, he was that same little boy that she packed up and dropped off to her sister and never came back for.

  “That’s still your mother Boston. Show some respect,” his grandmother said and that was all it took.

  “Fuck that bitch!” Boss yelled as he leaped to his feet.

  Carla jumped back, as Indigo wrapped her arms around his waist and led him to the door. Boss was losing it and she was sorry that she had to handle him all alone. He was way taller and stronger than she was and it was hard.

  “Boss, calm down. Come on,” Indigo begged as she struggled to pull him away.

  “I hate that bitch! Weak ass hoe!” Boss fumed in a fit of rage. Indigo was losing the fight and he was getting away from her. He would have killed Carla with his bare hands if he did. He was just that angry. She was happy when an older man came over to assist her.

  “Come on bruh. Don’t give these people a reason to get you locked up. Go with your girl and relax. Whatever it is ain’t worth it,” the man said as he carried Boss to the side of the building.

  “Thank you so much. I got him now,” Indigo replied once he put Boss down to stand on his own.

  “I hate that bitch, Indie. I swear to God,” Boss fumed as he paced back and forth on the sidewalk.

  “I know Boss. It’s okay,” Indigo said while rubbing his back.

  “No, it’s not. She threw me away like I was fucking trash. I was a child. I didn’t deserve that shit man,” Boss replied.

  “I know you didn’t baby,” Indigo said as he wrapped her arms around him.

  “I didn’t deserve that shit,” Boss kept repeating as he broke down and cried.

  Indigo knew that it was coming and she was there to comfort him just like always. It happened every time he had to deal with his past and it seemed to be getting worse. That’s exactly why she wanted him to talk to someone, but he kept refusing. She knew that he had a lot of hurt that he needed to release, so she stood there and let him release his liquid pain onto her shirt. People were looking at them like they were crazy, but she didn’t care. Her best friend needed her and she was there just like always.

  “You know I got you,” Indigo assured him as she rubbed his back. After another ten minutes passed, Boston lifted his head from her shoulder and wiped his swollen puffy eyes.

  “I’m good,” he replied with a faint smile.

  She gave him a few more minutes to get himself together before they got back on their bikes and drove away. Boss was no longer in the mood to be around anyone and Indigo understood that. They stopped at the store and picked up a few things and went back to his house. Indigo fixed them something to eat and, soon, the events of the day were forgotten. Boss was back to his old self, but Indigo wondered for how long. He was good at masking his emotions but that could only last for so long. Indigo didn’t want to press him, so she enjoyed a meal and a movie with her best friend.

  “T he fuck do she want?” Boss hissed as he ignored another call from Keema.

  Her and Quita were cool in the beginning, but they were starting to get on his nerves now. He hated clingy females and that’s exactly what they were becoming. He was just with Keema that night and with Quita earlier that morning. Lacey had been in her feelings because he hadn’t been spending as much time with her and he was over that too. Three women that he could have whenever he wanted and Boss still wasn’t satisfied. He had just pulled up at Dixie’s to talk to Grant before he had to pick the kids up for school.

  “What’s good boy? You want a drink?” Grant offered when Boss walked into his office.

  “Nah, I gotta pick the kids up in a minute,” Boss replied as he pulled out a knot of money and handed it over. Grant didn’t bother counting it because Boss was always on point.

  “How you been man?” Grant asked, knowing that the younger man was fighting a lot of demons.

  “Fucked up but that’s life.” Boss shrugged.

  “What got you feeling like that?” Grant asked.

  “I saw my stupid ass mama a few days ago. I swear, I just wanted to wrap my hands around her neck until all the life drained out of her,” he raged.

  “I understand fam.” Grant nodded.

  Carla was a low down dirty bitch and Grant would never dispute that. There was a lot that Boston still didn’t know. Given his anger issues and temper, it was best that he stayed in the dark. Things would only get worse if he knew everything that had really taken place.

  “No, you don’t. Like, how the fuck could you even try to smile up in my face like it’s all good after how you did me? I just keep thinking about where I would be if I didn’t have Precious. That lady was a complete stranger who treated me better than the woman who gave birth to me. All behind a nigga,” Boss hissed.

  “Precious had a good heart,” Grant acknowledged.

  “Absolutely and so did your brother,” Boss replied.

  “I know you might not want to hear this but you need to get at your pops. Bear is a good dude bruh,” Grant noted.

  He and Bear were never the best of friends but they were always cordial. He was a good man who was put in a fucked up situation that he had to handle. It wasn’t pretty but it was life.

  “Fuck him too. It was because of him getting locked up that my life turned to shit.” Boss frowned.

  “One conversation bruh. That’s all I’m asking. It might just change the way you feel about everything,” Grant replied.

  “I seriously doubt that.” Boss shrugged.

  “It’s a big world out there bruh. It gets lonely when you’re standing in it alone,” Grant said.

  “I’ll never be alone as long as I got Indie. That’s all the family I need,” Boss replied.

  “Indigo got a man bruh. What happens when she decides to have a family of her own?” Grant questioned as he stood up and went to the safe that was in the closet.

  Boss would never admit it but that was one of his greatest fears. Justice was always saying that he wanted to marry Indigo and have kids. Boss knew that if that ever happened, he would be on his own and he wasn’t sure how he would handle that. Indigo had always been there and he wasn’t sure if he could go through life without her. His thoughts had been consuming him more and more and, lately, he was wondering if maybe Indigo was right. Seeing someone about his problems might not have been such a bad idea. After all, Indigo was doing great and she attributed it all to her therapist.

  “Let me ask you a question and I need you to keep it real with me,” Boss said when Grant walked back into the room.

  “That’s the only way I know how to be. What’s up?” Grant asked.

  “What do you think about therapy and shit?” Boss questioned.

  “Sometimes, it’s necessary,” Grant replied.

  “Would you do it?” Boss asked.

  “I already did,” Grant confessed.

  “What? When?” Boss yelled in shock.

  “When Precious and my brother got killed. I was already dealing with a lot of shit and I felt like I was losing it when that happened. Going through the trial and all that other bullshit had me on the verge of a breakdown. I was tired of people telling me that everything was gonna be alright because I couldn’t see it. I wasn’t afraid to admit that I needed help and I got it,” Grant said.

  “Indigo has been trying to get me to see her therapist and shit, but I’m not with it.” Boss frowned.

  “You remind me a lot of myself when I was your age. You’ll get tired of hiding your pain behind
your smile one day,” Grant said as he handed him a small bag filled with dope.

  “I’m gone fam. I’ll see you around,” Boss replied as he got up and headed to his bus at the end of the lot.

  As soon as he got on the bus, Keema called back and, once again, he ignored her. Boss headed to the school and he was the first bus to get there. He waited for about twenty minutes before the kids started getting on. Keema was still blowing him up and getting no answer. After a while, she sent him a text telling him that it was urgent and begging him to pick up. When she called again, Boss answered, hoping that she wasn’t about to hit him with no bullshit. Her frequent calls reminded him of when Ari hit him with her pregnancy. He strapped up faithfully and he wasn’t in the mood for the dumb shit.

  “Yeah,” he snapped when he finally answered for her. He had his Air pods in his ear, so he wouldn’t be distracted with holding the phone.

  “Damn it Boss! Where are you? I’ve been calling you for over an hour!” Keema yelled.

  “For what? I’m working,” he replied.

  “That’s what I’m calling you about. Please tell me that you don’t have anything on the bus with you,” Keema whispered.

  “I just got straight, so I got a lot with me. Why?” he said as his heart pounded erratically in his chest.

  “Fuck! Your bus is gonna get searched at the last stop. An anonymous tip came in a little over an hour ago. You gotta get rid of that shit like now,” Keema said, making him panic.

  “How do you know?” he asked her.

  “They told us during briefing before the shift started.”

  “Who made the call? Did they tell you that?” he questioned.

  “No, they never do,” Keema replied. She had ways to find out but that would take time.

  “Man fuck!” Boss hissed.

  “I wish I could do something to help but I can’t leave work,” Keema said in a low tone.

  “Nah, you’ve done enough. I gotta go,” Boss replied as he pulled his bus to the side. The kids were mumbling and grumbling about going home, but Boss tuned them out. He grabbed his phone from his pocket and called the one person that he knew always had his back.

  She was all smiles when she pulled up to the house to get ready for her date. Her hair and nails were freshly done and she couldn’t wait for him to see her. The denim romper that she planned to wear fit her curves perfectly and she knew that he would love it. It had been a while since she’d been happy and she welcomed the butterflies that were taking up space in her belly. She hurried into the house and ran up the steps, trying to get ready as soon as possible. She rushed to her room down the hall, but the faint moans that were coming from her sister’s room made her slow her stride just a little. That was nothing new but the hint of a familiar cologne gave her pause. She didn’t want to believe it but she had to put her curiosity to rest.

  Opening the door slowly, she wasn’t prepared for what she was seeing. Her boyfriend of only six months was standing there naked, as her sister kneeled in front of him with his dick halfway down her throat. Their eyes were closed but the gasp that escaped her lips let them know that they were no longer alone. Tears poured from her eyes as she backed up and ran down the stairs, falling several times along the way. She heard him calling her name but she kept going. When she heard his footsteps getting closer, she knew that she had to face her demons head on, instead of running away like she wanted to.

  “Baby!” Justice yelled, pulling Indigo away from her thoughts of the past.

  “Huh,” she replied as she looked over at him.

  “You good?” he asked while looking at her strangely.

  “Yeah, I’m straight.” She smiled.

  “Are y’all ready to eat? Everything is done,” her aunt Bernice said as she carried a bowl filled with tossed salad into the dining room.

  Indigo and Monroe were having lunch with their grandmothers, and Justice tagged along since he got off early that day.

  “Yes grandma, I’m starving,” Monroe said as she started fixing her plate.

  “Where are Treva and Ellis?” Bernice asked her granddaughter.

  “Work,” she replied before she started eating.

  “Where’s Boston? He never misses out on a meal,” Indigo’s grandmother, Beatrice, said when she walked into the room with some hot dinner rolls.

  “He hasn’t been feeling his best lately. He should be at work right now though,” Indigo replied.

  Since seeing his mother the week before, Boss had been down. Indigo tried her best to cheer him up but nothing seemed to work. He smiled all the time and told her that he was okay, but she knew better.

  “Well, I’m gonna fix him some food to go,” Beatrice said.

  “Yeah, he’ll like that.” Indigo smiled.

  “I mean, I understand him not getting along with his mother and all, but it’s not that serious. That happened when he was a kid. He’s a grown ass man now. It’s time for him to get over it,” Justice said insensitively.

  “That’s not for you to say. You had and still have both your parents in your life, so you don’t know how he feels,” Indigo replied.

  “I get it baby, but how long is he gonna use you as a crutch?” Justice questioned.

  “Don’t speak on what you don’t know Justice,” Indigo replied in annoyance. She hated when people who had never been through anything tried to judge.

  “It sounds like a little jealously to me,” Beatrice said as she looked at her sister slyly.

  “Yep, definitely sounds like it to me too,” Bernice agreed.

  “Never that. I’m very secure in my relationship. Boston and nobody else can come in between what we have,” Justice said confidently.

  “You sound real sure of yourself,” Beatrice instigated.

  “Stop being so messy grandma. Let’s just leave this conversation alone and eat,” Indigo replied.

  “I don’t give a damn what nobody says, I don’t blame Boston for how he feels. Sad ass bitch let a nigga make her give up her child. Her only child at that,” Beatrice argued.

  “I know that’s right. She sounds just like that dumb bitch that Mary gave birth to. Got her elderly mama raising her son while she lay up in a penthouse with her man,” Bernice replied, making Indigo laugh.

  She loved her grandmother and great aunt, but they were the two messiest old ladies in the building. Their neighbor across the hall was raising her teenage grandson and they tried their best to help her out. The place was for seniors only but he didn’t have anywhere else to go. They knew everybody’s business and they stayed in some mess.

  “Did you ever ask Dixie if I could have the time off to go to Miami?” Monroe asked as she looked at Indigo.

  “Not yet but it shouldn’t be a problem,” Indigo replied, right as her phone rang.

  “Tell my baby that I’m sending him something to eat,” Beatrice said when she saw Boston’s picture pop up.

  “What’s up Boss?” Indigo asked.

  “Where you at Indie? I need you,” Boss replied, sounding panicked.

  “What’s wrong? Where are you?” Indigo questioned.

  “I’m on my bus route but I need you like now,” Boss replied as he gave her his location.

  “Okay, just relax. I’m on my way,” Indigo assured him as she jumped up from her seat.

  “What’s going on baby?” Justice asked as he stood up.

  “I don’t know but Boston needs me. Wrap my food up grandma. I’ll get it later,” Indigo said as she rushed out of the house with Justice following behind her.

  She forgot that they were together in his car but she didn’t care. She would have called a cab if she had to. Boston sounded like something was wrong and she had to make sure he was straight.

  “What do you mean you don’t know? You’re just running out here blindly and don’t know what’s going on? That’s insane,” Justice argued.

  “Are you gonna take me or not? I don’t need a lecture. I knew I should have taken my own car,” Indigo replied angr
ily.

  “I don’t have a problem doing anything for you, Indigo. I just want to know what we’re walking into,” Justice said as they got into his black Lexus truck.

  Indigo directed him on where to go as her leg bounced nervously. Justice didn’t seem to have the same sense of urgency that she did, and she was annoyed. Once they got to where Boston was, Indigo jumped out of the car and rushed to his bus. She was happy that Justice stayed in the car because she didn’t know what was up.

  “What’s going on?” she asked as she stepped onto the bus.

  “Man, I need you to take all this shit and hold on to it. Keema just called and put a bug in my ear,” Boss said as he gave her the bag filled with dope and money. He briefly explained everything to her before she got off the bus and he pulled off.

  “What’s that?” Justice asked when Indigo got back into the car with the small duffle bag.

  “Nothing for you to worry about. Let’s go home,” Indigo replied.

  “Please tell me that he didn’t call you to come get drugs,” Justice said as he looked over at her.

  “Okay, I won’t tell you.” Indigo shrugged in aggravation.

  “Are you serious right now? That’s some straight bullshit. What kind of friend would even do something like that and why would you agree?” Justice ranted.

  “I already have a father, Justice. Focus on being my man. That’s a job that you seem to have trouble figuring out lately,” Indigo snapped angrily.

  He wanted to continue the argument but it wasn’t even worth it. Indigo always made excuses for her best friend and he didn’t know why. He liked Boston and all, but he needed to grow up. She was always bailing him out of messes that he got himself into and the shit was getting old. Everyone around Boston enabled him, but Indigo had it bad. She was always making excuses for why he was the way he was, but Justice didn’t buy it. Boston didn’t have the best life growing up but it was up to him to make it better. Sadly, he seemed to only be making his situation worse.