by Tynessa
“Nigga shut yo’ bitch ass up before I smoke you!” Jay yelled to Detective Charles.
POW!
Just like that, Jay’s crazy ass ended Rico’s life. “I’m getting tired of hearing ya’ll talking. I’m ‘bout to start dropping mothafuckas,” his crazy ass said. I knew then that it was about time for me to let my gun talk before I be one of the ones that nigga dropped.
“Hold on bruh,” ordered Tez. “Anything else we need to know about this nigga? We already know ya’ll set me and my man Kace up. What else we don’t know about his grimy ass?” asked Tez with a smirk. Me and Charles made eye contact right before he started singing like a bird.
“You’re going to jail,” he nodded his head to my cousin. I stood there smiling the whole time. “Lo is setting you up. His plan is to kill Quintez and make it as if you done it. We already have recording of ya’ll conversation where you’re agreeing that you would be the one that will pull the trigger. If this goes to plan, you will be serving a life sentence or even the death penalty. Now can I please get home to my family?”
POW! I really hoped Detective Charles didn’t expect for me to let him live after that shit. I looked over at my cousin, and the nigga had fire in his eyes. He had took his gun from being aimed at Jay and was now aiming it at my head.
“I knew your sneaky ass couldn’t be trusted. We supposed to be family. You called me here to do a fucking job and the whole time you was plotting on setting me up?” I heard hurt in my cousin’s voice, but I didn’t give a fuck.
“Nigga that’s how the game works. You of all people know mothafuckas can’t be trusted in this world.” Soon as the words left my mouth, I let go of one single shot before my body begun jerking as the bullets ripped through my flesh.
Chapter 28
Doing what’s right!
Jay’vion
I stood there in total shock at the shit that had just happened. This wasn’t at all how this shit was supposed to have played out. When I walked inside this warehouse, I had my mind frame set on killing that nigga Asia was in a relationship with and my brother smoking Lo, but it was the complete opposite. I mean, it went somewhat as planned, but right now I didn’t know how to feel about what had just happened.
Once Lo let it be known that he was untrustworthy, he aimed his gun at his own cousin and pulled the trigger. I stood there unable to move as my brother, B, and Kacey lit Lo’s body up. I knew something wasn’t right with Rico. B had informed us that Rico had been reporting to Lo, and that’s why I pulled the trigger on his ass.
Noticing that Lo’s cousin was fighting for his last breath, I rushed over to him. From one single gunshot to the chest, he was bleeding massively and his body was shaking uncontrollably. His mouth was moving, but nothing was coming out. I’d seen niggas being smoked before, and of course I had done shot a few, but never once did I have sympathy for any of them. I think the only reason I had a little for this mothafucka was because of Asia.
Fuck, why I have to care for Asia’s feelings? I thought to myself. That’s the only reason I was going to even attempt to save his life.
“Come on Tez, help me lift him. We have to get him to the hospital,” I said. Tez looked at me as if I was crazy, but helped anyways. “This Asia’s nigga, we gotta save him,” I explained on the way to the car. I was carrying his upper body while Tez had his legs. Kacey and B hopped in the front seat while got in the back, and we burnt rubber out the parking lot and to the hospital.
I continued to talk to him as we made our way, you know, trying to keep him calm and letting him know that he was going to pull through—which I wasn’t so sure of it. I sent Asia a text letting her know that she needed to get to the hospital. She’d text back asking what was going on, but I didn’t respond. I just hoped she got the picture.
“Asia still loves you,” I heard him mumble in a shaking voice. I gave a weak smile, but said nothing as I added more pressure to his wound. “I want her to take care of my baby girl for me,” he said in a whisper as tears rolled down his face as his head rested in my lap. I felt like a bitch, because I didn’t even know this nigga and at one point in time I wanted to be the one that ended his life, but right now I felt like crying with him.
“Bruh, stop talking like that. You gon’ be here to raise your daughter,” I assured him. This shit was like the scene from the move Set it Off when that bitch Ti-Ti died—sad as hell.
“You need to do right by her,” he started, but I didn’t even know what to say back to him. “Will you and Asia,” he continued, but by this time we was pulling up at the hospital. Kacey threw the car in park, and B hoped out and rushed inside. Quickly, he returned with a gang of doctors and nurses. They loaded him up one the stretcher and vanished. All eyes were on us as we entered the waiting room, covered in blood.
“You good?” Tez asked me once we took a seat. I nodded my head, letting him know that I was. “I know that had to be hard, but you did the right thing,” he said to me.
“Yea, I know how much he means to Asia. I couldn’t just let him die like that,” I responded truthfully. I loved her too much to see her hurt.
“I feel you on that and like I said, you did the right thing but you also heard what he said, Asia loves you. Whatever the outcome end up being with him, you and your girl need to get this shit together,” my brother preached. I damn sure wished it was that simple.
“Yea, I wish we could. What you think he was about to say when we pulled up, about me and Asia?” I asked. Tez opened his mouth to speak but before he could, Asia was rushing over to us holding her boyfriend’s daughter, with Tan right behind her.
“Oh my gosh! Jay what happened?” Asia handed the little girl to Tan and began looking me over. I don’t even think she realized what she was doing. I eased her back off me and let her know that I was fine. Pulling her to the side, I just stared at her. “Jay, what is it? You’re scaring me,” she said to me with teary eyes.
“Lo,” I said in a raspy voice. Clearing my throat, I begun to explained what happened. “Some shit went today tonight and Lo shot your old man,” I let her know. Instantly, tears begun to fall.
“Lo? Lo wouldn’t do that. They’re first cousins. Jay, you’re lying,” Asia wept as she fell into my arms. “Please tell me you didn’t do this, Jay. Please,” Is what she kept saying over and over. It hurt that Asia thought I would do some bogus shit like shoot her nigga, then be sitting here in the emergency room letting her cry on my shoulder.
“I didn’t do it, Asia. Lo did it. You can go out and ask those niggas out there. Baby, I wouldn’t even be here if I did it,” I said to her. All she did was cry.
This is the exact reason I didn’t kill the nigga when I had plenty of opportunity to do so. I knew Asia would react this way. Once she’d calmed down, we went back into the waiting area and waited for the doctors to come out. Asia was still crying, but not as much. She knew she had to be strong for the little one she was holding in her arms tightly.
Sitting there, I help but replay the words ol’ dude spoke on the ride to the hospital– not the part that Asia still loved me, because she showed me that tonight when she rushed over to me trying to make sure that I was okay. Anyways, the part that he wanted her to take care of his daughter. It was as if he just knew he was going to die. That shit broke my heart. I wondered what he was about to say when we pulled up, though.
After sitting here in the waiting room for what seemed like forever, the doctor finally came out. When he called for the family of ol dude, Asia passed the little girl to Tan and rushed where the doctor stood. I didn’t know if I should go be by her side or what, but I remained seated. I mean after all, I wasn’t his family. I watched closely as the doctor conversed with Asia, and once her head begun shaking from left to right repeatedly, and she went tumbling down, I rushed over to her.
“No, no, no…he can’t be gone,” she cried. “Not Ke’. Please tell me you’re lying.” Asia continued to cry. He explained to me that during the surgery to remove the bullet from h
is chest, he had went into cardiac arrest and they were unable to revive him.
When Tan walked over to help me calm Asia down, Tez grabbed the little girl out her arms and took her outside. She didn’t know what was going on and looked scared.
The doctor let Asia know that once she was calm, she could go back and see the guy if she liked. I didn’t think it would be a good idea, because it was so soon but since she wanted to, I would be right by her side. Tan didn’t want no parts of that and let Asia know that she’d be in the waiting room waiting for her.
“Asia, you don’t need to go in there. Just give a few days then you could see him,” I tried to reason with her.
“I got to Jay. I have to let him know that I’m here for him. I don’t want him to feel alone,” she cried out to me as we stood on the other side of the door to the room he was in. I felt where she was coming from, but Asia was in no shape to see him laying up there on his deathbed.
“I understand that baby girl, but just give it some time. If you want, we can see him tomorrow if we can. I just think it’ll be too hard for you to see him tonight. Trust me, he knows you love him and he knows you’re going to hold him down and be there for his daughter out there. You have to be strong for her, remember?” Wiping her tears mixed with snot, Asia nodded her head.
“How am I going to explain this to his parents and Keonna?”
“Don’t worry about that now. Just get yourself together,” I said as we made our way back to the waiting room.
I knew I had to get my shit together and be there for Asia. I don’t know what her dude was trying to tell me, but it had to be something deep for him to make it a point to let me know that she still loved me. I wasn’t going to rush anything though, and I was willing to wait for her. However, if we didn’t get back together, I would still be right here by her side to help her get over his death.
Chapter 29
Bittersweet!
Tangela
Damn, my heart went out to my girl Asia. I knew that shit had to be hard for her, and I salute Jay for finally growing up and being right by her side. I couldn’t even imagine being in her shoes—hell, I didn’t want to imagine it either. Losing someone wasn’t a good feeling at all. Whether it was your significant other or a family member, it didn’t feel good.
As I was sitting in the waiting room, I could feel Kacey burning a hole through my body. I refused to look at him. He’d been staring at me with those puppy dog eyes since I walked in with Asia. I didn’t know why, because I didn’t have shit to say to him. Politely, I got up and walked outside where Quintez was with Ke’s little girl. I thought maybe he would’ve brought her back in by now, but he hadn’t.
When I walked out, Quintez and Keonna were sitting on the bench playing paper, scissors, rock. I stood watching from afar, and loving the sight in front of me. Quintez would make a great father. If only I wasn’t already expecting and he was ready for kids, I would bless him with one of our own.
“Ya’ll having fun?” I asked. They both looked up at me and smiled. The smile let me know that they were. I sat down beside Keonna and ran my hands through the messy puffball that was sitting on top of her head.
“Where’s Asia?” she asked me.
“She’ll be out in a minute. She had to take care of a little business,” I answered. When she asked was her daddy coming too, I was speechless. I am not about to tell her that she would never see her father again, so I chose to change the subject. “Do you like living with Asia?” I asked her instead.
“Yes. Asia is the best,” her little cute self smiled and said. I nodded my head in agreement.
“Is she okay?” asked Quintez. I let him know that she went in the back to see him one last time. I wanted to ask what happened, but I couldn’t because of Keonna. However, Quintez had been around my nosey ass for too long and knew I wanted answers.
“Lo did that sh-that mess,” he said. I smiled at the fact that he didn’t want to curse in front of Keonna. “His own flesh in blood. Did you know they was kin?” he asked me.
“No, I didn’t even know they knew one another. The night you was shot and he came to the hospital, Lo was here but they didn’t say a word to one another. Hell, your brother and him had a few words and Lo still didn’t say nothing,” I explained. I would’ve never guessed they were kin.
“That’s because that nigga didn’t care about him. Couldn’t have.”
“So where he at?” I asked. Running his hand down his face, Quintez gave me a look that instantly answered my question and nothing else needed to be spoken. Quintez licked his lips before peeking over Keonna at my baby bump.
“You wearing that pregnancy well,” he said to me with a smile. I somewhat rolled my eyes as I rubbed my stomach.
“Thank you,” I said.
“So, what are you having?” he asked me. I let him know that I wouldn’t know until tomorrow when I got to the doctor, and he nodded his head.
“You know that could’ve been mine, right?” he said with a chuckle. I just laughed it off and secretly wished that it was. We sat out there and took turns playing paper, scissor, rock with Keonna. This was a moment that I wished we could have together with a child of our own. Unfortunately, I couldn’t because of the trifling ass baby father I had.
Noticing Asia and Jay walking out, followed by Kacey and the other guy B, we stood up. Asia had calmed down a lot, but her eyes were still puffy and red. I grabbed and hugged her tightly.
“You okay boo?” I asked her. She just nodded her head, indicating that she was. I knew she wasn’t though, and she was only trying to be strong.
“Tan, are you going to stay with her tonight?” Jay asked me, but before I had a chance to respond, Asia said she and Keonna would be fine. Nah, I wasn’t trying to hear that and neither was Jay, because as I was saying I was staying, he was letting her know that if I wasn’t staying then he would. He was right, because she didn’t need to be alone right now.
“I have a doctor’s appointment in the morning Jay, but I’ll call you ahead of time to give you enough time to make it there,” I let him know as I rubbed my belly. I was actually looking forward to going to the doctor to see what this little kicker in my stomach was. During the day it slept, but late at night and early in the mornings, all my baby did was kick. I hoped and prayed when it came out that his or her sleep pattern was in order.
“Okay, that’s a bet,” he said as we all walked to Asia’s car. Since I rode there with her, I’d just take her car in the morning and do what I had to.
“So how are we going to do this in the morning? You want me to come to Asia’s house to pick you up?” asked Kacey as he pulled my arm, stopping me from walking any farther. I snatched away from him, but not too hard to cause a scene.
“No I don’t need you to come get me! I’m driving Asia’s car, so I guess however you was trying to come get me, just take that ride and meet me at the doctor’s office.” Kacey didn’t even have a car, so I wondered how he was going to get there. Maybe he was going to take his babymama’s car the way he took mine.
“Do you have to be so nasty towards me? We both fucked up, and you don’t see me treating you like shit. Just like I was doing dirt, yo’ ass was too. Only difference is, you didn’t have a baby. Let’s be real, if I wouldn’t have gotten her pregnant then you would’ve never known,” his dumb ass said. Shit, now I’m thinking this nigga probably been out here in these streets cheating on me all along. I mean, basically that’s what he had just said. Nowadays, I was disgusted by Kacey and couldn’t stand to be in his damn presence.
“That’s a big ass difference! Now could you please get out my face because it is what it is, and what’s done can’t be fixed. I’m over the bullshit and you!” I said as I walked off, not even caring who heard me. Asia was already on the passenger side, so I hopped in the driver seat. After her and Jay finished talking, we all left the parking lot.
When we made it to Asia’s house, I made sure she was okay and settled into bed. I was thankful t
hat Keonna was already asleep. Just as I laid down beside Asia in her bed, my phone went off indicating that I had a text message coming through. I rolled my eyes, because I thought it was Kacey’s funky ass, but to my surprise it was Quintez. You already know I had a smile from ear to ear.
Quintez: You straight?
Slowly, quietly, and carefully, I got out of bed so I wouldn’t wake Asia and went into the living room. I couldn’t get comfortably fast enough so I could respond back to him. Yes, my feelings might run deeper than the ocean in the sea for Quintez, but I loved the fact that I could talk to him about anything, and didn’t have to worry about him judging me.
Me: Yes, why do you ask?
I finally replied. I already knew his nosey ass overheard me and Kacey’s conversation, because he wasn’t that far ahead of us.
Quintez: I mean, you was pretty upset when you left. I’m sorry about you and yo nigga breaking up.
Me: No you are not. LOL… Nigga you probably over there jumping for joy.
I knew Quintez was just flexing. He didn’t give a damn about my relationship with Kacey. It was sweet of him to text and check on me, though.
Quintez: You probably right! But check this, I just got to ol’ girl’s house so I’ll call and check on you tomorrow. Try to get some rest and don’t stress over little shit that you can’t change. You have a little one to worry about now. If you need me, I’m here. Love ya and goodnight shawty!
I smiled as I texted him back with a simple goodnight. I’ve learned to accept the fact that Quintez had a girlfriend, and just like he had respected mine and Kacey’s relationship to his avail, I was going to respect his. Setting my alarm on my phone, I made myself comfortable on the couch and went to sleep.
