by Brick
Afterward, we chilled at his other spot in London’s South Kensington Estates residence where he hipped me up on things. I learned that he and my pops, after taking down some OGs on their block to keep the family safe as a whole and get my mom down to ATL, made a code to protect each other always. Phenom headed to London to get a new life with our Trinidadian family out there, aunts, uncles, and cousins. My pops followed my mom down to the A. Before I was evenborn, they dealt business. Both worked the streets to stop this gang shit, but both kept their hands deep in it at the same time to clock their enemies.
Finding all of that out had me trippin’, and everything started making sense with why my pops was gunned down. It wasn’t just that my pops still had his hands in the game, but that he was about to pull the plug and get ATL clean. He had some shit, some good shit too, which would have made that truth come to light but then, like a ghost, it was gone with him. Or so I thought, until my unk let me know he knew everything my pops was planning, but it didn’t matter then because ATL was too locked up in chaos. Just like London.
Yeah, life was different now. Safe, but not so much. My unk had Diamond and Ghost stashed up pretty fresh. She had her own apartment, or flat as they say out in London. Right next to a barber and beauty shop, that he and the African queen Anika owned in Hackney. She had hands over here too. Her crew ran Brixton, another borough. Every borough had specific crews who ran the codes. So just like back home, you could have niggas claiming game on any street, or block, all in the same borough, or zip code. Every crew had to respect the law, or codes. You step into the wrong spot and your shit was got. That was how Phenom hit me with that, and basically, shit wasn’t different at all; we all just spoke with a different lingo.
Back to Anika though: Phenom didn’t tell me much about how they hooked up, just that she was his woman. I saw they sported tatted rings, but he said they had a relationship where she did her, and he did him, but at the end of the day they stayed loyal to each other and that he’d kill anyone who fucked with her. Told me she’d do the same and that it was my mom who got them together when they went to Spelman. That was it. So, she was my aunt, but I guess they had some open shit so it was what it was. I guess in this game you had to do shit like that. Because if you both were bosses, you had to use whatever you could to get where you wanted to be.
After that, Big Jake and I spent our time healing and learning Anika’s zones in Nigeria, then their spots in Trinidad, Jamaica, Dubai, and back in the States before coming back to London. My unk had Jake and me learning his empire, little by little. I was good with it. I knew Jake and I wanted to keep our shop back in the States and maybe even bring a shop over here. My unk was down for that legit move. So once we got here, he showed me around like I said. Had me watching Diamond and Ghost. Checking out their patterns. That’s when I also noticed Dame’s brother watching them. He sat on his boundary so I couldn’t murk that dude like I wanted. Had to respect the codes.
Now, I was out checkin’ the codes while riding bikes with one of my cousins Speedy.
“Oi, Trigga, blood, you feelin’ that Tempa T? Suma these dickheads dun know non’ting ’bout dat grime ey? Don’t know shit, man, they don’t know shit! Chav’s coming into our zones trynna spit talk like . . .” Speedy started rapping.
His words came out fast as he hit me with some lyrics to the rhythm of the song I was listening to. But what made that shit funny was how he slowed it, then chopped it up, sounding like a nigga had bumped his head. Words were inserted at wrong times, fucked-up slang used. I found myself cracking up laughing while he rapped with his hands as he rode his bike next to me to a socca beat.
“Fucking tossers man, eedjits!” He shouted to set off folks who looked around our age, walking down the street, smoking joints and huddled up.
On his back was his bulky book bag. Inside were his various forms of hidden shanks. Some in small hand bats, others hidden in pens or books. He sported a fitted that covered his dark brown eyes. He had a crooked nose with a gash over it from it being broken and a wide, dimpled, smirking grin, as if he was always thinking of a fucking joke. I never would have thought this cat was my cousin but he was. Nigga was light bright, almost white. Mixed up he said and that nigga looked it.
Said his mom was Bangladeshi and white, while his pops was Trinidadian. He sported wild long hair that he wore in two braids down his back. Rocked a trimmed goatee only on his chin and even though he was about the gym, he forever kept a piece of candy in his mouth. Sometimes that shit had shanks in it, too.
Nigga was crazy as shit. The fact that he was leaning on his bike, right now, bobbing his head, running a shank against the street, while he spit rhymes let me know that. Dude reminded me of Gina sometimes with how he would spit random things out. But on some real shit, Speedy was mad cool. He was my unk’s eyes. My unk had us meet him in Nigeria, so we could learn to trust him. The fact that any nigga was calling me blood didn’t mean that they were to me. My unk got that ’cause he knew I still was learning to trust him. Anyway, Speedy was cool as fuck and crazy. Ready to fight anyone and not afraid to die.
The booming laugher of Jake behind us on his bike had me laughing even harder. “Nigga you stupid as fuck,” he said as he held his heart laughing, and then pulled out his cell.
“Right, Jake, nigga sitting here flapping at the mouth on swoll sounding like Busta Rhymes after throat surgery and lookin’ like a Teenage Mutant Turtle,” I laughed out.
Speedy shifted in his seat laughing his ass off. “Fuck off, blood, I swear down I gotta get you two in this London street life music, ’cause wha’ comin’ from the States now is trash.”
Still on his cell, Jake’s shoulders shook with laughter. Looking like a grizzly bear on a too-small bike, I checked him maneuvering it like it was a breeze before singling to us. It was kinda dope that my homie, a nigga who was now officially like blood to me, was sporting a smile. The three months back when we were healing he learned about Gina carrying what could have been his kid. Had fucked him up when she lost that baby, too; on some real shit, had fucked me up too. Dame had literally stomped a baby out of Gina. Both Jake and I almost went back to Atlanta just to piss on his fucking grave. That shit broke my bro down deeply to the point he hadn’t said shit until we got to London. Even when Gina was around, he just held her, got more protective, and only said maybe two things to me.
Now he was speaking and laughing and it was a relief. Nigga was still torn by that but the prospect of having a second chance was giving him hope while he cracked jokes.
“We got some grime niggas back in the States, too, man; don’t forget that shit and I’m feelin’ that Ghett nigga. Straight real shit coming from him. Hey, check it, swing us back around to the crib. Gina hit me up food is ready. A homie is hungry than a motherfucker.”
Covering my face while I laughed, I leaned back and slowed my bike down to ride next to Jake. “Nigga, you stay hungry, even though that shit turns into muscle.”
It was getting late and the sound of our stomachs let us know it was time to eat. Anika was going to cook for us while my unk continued to school Diamond and Ghost on the way we needed to handle things. Shit wasn’t easy for any of us, but none of us had time to gripe or be pussy about it. On some real shit, I was just happy to be away and able to have some peace right now, even though Dante was running in my head.
After circling around the block, we hoisted our bikes up on the bike rack and headed inside. The whole flat smelled like the islands and Nigeria; my stomach was hurting for some food in that moment. As we headed upstairs, I could hear talking. Diamond had been kinda quiet after Phenom had let her know how it was in London. She had sat listening while he and Anika let her and Ghost know that they were going to take up classes soon to finish their education.
They then let us know that we all were considered citizens of both England and America because of some pull Phenom had with changing our records. It helped us out since we were young and needed to work. Dropping my keys at the do
or, we all spoke to everyone in the spot. Jake quickly went to Gina and pulled her into his arms to kiss her. Speedy dropped on the couch and flipped on the PS3 as I took my unk’s hand and clapped shoulders, giving him respect.
“What did you see, nephew?” Phenom asked of me as I stepped back.
With a push of my hoodie to uncover my head and face, I noticed Diamond was standing next to Anika watching everything she was doing. It reminded me of being back at Dame’s house when she was checkin’ for Anika at the boss table. Same shit was going on now, but it was different. Fam recognized fam and I could tell Diamond was trying to see how to trust her and even my uncle.
“Everything, nothing, and more, unk. Saw my routes to take. Routes to escape through if shit goes down with law or other gangs and saw where we could hide out if we have to. Gained that insight like you wanted,” I explained.
“Good; next time you go out, hit up some of the shops so they can learn your face and you can learn theirs. We have a lot . . .”
As we quietly spoke in codes, Diamond came out of the kitchen and came my way. “Trig, hey.”
I noticed a note of excitement in her voice and it made me smile when she tried to smooth it over and act like it was nothing. My unk gave a nod letting me know we would finish the talk later and walked into the kitchen. Taking off my Glocks, I set each one down in their usual spot in the living room.
I slid my arm around Diamond’s waist as she hugged me. “Sup, li’l shawty. Got the place smelling good even outside. Where’s Ghost?”
“’Sleep. Should be up soon. Anika did her hair so she’s happy about that. So, what we doing, Trig?” Diamond quickly asked, glancing away and pushing me slightly backward.
Ever since stepping back in she had been asking that and I told her each time that we were going to follow out with the rest of this plan with taking out Dante, before he came for us.
“It’s the same shit, Diamond. We doing this, taking care of family. I got the streets down now, and I can show you where to move. Hook you up some crew of your own to take out with you if you go into main London. I got you,” I quietly said, checking out how her eyes darted and how she shifted on her feet at times.
“I don’t need no new crew. I got y’all. I’m good,” she said.
She wasn’t trusting no new faces. I could feel her on that. I knew she was still feeling like Dame’s ghost could come out at any time because Ghost told me Diamond had bad dreams at night.
“Look, let’s just walk up to that nigga and cut his throat or something huh? Do him fast like we did Dame,” Diamond rushed out, while holding her arms around herself.
My mouth opened to hit her back with reality but before I could my uncle stepped up to us.
“Young one, check it, if Dante and Dame’s mother couldn’t handle them and if that nigga Dante could kill his own mother what the fuck do you think you can do guerrilla style? Use this time for peace and educate that brain even more. You’re a young queen. Once whose mind is stronger, you will be able to command and take out whoever you want, when you want it, like your aunt. But right now, you have to stop operating in fear.”
Stepping in, I nodded, continuing, “Because to live in fear is to be locked in it, which only makes you a bigger target, shawty.”
Phenom gave me a nod again and went back to Anika, picking up a knife and standing behind her as he chopped and kissed on her neck.
My gaze focused back on Diamond. She had her hair up in that bun I liked. She wore an oversized shirt that showed her shoulder with tight leggings that looked like she had the Nigerian flag wrapped around her. With the new set of Nikes on, I knew she had gone shopping.
My hands slid in my pockets and I shrugged. “We good?”
“Yeah, I guess so. My bad, just seems like shit isn’t real,” she quietly explained.
I could get where she was coming from because a lot of times I felt the same way. “Well check it, this is real, and now you get to do some things different. We ain’t slinging and I ain’t out doing murder. You can decide what you want to do with this life now here, feel me? And you can do you, while me and Jake protect this fam. It’s up to you. Me and Jake are going to open up our shop and get to working on that, so you don’t have to work much and focus on school,” I offered in support.
“Phenom wants us to think about going to college here, so me and Jake are thinking on that shit, but at the same time, we’re also handling this street business. We’re making this life what it is. I got Ghost to look out for and protect too, get her back in classes and make sure she grows up right too, so see, we got an agenda that can make you feel good yeah?”
While I spoke, I walked up to Diamond where she was toe to toe with me, hoping something in what I said was giving her some strength.
I was about to say something more when Gina stepped up and moved between us to give me a hug. “Trig!” she squealed.
Warmth filled my chest as I held her tight. This girl right there was my heart, my little sister in spirit. It was hard seeing her laid up in the hospital like she was. When she had slit her own throat like she did, she had moved away from our plan and took it in her own hands. It had pissed me off. Baby girl was supposed to drug herself and make it look as if she had ODed not slice her throat. But knowing that she was pregnant, and with the way that Dame had abused her, I guess she did what she thought was best.
So I held her then stepped out of her grasp to grab Speedy’s book bag, I opened it and pulled out the Happy Meal box I had got for her and watched her eyes light up.
“Yeah, they got them here too, li’l shawty. Took our bikes to get you something special.”
Gina quickly snatched the box out of my hand then tore into it. “You know you’re so dope. I love you, Trig.”
Big Jake’s chuckle behind me had me laughing too, especially when she got up and moved to sit right next to Speedy to annoy him. We all watched as they started up a deep conversation about the game and shanks. He handed her a controller; she took her time in talking and began to murk him in what he was playing.
I felt Diamond stand next to me and it had me thinking. We didn’t really talk about everything that went down at Dame’s. About how I left her and died basically. I figured girly would be ticked about it, but shit, it was what it was. Every nigga had a sob story and now we had a new one. It wasn’t something I was really wanting to get deep into a conversation about but, I knew, I owed her a sorry.
So I took her hand and glanced down at her. “Look, my bad for how that shit went down between us. I had to do what I had to do.”
Diamond kept her eyes on Gina, and smiled when Jake sat down next to her and got in on the game.
“Yeah. You got Gina back so it’s even,” she quietly stated.
The way her voice softly wavered had me thinking otherwise, but I didn’t feel like questioning shit, so I left it where it was. Anika’s sultry voice chimed around us and I let go of Diamond’s hand to go get Ghost so we all could break bread and eat as a new family. Ghost was hyped the moment I woke her up. Baby girl hugged me tight and I let her ride my back as we walked into the living room. She sat on my left and Diamond sat on my right. Gina sat on Diamond’s right and Jake sat next to Ghost. Down the table, Phenom sat at the other head of the table, Anika was at his right, and Speedy was at his left.
Like Jake always says, that one supreme being, whoever a person may call it, doesn’t make mistakes, and gives you a family sometimes that no man can put asunder. This is mine and that nigga Dante can come for us like he wants, but we always got an advantage, ENGA.
Chapter 3
Ray-Ray
Use this time for peace and educate that brain even more? Was that nigga serious? Like I knew Trig had said that Phenom was his uncle and could be trusted but I wasn’t hearing that nigga talking about using this time for peace. Everybody was treating me like I was the weakest link, like I didn’t or couldn’t have no say in what was going down. Just shut up, Diamond. Do what we say Ray-Ray. But these n
iggas were from the streets right? Had been in the streets all their lives, right? So they knew there was no motherfucking peace when it came to blood feuds. So why the fuck were they trying to play me? Trigga asked me if we were good and I said yeah just to keep the peace, but no, we weren’t good, nigga.
He fucking left me all by my damn self with some fucking psycho nigga looking for me, for us. At first I was happy as hell to see them, thinking that we were going to lay low here for a while and eventually go back to the States. I was cool with that until I saw Dante. Dame and Dante the two most evil names a parent could give their sons in my eyes. Dame was a fucking Omen type nigga and I could only imagine that Dante was about to unleash an inferno. I was never going back to that life again. Never. I’d kill myself first.
I guess Trigga and them didn’t understand what it was like for me having to endure the kind of shit that I did. Guess they ain’t understand what it was like to have someone shoving a dick up in you when you didn’t want them to. None of them understood what it was like to have a nigga try to strangle you while raping you. Not one of them knew what it was like to watch your best friend get the same thing done to her, have guns held to your head and knives held to your throat just because that nigga was high or feeling like fucking your day up.
“Why you so quiet, Ray-Ray?”
I looked up and saw Gina walking into my bedroom. I didn’t know how long I had been sitting on the bed looking out of the window. Dinner had been good, but it was over and I’d walked into my bedroom just to get a moment to myself.
“Just thinking about shit,” I answered.
“Like what?” her hoarse voice asked after she had closed the door and sat down beside me.
