I blow smoke out the side of my mouth. “Yes?”
He just flicks his nose before shaking his head and walking out.
“All them Youngs are mental patients. I see why Tre kept B away from they asses,” Turk expresses.
“Eh, they aight… what? I mean, besides YT tryna kill us every week, the big nigga and Prince cool as fuck,” Ty shrugs.
They all start putting their two cents in about just how crazy the Triplets are, but I zone out, like I always do when we shoot the breeze like this. Compared to other niggas we’ve beefed with, we haven’t lost many, but the two we have are felt every day.
Especially when I’m still doing the shit we talked about.
Sean would have been the main one cheering Nut on. He always talked about me making sure everyone straight, but that was really him. Nut was like his personal god, and would know just like we knew Tati would want that nigga happy above all else.
We all deserve happiness, but Nut deserves it the most.
I glance at Rico, who hasn’t said much either. He’s been holding his soda can, staring a hole into the wood floor. His hair isn’t blond anymore, but he doesn’t let his hair get longer than an inch before cutting it now, and I know it’s because Fredo kept his hair long.
I stand and grab a champagne bottle, and start pouring some in everyone but Rico’s and Set’s cups. I pour some in mine and sit down, while the conversation dies down and everyone peers at me.
I look around at my brothers, and not for the first time, I rethink my decision. I know it’ll hurt them when I’m gone, and they won’t understand. Shit, prolly curse my name. But I hope when they get the emails I scheduled to send them they’ll try.
It’s not that I meant to hurt them. I just want my hurt to go away.
I clear my throat and raise my cup. “To Fredo and Sean,” I call out, locking eyes with Rico. “We love y’all, and we miss y’all foreal. On Foe.”
“And to Tati,” Nut says. I whip my head around to him.
“I felt you all around today, and I know you and my mama sent Choc and my lil nigga to me fasho. Me and Anaïs are in good hands, but you knew that.”
We all cheers and take a sip of our drinks.
“So first Set, then Nut, Turk is next. I wonder who after that,” Ty mutters, scratching his chin.
“Shit, not you if you keep playing up with Van.” Reem takes a sip of his drink while they all cackle and start roasting each other.
Knowing I finally made a decision on joining my family brings me the peace I’ve been yearning for, for years. Taking a break from working allowed me to get everything together. Set and Nut split forty percent of my liquid assets. Another ten goes to the Center. Mace gets twenty-five and the last twenty-five is in a trust for Beanie. My studio will go to Turk. I already sold my highrise to add to my account and moved everything to the one where Set is an authorized user. The emails are scheduled to go after the sleeping pills take effect.
I’ve thought of everything.
The only thing that’s left is this meeting and my last therapy appointment.
Might as well give her something so I didn’t totally waste her time.
I do a double take when YT sits next to me on the bench I’m occupying at the riverwalk.
She’s wearing an oversized navy blue hoodie with the hood pulled tight over her head, only showing her face. The gray sweats are loose and baggie, too, and her platform Pumas look a little dirty.
“What did I tell you about staring, Shad?” she whines, before pulling her twenty-two out of her pocket.
“Girl, put that away. Why you so dressed down?”
She rolls her eyes but keeps her piece on her lap. “Everyone has their days, Rahshad. Especially in June. I believe it’s called, June Gloom.”
She turns and aims her gun behind us just as I hear the click of a safety.
“Never have your back facing everyone else, cuz. I know P-Nutty taught you better than that.”
When I stand and turn, Grimey’s smirking at me, though it doesn’t reach his eyes. The nigga looks a little rough.
