For an hour, I held her in my arms, rocking her fragile body, before gently laying her on the bed. I pulled the cover over her and kissed her cracked lips that were still swollen and sore. Closing my eyes, I wished I was able to kill that nigga again. He’d done damage in my home, disrupting our peace and bringing us nothing but pain.
On my way to the kitchen, I shot Laike a text.
Pull up.
Almost instantly, he read the message. Though he didn’t respond, there wasn’t a doubt in my mind that I’d be seeing him soon. When I called, he came and vice versa. Shit had always been that way with us and would remain the same.
I poured a glass of brown liquor from the bar and grabbed the contents to fill the blunts I planned to roll. Strolling through my home, I silently prayed for the day that it was Ever’s safest space again. The place she felt secure and most like herself. It would take some time, but I’d be damned if I didn’t help her along the process. She deserved the peace that I could offer her. I planned to make sure she got back to it. For the time being, I wouldn’t let her out of my sight. Her nor my girls. We’d be locked in this bitch until we all felt better, no matter how long that took.
I slid the door back, stepping out into the backyard to find Laike rounding the house. His timing was impeccable. However, I couldn’t help but wonder how he’d gotten to me so fast.
“How’d you get in?” I asked.
“Did you forget I designed this motherfucker?”
“Sometimes,” I admitted. “Where the hell were you?”
“Up the street, really. Spinning some corners, clearing my head.”
“Or watching the house?”
“That, too.”
“Appreciate it, bro.”
“You got my front. I got your back.”
“I doubt that nigga still in Channing and I doubt he knows where we rest our heads.”
“Can never be too sure. It’s possible they were here long before the gas station.”
“True.”
I sipped from my cup and passed it to Laike. He accepted as I began rolling the blunt on the tray I’d brought out the supplies on. Before I was able to get the buds inside of the paper, I smelled some sticky that smelled just like the buds I was rolling.
“Impatient ass nigga.”
“Stay ready so you never have to get ready,” he responded. “What’s up? What’s on your mind?”
“Just got to get some shit off my chest, ya know?”
“Shoot for it.”
“Ever, man.” I sighed, shaking my head as my stomach turned, considering what I was about to say.
“How is Sis?”
“Scared.”
My voice cracked. In efforts to conceal my emotions, I cleared my throat.
“Bro,” Laike called out to me, slightly closing the gap between us.
I looked up at him, titling my head to meet his gaze.
“This me,” he said, patting his chest. “Don’t do that. Don’t offend me, either, nigga. I’m lil bro.”
As the words left his mouth, the tears fell from my eyes.
