I scooped him up and tossed him in the air once before throwing him across my shoulder. He and Benny were some tough ass lil’ boys.. Jace came out the kitchen with his phone in his hand, smiling at whatever was on the screen.
“Wassup, Unc?”
“Wassup, nephew?”
Kasha came walking out the kitchen with a towel in her hand, and her eyes scanning me.
“You good, Franklin?”
I nodded, but it was a lie. “Where yo’ husband?”
“Out back.”
She glanced at Jet, who was now pulling at my hoodie string. “Jet, go with your brother. Uncle Lo has to talk to daddy.”
“Noooo! I wanna stay!” Jet held tighter.
“It’s cool,” I said, adjusting him on my arm. “Let him hang out.”
I stepped out to the backyard, where Stacks was in a hoodie and black joggers, sitting low in one of the patio chairs with a drink in hand and his blunt burning slow.
He didn’t say shit when he saw me. Just tilted his head and gave me the look.
I dropped into the chair beside him, Jet still fidgeting on my lap, and let out a long breath.
“What happened?” he asked as soon as I was seated. I let him know how the conversation went and how she reacted to everything. Of course he had to throw in that Buck was right, but I’ain want to hear that shit.
Stacks scoffed. “She ain’t in no position to make demands. She’s lucky the shit is going this smoothly.”
“She lucky I’ain press her skull into the table,” I muttered.
Stacks looked over at me, eyes calm but alert. “And if the kid yours?”
I didn’t answer right away. Jet was playing with my hands now, unaware of the storm I was sitting in. That innocence hit hard.
“If she mine… I step up. That’s it.”
Stacks nodded. “What about Mel?”
“I’ain telling her ’til I get the test. I already said that.”
“Bro.”
“I know.” I sighed.
Stacks leaned back. “You let this drag too long, and it’s gone blow up in yo’ face. You think she won’t find out? Buck don’t know how to shut the fuck up sometimes. He gone fuck ’round and say the shit and not even realize it.”
“I said I know.”
Jet sneezed in my face and then giggled like it was a joke. I wiped my face with my sleeve and sat Jet down, letting him run toward the door.
“This ain’t some side chick drama. This a whole gah damn human. And I missed her whole fuckin’ life.”
“So now you got a chance to fix it.”
“Yeah, and destroy everything else in the process,” I snapped. “Mel already know something is off. She ain’t said it, but I see it in her face.”
Stacks set the blunt in the ashtray, the tip still smoking.
