In a shaky breath, I released, “Okay.”
8
ZYRO COLEMAN
The sky was still gray as hell, but the rain had finally backed off to a drizzle. It was after four now. Time had crawled by, and I’d been watching out the window for the last few hours, sitting on Eriss’s couch with my phone in my hand and the TV on a movie. She was lying on the other end of the couch, freshly showered with the same blanket I slept under last night. Mahlia had called, and she’d told her everything. Mahlia had texted me that she knew I’d do what I had to do to get Ermias, but not go to jail. She knew me well.
“Aight. Let’s head to this nigga’s shit,” I announced, sitting up.
As I sat, I had scheduled for ADT to come out tomorrow and set up security for her place without her knowing. I planned on telling her tonight, but I wasn’t letting her and Ermias stay here. They were coming to stay with me tonight, or I would get them a room. I ain’t trust shit, and I hate we lived in different cities, but I’d do anything to give Eriss and Ermias some type of security and relief.
“You think it’s safe to drive? I don’t want to get to Ermias and then be stuck somewhere,” she asked, standing up fast. After the breakdown she had, I’d watched her put some drops in her eyes.Eriss said it helped with the pain. That made me want to break her baby daddy’s jaw for even causing her the pain to begin with.
She rushed down the hallway to dress. I had to get home to shower and change out of last night’s clothes.
“The roads are still wet, but we ain’t gon float away, baby. You know where he stays?”
Eriss nodded and picked her phone out of her purse. Her hands trembled.
“Do you need a jacket?” she inquired, stopping before locking her front door.
I rolled my head in refusal. “Nah, I’m good. ‘Preciate you for asking.”
Eriss offered a faint smile, then locked up. We jogged to my truck. She sat quietly in the passenger seat, scrolling through her phone until she gave me directions. I kept my eyes on the road. The soft thump of the windshield wipers kept up with my thoughts.
The rain had the streets shining and littered with puddles, but folks were out and about. I adjusted my grip on the wheel.
“You don’t have to go be Superman. I think you showing up alone will make him give me Ermias,” Eriss said after telling me to turn left.
I chuckled lightly. “I can tell that nigga ain’t as hard as he is gon try to appear. He ain’t givin’ your son up easy, baby. I can tell you that now.”
Eriss sighed. I’d dealt with plenty of foul situations in my life, but not one like this. By the time we hit the turn to the apartments he lived in, my hands had curled tighter around the steering wheel.
“Right here,” Eriss announced, pointing.
I parked and cut the ignition.
“Which one?” I asked, unbuckling my seat belt. “I can go by myself.”
“Oh no,” she said, shaking her head with a grimace. “I need to lay eyes on Ermias and make sure he is okay. I can’t just sit here, Zyro.”
“Aight,” I agreed, not that I was gon win that battle anyway.
I locked my shit up and followed Eriss to apartment 45B. Before she could knock, I stopped her and carefully moved her out of the way. I knocked a slow, heavy tap at first, then harder the second time. Without Eriss’ knowledge, I’d grabbed my Glock from underneath my seat and tucked it in my waistband just in case it was needed.
Footsteps shuffled on the other side before the door swung open. A balled up face, Delion stood there shirtless in some ball shorts, squinting at me like he couldn’t believe I dared to show up on his doorstep. His face twisted deeper when he spotted Eriss behind me.
“What the fuck I say, Eriss, and why the fuck you bring a nigga to my crib?” he spat.
“Fuck allat. Bring her son out,” I said flatly. I wasn’t tryin’ to cause a scene where someone called the cops.
Eriss shifted behind me. “Delion, just go get Ermias. He still has daycare.”
The nigga ignored her and kept his eyes trained on me. “Y’all can get the fuck on. I said Ermias is staying wit’ me. The boy needs hisfather, not a random nigga that’s just getting your ass wet.”
“Watch yo’ fuckin’ mouth,” I warned. That would be my only warning.
A softer voice floated from inside the apartment. “Babe, just give them the boy. We have enough mouths to feed around here and don’t need to be adding another.”
