Once we were done, everybody was heading out the door, including Nesh’s ass. Nesh had become my roll dawg surprisingly. She went with the flow a lot of the time, but her mouth was just as reckless. I loved how she ain’t take shit from nobody, kept it P, and still had a softness ‘bout her. It was evident Brat got her attitude from her.
I strapped in Maaz and placed the bag of money in the trunk of my whip. Brat ain’t touched her cars since we been home. Hell, she ain’t been behind a wheel at all since I been here. She ran me ragged through this muthafucka. I ain’t mind though. She dealt with enough and Maaz was her peace more than anything.
The drive from Brat’s crib to Royce’s compound took lil’ to no time. No wonder that nigga could get to her spot in the blink of an eye. When he said he was around the corner he meant that shit. There was a gate that stopped us from entering the private road where I was introduced to the keeper Nyx. He had a whole team behind him. You could tell Junior paid him well.
I told fuck ass Senior I wasn’t coming to this compound and Royce fucked around and got me here. I hated that I’d fallen into this brotherly circle with him ‘cause I saw him as the big brother I always yearned for. He made it hard to keep a distance, too. He stayed in yo’ goddamn face demanding quality time like some broad.
We traveled down a long road before we started seeing a couple of houses. It wasn’t nothing but two but they stood out. I wondered why them two sat so high up ‘cause it was like another five minutes before we entered the heart of it. It was mansion after mansion lined up making a hell of a circle. The crib that sat in the middle was twice as big as the ones sitting on the side of it. I could only assume that Senior and his bitch stayed there. From what Adele said, his house was big enough to house both his families in comfortably. I see what she meant with her weird ass.
Junior parked in front of the second largest crib. Of course he had next in line. He was the head nigga in charge now. I expected nothing less than extravagant shit from him. I parked behind him and helped my family out the whip. They were walked inside where Klarity was chilling in the kitchen fixing up a meal.
“What up sis?” I spoke.
“What’s good lil’ bro? Baby said he was bringing you back, I didn’t think you’d let him get his way,” she jested.
“He ain’t gon’ let you do what you want to do so might as well play along. What you think of that lady?” I asked. I was sure Junior told her all ‘bout what was going on. He was too blunt and open with her not to.
“She accepted me instantly and loved my kids like her own. I saw her get out of pocket once and that was toward Senior. I think she’s madder at your mother than about you, but hey… I don’t really know what she thinking for real. Go talk and see. If you ain’t fooling with it, by all means, leave and keep your distance. It’s not a requirement to accept her, Genesis,” Klarity reasoned.
“That’s a fact. He a grown ass man and decides who he want in his life. All I want is him to hear her out first. After that, do whatever the heck you feel,” Junior chimed.
Nodding, I walked Maaz and Brat to the table so they could get comfortable. Lil’ Essence bad ass was running straight for Junior hollerin’Da-Daat the top of her lungs. Something was wrong with the lil’ girl. I gave lil’ Porsche a peck on her forehead before Royce was dragging me out the back door to take that stroll to the main house. He was adamant on me speaking with his mama.
“Yo’ mouth ain’t filtered but let it be when speaking to her. I really will put yo’ ass down behind her,” he warned.
“I got it nigga, damn.”
Walking through the back door of his folk crib, Iris stood at the sink placing cookies on a tray. She looked to Junior with brief eyes before she smiled. You could tell she loved him dearly. It didn’t take long for her to switch from somewhat just existing to holding excitement. She lived a life of luxury but her most prized possession was Junior.
“Baby boy,” she sang. “I haven’t heard from you today. I was wondering why.”
“What up gorgeous? What you got going on?” he asked walking deeper into the house. I stayed back and waited for his word.
“Baking some cookies for CJ and Essence. They been asking. What’s up with you?” She’d yet to notice me. Her focus was solocked in on Junior she didn’t notice anything else around her. He must’ve meant the world to her.
“Shit. I went and got Genesis what’s been bothering you. Yo’ baby daddy said you been restless and begged me to do something. You wanted to talk to him so there he go. Talk,” he said throwing a nod in my direction before stepping around her putting the spotlight on me.
Iris looked in the direction he nodded, and worry replaced the smile she wore moments ago. She looked me up and down before she gave her attention back to the cookies she was plating.
“Tuh. You’re his alright. God, you look just like he did in college,” she uttered.
I wasn’t up for the memory lane bullshit. Whatever she had to say, she needed to get that shit out before I left her ass standing there. I was trying to give her a chance, but she was a nonfactor in my life to begin with. What she did didn’t make me shit or piss. This was pointless if you asked me. I didn’t need that olive branch extended this way and that was on OG!
“You got words for me, right? What’s up? I ain’t got all day,” I replied.
“What I tell you lil’ nigga? Don’t piss me off,” Royce interjected.
My face was screwed up with a confused expression. “The fuck? Nigga, I was being respectful.”
“It’s alright, Junior. I expected nothing less. Have a seat, Genesis. Do you care for something to drink?”
“Nah, I’m straight. You can say what’s on yo’ mind though,” I said propping myself against the backdoor. I wasn’t trying to get too comfortable in this muthafucka either.
She scoffed and sat at the table after pouring herself a glass of wine. She sipped and nodded like she was ready to face whatever responses I was about to throw her way. The truth hurt no matter how well prepared you were. She should’ve left me thefuck alone altogether. I ain’t come disturbing her life so I was confused on why the fuck she was disturbing mine.
“I really don’t know why I want to speak with you but knowing you were in fact alive, and breathing was tearing me a part. The way you were conceived was wrong on so many levels. It was never about you to begin with. Adele?—”
The second my mama was mentioned I was on her ass. It wasn’t ‘bout to be no blame game up in here. I didn’t give a fuck what she did. “Don’t even touch her. She can be crazy and whatever else you feel… in yo’ head though. ‘Cause she ain’t gon’ be talked ‘bout to my face. Whatever the fuck she did was between her and Senior. You ain’t have no right to tell him to get rid of me. You ain’t want to raise no outside kids which is respected. I’m just curious to know who asked you to, to begin with? Riddle me that.”
