“Yea, but they don’t like the shit.”
Rolling her eyes to the sky, Scottie sighed. “So they’re going to just run your life forever, huh?”
“It’s Sunday, Scottie, go do some self-care bullshit yall females like to brag about.”
“You got some self-care money to give me?”
“Nope,” he pulled the phone away from his mouth. “Call one of your other niggas.”
Beep beep beep
Scottie called right back, and Logic sent her to voicemail. She no longer had access to that part of his life. He answered her calls on his own terms, never hers. If she wasn’t doing his sisters’ hair or keeping an eye on them, he didn’t have shit for her.
“Brother.” Shugg strolled into the kitchen with her phone in her hand. “You told Scottie I needed my hair done?”
“Nah. You want your hair done?” Logic responded.
“No, I was going to see if Ms. G could hook me up. I need a wash, deep conditioning, a hot oil treatment, and my ends clipped. I love my braids, but my edges need a break.” Shedramatically tapped her hairline. “I’m going to rock a wrap for a while.”
“Then tell her that when you want your hair braided, you’ll reach out.”
“Ok.” Shugg pressed the phone to her ear. Logic didn’t know what Scottie said, but it caused his sister’s eyebrows to meet in the middle of her forehead. “Girl, no, stop being messy. If he's not answering his phone, I’m not about to pass him mine. Have some couth about yourself.” She ended the call.
“Next time she call on somehelp fix my relationshiptype shit, block her, and I’ll find somebody else to do yall hair.”
“Will do,” Shugg sang over her shoulder.
Logic chuckled and turned his attention back to his phone. His sister’s nonchalant demeanor mirrored his. She was aware of the reason he and Scottie broke up, and for a while, Shugg didn’t want Scottie doing her hair. It didn’t matter that Logic allowed her to come back around, the twins weren’t fucking with her, and they didn’t hide it.
Reaching on top of the refrigerator, Logic grabbed his bills folder and the eyeglasses that rested next to it. Wiping off the glasses, he placed them on his face, picked up the knot of money off the counter, and strolled into the living room. Sunshine Anderson’sHeard It All Beforeplayed over the sound system while Spice bopped around the living room, dusting and recording content for her Twitch account.
“Freestyle, brother.” She handed him the duster to use as a microphone and focused the camera on him.
“Aight.” He bobbed his head to catch the beat.“Yea, you heard it all before, so why you still here? All that nagging and shit, crying in a nigga’s ear. Yea, I let the sun beat me home, sonow what you gone do? I’m a choosin’ ass nigga, better be lucky I came home to you.”
“See, I heard it all befoooore,” Spice belted with a smile on her face. “Baby, let me explain, that’s what you said to me.”
“Let me get the living room for a minute,” Logic requested, sliding his ashtray from under the couch.
“Not you interrupting my concert.”
“Ain’t like you can sing anyway.”
“Oop, see, if you wasn’t my brother, I'd-
“You wouldn’t do shit. Get out.” He waved her off.
“Fine, make sure you light a candle,” Spice reminded him before moving on to her next chore.
“Aight.”
Picking up the piece of leftover blunt from the ashtray, Logic lit the tip and inhaled. The first puff tasted like ashes, but the second hit tasted like Detroit’s finest. On the third hit, Logic opened the folder and spread the contents on the table. DTE, Consumer Energy, and phone bills stared back at him. The low-income apartment they stayed in wasn’t in the best location or condition, but Logic was grateful that he had the money to pay their bills and a roof over their head. There was a time when he robbed Peter to pay Paul, but those days were long gone. Logic would sell pills, weed, and just about anything else to make sure their heads stay above water. He didn’t want his siblings to worry about where their next meal or everyday necessities were coming from. That was his job.
Removing the money from the rubber band, Logic counted out the correct amount and paper-clipped it to the bill. His way of paying bills was old school as fuck, but it was the way his mama taught him. He’d later get money orders and send outthe payments. Once that part was taken care of, Logic pulled out the envelopes with his siblings' names imprinted across the front. He placed $100.00 in each one, bringing their bi-weekly allowance to $250.00. Pushing them to the side, Logic then counted out $1000.00 for their savings account and put the remaining $90.00 in his pocket.
“Yo, yo.” Al tapped on the screen door before pulling it open. “Why is the door always open? You live in the middle of King projects, my boy. This ain’t Beverly Hills.”
“'Cause you the only person who's dumb enough to walk in my fucking crib,” Logic snorted, putting everything back in its proper place.
