I could hear him cursing and losing his mind behind me. I refused to slow down. Thankfully, I hadn’t parked in the garage. I grabbed my purse from the table up front. I pulled my keys out as I scurried down the steps. Ry was on the porch by the time I got to my car.
“You can run and try to hide all you want, Nuri, but you are going to sign that paperwork, even if it’s the last thing you do.”
The sinister suggestion in his voice made me gulp. That sounded like a threat, and I had no one to protect me or my assets. I feared Rylas would get his way and leave me with absolutely nothing.
My head boppedto the beat that spilled from the speakers on repeat. My younger brother Jah was sprawled across the couch, releasing a thick cloud of smoke into the air, zoned out and in his own world. My other brother, Man Man, and homeboy Lazer had big booty bitches sitting on their laps, giggling at whatever bullshit they were in the mood to spit today. I mumbled the lyrics that were coming to my mind, trying to piece them together until they became a verse I liked.
“She say Kai, where you at? I need you to come over and get this pussy wet
I told her bae I’m on the way, but you know I got Jah in the back
And he wit’ all dat, never gon’ slack, make a nigga brains go splat
But shawty, I ain’t gon’ lie. If I’ma crack, then lil’ bro got next.”
The beat started over, and I continued piecing together something slight to drop for fun. I’d been so focused on my sophomore album that I needed a moment to pause and create something fun for the sake of my love for music, not for likes, views, and praise. That shit was cool, but it wasn’t sufficient enough to carry me through life.
I understood people were like the ocean, constantly experiencing highs and lows. Some days, they were calm and loving. On other days, their only intent was to drown you. I didn’t get caught up in the hype, knowing I could be loved today and hated tomorrow.
“We be in the Dutch wildin’
Robbin’ cheatin’ lyin’ and conninvin’
When it comes to my bros, know I’m slidin’
My sisters put up, ain’t no need for violence
Just stay out our way, and I swear to God everything will be okay
But if you wanna play, I gotta stack to find out where a nigga stay
Wait till he’s deep in a sleep
Kick in his front door, leave his bitch ass countin’ sheep
No need for a sneak
If you gotta problem, speak up, we can beef
Niggas need more protein, can’t step to me, I’m way too G
And this something slight on the beat
Going home with your girl and she’s gon’ be on her knees.”
Jah hopped up from the couch and started bouncing around like a fool. I chuckled at his silliness before taking a seat in front of the soundboard. My engineer, Tookie, was sitting there still messing with the 808s. I was getting ready to grab my pen and pad to write some more when my ringing phone caught my attention.
I snatched it up when I saw it was my Aunt Bernice calling.
“Wassup, Auntie?” I asked with a smile.
My father’s sister was my heart and could get anything from me. The love she had for me ran deep, and from the day I came into their lives, she never let me go without feeling its warm tentacles suffocating me in an embrace.
“Sekai!” she screamed my name, sending a chill down my spine.
I leaned up in my seat and froze. “Cut the music!” I yelled before returning my attention to my phone. “Auntie, wassup? Why are you crying?”
“Promise me you won’t flip out?”
