“These muthafuckers are really trying to take me back to my old ways,” he growled under his breath, heading straight to his closet. By the time Joi wrapped her brain around East’s entire mood changing, he was coming out of the closet dressed from the waist down and pulling a hoodie over his head.
“I’ll be back,” he stated when he finally paid enough attention to Joi to notice her confused look.
“Where are you going?”
“I need to check on something with my mom.”
East was already lifting his phone and keys when Joi made it to the dresser, lifting her jeans and stepping into them. “Was that her on the phone?”
“Nah, her fuck ass boyfriend and you don’t need to get dressed. Just chill until I get back.” Joi could see that he was inches from exploding, which wasn’t a good sign. She hadn’t met East’s mother and didn’t know much about her, but she did know Kelsey, East’s baby sister, lived there with her and his current mood would not be good for a child to experience.
“I’m going too. You’re angry about whatever happened.”
East peered at Joi. The scowl on his face was deep and his body was tense. The killer in him was taking over. “Nah…” he began, shaking his head before he dropped his eyes from hers and filled his pocket with his phones. “I don’t need you pulling up with me. I’m good. Just stay here.”
“No.” Joi’s voice elevated a few octaves, which had East peering at her again. “You might not need me, but I need you, and right now, I can feel your energy. It’s dark. I may not know everything about you, but I know you love your mother and yoursister and anyone that upsets them upsets you. I need you, so I’m going.”
The stare down the two shared was intense. It was as if the tension in the room could easily suffocate them both but eventually East broke and chuckled arrogantly under his breath.
“Aight, get dressed and hurry up. I’ll be downstairs.” He left Joi in his room, needing a minute to process his thoughts. Joi was standing by him without having a clue what she was about to walk into. That had his mind reeling. No one else had stood for or by him but mostly because he hadn’t allowed them to get close enough to do so. Joi was a lot for him to take sometimes. So much so that he often found himself on the fence about what he was doing, but one thing was for certain. Each time he considered the idea of not doing whatever it was they had, he quickly voided the idea.
Pullinginto his mother’s driveway only made matters worse for East. Her front door was wide open and the car he knew belonged to Melton was parked with the trunk and rear doors opened. When East climbed out of his truck, Joi followed and neither said a word. She was on his heels as he entered his mother’s house and stumbled back when her body slammed into East’s because he stopped when a stocky man with a balding head and scowl on his face collided with East. The trash bag full of clothes he had been carrying crashed to the floor just before East grabbed him by the oversized T-shirt he wore. “What the fuck did you do to her?”
“Nothing, man. I didn’t do a damn thing. I’ve been here all these years trying to make it work but she’s crazy and I can’t takeit anymore. You know it just as much as I do. Can you blame me?”
Joi’s hands flew over her mouth at the same time the man covered his jaw, caressing the spot where East’s fist landed. She also noticed that despite his stocky stature and balding head, he was an attractive man. However, the fear in his eyes took away from his features.
“You already called my mother a bitch and now you’re calling her crazy. Unless you want your mama planning a funeral, you better shut the fuck up and start explaining. Where is she?”
Throwing his hands up defensively, Melton began rambling. He didn’t know much about East other than he loved his mother. The few run-ins the two men had made it clear to Melton that he didn’t want problems with East, ever. “Ay, I’m sorry. I apologize for saying that shit, but we been going through it.” East didn’t give a fuck what he called himself going through. What he wasn’t about to do was disrespect his mother.
“Eastland, let him go.” Joi turned her head to find a female face with traces of East on it. They had similarities but Joi assumed East’s features were handed down by his father.
“Nah, fuck that, Ma. Not until I know what this muthafucker did. Where’s Kelsey? She good?” East didn’t bother looking at his mother. He kept his eyes on Melton, glaring while daring him to give East a reason to end his existence.
“She’s asleep and he didn’t do anything. It was me, just let him go, please, baby.”
Maintaining the hold he had on Melton, East finally looked over at his mother. He saw the stress in her face but physically she looked okay.
“Go with her and check on Kelsey.” Joi nodded and didn’t question his request, but his mother did.
“She’s fine. I’m more concerned about the two of you.” Priscilla knew her son and what he was capable of. She didn’twant harm to come to Melton. He hadn’t done anything to deserve her son’s wrath.
“Ma, go. I’m not gon’ do shit to him but make sure he’s out. He might not have put his hands on you, but he said some disrespectful shit. For that, he has to go.”
“Eastland—”
“Ma!” Taking a minute to calm his tone, East turned and delivered his final words. “Go check on Kelsey.”
Joi watched his mother while she watched her son before giving up and leaving the room. Joi followed her, leaving space. She was in unfamiliar territory and didn’t want to overstep. She had no idea what was going on and only wanted to help however she could.
After climbing the stairs and a short walk down the hall, they both stopped outside of a room and Joi waited while East’s mother opened the door, stepping inside. Joi was right behind her with eyes that danced about the large room. It was dark, but the pale pink glow of a lamp shade next to the bed allowed Joi enough of a visual to clearly tell it was a little girl’s room. There were toys and frilly touches everywhere, from the curtains that covered the window to the bedding that hid the small body whose head was the only thing visible in the full-sized bed.
“I’m not crazy.” His mother spoke with her eyes glued to her baby girl. “I don’t know what he’s told you about me but I’m not crazy.”
“Nothing. He hasn’t said anything about you, well… not like what you’re thinking,” Joi reassured her quickly, feeling the need to give her some sort of comfort.
Priscilla chuckled lightly, shaking her head. “He didn’t tell me anything about you. You’re here so that means you’re somebody. I just don’t know about you.”
