To reiterate that, I lifted the piece of gum. Her eyes watered, and she blinked back tears. As she accepted the gum, she repeated what Brenda used to always tell her when she chewed Juicy Fruit. “Something soft and sweet when life is hard, painful, and sour.”
Every funeral, every bad day, every sickness, her aunt said that and chewed that gum. In her honor, today would be no different.
“Thank you, Him. I love you so much. I couldn’t have done this without you.”
“You could’ve, but as long as I’m alive, you’ll never have to.”
Cordova’s eyes closed as she savored the gum, and when she smiled and inhaled a deep breath, I felt like my job was done.
“Does it ever get easier?” she asked. “Grief?”
My head shook as I finally released my hold on her. “Nah. Time doesn’t heal the wound like people say. It just… forces you to learn how to live with the shit. How to not be consumed by it. Sometimes the grief is a big circle that takes up the entire box of your day, your life. Sometimes it’s like a small dot that you can’t even see or feel. Literally just have to take that shit a day at a time and remember grief is just leftover love. Ain’t nothing wrong with feeling it when it hits you. Just gotta… keep going when it does.”
Cupping my cheek, she scratched behind my ear before lowering me to her for a kiss. Honestly, the shit caught me so off guard I couldn’t even kiss her back. I tried to convince myself it was a platonic display of gratitude, because it wasn’t like she’d slobbed a nigga down or no shit like that. It was a simple brush of her lips against mine.
“You’re my person, pooh. I thank God every day for you.”
Before I could respond, Cam’s annoying ass voice floated down the hall.
“Takeallthis shit,” he commanded. “All the furniture in every room except this one.” He pointed in Cordova’s room, and when he noticed I was inside, he took a step back as his head jerked.
“Should’ve known you’d be here,” he grumbled before continuing down the hall.
“Is that cool with you?” I asked Cordova, ignoring him. “Them taking everything?”
She shrugged and avoided my eyes. “I figured that’s what they’d do. Technically, Aunt Brenda only left me the house, noteverything inside. Plus, she was their mom, so they can take whatever they want.”
Sucking my teeth, I gripped her hand and led her out of the room. “Aye,” I damn near barked, stopping the movements of all four men. “Don’t nobody else touch a motherfucking thing until after my girl gets what she wants. Do y’all understand me?” They all nodded while Cam and Brandon rolled their eyes and looked at each other. My voice softened when I looked down at Cordova and asked her, “What chu want, boo?”
She hesitantly looked at her cousins and back at me before almost whispering, “Um,… maybe just her glasses, one of her robes, and one of Uncle Joe’s watches. She left me her jewelry, so that’s all I need.”
“Are you sure?” I confirmed, and when she nodded, I followed her to her aunt and uncle’s old room so she could get what she wanted. When she was done, I told them they could continue.
“Can I talk to you, Cuz?” Brandon asked as we headed back into her room.
Sighing, Cordova nodded as she set the items on her dresser.
“Sure, B. What’s up?”
He rubbed his palms together as he neared her. “Me and Bro been talking, and since Mama gone now, we were hoping we could come to an agreement.”
“An agreement about what?” she asked with a smile, and it broke my heart to know there was hope in hers that this would be a good thing. I could tell by the look in his eyes that he was on some bullshit though.
“Well, you know we work for Matthew, and he told us we can have our own crew if we can use this house for a trap house. It’s in a central location in the neighborhood. You’on really wanna live here by yourself anyway, do you? Me and Cam were thinkingyou could just sign the house over to us, and maybe we can give you like… fifty K or some shit for it. What do you think, Cuz?”
“Oh,… um…” She chuckled nervously before releasing a shaky breath. “Actually, I want to stay here, Brandon. Sorry.”
He stared at her for a while until she looked away. “What you mean? This really ain’t yo’ house.”
“Actually, it is,” I countered. “Brenda left it to her. She can do what she wants with it. If she wants to stay here, that’s what she’s going to do. Besides, who gave you permission to set up here? This is still my pops’ block, and Iknowhe didn’t.”
Over the years, business expanded, and Pops excelled. He might not have been a good father to me, but he was a beast in the streets. His organization supplied now, so none of his sons had to deal. I was the shooter and enforcer before I retired, and he had no problems capitalizing off the aggression that came from me growing up without my parents.
We might not have had a personal relationship, but there was no doubt in my mind that Pops would have told me if he planned to use this house for a trap house. That shit didn’t even make fucking sense. Why would he let his competition come into his neighborhood, right the fuck next door to him, and set up shop? He wasn’t even selling drugs out of his own house when he was pushing weight.
“I’m about sick of yo’ ass getting in my family business,” Brandon said, pointing toward me.
“Nigga, I will bite yo’ fingerandyo’ nose off,” I warned, closing the space between us.
