My chest pulled tight and felt empty all at once, but I put the phone down anyway and forced myself to let my head sink back into the pillow.
I told myself I was gon’ sleep this shit off.
But the bed felt too big, even for a big nigga like me, and the only thing in my mind was the woman I loved more than anything, somewhere in our home, livin’ like she wasn’t missin’ me at all.
‘LO MOTION CUSTOMS
Today, I was at my shop workin’ like normal, tryna keep my damn head on a swivel.
The speakers was loud enough for the whole damn block to hear and everybody at‘Lo Motion Customsalready knew what time it was. It was always music up, gloves on and mouths shut unless you had some important shit to say.
I had one of my guys helpin’ me peel back the old wrap on a GLE coupe while I heated the corner with the gun, pressin’ the material smooth over the fender. The job was real simple. You push, you smooth, stretch and fix what’s fucked up. Life was crazy everywhere else but here, shit fell in line.
The shop smelled like wrap film, motor oil, and Trillium comin’ straight off the blunt tucked behind my ear, and my boys was movin’ around me with their heads down, focused on their own projects.
One was mountin’ new Forgiatos on a Charger. Another was re-stitchin’ a leather interior in red and black. Shit ran smooth ‘cause I ran it smooth.
After a while I stepped outside for some air and sparked up a blunt, leanin’ against the side of the shop while I FaceTimed Pressure. His camera popped up showin’ Prestyn runnin’ back and forth with a big ass smile on his face while Kaylon sat in his lap chewin’ on a bright blue cap he probably found under the couch.
“Bruh, look at this nigga,” Pressure said while tryna pull the cap from Kaylon’s mouth. “Why you always eatin’ shit? You not no fuckin’ dog.”
Kaylon instantly screamed, that loud pissed off baby cry that always made all the veins show in his forehead.
I shook my head and exhaled smoke. “Boy you better stop puttin’ shit in yo’ damn mouth,” I said, laughin’ ‘cause Pressure already looked irritated as hell tryna calm him down.
Prestyn waved at the screen and said my name wrong on purpose ‘cause he thought the shit was funny. I smirked and flicked ash to the ground while Pressure adjusted the phone.
“Where Pluto at?” I asked.
“Tryna get this boy some clothes. He done took his shirt off twice tryna match me and shit.”
I laughed again and looked out toward the street.
Pressure was sayin’ somethin’ else when a white Benz eased into the parkin’ lot. I ain’t pay it much attention until the door opened and Echo stepped out like she was about to audition for somethin’. Her hair was fresh as hell. I could tell she just got it done ‘cause she kept pushin’ it back smooth off her shoulders like she wanted the whole world to see it swing. She had on some little ass shorts and tall heels and a top that didn’t do shit but show off the top of her titties and her stomach. I could smell her perfume before she even closed the door.
I blinked once, slow.
Pressure caught my expression. “Nigga what you lookin’ at?”
“Bruh I’mma hit you back,” I said, droppin’ the call without explainin’.
Echo walked toward me with this lil’ nervous smile, like she was tryna figure me out while she strutted. Her heels clicked across the pavement and her eyes was locked on me like she was waitin’ on a reaction I wasn’t gon’ give.
“I really didn’t expect you to actually be here,” she said when she got close enough. “But I tried my luck.”
I took a pull off my blunt and just looked at her for a second. She was pretty and probably was used to havin’ her way, but somethin’ about her showin’ up at my job wasn’t sittin’ right with me. I ain’t say none of that though.
She shifted her weight and pushed her hair back again. “I’m not tryna be weird or anything, but I felt like we hit it off, so I just wanted to know what happened. Why you never called?”
“I been busy.”
She blinked like she ain’t like my answer “Yeah, but… men usually follow up when they know the vibe was good.“
“I just ain’t call,” I said, my voice relaxed. “And I told you why.”
Her smile dropped for half a second before she caught it, but I saw it clear as day. She wasn’t used to no nigga flippin’ the script on her. She nodded slow like she was tryna swallow whatever she really wanted to say, and her eyes slid over my face like she was searchin’ for somethin’ that could make the shit hurt less.
“So you just smashed and dipped? That’s what we doin’?” she asked with a lil’ shrug, tryna act unbothered.
