“Take as much time as you need.” Ms. Joyce replied as she took a seat on the couch and pulled the baby’s seat closer. “Me and her will just be here watching our shows and maybe having a little bible study.”
I smiled at them both before I kissed the top my niece’s head and left. She had my number and Kabria’s, so if she needed to reach us, she could.
I walked back across the hall to my place so I could get my things together. When I got to my room, I found Kabria in the mirror putting Vaseline on her face. I laughed and asked, “What are you doing, Kabria?”
“Girl, getting ready,” she answered, dead ass serious. “We both know how smart your sister’s mouth is. I might have to pop her in it.”
“I hope it doesn’t get to that,” I confessed, sitting on the edge of my bed. I knew Kabria wasn’t seriouslywantingto fight my sister, but her mouth was smart as fuck, and she was really nasty sometimes. I didn’t want to fight her or hurt her in any way, but I wanted answers. Sheowedme an explanation.
“I know, me either,” she took a seat next to me. “Gwen is so wrong for this. I seriously hope she talks to you and explains this shit.”
“Right.” I sighed heavily then got up. “Come on. I want to try and make it back here in a timely manner.”
“Okay, but first,” she stood and pulled me into a tight hug. When she released me and stepped back, she smiled. “No matter how today goes, know that you have me here. You and Keona.” She gave an assuring nod. “You won’t be in this alone regardless of if Gwen decides to get her shit together or not.”
“Thank you, bestie,” I simpered, hugging her again. “I love you.”
“Duh.” She grinned, causing me to laugh. “I love you more, girl.”
We both grabbed our things and left, getting into Kabria’s BMW. She opted to drive claiming that I might be too emotional to do so after seeing and talking to my sister. She was right. I was always overwhelmed after I saw her. She was never really cooperative, and it crushed me each time I saw her in the streets when she didn’t have to be.
I told her to go to Gwen’s last known location in the alley. She wasn’t there, but I saw a few others, so I got out to ask them if they knew her or if they could tell me where I could find her.
Unfortunately, none of them could give me any information, so I retreated back to the car. On the way, a woman came out of the back, calling for me to stop.
“Wait, you said Gwen, right?”
I turned to face the woman who I surprisingly recognized as Jennifer, a girl that I’d grown up and gone to school with. We weren’t friends or anything, but we were familiar. I was a little shocked to see her out here the way that she was. She came from a good family that appeared to have it all together, but then I thought about what Makhai’s mother told me about his uncle. They had a good life too, and he still ended up going down the wrong path.
“Yes,” I finally answered. I felt bad when she shrunk under my stare because I didn’t want her to think that I was judging her. “You know her.”
“Yes, she left this morning.”
“Do you know where she went?”
“I do, but it’s going to cost you.”
It took everything in me not to scoff. I had to remind myself that she was fighting demons and would do whatever she could to get money.
Reaching inside my crossbody, I pulled out the lone bill I had in there.
“All I have is this twenty.”
She quickly snatched it. “This is fine. She left with Junior. They’re probably in Northwood.”
Northwood wasn’t far from where we were, and actually the neighborhood that Gwen and I grew up in.
“Do you know where in Northwood I should look?”
“Junior has a place set up on Fifth Avenue. There’s a tent in the front yard.”
That must have been all of the information she was willing to give me because she turned to walk away after that. I was fine with that; I’d just find my way from there.
Turning, I headed back to the car and told Kabria where to go next. We took the short ride, finding the house easily since she’dgiven me a pretty good description of where I was looking to go. Kabria stopped on the side of the road and parked.
“You can stay in the car, friend.” I said and she looked at me like I’d sprouted five extra heads.
“You’re crazy if you think I’m going to let you go in there alone. We are in the damn hood!” She reached across me to go in the glove compartment and retrieve her gun. She removed the clip to check for bullets then slid the gun inside her purse. “We aren’t about to play with these damn crackheads or anyone else in there.”
