“Shiidd, I got a few Glocks that says differently.”
“Brooklyn!” I chortled. “Just like you let them be grown enough to wrap my fucking car, you need to let them be grown enough to date.”
“When yo’ car goes missin’, don’t say anything. Since you wanna be in here startin’ shit,” he replied.
Turning in his arms, I laughed out loud and draped my arms over his shoulders.
“I’m just kidding, Baby.”
His juicy lips called me in for a kiss.
“I have your back on whatever. So, if we gotta run a few niggas off, then so be it.”
“That’s what the fuck I’m talkin’ ‘bout.” He kissed me, sending his tongue down my throat. “You already know how I’m comin’ behind you.”
I did. He didn’t play about me, and I was okay with that.
BROOKLYN
My therapy appointment was scheduled an hour after Zoo’s. Although, he adamantly denied that he would show up for the appointment, Dr. Holiday scheduled him. Zoo sat in the lobby of the office, pouting like someone had a gun to his head. The gun being PJ, who smiled and assured Zoo that everything would be okay.
Dr. Holiday walked in all smiles. Zoo mumbled something under his breath that sounded like he was referencing aliens. The two stared at each other, a battle of wills apparent. Dr.Holiday wasn’t intimidated by Zoo in the least, which was comical.
"Zeus Smith. It's good to see you." Dr. Holiday shook our hands before taking his seat.
"It ain't good to see you." PJ elbowed Zoo hard as fuck. “It ain’t,” he insisted. “All he’s gon’ try and do is fill my head with some bullshit.”
Dr. Holiday chuckled. "Aww, I'm sorry you feel that way. I take it this is your first time ever sitting down with a psychiatrist.”
“Ya think?”
“Either way, you're here because you need to be." Dr. Holiday ignored Zoo’s snort of sarcasm and started writing in Zoo’s chart.
"No the fuck I don't need to be here.”
"Zoo!" PJ hissed, embarrassed. Hopefully, Zoo wouldn’t act a complete fool. If the staff called the police on his ass, I was going to have to explain to my family why I didn’t try and help his ass.
"Zoo, huh? Is that what your family refers to you as?" The doctor’s eyebrows shot up as he continued writing.
Zoo didn't answer.
"You do realize you're being compared to a place where animals are kept... And you're okay with that?"
"Listen, mane, you’re diggin' too deep. First, you were tryna convince my cuzzo that he was suicidal, now you tryna convince me that there’s something wrong with what I choose to let my family call me. It ain’t that serious.”
"Is it not? Life and death are in the power of the tongue. In other words, you are what you put out there. Referring to yourself as an animal triggers some part of you to behave like one. Does it not?"
Zoo bent his head to the side and narrowed his eyes at the doctor. "You want me to act up? Is that what it is?”
“No, Sir. I want you to understand what I’m saying.”
“So, if I refer to myself as Zeus, am I then a god?" He thought he'd stumped Dr. Holiday, who chuckled.
"Zeus is a powerful name, and among other things, meaning to shine. You ever wonder why you're the life of the party? The one who's always laughing, or giving others a reason to laugh? You shine wherever you go. Is that not powerful?"
Zoo chewed on what the doc said. For a second, I thought he’d rebut. Slowly, he turned to me. "You been tellin' this dude about me?"
I shook my head. He then turned to PJ.
