When my phone chimed, I glanced down at it to see a message from Daddy Mayor.They tried to get Marcus again. Almost caught him leaving the airport in Houston. He came back to make sure Syn and the kids made it back safely. Do you mind if he crashes at your place while you’re gone? He’s leaving for Puerto Rico Sunday.
I rolled my eyes and huffed. I was so sick of this fuck shit with this government.I don’t mind. How are they? How is he?
Syn and the kids are a little shook up, but they’re okay. Had it not been for Jungle and Vegas from Watchful Eyes, they would have caught him and took the whole family to a detention center. Sidney and Shy are doing all they can, but it’s like their credentials don’t mean shit against this Confederacy.
I’m going to be checking on y’all, Daddy. I’m scared.
That was real. I would never tell anyone other than him, Noni, or Carter that I was scared. The law didn’t even matter these days. It was almost as if protests were pointless, because those muthafuckas were doing what they wanted to do regardless. They weren’t even obeying judges. We were going to have to fight fire with fire collectively. Unfortunately, I doubted that would happen, especially in red ass Texas.
“You okay?” Noni asked.
I didn’t even notice her walking over here. I rolled my eyes at her and refused to respond. She was on my fucking nerves. When I didn’t respond, she said, “Well, fuck you, too.”
I stood from my seat and got in her face. “You fucking up. I ought to go back to that fucking trailer and tell Carter not to worry about babysitting Red’s ass. You playing games, and that nigga tryna come over here and get at you. He was alreadycontrolling your ass. I don’t know what has gotten into you, but you gon’ make me dig that shit out.”
Milana quickly got in between us, and Ferris joined her. “Come on, y’all. Don’t do this here. Milana needs her mind right.”
I nodded repeatedly. “You right, Ferris. Fuck this shit.”
I walked off, heading back to Carter’s trailer. Pulling my phone from my pocket, I sent Daddy another text.Noni out here fucking up. She finna cause some major shit to go down if she don’t calm her hot ass down. I’m tired of her shit.
I slid my phone back in my pocket and walked inside Carter’s trailer to find them passing a blunt. They both stared at me as I walked to the bedroom and slammed the door. I pulled my phone from my pocket and started the shower. Noni was making me believe she was as much of the problem as Red was. Before I could undress, my phone rang. It was Daddy.
“Hello?”
“What the fuck going on out there?”
“She out here flirting with another nigga, knowing that shit gon’ set that crazy muthafucka off if he see it. Brian of all people.”
“Who the fuck is Brian?”
“Miss Taylor’s nephew and Asad’s friend. He rode here with them.”
“Let me call her.”
“Naw. I just needed to vent, Daddy. That crazy ass girl find out I told you, we gon’ be out here fucking Carter or Milana’s trailer up. I don’t know what’s going on with her, and it’s really pissing me off.”
“She’s vulnerable.”
“Vulnerable is one thing, but she going off on Milana and me like we’re the problem. Milana and Ferris had to get between us.I’m tired. When Miss Harper gets here, I’m just gonna hang with them.”
“That’s probably best. I ain’t tryna make a trip out there because you done got arrested. Just concentrate on supporting Carter, and we’ll deal with this shit when y’all get back.”
“Okay. Uncle Marcus made it to my place yet?”
“Naw. He just got home. The entire Watchful Eyes Crew is on him, and they will probably be with him until he leaves Sunday.”
“Okay. Tell them my bedroom is off limits. They can go anywhere else in the house, though.”
“A’ight, Tweedle Dee.”
“Yeah. Tweedle Dum is being dumb as fuck. You put that on her by calling her ass that.”
He chuckled. “Cool out with that shit, Claressa.”
“Daddy, I know you didn’t call me that ugly ass woman.”
He laughed so hard, and just that quickly, I was no longer angry. I was laughing, too.
