NONI
“I’m not pressing charges. You saw the video. I provoked him. He could press charges on me as well. I hit him. This is stupid. It’s my fault. I just want this shit to be over with. He’s my boyfriend. We have the support of my family and his. Please, just drop it.”
I ended the call. This was the third call I’d gotten today of them trying to convince me to press charges on Red.What the fuck?I glanced at my mama as I left her room. She was here because of her menopause symptoms. When I saw the number the call was coming from, I asked her to excuse me because I had to answer.
These people were wearing me thin. It was like they had a vendetta out for Red. That shit was unnecessary. There were plenty of people that deserved the attention they were sending his way. As I paced in front of the door, Bali came out of Ashanni’s examination room. She frowned at me, then asked, “They still calling you?”
“Yes. It’s fucking with my nerves because I feel like this shit has nothing to do with me. They are trying to get Red out of the rodeo circuit. I just feel that. He’s about to be big as fuck,because they sending too much smoke his way. His blessing has to be around the corner.”
She frowned. “Call Missus Taylor. Let her know that they are harassing you. Something ain’t right about that shit.”
I nodded then took a deep breath so I could calm down. When I opened the door to where my mama was, I said, “I’m sorry, Mama. That DA is on my last nerve.”
“It’s okay. Maybe you should call Missus Taylor.”
“I will. That’s what Bali just said.” I slid my hand down my face, then pushed my hair over my shoulder. “Okay. So, you need estrogen cream and magnesium glycinate. The magnesium glycinate will help with your sleepless nights, your muscle and nerve function, and it supports cardiovascular health. The estrogen cream will help for when y’all wanna . . .”
I fake gagged, and she laughed. “I’m gonna give you a list of side-effects. Let me know if you feel any of these after applying it. We will try something else if it doesn’t work for you.”
“Thank you, baby. Your daddy is about to lose his mind. He need to feel big mama.”
I rolled my eyes. My mama had gotten more vocal during her menopause stage. There was no way she would have said that to me years ago. She had on a shirt that read,We Do Not Care, in red letters across the front. Remy said he just stayed out of her way. I was surprised Daddy hadn’t gotten hurt around there.
“Daddy hasn’t been giving you a hard time with this, has he?”
“No. He’s been somewhat understanding. He went and bought me a couple of fans . . . one for my office and another for our bedroom. I say somewhat understanding, because I can tell he wants to talk shit, but he’s been restraining himself. The way I’m feeling, we’d be in that house fighting like two men.”
I slowly shook my head. When I heard a ruckus, I pulled my gun from my fanny pack and peeked out of the door. My mom’s eyes had widened as she stood from her seat. Bali was runningto the front with her weapon drawn. I quickly left the room and turned to my mama. “Stay in here!”
I slammed the door and ran to the front to see ICE agents trying to pass the receptionist area. Watchful Eyes entered the clinic with guns drawn just as Bali and I did. There were about six agents, but they were still outnumbered.
“I don’t know if you think since we’re in Texas that we are in agreement with this bullshit or not, but y’all ’bout to fuck around and find out,” Ali said.
There were at least ten of the Watchful Eyes crew here. Uncle Kenny came from the back with his hunting rifle pointed right at them and stepped in front of Bali and me. They all had their hands lifted in surrender. “We are here for Marcus Wingate.”
“This is a clinic. Why would Marcus Wingate be here? This ain’t no fucking residence. And who in the fuck is Marcus Wingate?” Bali asked.
“He lives here in Nome, and the last address on file is no good. There isn’t even a house there anymore. We have to search for him.”
“Not here you don’t.”
“We have the authority to search any facility!” one of them yelled.
Uncle Kenny smirked. “Go ahead and search then.”
He reminded me of Delroy Lindo telling that man to say the word nigga.Go ahead and say it then.I almost chuckled. I had to keep my game face on.
He continued. “If you bold enough to do what the fuck you think you authorized to do with at least fifteen guns pointed at you, go right ahead. We not laying down our rights as citizens and business owners around here. We will all go down protecting them if we have to. Nome will become a war grounds. Won’t be the first time.”
The automatic doors opened, and Daddy Mayor walked in holding two guns like he was the fucking tomb raider.
“This a fucking dictatorship in Big City Nome. I run the fuck out of this town.” He placed the barrel of his gun to the head of one of the agents. “You wanna see how I work? Just call me Idi Amin, because I’m gon’ be the butcher of Nome. Y’all came with smoke, but I got the fire.”
“We’ll leave! But we will be back and will continue looking for Marcus Wingate.”
“Get the fuck on, before you can’t,” Seneca said and cocked his gun for effect.
Watchful Eyes stepped aside, allowing them a straight path to the door as Bali and I lowered our weapons. My heart was beating fast as shit. I was scared, but I would go out protecting what was ours. Watchful Eyes followed them out of the building. I was just grateful that no one was sitting up front. That shit could make people not want to come to us for care, especially the Black and brown population.
