She was living with him. Had to be. That’s the only reason she’d want me to meet her anywhere other than her own place. The way they moved together in that waiting room told the story before she ever said his name. Which meant she was sleeping next to him every night and waking up next to him every morning. Damn, that image sat in my chest in a way that I hated to admit.
“Give me bout forty minutes,” I said.
I was close to my crib, so I was about to shower and change real quick. I was sweaty and had been in the fight of my damn life tonight. Not to mention at a damn hospital. I was gone handle my hygiene, then see about Bri.
—
Gutta was already on Simone’s couch when I got there which didn’t surprise me. Gutta and Simone had a love haterelationship. They annoyed the fuck out of each other, but they wouldn’t leave one another alone for the fear of someone else having them. It was toxic to say the least, but love is love, I guess.
He stood up when I came in and the first thing out of his mouth was Mazi.
“He straight,” I said. “Thank God it was just a graze. They stitched him up. He’s good.”
Gutta let out a long breath and sat back down. I could see the tension leave his shoulders. He loved my brothers the same way he loved me and seeing that reminded me of everything he had done four years ago in that apartment to make sure they had a future worth protecting.
“Thank God,” he said.
Simone hugged me when I came in. Real tight the white family did when they were relieved about something.
“The guest room is set up. You can go on back there.” she said quiet. “Bri’s on her way. Ten minutes.”
I nodded and looked over at Gutta and he was looking at me with that expression that meant he was already putting two and two together. His brows were raised and he looked confused.
“Don’t start.” I said.
“I ain’t said nothing.”
“You were about to say something.”
“I was about to ask if you wanted something to drink.”
“Hell nah. You can’t even lie straight!”
“Alright I wasn’t.” He leaned forward on the couch. “But Street—”
“Gutta I know what you’re thinking and I need you to keep it to your damn self.”
“I just—”
“Keep it.”
He put his hands up and leaned back. Simone looked between us and shook her head and went to the kitchen then left us alone. Although it was offered, I wasn’t about to go in their room without Bri being here yet.
We sat in the quiet for a few minutes and then headlights swept across the front window. I heard a car door and Gutta looked at the front door and then looked at me.
I got up and went to the guest room before she knocked.
—
She came into the room and closed the door behind her. We looked at each other in that room and everything that had been sitting between us for years was right there on the surface. This was the same exact way that it always was when it was just us.
She looked tired. Not bad tired. The kind of tired that came from carrying something heavy for a long time without putting it down.
“I didn’t know you were going to be there tonight,” she said. “At the hospital. With Marcus.”
“I know.”
“That was—” She stopped and sat on the edge of the bed. “I’ve been wanting to talk to you for a long time and I never could figure out how to start it.”
