Remedy settled back under him, rubbing the top of his head. “You regulate everything else but when you come to me, I got you. Thank you for having me.”
“Never got to thank me for handling shit for you. That’s what I was made for. Get some sleep. When I wake back up, I’m coming back inside.”
“You know how I like being woken up.”
Erys let his body relax against Remedy’s, rolling to her side before he became too heavy for her. With her in his arms, he inhaled her scent and let rest take over.
29
It’d been almost three weeks since Erys had taken over the Trae Way Gangstas. They’d found the balance between Ernie, her days off from Vibrance, and Erys’ sporadic schedule. On her off days, she made it a point not to lay around the house and fight the tiredness that held her in a vice grip. With Ernie and his aide, they walked through the public gardens where residents exercised, rode bikes, or sat on the benches watching the people pass them by.
“I thought you were taking me to see some titties,” Ernie grumbled.
“You just walked past like four women,” Remedy shared. “And this walk was your idea. I suggested that you watch me and Bud float around the pool.”
“I watched you do that yesterday. What good is watching you in a bathing suit and the two turtles in the house get all the attention? May ever tell you how I was catching turtles for you? You know she couldn’t stand them, but she told me you liked them so I made sure there was always a turtle waiting on you. Just to put a smile on her face. When you left, she’d sent ‘em free.”
Remedy plucked a flower from a bush she passed. As she picked off the leaves and tossed them into the grass. “I never knew that. I mean I knew it was a different turtle but I didn’t know it was you catching them for her.”
“May kept me alive for a while there. The least I could do was catch a turtle. Now I get to sit back and watch you and that Lil’ Nigga go all around the house.”
Remedy laughed. “Ernie, his name is Bud.”
“His name is Lil’ Nigga. Correct your man, not me,” Ernie stated. “And you can’t tell me otherwise cause I’m locked in today, twin.”
Remedy shook her head and laughed. They walked for another twenty minutes until they were on the back side of thegolf course grabbing gelato from the cart and continuing around the public trail. She turned around to look at Ernie and his aide momentarily to ask, “Y’all not ready to go back home? I need a nap.”
Before Ernie could answer, Remedy was shoved by a woman, almost causing her to lose her balance. In a fury to see the person responsible for assaulting her and handling business, Remedy spun around. Face to face with her mother and older sister.
“You need to watch where the hell you’re going. You and your…what even is that?” her sister asked with a snarl.
“A nigga that’ll knock you out and put your misshapen ass on the track. Who the fuck you talkin’ to?” Ernie spewed, making it evident that he wasn’t playing about Remedy.
“I’m okay, Ernie,” Remedy attempted to soothe him and walk away.
“Uh uh don’t walk away from them. Pop them in the mouth like I taught you to do, Cherie,” Ernie hollered.
“This is the best you could’ve done for yourself?” her mother mused. “Some washed up pimp from the ghetto. Why are you even over here?”
Remedy’s face frowned. “I live here. Or are you the relocation police.”
“Highly doubt you can afford it,” her mother spewed. “Watch out, when you’re not expecting it, she’ll stab you and take whatever money you actually have.”
Remedy could hear her heart pound against her ears and feel the uncomfortableness of her hands becoming clammy. Out of everyone she could fight, when it came to the women before her, she felt helpless. She had to keep repeating to herself that this unwelcomed reunion was bound to happen and she could manage it and her emotions.
“Why do you hate me so fuckin’ bad? If anyone should be angry, it should be me,” Remedy spoke up, making her sister scoff.
“Girl, please. You’ve been an embarrassing stain we almost got out, and then you popped up again.”
“You hate me because Paul chose me over you? In hindsight, you could’ve taken him and been the one to get your head knocked in everyday for existing. Outside of that, I don’t get what this is. Because she told y’all to hate me you did? Break it down to me,” Remedy grunted, darting her eyes back to her mother. “What was it? You didn’t want me? No baby photos, barely any family photos, no support, no love. For what?”
Her sister gave her a smug smirk. “You’re not her daughter. That’s why. How’s that for a break down for you?”
“Gina,” their mother scolded. “Let’s go.”
“What? I don’t know why you were trying to spare her feelings. She’s out of our family, where she should stay. Now to get her out of our neighborhood since Paul can’t do shit right.”
Remedy hadn’t caught up with the rest of their back and forth. Finding out her mother wasn’t her mother was shock enough. Ernie, from a few feet away where his aide directed him, regretted asking her to leave the house.
