“Y’all in here talkin’ ‘bout me?” Hollow asked.
“No,” Love said.
“Yes, y’all was. Especially Adore’s ass. Her ass looks guilty.”
“Ain’t nobody talking about you,” I replied.
“Aight well, I got someone here to see you.”
“Who?”
Whodie walked in the door with stress all over his face. I hadn’t seen him in over a week. I ran straight into his arms and kissed him.
“Can I eat before y’all do all that?” Hollow asked.
I rolled my eyes but didn’t let go of Whodie right away. I missed my nigga. Whodie’s arms tightened around me like he wasn’t letting go anytime soon.
“I’m dead ass serious,” Hollow added. “I’m hungry as fuck, and I don’t want that ruined watching my sister slob a nigga down.”
Whodie kissed me one more time before letting me down but kept his hand around my waist as we headed to the dining room.
“I didn’t know you were coming, Whodie, so let me set you a spot at the table,” I told him.
“Yeah, ‘cause he looks like shit. Nigga ain’t ate since you got locked up,” Hollow joked.
As we all sat and ate, we had regular conversation while my nephew was at the table. Once he was done and Love took him to get him settled for the evening, I noticed Whodie hadn’t eaten much. He wasn’t himself. He just kept looking at Hollow.
“Y’all want to tell me why the fuck y’all keep looking at each other like that?” I asked both of them.
“We got a problem.”
I dropped my fork. “We always got a fucking problem. What is it now?”
“I went and got shit shakin’ at the traps. All the trap houses are cleared. Only one store is cleared, but they are watching the other stores. I bought everyone new phones. It was a nigga thatwasn’t buyin’ into what I was tryin’ to do. I’m assumin’ ‘cause it wasn’t from you, he wasn’t respectin’ shit I had to say.”
“Who was it?” I asked.
“That big nigga, you call Nate.”
“Okay, I’ll talk to him.”
“No need. The nigga dead,” Whodie said.
“What? That is not what I need right now.” I put my head in my hands.
“It’s cleaned out,” Hollow added.
“So, you knew?” I looked at my brother.
“Did you forget that I work with the 239 Boyz? Just kno’ the shit is clean. Gon’ and finish, Whodie.”
“It’s more?”
“I got a call today from an unknown number. They knew a lot ‘bout me and you. Wanted me to tell you that this is only the beginning.”
My heart felt like it stopped.
“Somebody setting me up?” I looked at Hollow.
