And with that, Flip and JJ took off again, leaving Jhavon and Sean holding a bag full of God only knew what. They didn’t have time to investigate because in the next moment, police sirens cut through the atmosphere. Jhavon and Sean panicked, running behind the store, hopping over two fences until they felt safe enough to sneak their way back to Sean’s house, since it was the closest.
Hearts racing, they burst into the house. Sean had never been so happy to have a drunk for a father as he was that day. Pop was passed out on the couch, unaware his son and Jhavon had entered the house with a bag full of...what was it anyway? Dirty money? Drugs? Stolen goods? Guns?
Once inside Sean’s room, the boys sat the bag on his bed and opened it. They gasped when they saw the contents inside.
Jhavon’s shoulders dropped. He whispered, “Money.”
Guns or hot clothes or even drugs might have been better. Those weren’t everybody’s flavor. But money?Everybodyhad a taste for money. The last thing they needed was for word on the street to get out they had a bunch of money stashed somewhere.
Sean pinched Jhavon’s arm. “Why’d you take it?” he fussed, mindful not to wake his father.
“I didn’t have a choice,” Jhavon whisper-yelled back.
“We gotta give back that money,” Sean said. “All of it. Flip and JJ, man...they’re thelastpeople I want looking for me.”
Jhavon nodded. His eyes wide with fear.
Panting, they both stared down into the bag as if it held rattlesnakes.
“What’s going on in here?” Pop screamed, stumbling into the room.
Sean and Jhavon jumped into action, blocking the older man’s view of the bag. “Nothing,” Sean said in a high-pitched voice, which caused his father to peer at them with suspicion.
“Y’all gay now?” he snarled.
“No, Dad. We been straight,” Sean said. “Gon’ stay straight for life.”
“Well, I wouldn’t be surpriiiiiised,” Pop slurred, almost tripping over his feet. “You spend soooooo much time together.”
Both boys were beyond Mr. Morrison’s insults and had become immune to his verbal attacks. They kept cool, knowing they couldn’t afford to get into an argument with Pop under these circumstances.
“We’re best friends, Pop. You know this,” Sean stated, enunciating each word like he was talking to a child. Why was he even trying to reason with a drunk, he wondered.
“I don’t see you with no women,” Pop pressed, wagging his head.
Sean lost patience. “Pop, I don’t have time for this. Go back to bed.”
“No, it’s all right,” Jhavon intervened, hedging toward the door. “I’ll catch up with you tomorrow. Mr. Morrison, come let me out and lock the door behind me.” Jhavon grabbed Sean’s father’s shoulder.
“Sean, I’ll call you later,” Jhavon threw the words back.
“Yeah. Your girlfriend will call you later.” Pop laughed to himself.
Sean’s stomach muscles loosened when his father complied. He watched Pop’s zig-zagging gait with a huge amount of embarrassment laced with scorn. As soon as his father was out of sight, he tossed the bag far under the bed.
Sean got in the shower, wishing they’d stayed inside and continued watching movies instead of going for candy at Mr. Henderson’s store. Why did they even go there anyway? Everything cost two times more than it would at Wal-Mart. And why didn’t they say no to Flip when he asked them to hold the bag?
On second thought, Flip hadn’t asked. He’dtoldJhavon to hold the bag and there wasn’t any declining. From what Sean heard, the last dude that told Flip no got hit so hard in the face his back teeth came out. Everybody in their neighborhood knew not to mess with Flip and JJ.
He washed his hair and face. All he and Jhavon had to do was get the money back to them, and all would be well. If Flip or JJ or anybody from their crew called, they’d return the bag, and ten years from now they’d be sitting around laughing about the night they got punked into holding a bag full of money.
As he finished showering, Sean’s heart rate slowed.This is not a problem. This is all going to work out.Once he was dressed in a pair of black jeans and tee, he texted Jhavon but got no answer.Where was he?Sean told himself not to panic.This is all going to work out.
Later that night, Sean heard a light tap on his window and almost jumped out of his bed. He had sat in the dark for hours waiting and watching before drifting off. He glanced at his alarm clock—11:41 p.m. The neighbor’s dog barked a few times, confirming someone was outside. His chest heaved. Was it Jhavon? Or, he gulped, Flip? Sweat beads formed while he debated, unsure if he should answer.
“Sean,” a familiar voice called.
Sean released a huge sigh of relief at Jhavon’s voice.Thank You, God.He slid out of bed and crawled to his bedroom window—couldn’t be too careful—and opened it.
