“I don’t know if I should do that, Maleka.” She replied, her voice now sounding much more tired and drawn out.
“Why not? We could crack the case together. I don’t think it’s too many tall white niggas just running around robbing people in Brooklyn. You better come on and get justice for your man.”
Jasmine let out a deep sigh, and I couldn’t help but wonder what that was for.
“What’s wrong? Did I bring up suppressed emotions? Aren’t you going to therapy to handle that?”
“Leka, that doesn’t mean that it’s working right away. Plus, I’m just not for thinking or talking about Trey’s case anymore. Especially not to the police.”
“And why fuckin not? I would want justice if something happened to my boo thing.”
“Well, I would, only I was told not to seek it.” She replied, stopping me in my tracks.
“Un un, see now you need to tell me what the hell is going on.”
“I can’t, Leka.”
“Yes, you can. You tell me everything, and name one thing you’ve said that got back to anyone. I even know the secret aboutyou know who.” I implied some shit she told me not to tell a soul, even though I didn’t understand keeping that a secret.
“But Leeka, this one is much more important to keep than any of the other ones I’ve ever told you. This is the difference between life and death, to be honest.”
“You know I wouldn’t tell your secret, especially if I could get killed for it.”
She paused for a second. I could tell that she wanted to get it off her chest the way she kept letting out breaths and saying, “Okay, okay. Just say it, Jas,” to herself.
“Alright, so it was one of Crew’s homeboys that killed Trey because they got into it after he put his hands on me in the parking lot.”
I gasped so loud that the Latina couple walking past me stopped to see what had taken my breath away.
“I knew that nigga was putting his hands on you. But are you serious, Jas?”
“Yes, I’m serious, but you cannot tell anyone what I just said. I mean, no one. Crew owes loyalty to this person, and I couldn’t turn him in for that reason. That’s why this shit is weighing so heavy on me.”
“Yeah, girl, I know it is, but you know your secret is safe with me. Always.”
“I hope so, this can never ever ever get out.” My mouth was still open, but I didn’t want to spook her by letting her know how actually spooked I was about this.
“To be honest with you. It feels good to tell someone the truth. I’ve been holding that shit in since it happened.”
I guess the relief in my friend’s voice was worth the new guilt she put over my heart. Me and her have been thick as thieves since the beginning of time, riding for each other no matter what, holding in secrets that were juicy enough to tell the world. I guess this adds to that list of secrets.
No wonder she needs to see a fuckin therapist after that shit. I thought my problems were big, but once again, Jas one upped me.
Chapter 13
Jasmine
The next day
When my brother dropped me off at my mama’s house, my sisters, Laporsha and Vanessa, were sitting in the living room, on the couch, watching reruns of The House of Payne.
When I came through the door, it slammed behind me, and everyone faced towards me before turning back to the television.
“Uh, hey everybody.” I walked over a toy that one of their kids had lying in the middle of the floor. I could hear that they were in my mother’s guest room, causing hell back there, leaving a mess for her or even me to have to clean up later. My sisters loved to come over here and relax as if their kids weren’t their kids. My mama’s disability didn’t stop them from thinking she was their personal nanny on visits. I may not do all I could do to help out our mother, but I try. Even Crew criticizes me, and yet I’m the only one living here with her, watching out for her when they are in the comfort of their own homes.
“Rj?” My mother spoke up as soon as she heard me come through the door.
“No, he’s not with me, Mama.”
