She was saying a lot, without having to say much at all, and Najee caught it. When his phone vibrated in his pocket, he broke their eye contact and grabbed Orielle’s flowers.
“Aye. I appreciate you. I’ll be back through here, fasho,” he said.
The girl smiled. “You’re welcome. Have a great day!”
Najee told her to do the same, then stopped in front of Renae. “Be safe, a’ight?”
His words were heavy, and he hoped they weighed Renae down enough to stick. All she did was nod and watch him walk away. It felt like she’d broken her own heart again, but this time the pain was worse.
“Najee.”
He turned at the sound of his name. Pausing, he waited to hear what she had to say.
“I’m sorry for everything,” she said sadly. Voice thick with clogged tears. “I hope she’s treating you better than I did.”
She was and always had been. Orielle was everything for and to Najee that Renae could never be. So, he was sorry, too. Not because they didn’t work out, but because he wasted his time. Najee gave her one last glance and pushed out the door. The chime this time around settled Renae’s nerves, as she thumbed the card in her pocket. She took it as Najee’s sign of forgiveness, and she accepted it. It was the least she could do.
After placing the flowers in his backseat, Najee hopped in his truck and pulled out of the parking lot. The phone icon on his screen with a red dot in the corner of it indicated he had a missed call. He had a few, actually, and was relieved to see that none of them were from Orielle, calling to tell him that she was about to leave. He tapped Lune’s name and waited for him to pick up.
“Yo. What’s good?” Najee said when he answered.
He heard Lune suck his teeth, and he already knew whatever he was about to tell him was going to be some bullshit.
“Nigga, you do not be that busy. Fuck was you doing? Joyriding the company’s cars?”
Chuckling, Najee shook his head. He was grateful his lil’ homie could make him crack a smile after the situation he’d just walked away from.
“There’s always a hating ass nigga somewhere,” Najee jested. “I was picking up my girl some flowers. What’s good?”
On the other end of the phone, Lune smirked. “Aye. You sure she ain’t got any sisters? I saw her posing with this bad bitch on IG the other day.”
“Nah. Thank goodness she’s an only child. I don’t need a brother-in-law.”
“Man. Fuck you,” Lune said, laughing. “I’d be the best in-law ever. Plus, you big bro anyway. I ain’t gotta be married into the family, cuz.”
“Yeah, I hear you. What’s up, though.”
Lune cleared his throat and got serious. “That nigga Dante still owe you some paper?”
“Hell yeah.” Najee didn’t let the man’s name roll through his mental Rolodex for one second before replying.
A nigga who owed him and his folks money would forever be remembered, even in death. Fortunately, Dante hadn’t made it there yet. Unfortunately, his time was up on paying Najee his bread. He owed him before Najee got locked up and hadn’t been heard from or seen until today.
“Bet. I saw that nigga leaving the neighborhood market on 39thlike shit was sweet wit’ his fat ass. I shouldn’t have let that wobbly, weak-legged mothafucka make it.”
Najee laughed. Dante was a bigger dude, much bigger than most, and swayed from side to side when he walked. Leave it to Lune to crack a joke while plotting his demise.
“Next time, don’t. That’s all you,” Najee told him.
“Breathing?”
“Even heavier than he already does but keep his eyes open. Pocket that money with interest.”
Lune smiled. “Bet.”
“Don’t do anything too stupid, a’ight? You just sending a message.”
“Yeah... and he not gon’ remember it after I knock the nigga’s thoughts out his head.”
