And if my brother wasn't walking free by then, Tyree Taylor was about to learn what it meant to have made an enemy out of me.
Just as I got back into my car, I got a private call. I thought to ignore it, but something told me to answer it. I started my car and answered the phone on my car system.
“Yeah?”
“Aye Brudda. One of the guards Tyree iscool with, he’s letting me use his phone for a couple of minutes. I just wanna let you know that the day after tomorrow they’ll be sending me back to the prison. I’ll be here another day.”
“Damn Zaire. I was just talking about yo ass. You gone live a long time. Listen brudda. I’m out here working hard as hell to get you home sooner than that if I can have it my way. If not, it won’t be longer than a few days. How you feel?”
“Sore than a bitch. Other than that, I’m good. You know me, can’t shit hold me down. I just still can’t believe that them fuck niggas tried me like that. Shit, tried us like that. I’m just counting down my days. But fuck all that. Today yo big day, huh?”
“Hell yeah. But I was really thinking I may as well wait for you to get home. I don’t wanna do shit without you by my side. Iknow I said today, but since I woke up all I could think about was getting you home.”
“Mannn chill out. Before all this shit went down, you asked this damn girl to marry you for real. After she agreed yo ass was happier than a muthafucka with yo mind set on saying them vows today. Stand on that. If you gave yo girl your word, don’t go back on it. Hell if you and her make it, you can renew them muthafuckas in a year or two and by then, we’ll be past all this bullshit and we can celebrate for real. Kaseem handle yo business like a man today. Say fuck me, I’m not important today.” Zaire spoke and I felt how real he was about it.
“It’ll never be fuck you, and you know that. I’m out here working and I promise I’m not fucking off while you laid up in that bitch. I’ve done shit that you don’t even know bro. I promise you are on yo way out.”
“I already know. I ain’t ever worried when you say you got me. I love you my nigga and congratulations in advance. I gotta go, but handle your business and tell my sis I can’t wait to meet her. Make sure she know I ain’t no damn monster either.”
“She know that. I love you too my nigga. I’ll see you in a bit.”
I ended the call and my chest was tight as hell. I needed my brother home. Too much time had passed and life was just moving like him being gone didn’t matter. I had his blessing for tonight, and that was all I needed.He was in good spirits despite all that was going on. Zaire only knew a portion of what was happening out here. I had always kept a lot of shit from him since he’d been gone. I never wanted to burden him with shit that he couldn’t do anything about at the moment and have him even more stressed out behind them bars.
As I drove, I got a text from my mom telling me that her hairdresser told her she was doing Tatti’s hair in an hour. My moms said that she was going to pop up at her appointment for some girl talk. I called my moms and she forwarded my call twice. Then I sent her a voice memo.This lady just wouldn’t stop with the bullshit. I could only hope that she would chill today.
“Ma. You know I love you and that you’ll always be my first love. As your oldest son, I’m asking you… nah, I’m begging you not to mess up this day for me. Leave that girl alone man. You don’t know what people are dealing with in private, and sometimes all they need is one more bad day to send them over the edge. Let today be her good day. If you mess this up after I begged you, I don’t know if we’ll speak again. No time soon, anyway. You’ve already threatened the girl and I tried to leave it alone but I’m asking you to just be cool today.”
I sent the message and drove straight to Namier. We had to get ready.
My moms was really killing me with this Tattiana shit. I didn’t know if she was trying to make sure she could trust her, or if she was jealous of the damn girl. All I knew was that today, she’d better act like she had some sense and leave Tattiana alone. I couldn’t wait til Zaire got home. He was the only one who’d ever been able to get through to her. Namier never took anything she did or said seriously, so I wasn’t even gonna bother trying to explain the shit to him. All he would say is to ignore her like he does.
The driver pulled up to the house exactly at the time he said he would. I was ready and dressed, hair thrown up, heart racing like crazy. When I got in the back of the truck, I immediately saw the champagne sitting in an ice bucket and a white envelope with my name on it in Kaseem's handwriting.
I opened it and read:
"Tatti,
Today you become my wife. For real. I know this shit moved fast as hell, but you already know what it is with me. No games. No playing around. When I make a promise, it’s forever.
Handle your business today. Get yourself right and enjoy the pampering. You deserve this day.
Tonight, I'm yours and you forever mine.
-Kaseem"
I smiled so hard my face hurt. This man was something else. He was naturally mean, but trying to step out of his way and be nice to me. Ever since the first time that nigga taste it, he’s been singing a new tune, and I ain’t mad at that.
I opened the champagne and took a sip, letting the bubbles settle on my tongue while I held that note in my hand. I was turning a mean ass nigga soft and the crazy part is, he ain’t even got the pussy yet.
"Where are we going?" I asked the driver, who I'd seen around the compound but never really talked to.
He glanced at me in the rearview mirror with a slight smile.
"Mr. Carter gave me instructions to tell you to just enjoy the ride, Mrs Carter,” he said. "That's all I'm at liberty to say."
I laughed and settled back in my seat, sipping champagne and watching Dallas pass by outside the window.
My phone rang before we'd even made it five minutes down the road.
