“How is he doing? Essex told me he would be getting out soon.”
“He’s trying his best to hold it together. Of course, he puts on a strong act for me, but I know he’s tired of being in there. He lost so much of his youth because of me.” My lip quivered as my tears won the battle I had been fighting internally.
“Oh, honey. Is that what you believe?”
“It’s true. He’ll never say it, but it’s all my fault. If I hadn’t called him that day, he would be free right now, and our lives wouldn’t have been turned upside down. I don’t even know how he can stand to look at me sometimes. My momma turned her back on me, so I wouldn’t have been shocked if he did too.”
Granny got up from her recliner and walked over to me with a box of Kleenex in her hand. I expected her to reclaim her seat, but instead she sat next to me and pulled me into her arms. My momma wasn’t affectionate, so hugs were foreign to me outside of Keynauri and the fellas. I hadn’t realized how much I needed the embrace of a motherly figure.
She held me while I sobbed into her chest. I heard her humming softly as she rocked me in her arms. Keynauri swore he didn’t hold what happened against me, but I did. Years had passed, and I still woke up in cold sweats from the never-ending nightmare that played in my head.
“Let me ask you something, sweetheart.” Granny held my face in her hands.
“If someone hurt Symphonee the way Tone hurt you, what would you do?”
The thought alone enraged me. I vowed to protect my daughter with my life, so she would never experience any of the pain I endured.
“I would kill them.”
“And would you blame her if you had to serve time?”
“Absolutely not. Protecting her is second nature to me. I would serve life in prison if it meant keeping her safe,” I answered honestly.
“Then you’ve got to know that your brother feels the same way. When you truly love someone, there are no boundaries for how far you’re willing to go to protect them. I know you feel guilty, but there is no reason for it. Since I met the two of you, when you were knee high to a grasshopper, he has looked after you. I witnessed all three of those boys jump on kids for picking on you.
“My former pastor preached a message years ago about carrying crosses that don’t belong to us. Sometimes we allow guilt, shame, and misplaced obligations to cause us to hold onto things that should have been buried long ago. Your brother doesn’t hold what happened to him against you. The problem is that you don’t believe you’re worth protecting, and that simply isn’t true.
“I can tell you right now, if anything were to ever happen to you or that little girl in there, my grandson is gonna up theblickery. That’s called love, baby. Your brother chose to protect the person he loved, and you have made good on his sacrifice. We’re all proud of you. Not only are you doing well in life, but you’re also a good momma too. It’s time for you to make peace with your past and let that guilt go.”
I received everything she said. Keynauri assured me often that he had no regrets, but she was right. I had a hard time accepting that I was worth all of the trouble it caused. It was something I needed to deal with in order to move forward in life.
Granny and I talked for a little longer, and I was grateful for our time together. My baby and I were blessed to have people in our lives who truly loved and cared for us, and I would never take it for granted.
“Congratulations on the opening of your restaurant. My wife and her friends are already talking about how they can’t wait to come back. The food was excellent, and it definitely has a cool vibe. I have someone on my team who runs sales analytics to show you how your business is doing month to month.
“She’ll give you a complete breakdown from your bottom line down to the more popular dishes and how much they cost to make. The first year is the most crucial, and many businesses don’t make it past the two-year mark. This place has a lot of potential, so if you need help or have any questions, don’t hesitate to call me. You hired me for a reason, and I want to make sure you’re getting the most out of your investments.” Justice Graham shook my hand as we stood outside my new restaurant, The East Way.
I’d officially hired him as my accountant a while back, and he had proven to be a true asset to my businesses. I wasn’t much of a numbers guy unless it came to counting money. I could do that in my sleep, but there was so much that went into running a successful business, and he had been walking me through theprocess and putting me in touch with the right people to help me.
Thanks to him, I had found two solid managers to run the restaurant as well as a marketing and social media manager. I never realized how much those things mattered, but my team made sure we had everything together.
“I appreciate you coming out to show your support and for all of the help you’ve given me. You and your team have made this transition seamless, and I can’t thank you enough.”
“It’s my pleasure. It’s good to see brothers we grew up around coming up and creating their own motion. Being an entrepreneur takes work, but if you do it right, you’ll have a legacy to pass down to your children. My pops has always drilled the idea of generational wealth. We need more people who look like us owning property and setting their families up for success.”
I nodded in agreement. Growing up, I never imagined I would own anything. All I wanted to do was survive and make enough money to take care of myself and my granny. When I took a look at the way life had changed for me, I couldn’t help but give thanks to a higher power.
As a young boy, my granny used to always tell me she wanted her own restaurant. She spent years feeding our neighbors and anyone else who needed a hot meal. Even when we barely had food on the table, she made a way to give back. She’s older now, so she can’t be here full time, but my proudest moment was handing her those keys tonight.
“I agree with you. It was never something I considered growing up, but now that I have a family of my own, I want them to have the best of everything. I’m trying to take a step back from the streets, and it starts with getting my ducks in a row.”
“For sure. I’ve been in your shoes, and I get it. The money comes in fast, and sometimes that can make it difficult to pullaway. Focus on getting your affairs in order. When it’s the right time, you’ll know. I see our women have hit it off. I’m gonna tell you now that once my wife and her crew get ahold of her, you’re gonna have to share,” he joked, pointing to where his wife, Ciyani, was laughing and talking to Lyric.
It honestly surprised me to see them hit it off so well, since Lyric was slightly younger, and she could be a little territorial when other women were around. I loved that she mingled and interacted with the ladies in attendance. It took a couple of years to make it happen, but everything had finally fallen into place. The grand opening went even better than I hoped, and I was looking forward to what the future would bring.
“I think it would be good for her. She needs to be around more women who have something going for themselves. Lyric is smart as hell and good at anything she puts her mind to, but I don’t necessarily care for some of the people she keeps around her. She thinks I’m being controlling and judgmental, but I’ve learned enough in life to know that everybody in your circle isn’t riding for you.”
“You’re right about that. I’ve seen many people lose their freedom, their family, and even their lives behind a snake in the grass. Sometimes people are so blinded by loyalty and love that they miss the signs. My wife and I don’t play that shit at all. She has a solid group of women around her, and it’s the same way for me. I can’t allow anyone to have access to my family that I don’t trust. I might be a corporate nigga now, but I know how to shoot, and I’ll do the time for that woman over there.”
