I disregarded that. “You remember Paper asking around about you?”
He paused before he answered. “Paper?”
“Yeah.”
“Nah. Why?”
“His name came up.”
I could tell Marv’s breathing changed. He probably wanted to go kill somebody right now. “That nigga still mad about that old shit?”
“Apparently.”
“I ain’t thought about Paper in years. I even gave the nigga his bitch back.”
“That don’t mean he ain’t thought about you.”
He got quiet this time, probably going through whatever memories he had left from the shooting. “I don’t know, Lev. Paper always been scary to me. He’ll talk about killing a nigga for ten years before he actually do something.”
“Think like an Opp Marv, that shit don’t clear him.”
“I know.”
“I’m looking into it but don’t mention his name to anybody else yet.”
“Aight.”
I could hear one of the machines beeping in the background followed by somebody entering his room and moving thingsaround. Marv spoke to them briefly, and when he came back to the phone his voice had a little more energy in it.
“That little nurse still there?” I asked.
“Who?” He questioned.
I leaned back in the chair and looked toward the pool, where Milan and Zuri were now sitting along the edge with their legs in the water. “Navy?”
“See, why the fuck you remember her name that fast?”
I laughed under my breath. “It was on her badge.”
“Yeah… well, leave her alone.”
“Who said I was bothering her?”
“I know you.”
“You laid up in ICU worrying about what I’m doing?”
“I’m letting you know I already got dibs.”
I looked out across the dark water and shook my head. “Nigga, you almost died and came back talking like a middle schooler.”
“I’m serious Lev,” he laughed then immediately regretted it. I could tell her was wincing in pain.
“Man, you don’t own that woman.”
“And neither do you.”
“I ain’t say I did.”
