Page 41 of Own It

I had the homie Mylo back at the crib guarding Daylin. He and my brothers were the only muthafuckas I trusted to do the job.

“I’ve been busy.”

Though I didn’t give a fuck about concealing my identity from Dr. Conrad and his staff or whomever knew of our arrangement, I didn’t wanna chance a muthafucka trailing me to where I was holding Daylin. It was unlikely, but stranger shit had happened.

“Too busy to come see your cousin? You were usually here every other day whenever he would go to the hospital or be in the woods. Now, you haven’t been once. He hasn’t seen you since before his coma!” she spat.

“I know. I know, Shar. I’m handling some shit right now, and once it’s handled, I will be by.” I ran a hand down my face, stroking my beard in thought while keeping my lids peeled toward the streets. A nigga could never be too careful.

“He could die any day now, Rah.” She whimpered, pulling my attention away from the curb, even though she wasn’t standing before me.

“I’ll be by soon. Aight? Trust me.”

“Fine.” She hung up without even saying ‘bye’ to a nigga, so I knew she was hot.

Pulling out the burner for the day, I dialed Dr. Conrad’s bitch ass.

“Hell—”

“I need an update, nigga.”

“Mr. Miles looks good. Nevertheless, I do have my staff watching him around the clock and told them I am on call twenty-four hours in case something goes wrong. I also have a surgeon on the floor at all hours in case I am too far.”

“Nigga, you better never be too far. You the muthafucka I want working on Talid, not some random nigga who is almost as good as you.”

“I understand.”

“I hope so. I pray you understand enough to not jeopardize the life of ya youngest daughter and, shit, probably the older one too. Sometimes I have to collect a few bodies to feel better. You feel me?”

“Y-yes, sir. I will always be close. It’s just a precaution.”

“You the muthafuckin’ precaution.”

“My family and I understand the situation, but I cannot be sure about Daylin’s… boyfriend continuing to go along. Maybe I can get him over so he can speak to her.”

“Nah. I took care of that. Not worried about that shit.”

“I hope so because he could become an issue if he gets antsy. He just wants⁠—”

“I don’t give a fuck. This ain’t muthafuckin’ Love After Lockup, nigga. He ain’t gon’ be chopping it up with his boo on my fucking time! Is you crazy?” I wanted to reach through the phone and choke cuz out for even asking that shit.

I hated I even knew what Love After Lockup was, but a woman I’d kicked it with used to stay watching the shit.

I wasn’t too worried about Shaun making noise since Zaire had pressed his ass about the consequences if he did just that.

“Make sure you update his wife because she’s under the impression that Talid could die any day now.” I changed the subject since that conversation was over.

“Yes. I will update Mrs. Miles in a few hours when I get to the hospital. She is usually there around the clock.”

“Cool.” I slammed the flip phone closed, quickly disassembled it, and then climbed out of the car, scattering the pieces in the alley behind the lounge.

I sighed dejectedly, not even in the fucking mood to be out, but my little brothers begged a nigga, and I didn’t always wanna be the muthafucka that didn’t do shit. I was still their brother. Every interaction or conversation we had didn’t have to be about business or family issues. I had to remind myself of shit like that and to have fun, enjoy my life while I was still on this earth. Shit was harder than it sounded though.

“Aye! I was telling this nigga you flaked!” Josias bellowed excitedly as soon as he saw me at the entrance of his and Zaire’s section.

“I got Mylo on the job, so y’all should’ve known I was coming,” I said, slapping hands with Josias.

Seeing the twins light up at the sight of me only validated my choice to come out tonight. I wouldn’t stay long, though, because I didn’t want Mylo babysitting all fucking night. I had no real reason to relieve him of his duties other than the fact that I wanted to kick it with Daylin.