Page 14 of Beacon Grove Chronicles 1: Hassan & Sylvia

After I ran up the steps, I typed in the code on the front door keypad and waited for it to flash green. When it beeped red, I punched it in again waiting for the lock to turn but it flashed red again.

“What the fuck? I know this bitch didn’t change the lock code.” I was muttering under my breath annoyed because it was cold as hell and I didn’t want to waste time on the porch. She’d threatened that shit but I didn’t think she would actually do it.

I used my fist to bam on the door because I knew that Sylvia was home. The outdoor camera showed when she pulled up not to long after I left her brother’s house. Instead of arguing with them niggas some more I came here so that she could get them in check and get our kids back home.

“Sylvia! Open this fucking door!”

I glanced around because our house was in the nicer part of town. The historic homes were ones that had been in the families for generations and although I knew folks were nosy, I wasn’t about to stand on my front porch like this wasn’t my house too.

“Sylvia!”

“Boy you know she got them locks changed on your ass.”

Our next-door neighbor, Ms. Geraldine, stepped out on her porch looking like I was bothering her. She had her hair tied back with a vibrantly printed scarf, a cup of something that was probably liquor and coffee and her winter house dress on as she shuffled through her front door. Our houses were a few yards apart so I had a feeling she’d been watching to see what was happening over here.

I glanced at the door and then around the street to ensure no one else was hovering outside to watch what was going on.

“Hey, Ms. Geraldine. How you doing today?” I gave her a respectful nod cause the last thing I needed was for her to go spreading more of my business around town. Old people ain’t have shit else to do with themselves therefore they stayed worrying about what everyone else had going on. Beacon Grove was expanding but everyone still knew everyone else. After the way our business had been all over the town’s One page, I should’ve known that people were going to try to get more dirt on what we had going on.

“I’m doing fine but I would be more worried about myself if I were you.” She nodded toward the front door with a smirk and my desire to stay cordial was faltering by the second.

“What’s that supposed to mean, Ms. Geraldine?”

“You forget that girl got not one, not two, but four big ass brothers that probably don’t appreciate the way you’ve treated their sister?” Her head jerked back in disbelief her eyes studying me to see if I was being serious.

I knew she was looking out but I was tired of everyone thinking that Sylvia and her brothers were some kinda big deal. So what if two of them played pro ball as offensive tackles? The other two were nerds who’d gone into law. I’d been an athlete all my life so if they wanted to square up with me I was going to make them earn every lick and still drop them on the ass.

“I ain’t worried about them. I’m just trying to get in my house and do what needs to be done. If everyone would stay out my business I wouldn’t have this problem.” I lifted the dark red roses that I’d gotten on the way home and Ms. Geraldine just shook her head.

“And that’s the problem with men like you.”

“What you mean?”

“You think the problem is everyone being in your business instead of you not being able to handle yours. Folks knowing your dirt wouldn’t be an issue if you didn’t have any for them to rub in your face.” She pointed at me with raised brows and a face filled with attitude.

I was on the verge of cussing her out but I wasn’t about to disrespect my elders. I needed them to help pressure Sylvia to keep the family together. If I had them on my side and I looked pitiful enough they would talk to her about kids growing up in broken homes and giving me one more chance.

I put on the saddest look I could and acknowledged her point. “You’re right, Ms. Geraldine. I slipped up and should’ve been a better husband. My mama said the same thing to me and y’all are wrong. Moving forward, my focus is only on Sylvie and my kids.”

“Well, you at least got that half right.”

I felt my eyes squint at the smugness of her words but I knew better than to let her bring me out of character. I flashed her a tight smile before turning back to the door.

“Sylvie!”

“Boy, you got a lot more on your hands than getting in that door.”

Ms. Geraldine hollered out that warning as I heard a car turn into my driveway, blocking in my truck. When I looked to see who it was, there were two large trucks behind mine and all the men in Sylvie’s family were pouring out the doors with an eagerness I wasn’t in the mood to deal with.

I turned so that my body was blocking the front door. Our front porch was too wide to prevent them from getting onto it, but they would have to physically move me if they thought they were going to get inside my house.

“What y’all doing here? And where are my kids?”

I wasn’t about to let someone punk me on my property. I was looking at my oldest brother-in-law because I was just at his place. It was clear he’d called all his people up as soon as I left so they could come and ambush me. It was a ho move and I wasn’t about to have this family continue to be in our fucking business.

“Nigga, who the fuck you think you talking to like that?” Sylvia’s second youngest brother, Vic, bucked up like he was gonna do something to me.

“I’m talking to y’all like that. Y’all over here getting in the middle of shit that ain’t got nothing to do with y’all.” I waved them off because I didn’t have time for this shit. I was getting angrier at Sylvia because I was stuck outside dealing with her family while she sat inside comfortable.