Page 39 of Halo: Tales Of A Hitman

Before she started the movie, I grabbed her hand and said grace. The movie started and we began eating. She told me how good it was, and I made sure to tell her where I got it from. We watched the movie, laughed at its funny parts, and talked through our eating.

“I would have never thought I’d enjoy carrot cake but that was delicious.” Story put her fork on her now empty container the cake was in.

“Me neither, that icing was smooth and just enough sweet.” I finished mine as well.

Story and I took our plates back downstairs. I killed all my food, but she had a chicken leg left and some greens. She wrapped hers up and put it in the microwave. We went back upstairs and this time she picked another movie.

“You know I do hair for a living. I never asked you what it is you do?” Story sat Indian style on the side of me.

I really did not know how to answer that without scaring her off. “Me and my brothers work together for our uncle.”

Story put her lips together and looked to her left, to her right then back at me. “Um, okay and what is it you guys do.”

I chuckled and my hand went over my face. “It’s a complicated business Story. But the three of us are good at it.”

“Do y’all sell drugs Halo?”

“No. We don’t sell anything nor do we steal.” I hoped my answer was enough for her, but Story did not look satisfied. “Look boo, just know we make a lot of money, and you are good being around me and my brothers. If it will make you feel any better, one day I promise that I’ll tell you more. But right now, let’s just leave it at that. Please.”

She studied my eyes for a while, and I could tell from her body language that I won this round. “Okay, but I am holding you to that promise.”

“Bet. Let me ask you something. Do you want your own braid salon one day?”

“Yup. Regan knows I do and she is super supportive. I only want to do braids in my salon though. And I want to have my youngest clients start at eight years old.” She was so excited as she told me her plans.

“It’s so damn cute how you get so geeked about it. It’s going to happen for you Story, I know it will.”

She got bashful, looked down for a few seconds with a smile then looked up at me. “Thanks Halo. What about you? Outside of collaborating with your brothers what else do you want to do?”

Nobody, even my brothers, has ever asked me that before. I started to lie and make up something, but Story did not deserve that.

“I want to open a therapist office for kids and young adults ages five to twenty-one. But not just a grey building with doctors asking questions. I want it to be a safe heaven, like a healing center. The four-story building I want will have each floor that serves a purpose.

The first floor will be where the therapist offices are. I want consultations and relationships build between patients and therapists. The second will be where patients eat and get any kind of nutrition help if needed. It will be one hundred percent food and any kind of assistance pertaining to food. Third will be education and entertainment.

Tutoring with any kind of subject, GED programs, and high school diploma completion. All kinds of books, access to computers and the internet. I want help with trade schools and anything to further education. The entertainment part will be a gaming room.

Comic book reading, card trading like Pokémon, sports cards, or any other kind. TV’s board games, action figures, Barbie dolls, and other toys. The final floor will be medical and shelter.

I want a pediatrician doctor and a regular one to give exams, STD testing, pregnancy testing if needed. Any kind of medical help they can help. Then if there are any patients who need rest, shelter for the night. It seems like so much, but I am telling you it will be dope.”

“Wow Halo. I have never heard of a place like that. You really have something that can stretch beyond Michigan. It’s needed for the community and so many children could benefit from it. What made you want to do something that specific and unique?”

I shrugged my shoulders, “Don’t know it just came to me some years ago.” I lied.

I do not think Story brought my lie at all. The expression on her face was a sympathetic one.

“Halo, you can tell me anything. I know we haven’t known each other for a long time but I’m not the kind of person to run off just because you shared things with me that I can’t relate to or never heard of.”

I sat up all the way in her bed and moved closer to her. My back was against her headboard and for some reason I wanted…no I craved something specific from her.

“Can I have a hug?”

Story’s eyes looked slightly surprised, but she nodded. “Sure.” She moved closer to the side of me then she gave me a hug.

Her arms went around my neck and mine went around her waist. No bullshit, we hugged for about two minutes.

“I appreciate this.” I told her before we broke apart.