Page 105 of 4 Corinthians

Krude flipped Exodus off, then started blowing up what looked like clear balloons. At first, I thought they would be small, but they weren’t. They were big enough for someone to get inside. They had shoulder straps and were hollow in the middle so the person could stand up.

“Umm Krude?” Exodus said, looking at him with a confused expression. “What the fuck are those? And why do you have them?”

“Oh, we're about to get some anger out,” Krude said. He pushed one of the balls over to Exodus, who stopped it with his foot when it was close enough. “Put it on.”

“Why?” he asked.

“So we can run and hit into each other,” Krude said. He showed us how to put it on properly, then pointed to the bag next to his feet. “Helmets are in there. You know for safety and shit.” He looked around. “Ay Deuce and Judah come here right fast.” The boys ran over to him. “Pick a team.”

“My daddy!” Deuce said, running over to Nine.

“Four!” Judah said and ran to him.

“You have no loyalty,” Krude said, shaking his head. “But that’s cool because them niggas gonna lose.”

“Man, I ain’t losing,” Nine said, standing up. Exodus pushed the ball towards him. “Deuce, go get a helmet, big man. Safety first and shit around here.” Deuce did what his daddy said and went to get him and Krude a helmet. “Krude, I know these ain’t Bambi helmets, man.”

“One is Bambi, and one is Land Before Time,” Krude answered. He put his helmet on. “Now get that shit on so you can get this work.”

For the next three hours, I watched as the men ran full speed and smacked into each other. There was no doubt that they would all be bruised and sore in a few days. At one point, all the women went into the house so we wouldn’t be witnesses to one of them possibly seriously injuring themselves.

“How much longer do we have to listen to them try and break a bone?” Cross asked. We’d come back outside and were watching them again. It was Judah and Deuce’s turn. Deuce was being coached by Nine on hitting, and Judah by Four. They looked so serious, yet I could see the sparkle in their eyes from their enjoyment.

“No clue,” I answered with a shrug. “I’m hoping they tire themselves out though.”

“They will sleep good as hell,” she agreed.

I looked at Cross and lifted a brow. “Are you talking about the grown ass men out there playing or the two little boys?”

“Truth?” she asked, and I nodded. “The grown ass men.” We laughed then turned back to continue watching them play. Deuce and Judah finally had enough and decided to take off the balloons, go into the house, get some food, and play the game. That left the grown-ass men that, I had to agree with Cross, were going to tire themselves out. “I’m going to go supervise our kids make their plates.” She got up and went into the house, leaving me alone on the porch.

Uri made his way over to where I was sitting and sat next to me. His leg brushed mine, and he put his arm along the back of the couch we were sitting on. He patted his leg, and I put my leg across his. Psalms walked outside at that exact moment. She looked at us; her brow creased in the middle as her eyes jumped from me to Uri. We hadn’t had a chance to talk about what was going on with Uri and me, and I knew she had questions. Her eyes were filled with curiosity and even pain.

“Auntie Bug!” Judah yelled, coming to the door. “Can you come play the game with us?”

“Sure, Judah,” she answered slowly. She left the porch without looking back.

I started tapping my left hand against my thigh. “I have to talk to her,” I finally said. Uri’s hand covered mine, and I looked at him. His brow went up. “I haven’t told her anything.”

Uri licked his lips and nodded. “W-w-w-w-what are you going to tell her?”

“That I want to try,” I truthfully told him. “That I’m scared as hell. Even though there’s a small part of me that is scared I’m making a mistake, I have to at least try because it’s all I think about.”

“A m-m-m-m-m-mistake?” he moved his hand from mine. “T-t-t-t-t-that’s h-h-h-h-how y-y-y-y-you f-f-f-f-feel?” his eyes narrowed.

“What do you call it?” I questioned him. “Uri, we are so fucked up. Our past?” I laughed humorlessly and moved my leg from off him, then stood. I wasn’t one to argue, and I definitely wouldn’t do it with my family around. I tried to walk away, but Uri stood and took my hand. “Let me go.”

“C-c-c-come w-w-w-walk w-w-with me,” he requested.

I turned and looked at our families watching us. Judge’s brow went up, and Krude adjusted his pants on his hips. If I moved the wrong way, they wouldn’t hesitate to come to my rescue. Not that I would need it.

“You good?” Exodus asked. He stood against the fence, his arms crossed, and his eyes locked on Uri holding my hand.

“I-I-I-I-I’m okay,” I replied.

“Oh nope,” Krude said, shaking his head. “She’s stuttering. She ain’t cool.” He tapped Nine on the shoulder. “Get your people before we forget about the marriage bond y’all got in the family.”

“Four?” Nine called out. “You good?”