Mess Us Up – Jaxson Kidman Page 0,42

asks.

“She almost got Les and I killed,” I say. “Taz too. I’ve been playing it off. But I can’t anymore. She went to the doctors. She’s…” I take a deep breath. “She’s got Alzheimer’s.”

“Fuck no,” Aric says. He stands up. “Fuck no. No.”

“Shit!” Raf yells. He slams his hand on the table.

I look at Ado.

There’s a sense of relief in Ado’s eyes.

That’s exactly what I want.

“I’m so sorry, Mac,” Ado says. “Are you sure?”

“Doctors, bro,” I say. “And I’ve seen it myself now. It’s like she’s there one second and then gone the next. Like a wave or something. I don’t know how to explain it. But we aren’t in the kind of business where that’s acceptable.”

“Does she know you know?” Aric asks.

“No,” I say. “I mean, maybe. She had Jolie drive her to the doctor. I don’t know what she’s going to do. When she’s going to say something. But one thing I know for sure, we aren’t going to say anything. To her. To anyone.”

“We’re sure of this?” Raf asks. “I mean…”

“We’re sure,” Les says in a deep voice. “We’re sure.”

“It fucking sucks,” Taz says.

“More than sucks,” I say. “But it’s what we’re facing. It also means we have to be extra careful with everything. I’m not going to say that Mama is wrong about everything she says, but we just have to be sure of it before we act. I can’t stop thinking about the info she gave on Jolie’s old man. We were this close to getting to him. To getting to Jolie.”

I look at Ado again.

His nervous face comes back.

“You have any idea where she is?” Ado asks.

“No,” I say. “And this thing with Mama only makes it worse.”

“Fuck, bro,” Ado says.

Again, relief washes over his face.

I want to fucking kill him right now.

I look down at Taz and I can see him ready to explode.

“That’s all I wanted to talk about right now,” I say. “I’m working on some stuff but it doesn’t matter right now. Everyone just keep an eye on things. Don’t tell Mama anything. If you see her acting different, just go with it and then tell me.”

“At some point though, bro,” Aric says.

“I know,” I say. “We will handle it.” I look around the table and nod. “As far as everything else. Business as usual. Keep things flowing.”

“Done,” Les says.

He hits the table and stands up.

Everyone breaks away from the table.

I carefully watch as Taz walks to the door at the same time as Ado does.

I can already see it happening.

Taz throwing his shoulder and knocking Ado into the wall.

Then calling out oops.

I let out a whistle and get Ado’s attention.

I wave him toward me.

Taz glances back at me, lip curled.

Ado walks toward me and my hands ball up into fists.

I picture him stealing cash, pulling a gun on Jolie, threatening her.

But right now every decision I make doesn’t just hit my life or the crew, but it hits Jolie’s life.

The end of this is me with Jolie.

Holding her on the beach.

Kissing her under the stars.

“How’s your mother?” I ask Ado.

“Still dying,” Ado says.

“You know, bro, In some crazy universal way, we all are,” I say. “Right? Each second is another taken off our life. We just don’t know how many seconds we have.”

“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” Ado asks.

“No,” I say. “I’m just making sure we’re on the same page with everything still.”

“Yeah. You’re cold as fuck, Mac. As always. You hate me and can’t let go of what happened. And I get it. I’d probably be the same way. And you miss the fuck out of Jolie. I wish I could help.”

I nod. “Yeah. I’m sure you do. It’ll all work out. Let’s go take care of some business.”

We leave the room and I shut the door behind me.

I walk through the garage and I feel Taz staring at me.

He wants to explode.

We all do.

Aric and Raf are hurting over the news of Mama.

Today is just getting started though.

“Everyone out,” I call out. “Les, Aric, you’re with me. Taz, you take Raf. Ado… hit the track.”

“Yeah?” Ado asks.

I nod. “Yeah. We’re overdue to check on supplies down there. Can I trust you down there?”

“Of course you can, Mac,” Ado says. “I’m tired of these bullshit parties and stuff. I want real work.”

“Then it’s yours,” I say.

We all split off into our vehicles and I hit the button to shut the garage door.

Les is in the passenger seat next to me.

“Where am I texting to meet?”