him respecting the game, we didn’t have to go to war. Of course, he didn’t like what I did. Me and him being the same age and with Kyron going in and out of jail, Mama Santos raised us up as brothers. She is like a mother to me. And to this day, I know Kyron hated me for that. But Kay understood that this was some man-to-man shit.
“So what’s everybody saying? What’s Mama Santos saying? You and she were the only ones stopping me from totally wildin’.”
Kay sighed. “Mama is disappointed. And do you really think that stabbing my brother in the throat wasn’t wildin’? Angel said there was a mention over the local news. But shit, you ain’t going to be able to keep it a secret. Angel and my moms is up at the hospital now. He’s in critical condition. Hell, Harry said that’s the only reason they let me go. But if he dies, Trae, you gonna have a hard time getting out of this one, in more ways than one. And you did all of that and ain’t even kill the nigga. Don’t get me wrong, that is my brother, and I love him. And I want to really do something to you for making my Moms hurt. But you really slipped up big time. Because if he doesn’t die, when he gets out of the hospital you will be consumed with trying to get him. And we both know Kyron, he’s coming for you. You need to get your lawyer Benny’s ass on this ASAP.”
Time felt as if it stopped. What the fuck did he mean, in critical condition? I was there when that pussy took his last breath. How the fuck can a nigga survive a stab to the throat? Hell, I know I cut the jugular vein. Real talk.
“Trae! Trae! What the fuck is wrong with you? Do you hear me talking to you?” Kay yelled. “Yo, you looked like you spaced out over there.”
I leaned back into the sofa and shut my eyes. I was not gonna let this nigga tear my family to shreds.
Kay chuckled. “Oh, I know what your problem is. You thought you deaded him, didn’t you? The Higher Power obviously ain’t done with neither one of you niggas yet.” My eyes popped open just as Kay stood up. “Not yet. But we’ll see what happens. The next six hours the doctors say are the most critical. However, I know that he’ll be alright. I don’t know if you remember. But years ago, I told you about that dream that I kept having that was spookin’ me out. Well, I had it again. But this time, it was crystal-clear. Before, I didn’t know the ending. I know now. I shot my own brother in the head.”
2
JAZ
“I feel so bad, Jaz. We need to be out there seeing what’s up with Tasha. You know she would be here for us. But it’s so much going on right now with this business, I couldn’t leave if I wanted to,” Angel revealed.
We were on the phone for the last twenty minutes, trying to justify why we weren’t there for Tasha. However, I was on my way to see my girl. She needed us. Angel wasn’t sure when she would be able to get away to get out there. She was doing something she said she would never do, and that was to let life come between our friendships. It didn’t matter that she was in New York; hell, I lived in Georgia, but it wasn’t stopping me. Tasha had just had a miscarriage and a fling that almost cost her her marriage and her family. We needed to be there for her.
“Let me go, Angel. I’m pulling up in front of my granny’s.” I disconnected the call and got out of the car.
Faheem had dropped us off at the Hartsfield Atlanta Airport at the crack of dawn. I had a six-and-a-half-hour layover in Jersey, so I went to visit my family, who were literally in the same place I left them years ago. However, I couldn’t have cared less about them grown-ass niggas. But the clincher was when I stepped inside my granny’s house. Her house was so caked with dust that I was choking and surprised that she was still breathing. Everything was neat and in place, but it was obvious that a dust cloth, broom, and mop had not been used in a long time. It was also obvious