Chapter Five

Hassan

Seeing Kari stand in front of me like she was checking some shit pissed me off more than I wanted it to. She was standing here acting like she just caught me cheating or some shit, when I was as single as a nigga that lived with his baby mama. I put my head down in an attempt to calm my nerves before I threw this damn girl over the railing of the section we were in.

"And you," I heard her say. When I looked up, she was staring at JaRue. "Where is my niece while you're out here being a hoe?" I looked between the two of them and tried to check the temperature. While Kari wore a smirk on her face, JaRue was everything but calm. The way her leg was bouncing up and down at a rapid pace was a dead giveaway. Shorty looked like she was a millisecond from scalping Kari.

"Girl, if you'on get your Juwanna Man looking ass away from my friend with that bullshit. She won't beat your ass again but I will. I ain't got shit to lose." I looked over at her friend as she was already pulling her hair up in a bun. As bad as I wanted her to knock Kari on her ass, I wouldn't let them fight in Murda's club. This was supposed to be a business meeting, even though the meeting was rescheduled. I was still going to act accordingly.

"Chill, shorty. She ain't worth the headache," I warned.

"Really Haze? You're going to act like that over a bitch that's a poor excuse for a mother who won't let my brother see his baby?" she spewed.

I looked at JaRue, and her expression never wavered.

"Journei, let's go before I say the fuck the police and drag this long-toothed bitch every way but loose."

I didn't stop her as she gathered her belongings and stalked out of the area with her friend in tow. While I watched her leave, I regretted not getting her number. Now that I knew where she worked, I would be seeing her sooner than later.

"Damn, you do kind of look like a Saber-tooth tiger," Knight's stupid ass said, causing everyone in the section to roar in laughter except for Kari.

"Nigga, you stupid as fuck," Murda mentioned through his laughter.

"Haze, are you going to let him talk to me like that?" she questioned.

"Aye, shorty. I'm a grown fucking man and no other grown ass man can let me do shit. The only person who has that kind of control over me is my wife, and she's at home waiting on a nigga to come fuck her to sleep." That nigga got serious fast as fuck. You can count on him to tell a joke, but you can also count on him to keep it real.

"Aye, why you still standing there like you got cement in your shoes?" I frowned, looking up at her.

"I asked you could we talk?"

"And I said no. The fuck didn't you understand?"

She stood there looking dumb in the face a few more seconds before she stomped her mad ass off. I knew I would not be getting any pussy from her tonight. Don't get it twisted. If I wanted it, I could. I rather not deal with the headache, so I'll just hit up her homegirl. She's always waiting and willing.

After Kari took her mad ass home, we had one more round of drinks before we left. Knight had a wife and kids to get home to and Murda had kids. I knew Rock would let Peace stay with our parents since it was late, so that just left my single ass to find something wet and warm to fall into before I took my ass home and called it a night.

∞∞∞

It was finally the day of the meeting with Knasim, and I was going to get there early so I could have time to talk to JaRue. I told Rock to meet me there because I wanted to stop by a florist and got her a dozen of red roses along with a dozen of sunflowers. That combination was dope as hell, and I hope she appreciated my gesture.

When I pulled up to the funeral home, I saw Rock's truck parked out front. I had about thirty minutes to spare before the actual meeting started. That was enough time for me to talk to JaRue and apologize for the bullshit the other night. When I got out of my truck and he saw the bouquet in my hand, I knew he was about to talk shit.

"Damn, nigga. Say you like the damn girl without saying you like the damn girl." He joked.

"Man, watch out. I'm just trying to make up for the bullshit Kari pulled the other night."

"Yeah, aight," was all he said as we walked inside. I was glad to see no one was inside of the lobby. I didn't see JaRue sitting behind the receptionist desk, so I took a seat and waited on her. Five minutes later, she came from the back. Her face looked flushed, like she was crying, and I immediately got in kill mode. I don't know who did it, but I was ready to fix it. She didn't even notice me until I walked up to her desk.

"You need to be more aware of your surroundings, shorty. Anybody can walk up on you, and you wouldn't know a thing or have time to react." I knew I startled her by the way she jumped back when she heard my voice. When she realized it was me, she rolled her pretty ass eyes hard as fuck.

"What do you want?" she sassed.

"I got a meeting with Knas, and I wanted to give you these." I extended the bouquet toward her, and she just stared at them. "It's a peace offering. I want to apologize about the other night." I admitted.

"No need."

"Come on, ma. You can't charge that shit to me. Besides, it looked as if y'all already had some kind of beef before I came into the equation. Even with all that, I'm extending a peace offering, and an invitation to take you to dinner."

She gave me a side-eyed glanced before taking the flowers from out of my outstretched hand.

"Thank you for the flowers and the apology, but I have to decline the date. I have too much going on right now to be trying to date anybody. Plus, I know you heard that bitch say that I had a daughter. I would never just go out and leave her so I could get a free meal," she recited.

Squinting my eyes at her, I didn't know if I should be offended or not, but I get it. She was a mother before anything, and that minor revelation made me want her pretty ass even more.

"Look, shorty. It's just a friendly dinner. You can even bring little mama if you want. I love kids. I have a niece that I spend a lot of time with. Maybe we can hook up for a playdate or some shit." I offered.

Snickering, she said, "How often do you use your niece to get dates?"

"Never. My brother doesn't play about his daughter and neither do I. I don't take my niece around anybody, and nobody can ever say that they have been around her. If I'm being honest, I don't even entertain women who have kids because a nigga like me would make her kid fatherless, and I wouldn't want that shit on my conscience," I stated honestly.

"He ain't lying, shorty. I'on even play about my baby like that." She looked over at my brother before putting her eyes back on me.

"Then why me?" she asked.

"Why not you?" I countered.

Before she could respond, Knas walked out his office and headed in our direction.

"Aye, I watched you harass my receptionist for the past fifteen minutes. She got your little flowers. Now come on so we can get this shit over with." He looked between me and JaRue before he spoke again. "Rue you good?"

"I'm fine," she responded.

I smirked at that nigga before following him into his office with Rock following suit. Before disappearing down the hall, I left Ms. Rue with some parting words.

"Don't count me out because of that nigga, shorty. You might be missing out on your happily ever after." I winked my eye at her and left her there to ponder over my words. Once we got inside of the office, Knight along with their twin cousins were already seated. It was also another nigga with dreads that I didn't see the last time I was here.

"You done harassing our damn receptionist?" Knight asked.

"That's not RCF or ACF business, so stay out of that," I countered.

"Aight, y'all done?" Knas interrupted.

No one said anything as we waited for him to say whatever he needed to say.

"So, let's get straight to business. I went over the books that were kept between our fathers and I don't see the need to switch too much shit up. The percentages will stay the same. The only thing that will change is access to your freights that you have in Africa. We could get some heavy artillery from out there, and for a cheaper price. You good with that?"

I looked at my brother and he nodded, signifying that he was okay with that. I didn't see a problem with it either, especially since I didn't have to come off of any more money than I already was.

"That's straight. When would all of this take effect?"

"Soon as your next load comes in. I won't hold up your business. I know y'all have families and shit." When he said that, I remained quiet because I didn't have a soul to be responsible for but myself.

"Speaking of families. Haze, since you're now the head of your family, I'm going to put in place the same stipulations that my pops gave me," he stated.

"And what's that? Didn't your pops pick your wife for you?" I quizzed.

"Something like that."

"Yeah, you can cancel that shit. I'on need no nigga picking who I'm going to marry. The fuck y'all think this shit is?" I was about to say fuck all this shit because this nigga had me fucked up if he thought I was going to let him tell me who I had to marry.

"You're absolutely right. I'm not going to tell you who to marry. I'll leave that solely to you, but you will find a wife and you got ninety days to do it," he demanded.

"And if I don't?" I challenged.

"Then you can tell your pops that you fucked up his business that he successfully ran for over thirty years into the ground. I could give a fuck what you do after that." He stared at me stone-faced like that shit was supposed to bother me.

Fuck this shit. I got up to leave, and I heard Rock's voice behind me.

"We'll be in touch," he said before joining me.

"Ninety days," was all Knas said before we closed the door behind us.

When we walked back upfront, JaRue wasn't there. I was relieved because that nigga had put me in a nasty ass mood, and I didn't want to take it out on her. Once we were outside and to our vehicles, Rock spoke up.

"So, how we playing this shit?"

Rubbing my hand over my braids, I looked at my brother and said, "the fuck if I know," before getting in my truck and leaving. I will go holla at my pops later. Right now, I needed to clear my head.

∞∞∞

I went straight to the freight yard after my meeting with Knas and I was just now leaving. It was already eight at night, but I was still going to holla at my pops about the shit that Knas laid on me. Pulling through my parents gate, I parked in the circular driveway and let myself in. I found my mother in her usual spot in the family room, being entertained by one of her shows. When she saw me, her face lit up.

"Hey baby," she greeted as I bent down to her level, placing a kiss on her temple.

"Wassup, Ma? What you in here watching?"

"These crazy fools on The Oval. I don't know who's crazier. The President and First Lady or those bad ass kids," she laughed.

"You and your drama shows. I won't bother you. Where's Peace?"

"She's finally asleep. She's teething and has been fussy most of the day," she informed me.

"You told Rock?"

"Yes, and he wanted to take her to the hospital. I told him to leave me alone and get on somewhere like I don't know how to take care of my grandbaby." I laughed because I knew she cursed him out real good for playing on her top like that.

"You know he's going to be here soon, right?"

"As long as he leaves her alone and lets her rest, then that's fine. Disrupting her rest will only make her crankier."

"Where's Pops?"

"In his office."

Nodding, I headed down the hall toward the other end of the house. When I got to the door, it was already cracked, but I still knocked out of respect before walking completely in.

"Hello, son. I didn't expect you to drop by so late." He lit his cigar and leaned back in his office chair.

"Yeah, I had some work to get done down at the yard. I had that meeting with Knas today and I wanted to fill you in on how that went."

"And how did that go?" he inquired.

"For the most part, it was straight. Everything that you and his pops had in place will remain the same, in addition to them using our ports in Africa," I stated.

"That's not bad. That's more money our way."

I nodded.

"That's not all, though."

"Oh?" He sat up to his full height. "What are you not telling me?"

Taking a deep breath and leaning forward as my elbows rested on my knees, I told my father Knasim's stipulation in the new contract. It was silent for a few minutes before he spoke again.

"Do you have anyone in mind?" he asked.

I couldn't help the scowl that graced my face.

"What you mean, do I have anyone in mind? I'm not doing that shit," I sneered.

"Listen, it can't be that bad. What about Kari?"

"I'd rather give all this shit up than to marry that damn girl." I meant that shit, too. If I couldn't do this shit without being married, I wouldn't do it at all. Especially not with Kari's ass.

"So, you're going to throw everything that I worked for away because of your foolish pride?"

I looked at my father like he had crack in that damn cigar he was smoking. Ain't no way he thought this was a pride thing. Instead of rendering him a response, I simply left before shit got out of hand and I disrespected my pops. For the second time today, a muthafucka has tried to play in my face like I was just supposed to take that shit. It was best that I leave before shit got ugly.

When I walked back up front, I didn't see my mother, and that was a good thing. I wasn't in the mood to explain shit to her, either. I'm pretty sure my pops would do all of that for me.

Getting in my truck, I wasn't even in the mood anymore for the pussy I had waiting for me. I took my ass straight home and showered. When I laid down for the night, all I could think about was who the fuck could I get to marry me on such short notice, and they not make me want to kill them?