Chapter Eight
Journei
While JaRue was on the phone arguing with her baby daddy, I was texting Rock, letting him know what was going on. I told Rue that he offered to beat his ass, but she didn't want to involve him because of his daughter. What she didn't know was that these Ashby niggas were just as much of a big deal as the Richmonds. Wasn't shit nobody could do with them but deal with the consequences that they gave out. I let her do her thing, though, but I was letting this nigga know just in case. We were besties, and we looked out for each other.
"I'm staying here tonight. I don't trust that, nigga. If he brings his big ass over here, we can throw bleach in his eyes and bet his ass." I shrugged.
"You play too much, but we can definitely beat his ass if he pops up over here. I'm tired of playing with him. All he does is threaten me so that he can have some kind of control over me. I'm over playing these mind games with him. He can eat my ass, because he's dying to, anyway." I gave my friend a high five because I was proud of her for sticking her chest out. She could be lying for all I cared. She never talked this much shit about Keith's sorry ass, and I was here for it.
"Fuck him. He tries to use his age to manipulate you, but that nigga is a whole bum ass nigga. What grown ass man that has the ability to take care of his daughter would rather see her struggle because the mama doesn't want to play his stupid ass games. A fuck nigga is what. I should get my new step daddy to shoot his ass. You know Roy about that life."
"Girl, leave Roy out this. Now, once he gets the boot, we can recruit him." We both laughed because it wasn't a secret that my mama switched men more than she switched wigs. It wouldn't be so bad if she didn't marry every damn body. She was a damn serial divorcee.
"Change the subject. Let's not let Keith and his hunchback ruin our night. I want to get drunk off my ass and pass out until I have to get up for work in the morning."
Hopping up off of the chair, I headed to the back to use the bathroom. That damn wine was running straight through me. After relieving my bladder, I washed my hands. As I walked down the hall, I heard Rue's doorbell ring. I bet that was Keith's ass. I made a detour to the laundry room and grabbed the bottle of bleach. I was serious about blinding his ass before beating it. When I made my way back around the corner, I stopped in my tracks when I saw Rakeem and his brother standing in Rue's living room with scowls on their faces.
"What are y'all doing here?" I asked.
"That's what I would like to know," Rue countered, glowering at me.
"Don't look at me like that. I didn't tell them to come here. I thought that was your bitch ass baby daddy, hence the bleach in my hand." Her eyes went to the bleach bottle the back at the brothers.
"She didn't invite us shorty. My brother told me what she was saying about your baby daddy, and I wanted to make sure that you were good." I saw the way my friend was looking at Hassan and he just might get that date he wants sooner than he thinks.
"I appreciate that, but I'm not worried about Keith. He's all talk," she said.
"Well, we don't do too much talking," Rakeem input as he swaggered over to the sofa. I followed him and he mushed the side of my head before ducking at my attempt to swing on him.
"Wait. How did y'all know where I lived if Journei didn't tell you?" Rue quizzed. Hell, I wanted to know the answer to that as well.
"I have my ways of finding things that interest me," Hassan said, making my friend blush.
"Rue, you got a place I can smoke?" Rakeem asked. I liked the fact that he asked first before lighting up in my friend's house. He was my boy and all, but Rue was my sister, so I would always side with her.
"Sure. Uhm, you can go on the back patio," she informed.
"Come smoke with me, bestie." I howled in laughter at him, calling me his bestie. He swore he hated that word.
"You wake my baby up, your ass will be the one that puts her back to sleep," Rue warned.
"My bad, shorty. I didn't know your baby was here. If she gets up, I'll help Journei with her. You can chill out," he insisted.
I smiled at my best friend before walking through the kitchen and out the patio door. She looked so nervous, but I knew she was in good hands. Hassan really liked her, and I could tell she was smitten with him too, but Keith really did a number on her, so she wasn't so inviting to date anyone else.
Rakeem and I took a seat on the patio furniture that Rue had set out here and he pulled out a pre-rolled blunt and lit the opposite end. After taking a deep pull, he leaned his back and let it rest on the back of the chair.
"Rough day?" I asked.
I had one of my legs tucked under me, ready to hear all about his day. My heart hurt for him. I knew it was a lot for him to deal with. Honesty, I don't think I would be able do it.
"Shit, it was about the same. Lu still refusing to eat or take her meds. The doctor came and administered an IV drip so she could get some sort of nutrients, but that's about all they can do right now."
"And there's absolutely nothing that they can do?" I felt so bad for my new bestie.
"Nah. She's at the end of the line. All we're doing is trying to keep her comfortable until she takes her last breath." He passed me the blunt, and I took a deep pull like it was my loved one that I was waiting to die.
"Don't do that, shorty," he said, breaking me from my thoughts.
"Do what?"
"Feel sorry for me. I do that enough. I need my bestie to make things bearable for me." He looked at me and smirked.
Shoving him, I said, "I can do that."
I may have been attracted to Rakeem, but I wasn't about to be a thirsty bitch, and I was going to respect his wishes to just be friends.