Another Lifetime

Chapter Thirty-two:

Cesar's POV:
"Wait, how much?" I stare at Jamal. "Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars." He smiles. "So that's like thirty-six thousand each." Ruby says. "What are you talking about?" Odessa furrows her eyebrows. "I thought we were splitting the cash." He says. "Yeah but it'd be 50k each." Jamal laughs. "You guys thought we'd take the money?" Odessa asks us and we all nod. "We're not taking it from you guys. Expect an original $50 for both of us... memories." Jamal laughs. Seeing him acting so mature and taking care of my brother's kid feels weird. Jamal's grown so much and I'm in the same place. "I'm gonna use my 5ok and get the hell outta my house. I'll rent a studio or something and save the money so I can spoil Ky." Lola shares her plan. "Stick with Jamal and you won't need to save money." I laugh and she flicks a rubber band at me. "I'm gonna finally get my dad a real headstone instead of a plaque. It's what he wanted. Besides that, I'm saving it for college." Jasmine says. "My parents need the money." Ruby tells us. They all look at me. "What?" I look around. "They wanna know what you're doing with the money." Monse laughs. "I don't know." I shrug and now even Monse's judging me. "I didn't even think it'd be this much. Honestly, kinda thought we'd give it all to Monse." I say. "Aww cute." Jasmine says. "Yeah, sweetest thing he ever did to me was almost get me shot." Odessa smiles sarcastically. "I apologized for that." I laugh and she rolls her eyes. "Funny. Remind me why we're giving him money?" Odessa looks at Jamal. "He's gonna help us wash it... oh and he's my best friend." Jamal flicks our sister's forehead. "Speaking of washing the cash, I think we should do Monse's first. The Prophets are pissed we called a truce." Jasmine says. "They didn't have a choice. There were more Santos and Reinas than regular students." I remind her. "Yeah and that's just gonna scare them. All those guns y'all sold them, the Prophets are gonna use them." Monse warns me. "Why haven't they used them yet?" Odessa asks. "My dad and CJ have bee fighting their asses off to keep the peace but it won't last." She says. I put my arm around her shoulders and kiss her forehead. If we would do this my way, everything woulda been handled a while ago.
"We'll start this shit tomorrow." Odessa says. "How?" Lola says while she takes her son back from Jamal. "We can all rotate through Money Bunny, a few of us are gonna work at the Joint and the rest are gonna be at RollerWorld." Odessa explains. "You'll all get a stack. We all need to do a minimum of five hundred a day but nothing over 3k a day at each place." Jamal adds. "If we get nine thousand washed a day it's gonna look suspicious but no one's gonna trace it back to us." Odessa says. "And if they do?" Ruby yawns. "We have a plan Z but it's not great." Jamal says. "Ok but we all have to be on the same page if we're gonna get this done." Monse points out. "We'd find a way to get the money to the Prophets. It'll lead everything back to them and they'd go down for all of it." Odessa says. "Why don't we just do that now? Monse gets to stay and the Prophets are outta our lives forever." I ask. "It's just not a good plan." Jamal says. "Why not? Just 'cause you didn't come up with it-" Monse stops me. "My dad would probably get arrested too and maybe even CJ. If they go to jail and I'm not in Freeridge their baby's gonna end up in the system." She explains. It doesn't matter how hard I try, I never say the right thing. I'm tired of being the bad guy just 'cause I want Monse to be here.
Monse's POV:
Once we're done talking we all try to sleep. Jamal, Lola, and Ky got the bed, and the rest of us are spread out in the room. None of us wanted to leave the group. "You tired?" Cesar asks. "No." I whisper. "Can't believe it's finally happening." I smile. "Me neither." He traces shapes on my thigh. "If Jamal's plan works, you'll be out by the end of next week." Cesar reminds me. "I don't even know where I'm gonna go. Maybe-" he cuts me off. "It's safer if no one knows, at least for now." He says and I nod. "You're right... I know you are, but I don't want this to be the of us. Any of us." I look around and everyone else's sleeping. "I'll find you." He kisses me and I smile. "What'd you wanna tell me earlier?" He asks but I freeze up. "Right now probably isn't the right time." I tell him. He smirks like he knows what I'm thinking but Cesar definitely doesn't. "You don't have to say it, I know." He kisses me again. "Ok." I try hiding how panicked I am. "It's gonna be fine." He messes with my hair. "I know." I smile. "So you gonna work at the Joint or RollerWorld?" He changes the subject. Somehow talking about money laundering is easier than telling him the truth. "Mmm I don't know. I feel like RollerWorld might be safer 'cause Santos own it now but the Joint's neutral territory so no one's gonna touch it." I shrug. "Unless they see you there." He reminds me. "Honestly, I might just take my chances. The RollerWorld uniforms are basically just hooters girls in roller skates." I say and he laughs. "Definitely pick RollerWorld." He tries to be funny. "I'll go whenever you go. We gotta keep each other safe." I tell him. "Will y'all shut up before you wake up my son?" Lola leans over the edge of the bed and I can't stop myself from laughing.