Solid ||Bryson Tiller||

Eighteen

Jacquees's POV

Even when I was a kid, Dad didn't hide the ugly side of the business from me. Mama knew, and when it came to Dad's business, she stayed put. Keona was only two, so she didn't know what he was doing until she got older.

Once when I was seven, I went with him to a run down apartment building in Miami Gardens. it was a cold night in January, and i tried to keep my Jordans out of the slush as I got out of the car and followed  him up the side walk.

"This gonna take long?" I asked in the elevator. "I'm hungry."

"This'll be quick."

We got off on the third floor, turning down a gloomy hallway. "Remember, watch where you step in there." Dad said. "There could be needles and cat shit on the floor." He knocked on the door. It swung open. A skinny white woman with messy brown hair leaned against the door jamb.

I looked around. The place was disgusting. Pizza boxes and take-out food wrappers were scattered over the floor. The litter box, right behind the door, overflowed with cat shit. Two cats, so skinny it looked like they hadn't eaten in weeks, eyes me like I was dinner.

The woman pulled a wad of cash from her pocketbook and stuffed it into my dad's hand. He unscrumpled the bills and counted them. "Hundred short, honey."

She ran a bony hand through her hair. "Don't have it. I barely got customers anymore. It's too damn cold. No one's out."

Dad made a tsk tsk sound. "Ain't my problem."

Movement caught my eye. A little kid waddled out of the bedroom. i watched as the kid climbed onto the tore-up sofa.

"Dad." I tapped his shoulder and pointed to the kid.

He shrugged off my hand.

"But, Dad-"

"Quiet." he handed the lady her rock. "If you don't have the difference for me next week, I'm cutting you off. Got me?"

She nodded.

We walked out.

I kept quiet the way back to the car.