Blood, Sweat And Revenge

Chapter Thirty-Six

Tokyo

One week later…

“Hurry up, love. You gonna make us miss the movie,” Glory said as he sat on my bed and waited for us to get dressed. We had been kicking it every day and I was liking it. He was keeping my mind off of shit that didn’t matter, and I appreciated him for that. He was even trying to help us come up with a way to find my nephew. But we had no leads. Nyssa finally said fuck it and put the Amber Alert out for him. I don’t know what had come over her, but she was acting like a bitch. “I’m ready,” I said as I turned the light off in the bathroom and grabbed my purse. “Why you grabbing ya purse? Take that off.” He pulled my purse from my hands and threw it on the bed. I blushed as we walked out into the living area where         Tori was. “We out,” I said to her. She smiled and

chunked up the deuce. Then threw herself back under the covers that she had on the couch with her. “What movie are we going to see?” I asked him. “We ain’t going to see no movie, shawty.” “Huh?” “I’m taking you to the hospital,” he said as we got in the car. “Why?” I asked. “I heard you telling Tori  how you were going to sneak and see him and I wanted to show you that you didn’t have to sneak and do a damn thing, ma.” “But I didn’t mean it like that. I just wanted to see how he was doing.” “I understand. That’s why I’m taking you to see him. Chill out and put ya seat belt on,” he said. I did as I was told and shook my head. I needed to stop talking so damn loud. “Are you upset? I asked as we drove off. “I’m cool, ma. I just want you to be happy. Feel me?”

“I feel you. I don’t want him. Just to let you know.” “It’s cool to wanna know if someone is doing okay, ma. I understand.” For more than half of the trip, we drove in silence until I finally spoke. “This is so embarrassing,” I said as we pulled into the parking lot. “Let’s go,” he said, getting out the jeep. He walked over and opened my door. I wasn’t trying to fall too fast for Glory, but everything about him made me feel a way I had never felt before. I felt at peace for the first time ever. He grabbed my hand and led the way inside. “He’s on the third floor,” I said. “I know where he is.” “My bad, big homie.” We got on the elevator. “You look beautiful,” he said, before the doors slid open to let us off. “You don’t look too bad yourself.” He followed me as I led the way to Nel’s room. “I’ll wait out here,” he said as he sat in a chair outside the room. I nodded and walked inside. I was expecting to see Chakira but I didn’t

see anyone but Nel in his bed sleep. I kinda felt bad for him because he was all alone. “Hey, big head,” I said, standing over him and rubbing his head. He smiled. “Where you been?” “Giving you space. Where is Chakira?” I asked. “She heard that I needed all that money in order to walk again and I ain’t heard from her ever since.” “Hmph.” “I know. You’re right. You told me so.” “I did.” “You sure did, ma. And that’s why I wanted to talk,” he said, drawing me back in with his eyes. “I can’t.” “I knew you would say that. That’s why I wanted to ask you if you would marry me.” “What? Marry you? But what about Chakira?” I asked. “Fuck Chakira. She left a nigga when I was

down. Feel me? Now I’m seeing who’s real and who ain’t. And you stayed down just like I knew you would.” “I don’t know,” I said. “Baby, what is there to not know? I know how bad you wanted my last name and I wanna give it to you. No one deserves it more than you.” “Damn, Nel. Why now? Huh? Why you wanna marry me now?” I asked. Tears threatened to fall. “I know I haven’t always been the best nigga to you, baby, but give me a chance.” “I can’t. I just can’t.” I tried to walk way but he grabbed my hand. “Look, baby, I’m making progress. I can move my hands now. Just stick with me, baby. We can get through this.” All I could think about was the man that I had waiting on me in that hallway. But on the other hand, Nel and I had history. “I know, baby, but I don’t have that kinda money.” “That’s the least of our worries. I just want

you to say yes.” “I can’t.” “Say yes.” “No, baby. I can’t.” “Who is he?” He asked. “Who is who?” “The nigga that got you ready to walk out on me forever.” “Nel…” “Don’t lie to me.” “But does it matter?” I asked. Just as he was about to answer, Chakira came thru the doors with her weak apologies and Nel seemed to have forgotten what he’d just asked me. “You again?” she asked. “She just came to check on me,” he said. “Tell her what you just told me. Where you been? Huh? Heard you ran off,” I said. “Heard you ran off too. You ain’t been here. I been tryna get this money.”

“Bitch, so you lied to me?” I asked Nel. “Girl, don’t let him play you. He just wants another person to get more money from, but I got this,” Chakira said, and Nel didn’t say a damn thing. “Nel, you just gonna let her talk to me like that?” I asked his punk ass. “Leave!” Chakira yelled at me and that’s when Glory walked thru the doors. “You good, baby?” Glory asked as he walked behind me and caressed my hips. “Who is this nigga?” Nel asked. “This is my man, Glory.” “What the hell he doing here?” Nel asked. “Answer him, baby,” I said. “You tell him. I don’t wanna talk to this goofy-ass nigga.” He laughed as he nibbled on my ear. “Hi, I’m Chakira,” she said as she reached her hand out with a grin. Nel was looking at her like he wanted to snap her neck. She had some nerve.

“Let’s go, baby,” Glory said as he led me out the room. “Thanks,” I said when we got on the elevator. “For what?” “For taking up for me.” “My pleasure.” “Why did you really bring me here?” I asked “If you gonna be my girl, you gotta get this nigga out ya system.” “Oh so you want me to be your girl?” I asked. “You is my girl,” he said, grabbing me playfully as we exited the elevator. “When this happen?” I asked. “It happened the first day we met. You just ain’t know.” “I like that.” “Me too. What you wanna eat?” he asked. “Is this a trick question?” “Just answer?” He unlocked the doors to the jeep.

“I have a taste for bean burgers.” “You don’t have to be vegan just because I am. There you go again.” “What?” I asked, buckling my seat belt. “Trying to make me happy, knowing damn well you want some tacos.” “But I thought you said I didn’t love myself if I did that?” I asked. “You gotta chill. I ain’t say it like that. But if you wanna eat how I eat, learn why I eat that way first. And then make the decision if that’s for you or not.” “You’re confusing.” “You’ll understand in the long run. What do you really wanna eat though?” “Some tacos.” “Nigga, I knew that’s what you wanted.” “Whatever. But thanks, though.” “For what?” He asked. “For letting me see that I didn’t need to be carrying that burden around for Nel.” “Oh, you far from done. It’s a part of the

healing process. Feel me?” “So what you saying?” “I’m saying that was only the beginning. I just gave you a head start.” “I’d like to think that I control my own feelings.” “You do.” “So why can’t I let him go?” I asked, putting my head down. This was a true shame that I valued the life of a man that didn’t give a damn about mine. “Pick ya head up, love. You too hard on ya own self. I mean… I ain’t tripping on that shit. I just want you to heal. Feel me?” “But how do I even begin when I’m just now realizing how bad I hurt my own self?” “I keep telling you the same shit over and over.” For the remainder of our trip, we drove in silence. First we went to get food of my choice. All I could think about was all the time that I had been wasting on the wrong guys. For the first time, I was seeing what a real man was. And if this was wrong, I sure in hell didn’t want to be

right. He was right, I gave my love up too fast but this didn’t have the potential to be wrong at all. Maybe Glory was the man that I had been searching for. Or maybe he just caught me at a vulnerable time? Or maybe I was just thinking too much. I had gone my whole life not realizing what it really meant to be in love with myself. Glory was right about one thing, why couldn’t I love myself like I loved Nel? I unconsciously saw him as above me and more worthy. And Queens don’t think like that. If I wanted to have a King by my side, then a queen is what I needed to start acting like. But damn, I love Nel.