It's Above Me Now.

19: Reunited Forever

The chances of Hanschell and I ever fucking again were unlikely. Shit, they were more like slim to none. Even after I went against my better judgment and called Amber to clear up this whole mess, Miss Grady still didn't want anything to do with me personally. She was extremely upset that I had her sister listed under a derogatory name in my phone, and was going to keep things strictly professional from now on. You would think that she'd be more mad that her little sister helped set me up to be murdered by my uncle but hey, I guess not. Blood over water, right?

The atmosphere was completely cold when I returned Amber's calls in front of Hanschell. Apparently Amber was reaching out to make amends, and wanted to invite me out to a party at Shake. Hanschell listened intently as she heard her little sister's voice over speakerphone, getting visibly irritated with Amber's vulgar speech and uncouth mannerisms. After explaining everything to Hanschell and taking the time out to let her hear my side of the story, she still kicked me out of her office and told me she'd call me when she's ready. Tuh. Women.

"This the third night you've been out this late. You and this Grady lady are really getting close, huh? Is she the new fuck of the month?"

I dead stopped and cracked a smirk. I'd just gotten home from my debacle with Hanschell, and now here goes Veronica questioning me at the Mosses' staircase about it. Locking the door behind me, I turned to look at my mother with a bland expression. She sure had a thing for cornering me and bombarding me with questions, while looking as elegant as ever.

"Ma, I'm a grown ass man. Ms. Grady and I have nothing going on. And even if that was the case, it's none of your business." I replied, darting pass her to go to my room.

Veronica grabbed onto my arm when I tried to zoom pass her, making me look at her full in the face. Aw hell, she was about to start trying to parent again.

"Don't lie to me. I smelt her perfume the minute you walked in this house, and your Saint Laurent collar is jacked up." my mother said. "She's a thirty year old woman preying on my twenty-one year old son. That will always be my business."

"Preying is a bit of a stretch. Let's just leave this alone, okay?"

Veronica released my arm after a few moments, and I quickly dashed away. This was one thing I didn't miss about not having parents before. If it wasn't Veronica in my business, it was Ruben. And if those two took a break, then the duo Bud and Lou would step in and not skip a beat. I needed them all to find something else to do with their time.

"Shit, I'm surprised to hear you calling my brother. I thought you ran off to the hills and forgot all about me and the gang."

I chuckled lightly as I struggled to take off my jacket with one hand, and hold my phone with the next. I was calling my brother Jacques to not only catch up with him, but to find out what's happening down at Shake. I might have ignored Amber's invite, but that didn't mean I couldn't know what was happening back in my old streets. And who better to tell me than Jacques. Jacques was my dawg, and he took the number two position after Dylan. We knew each other from the time we were youngin's, and rolled together at almost every occasion.

"Man, cut that shit out. You know I'll never forget about y'all. I been meaning to get back to y'all but I've just been busy." I answered, kicking off my shoes and relaxing on one of the sofas. "What's going on?"

"What isn't going on?" Jacques answered. "It's wild over here man. 12 be out here busting through doors like they own the place, every other day somebody's getting shot...you lucky you in the hills, dawg. But what's even crazier is that someone put the word out that Hershell's coming home. And that created this lil shift man. It's weird, everybody's moving real quiet and subtle. You remember him? I think Karin got him locked up or something like that. But now she's pissing in her boots about the news 'cuz word around town is that she's finally leaving from these ends. Can't say I'll miss her. Some of Hershell's men came in Shake the other day, started shooting and going crazy. The owner got all scared because he's connected with Karin and plans to shut down the place. Hey, the closing party's later. You finna slide through? I know folks would love to see you man. We been missing you man."