Natalie & King

Ch.17

Kohle

Two weeks. Natalie's doctor's appointment was in two weeks and time wasn't movin' fast enough. My body was constantly sore from workin' but it was a good kind of sore. I felt like a man. I felt proud knowin' that I was doin' what my dad would have done if he was in my shoes. Now that it was after May and classes ended, I spent all my time workin'. From 6am-7pm, I worked with Uncle Kent and from there, I drove 30 minutes out of town every day, trynna get the house fixed and painted. My goal was to move in by August and so far, everything was on track.

"20 bands guaranteed, you really gon' turn that down? That's stupid as fuck. Easy money, just one more drop. You feel me?" Tay broke me out of the trance I was in as we walked thru the paint aisle in Home Depot. The only reason he was with me was because he was trynna convince me to take a ride up North with him, again. I gave my word to Natalie that I would fall back and leave that life for Tay to live but he wasn't lettin' me go that easy. I was his ridin' partner and he didn't want that to stop. He told me over and over how I was the only one he trusted enough to put in work with and it wouldn't be loyal if I "turned my back" on him over a girl. He didn't understand the reason behind it no matter how many times I explained it to him. I couldn't run the streets if I wanted to be a family man like my dad.

"Man...I told you already..." he was right about easy money. The only thing I had to do was sit in the car and watch his back. Somehow Tay had connections in the city that left his pockets fat after every meetin'. He took me along because we were boys' but I didn't need the money. Not with how much I was workin' at least.

"Right, just one more drop then. $20,000 can go a long way for your shorties."

"Aight, just one more run and I'm done." I sighed in defeat and rubbed my chin. He smiled and nodded his head. There were too many people around for us to finish our conversation while I picked out paint for King's room. He wanted red and blue, like Superman, since Natalie was dead set on me not paintin' his room black.

After I paid for four cans of paint, two red and two blue, Tay and I headed to the car. He was dyin' to finish the conversation we were havin' with sweat beads formin' on his nose. I started the car and pulled out the parkin' lot.

"Be ready to ride tomorrow at 8pm,"

"Yeah, whatever,"

After I dropped Tay off, I headed to the house to paint King's room and get lost in silence with my thoughts. I didn't know much about Natalie's ex-boyfriend but I knew he was a big time hustler. I knew he had scarred her in more than one way and me doin' lil' runs with Tay only made her distance herself from me. Lamar, Bay's ex, was also a hustler when he was alive. I didn't need both of them to tell me they didn't want that in their lives or our babies, I saw it in their eyes. This last job with Tay was something I had to keep a secret.

I wiped the sweat from my forehead and tossed my paint covered shirt to the side. With smeared paint across my cheeks, I continued coverin' the walls in coat after coat. It felt good bein' in the house now that the carpet had been removed and replaced with hardwood floors. The carpet on the stairs was also gone and a few weeks ago, I cut the front and backyard and cleaned the gutters. The outside of the house looked like something out of a country side brochure. In a few years, I could see myself puttin' a basketball goal by the garage for King and I.

Hours passed with me paintin' King's room, pullin' old unusable wood from the back of the garage and baggin' old, wet leaves. A little after 8pm, my phone vibrated with a text from Bay'Zell, wantin' me to come over and eat dinner with them. I didn't waste any time gettin' everything cleaned up. In less than twenty minutes, I was on my way to Natalie's house.