choices. // c.g. *2*

Eleven

Carl and I had stayed up pretty much all night talking and by the time it was morning, we got ready and Queenie called us downstairs.

"Tribe! Breakfast!" She shouted. Once we all got there, she greeted us. "Good morning. Morning."

"Why are we in here?" I asked.

"We eat in the dining room like civilized people." She replied.

"Since when?" Ian asked.

"Since Queenie." She replied. "Have a seat." She said, beginning to hand out whatever bullshit she was planning for today. "Let's get you your flaxseed oil pills. Good for the heart. Good for the hair, your colon, kidneys, Daddy, prostate, yeah, and your baby."  She said to all of us, eventually reaching Debs.

"Quinoa pancakes and yucca fries." Frank told us, walking in with the food.

"What the hell is a quinoa?" I asked.

"Yucca fries sound yucca." Chuckie said.

"Yeah, I'm just gonna go to Mickey D's. Come on, baby." Carl said to me, causing me to stand up next to him.

"I'm gonna study at my boyfriend's." Ian said, also getting up.

"Carl, Iz, can you give me a ride to the baby store?" Debbie asked. We both nodded and got up, walking toward the door. We almost walked out until Queenie slammed her fist on the table, causing us all to turn around.

"Come back now." She told us as we slowly walked back toward the table. "Look, your father went to great lengths to prepare this breakfast for you with love. So you're gonna sit your little asses down and enjoy it. Need to have a little more respect for this man right here." She told us

"Yeah, you hear that?" Frank said, smiling.

As we began eating, Queenie began singing the song called 'Help Me.' Frank joined in and we all looked at each other.

"Join us." Queenie said, walking around the table.

"I don't know the words." I said to Carl.

"I don't want to know the words." He said back.

"Me neither." Ian and Debbie both said.

"Fake it." Queenie told us.

Just then, there was a knock at the door, causing Frank to go answer it. When Carl and I looked over, it was someone he obviously knew, because he stood up and walked over to them. As he got up, I got up with him.

"Iz, stay inside. I'll handle this." Carl said.

"Like hell I'm staying inside." I told him as we walked outside, only to see Carl's old drug buddy, Lamar.

"We need to talk... alone." He said to Carl, looking at me.

"Whatever you're saying to him, you're saying to me too." I said, crossing my arms.

"Girl, you better get inside." Lamar told me.

"You're not my boss. You won't do shit to me." I told him, staying put. He rolled his eyes and began talking to Carl.

They began talking when Lamar told him something.

"G-Dogg got a shipment coming through tomorrow. Need you to run it." He informed Carl.

"I think I'ma sit this one out." Carl said to him.

"Sit this one out?" Lamar scoffed. "You a comedian?"

"No." Carl responded. Lamar grabbed his gun out and clocked him.

"Carl!" I shouted, running up to him and holding him. That's when Lamar got up in his face and pointed the gun at him.