[APPEAL-2]: Chapter 2// Issa Date
CADE
"I don't have time for this shit," I grumbled as I walked into rented office space, downtown L.A. It was almost 10pm on a Sunday night and all I wanted to do was crawl back into my big ass bed.
"Finally! The champ is here!" That was Trell's loud mouth ass. I only smacked my lips before giving dabs to a few of the late night workers. I watched as Trell inhaled smoke from the fat blunt before passing it my way.
Fuck it, I'm already here.
I took a long pull before passing it back to him.
"What was the big emergency, my nigga?" I asked once all of the smoke cleared from my vision.
"Bodies dropping, my nigga... that's the big emergency." My face contorted as I looked at some of the workers for confirmation. They nodded in agreeance before letting out deep sighs.
I met Trell in the corner office and took a seat beside him on the black couch.
"What--"
"Two of our young niggaz got got. One on 98th Street and the other on 53rd Road." He shook his head after he was finished speaking. Confusion was the only emotion on my face as I tried to make sense of what the fuck he just relayed to me.
"How in the fuck are our people dropping if they're supposed to be strapped?!" I suddenly boomed as I jumped up from my seat on the couch.
"Calm down nigga. This is exactly why I told your behind the scenes ass that we need to have our men double up. I knew some shit was brewing. I felt it in my knee." I didn't want to laugh, but when he patted his right knee I allowed the chuckles to seep through.
"This ain't no laughing matter, C-man. We gotta send packages to the young homies families. Shit ain't gonna bring em back, but they families still gotta eat. I think one of the niggaz got a kid, too." My jaw clenched after hearing that. A lof of the niggaz working our corners had kids, and that shit hit a lil closer for me.
"Aight man, give they families whatever they need. Do we at least know which crew is coming at us?" I was seated beside him again as I searched his ugly ass face for answers.
"Word on road is there's some East coast nigga in town named 'H'. What type of bullshit ass name is that?" He shook his head while I chuckled lowly. "None of these other crews would dare come after us. They respected Cole too much to fuck with his operation. He fed a lot of those niggaz when we had too much product on our hand to move." I nodded in agreeance. It's only been two years since Cole was killed, but niggaz could have came after us then.
Was an out town nigga really plucking our men off?
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It was Monday morning and I was parked outside of Sonya's luxury apartment building, just waiting for her and Amir to come downstairs. I was tired as shit since I didn't get in until after midnight, and had to be up less than six hours later to get myself ready.
It didn't matter how tired I was-- I was not missing my lil man's first day of pre-K.
I quickly tossed my phone into the cup holder once I seen Amir running up to my truck.
"Daddy! Look, I got shoes like you!" I chuckled as I watched him place his baby foot next to mine. He was wearing the black Balenciaga sneakers that I got him a few days ago, when I went shopping with him and his mom.
I just so happened to be wearing my black Balenciaga sneakers as well-- though mine were paired with some 'KITH' sweatpants, and Amir rocked black jeans and a simple Prada t-shirt. My twin was swagged the fuck out, ya hear me?
"Hi, beautiful, how are you?" I tried to kiss her cheek but she swerved my shit before quickly walked over to the passenger side of the car. I groaned before picking up a clueless Amir, and strapping him into the car seat in the middle of the car.
"What's the issue now, Sonya? Damn, I swear it's everyday with you." I easily pulled out onto the street and began the familiar trip to Mcdonalds. I was starving, and my lil man needed food in his system for his first day. If Sonya lost the sour attitude then maybe I'd get her a hashbrown.
"It's funny how you claim you want to be with me, and be a family with me and your son. But when I invite you over, you leave my shit on read? You're hella weird."
"Sonya, please--"
"No, Cade, let me cook. You're always preaching this togetherness shit but you really don't want to be together. You just want to fuck on me every three business days."
I waited until I pulled behind the car in the Mcdonalds drive thru before finally placing my vision on her. "Stop cursing in front of Amir, I'm tired of telling you that."
She opened her mouth to respond but I beat her to it. "I was caught up at the office last night, aight? Two kids that work for me got off'd, and I--"
"Oh my goodness, I am so sorry Cade." She now wore this pout on her face as she laid her head against the passenger window. "How are you taking it?"
"I'm aight, Son Bon. One of them had a kid, though, so that part was messing with me. We making sure is family taken care of though. All while tryna figure out who is coming for us."
"Please be safe, Cade... you and Trell. I wish you would just walk away from that dark ass life." I rolled my eyes before turning front and applying gas to the car. It was now my time to order.
I ordered Sonya and my meal immediately, as our order was identical and has not changed in the last four years. I decided on the kiddie pancake platter for Amir, and then we were on the way to the daycare.
SONYA
Cade was shaking his head as I wiped the million and one tears that fell from my eyes. "Come on, Sonya, you do this shit every year." He tugged on my elbow as an attempt to get me from my cemented position in the daycare's hallway.
Amir disappeared into his class a few minutes ago but it's like I could not move from my stance. "It's not funny, Cade! That's my only baby." I began tearing up again as I stared aimlessly down the hallway. My fair-skin babyfather was in stiches as he leaned up against a bulletin board.
I finally gathered myself before walking past his insensitive ass.
"What you about to do? You want me to drop you home or--"
"I actually need to head with you to the office. Amber and I have a spa date, and she's already at the office with Trell." Ignoring the 'I beg your pardon?' ass look he was sending me, I walked over to the passenger side of the car and waited for him to unlock the doors.
It wasn't until I strapped my seatbelt across my chest when I realized he was still muggin my shit. As if I owed him rent money or some shit. "Yes, Cade?" I huffed. My emotions were all over the place from leaving my baby at the daycare, so he needed to not fuck with me this morning.
"You know I don't like you down at the office., Sonya. Why can't Amber just meet you at the spa? Where the spa at? I'll drop you."
"Cade, no, Amber is already waiting for me at the office and--"
"And do I give a fuck?"
I pinched the shit out of his arm and smiled in accomplishment at the sound of his bitch ass groans. "Watch ya mouth, Cade and let's go."
xxx
I was seated in Cade's office as I waited for Amber to finish speaking with Trell. The two offices here were made of glass, so I was literally looking across the room at Trell's office as he and Amber discussed God knows what.
I could feel Cade's eyes on me.
Strange, because his laptop was open and he was typing, yet he could still stare into my soul.
"I wanna take you out tonight. See if Shazelly can watch Amir and tell her I'll bless her cashapp." He chuckled, while I found nothing funny at all. Cade did this thing where he swore he was the only nigga in my life, and I had nothing better to do than go out with him whenever he decided to take me out.
"Cant, I'm busy." That was a lie, but I didn't care. I needed to put some boundaries between Mr. Cade and I. There clearly weren't any, and I was to fault for that as well. All of those late night sex link-ups really muddied this co-parenting thing that we were doing.
"You're not busy, Sonya," he paused his typing to laugh out loud. I ignored his laughter and only checked my email on my phone. Although I was currently a stay at home mom, and have been one since Amir's birth... I was considering going back to school.
I'm not sure if nursing is the route I still want to take, but I will be meeting with some college counselors to discuss my future.
"Hello, earth to baddie Sonya."
"What happen?" I locked my phone after not seeing a response email from any of the counselors I emailed a few days ago.
"I said I'm taking you to Nobu-- I know you love it there and you want their yellowtail in your mouth, bad." I crossed my legs once I seen him lick over his rosy lips.
You see what I mean by lack of boundaries?
Somehow I agreed to this 'date', and now had to check my younger sister's availability to babysit-- as well as add shopping onto my errands list today.
"Fine, but you're picking up Amir from school. I have to find a dress and--"
"That ain't no problem. He gets out at 2, right?" I nodded as I quickly sent out the message to Shazelly. She responded rather quickly and told me to bring her nephew whenever, she would be at her apartment all day.
Sitter secured.
Next would be the dress.
