Something Different

FIVE MONTHS LATER

Dej

“Shhh don’t cry mama...don’t cry. Mommy is here.” I sang to n’t cry. Mommy is here.” I sang to Bella as I rocked her on my shoulder trying to calm her down. I glanced at the clock it was 8:30pm and Quis still wasn’t home. I thought by him working only in the shop and as a janitor, he’d be home more often but I was wrong.8:30pm and Quis still wasn’t home.

He worked as a janitor during the day and at night spent time in the shop. I think that he tended to get caught up in spending time with Keem and Marcus and would forget about baby Bella and I waiting for him at home.

I grabbed the phone and dialed his number once more but still got no answer. I sighed unsure of what to do, I had tried Keem and Marcus’ phones as well but got no response. I groaned thinking about the last person I could call and decided why the hell not. I dialed his number and waited several seconds before hearing the line connect.’

“Hello?” He said into the phone gruffly.

“Hi Caiden sorry to bother you...I was just wondering if you knew where Quis was. It’s not urgent or anything I just need some diapers and-” I was cut off by Bella beginning to cry once again and I sighed exasperated.Hi Caiden sorry to bother you...I was just wondering if you knew where Quis was. It’s not urgent or anything I just need some diapers and-” I was cut off by Bella beginning to cry once again and I sighed exasperated.

“He’s still at the shop doing stock and his phone is off. Don’t trip I’ll swing by with some diapers.” Before I could tell him it was okay he had already hung up and I stared at the phone unsure of what had just happened.

I knew how much Quis hated Caiden and I was almost positive Quis would be more than angry to know that Caiden had been to our house and had bought anything for our daughter. But I really needed the diapers

* * *

“No way! He used to have a gap when he was a kid?” I asked laughing as Caiden showed me more pictures of Quis as a kid. Quis had opened up to me about his childhood and shared some pictures with me, but none this embarrassing.

“Yeah well I should get going shorty. It’s late and I doubt Quis is gonna want to walk in and find me posted up here with you and lil mama.” He said with a dark chuckle. I nodded my head almost sad to see him go.

“Alright well thank you so much for coming by with the diapers and providing good company as well. It was much needed.” I said with a soft sigh. I felt like I hadn’t laughed this hard in forever. “I’ll let you out.”

“I’ll see you soon shorty and if you ever need anything don’t hesitate to reach out to me aigh?” He said, I nodded my head before opening the door and escorting him out. I went over to the rocker Bella was sleeping softly in and smiled to myself at how beautiful she was. She was the perfect mix of Quis and I, his complexion with my hair.

I picked her up careful not to wake her, and cuddled her up in my arms. I crawled onto the couch and laid her down on my chest. She stirred in her sleep ever so gently before curling up against my neck and I could feel her sweet breath against my skin as she snored softly in her sleep.

I woke up to the feeling of a blanket being laid across my body. I opened my eyes to see Quis standing over the both of us smiling like a fool. I reached up and cupped his face pulling his head down to mine before gently pressing my lips to his.

“Papi where you been at?” I asked him frowning as I sat up, careful once again not to wake Bella.

“I been at work mi amor.” He replied sitting on the other end of the couch. I crawled in between his legs and rested my head on his chest, keeping Bella on mine.

“I never see you anymore pa.” I said sadly turning my head so that I could look at him.

“I know but I have the weekend off so I can stay home with you and my little princess.” He replied playing gently in Bella’s curls. The way he was with her was genuinely amazing, he was so gentle and in awe of her. It melted my heart to see the two of them interact with each other.

“Good I can have you all to myself…” I murmured sleepily. The feeling I felt when the three of us were together was one that I couldn’t explain. It was the best feeling I’ve ever had and as I lay there listening to Quis’ heartbeat and feeling Bella’s on mine I couldn’t help but smile to myself.

Keem

“Me?” I asked in disbelief.

“Him?” Caiden asked with the same amount of disbelief causing him to receive a dirty look from me to which he responded with a laugh.

“Yeah you nigga. I told you with Quis gone things were going to be different, he was my right hand man in regards to that good cop bad cop shit. Now you gotta step up and be the bad cop.” Marcus explained to me.

I licked over my lips and raised my eyebrows a bit surprised at his words. I honestly didn’t think I had what it took to be the new Quis. People saw Quis and knew that he didn’t play just like Marcus, the two of them had that look to them. I didn’t.

“You sure about that Marcus? Why not me?” Caiden asked like the thirsty nigga he was. I fought the urge to tell him to shut the fuck up. Since I got jumped almost six months ago I had a strong feeling Caiden was behind that shit. I remember seeing the car those niggas all got into and it looked suspiciously just like his. I kept that shit to myself though, not wanting to stir the pot.

“You already got too much shit going on, we’re almost close to gaining that territory and I told you once that happens you’re in charge of that. You just need to sit tight.” Marcus said waving Caiden off and shaking his head no.

“Ion know Marcus I appreciate you having faith in me and shit but ion know if I can live up to your expectations. That shit ain’t me, I’m a goofy street nigga not a thug.” I said with a hopeless shrug.

“Nah Keem I have more than faith, I know you can do it. You just gotta tap into that place inside of you.” Marcus said. The way he spoke made it seem like he had made his mind up, there was no going back I was going to be the new Quis and that was that.

“Aigh well I gotta get going, I promised Sinai I’d pick her up from work.” I said standing up and dapping up both Caiden and Marcus. Once outside I made a left down 125th and saw a group of teenage boys posted up.

“Aye nigga I like your shoes. Run them shits.” The ring leader yelled out to me. I chuckled darkly and kept it pushing, I wasn’t about to entertain these little fools.

“Yo nigga I’m serious.” He said walking up behind me and pushing me in the middle of my back. I clenched my jaw and turned around eyeing him over my shoulder.

“Aye ion want no beef man, don’t fuck with me.” I said keeping my voice low. This little nigga laughed and shook his head.

“Ion want beef either folk, I just want them shoes.” He said eyeing my sneakers. If this nigga thought he was getting my sneakers he was crazy. I licked over my licks before chuckling.

“You ain’t getting them fam.” I said tilting my head up slightly and staring him down. It felt like everything Marcus had just said to me was playing over and over in my head. “You know who I am nigga?”

“You hear this nigga?” The boy laughed to his friends before growing serious and looking at me. “Nah nigga should I?”

“Yeah you should.” I replied before reaching back and clocking him right in his jaw. Almost immediately he felt down to the ground, I drew my foot back and kicked him dead in the center of his face hearing a loud crackkkk as what I assumed was his nose broke from the impact.

“Next time you fucking see me lil nigga you better ask if you can clean my shoes.” I growled at him before dusting my shoe off. “Fucking got blood on my air forces.” I then turned and continued walking down the block towards where I parked my car.

Nyelle

I heard the door unlock and I quickly gathered my books and homework up ready to move into my room. Just as I turned to go down the hallway and into Richè’s guest room I heard my name being called.

  “Nyelle wait…” I turned around and saw Richè standing there with Marcus. I pressed my lips together forcing a smile.

  “I’ll see yall later. Hey Ny.” Marcus said, calling out to me. I waved hello to him and set my things down on the dining room table. He left just as quickly as he came leaving me and Richè alone.

  “We need to talk.” She said sighing and closing/locking the door behind her.

  “About?” I asked softly. Since our fight I hadn’t spoken to or really seen her for almost two weeks. We just moved around each other. I’d come home and find dinner cooked and in the fridge or on the stove for me. Every other morning there was money left out for me and my clothes were always washed and folded on my bed at the end of every day but that was it. There was no direct contact between us.

  “Everything. First let me say that I’m sorry for hitting you and I never should have done that. I completely overstepped my boundary.” She said to which I nodded.

  “I accept your apology Rich...I was wrong too. I shouldn’t have said what I said or taken advantage of the fact that you let me do whatever I want.” I admitted looking away guiltily. It was true, Richè was so chill that I kind of got carried away with not going to school or doing my work.

  “If you’re not happy here Nyelle just say so okay? I’d rather you live with mom and dad and be miserable there but still like me. Then to have you live with me and hate me.” She said tearing up at the mention of me hating her. I sighed and shook my head Richè was always the more sensitive one of the two of us.

  “I don’t hate you Rich. I just didn’t like that you tried to check me, but I needed to be checked. We were both wrong in some ways but I think we can move past that. Forgive me?” I asked opening my arms up for a hug. She sniffled and nodded moving forwards and giving me a super tight hug.

  “I love you sister.” She mumbled against my curls.

  “I love you too sister.” I replied with a soft giggle. “Now get off of me before the neighbors think I actually like you or something.”

  “Brat.” She laughed before letting me go. “Now let’s go get something to eat, my treat. I feel like I’ve missed out on so much.” I nodded my head and ran to my room to get my purse, happier than ever to have my sister back.

  Quis

“Aye Quis we gotta talk man.” Marcus said to me just as we had finished yet another drop. It seems like we’ve been making more and more over the last couple of weeks.

  “I gotta talk to you to my mans.” I replied reclining the passenger seat of his car and looking over at him waiting for him to speak.

  “Let me go first and then once you hear me out, tell me what you gotta say. Aigh? It’s important.” He said licking over his lips and glancing around outside before sighing. “Caiden is a snake.”

  “I could’ve told you that shit dawg.” I replied with a laugh as I shook my head to myself. I had been saying this shit since day one, and niggas was just now becoming hip to the fact? Nah.

  “Well I always knew I just had to play dumb so I wouldn’t make shit hot. This whole expanding territory shit is just a cover up plot. I’m really gunning to get this nigga eliminated and let him get his ownself caught up.” Marcus continued on speaking, I reached up and scratched my beard as I listened.

  “So you knew from jump he was a fraud, but you played it off like you ain’t know so that you could get him comfortable enough before you off his shit?” I asked trying to make sure I was comprehending properly. I laughed as he nodded. “Marcus YOU a snake!” I joked.

  “You know I ain’t no snake nigga. I’m more of an exterminator, getting rid of the snakes you feel me?”  He joked back causing us both to chuckle.

  “Wait so he was behind Keem’s jumping then?” I asked

  “Yup someone on the inside told me he was the one who organized it. He figured getting to Keem would get to us and have us paranoid and shit.” Marcus explained.

  “Punk ass motherfucker.” I muttered shaking my head before sighing. “Well I’m glad you aint really a fool. You had me worried for a minute fam, I thought I was the only one seeing this nigga.” I said shaking my head. “You know he’s been trying Richè right?”

  “What?” Marcus said frowning deeply and looking over at me. I nodded my head as if to answer his question.

  “Yeah fam, he been pushing up on her and she been shutting him down but I just thought you should know.” I responded licking over my lips and glancing out the window as the car grew silent.

  “That’s crazy imma have to talk to her. But anyways what was it you wanted to talk to me about?” He asked me. I twisted my lips to the side as I thought about how I was gonna tell him. I then figured I might as well just spit it out.

  “I’m thinking about quitting Marcus.” I said before turning to him and watching his reaction trying to get a sense of what exactly he was feeling.

  “Qutting?” Was all he said.

  “Yeah quitting. I’m thinking about taking a step back and getting a legitimate job to support Dej and my son. This shit is getting to risky, especially with niggas like Caiden in the game.” I explained sighing as I spoke. “I have a family to look out for my nigga, this street shit lasts but it’s not guaranteed I will. Supposed I had been the one that got jumped? What would you tell Dej? My son? This shit isn’t a game Marcus.”

  “I hear you Quis but you don’t have to quit. There’s other shit you could do, we could find other shit for you to do. You’re my brother man and this is a family business, we could work with you. You don’t have to quit though.” He said but I wasn’t sure how I felt. I wasn’t sure if I wanted this shit anymore.

  “Ion know Marcus, I could stay at the shop and work there. But the drops and stuff? Ion want no parts in that anymore. No illegal shit for me. I’m about to be somebody’s father, that’s not the kind of world I want to bring my seed in. A world where I’m a drug-dealer and a thug. That shit will ruin my family, you saw what happened to Dej. She would never admit it but when I leave at night she cries, because she doesn’t know if I’m going to come back. Ion wanna put my family through that anymore man.”

  “Nah I respect it Quis. You don’t have to drops anymore or anything that puts your family at risk, you can stay at the shop. Just know that you’ll always be associated with that lifestyle though, it doesn’t go away just because you want it to. Niggas are gonna test you, especially once they find out you’re out the game. You’re a legend fam.” Marcus said shaking his head.

  “Well when it comes to that we’ll deal with it.” I replied coolly. He wasn’t saying anything I didn’t already know or think about. All he was doing was making me realize how important it was for me to get out of this shit.

  “Well it’s looking like this was our last drop together.” He said sadly holding his fist out to me. I dapped him up and chuckled darkly.

  “It’s been a pleasure doing business with you my brother.” I replied.

  “Aigh well let’s get you home to your family, don’t want Dej up worried about you.” He joked.

  “Yeah she’ll be happy I’m home early.” I said as he pulled off. The car ride back to my place was a silent one. Not silent in a bad way, but it was definitely a significant silence.

  “Quis man?” Marcus said as parked outside my house.

  “Yeah?”

  “I’m proud of you man. Do the right thing for all of us that can’t.” He said. I nodded in response staring straight ahead at the moon above us.