Page 35 of Papa's Beloved

“Thanks brother.”

“What happened?”

“She protected a sweet little old lady in the park.”

“Tell me we got the guy.”

“Doc has him. Velma, the sweet little old lady, requests we make him gator bait.”

“Done. I’ll round up everyone. Might take an hour to get them from their businesses.”

“Make it forty-five.”

“Will do.”

Blue holds the elevator door when we arrive on the third floor. Then he hurries around us and opens the door to the apartment. As the club’s Secretary he has a key to all of our apartments in case of emergency.

“Take me to the kitchen. I need to ice my face and hands. I’d rather be sitting when Doc gets here and you know he’ll double back.”

I nod. “I give him five minutes tops.”

“Enough time for the frozen peas.”

I sit her in a dining room chair.

“Put your hands on the table baby, I'll grab the peas.”

Chapter 27

Nay

Stormy adjusts my pillows before handing me a cup of the tea Papa made for me. He and the others are headed to the Woodshed. I don’t expect the punk to live long. Unless they decide to toy with him or torture him.

“Lucia is making you some breakfast. Papa and Doc said you need food, then painkillers. First, drink your tea.”

I laugh and settle into the pillows. I’m on the chaise end of the large L-shaped sectional. The sectional is made of a deep chocolate buttery soft suede.

The smells coming from the kitchen make my stomach growl.

“What’s she making?”

“I don’t know. I can check. She had the prospects bring in several bags of groceries while you soaked in the tub. I’ll be right back.”

I sip on the slightly bitter brew and try to relax. I replay this morning's events in my head. Honestly, I wouldn’t have done anything differently. Expect to do better not to trip. It all went downhill when I tripped. The guy outweighs me by a hundred pounds.

“She’s making huevos rancheros and churros with chocolate dipping sauce.”

“Oh, that sounds amazing.”

“Do you feel like coming to the table?”

“I think I can manage,” I say with a laugh.

Truth is, my head hurts the worst of all. He slammed it into the ground and that’s after I hit it when I tripped and fell. I gingerly make my way to the table.

“Papa made an entire pot of that tea. He wants you to drink it all,” Stormy says.

I smile. “I’m not surprised. My man is a whiz with natural healing remedies.”

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