Page 41 of Quasim II: King Inferno

“A king doesn’t just wear the crown. He carries the weight of his people, and when that fire comes, he never stands alone… Inferno Gods stand with him, ready to fight, ready to lay it all down.”

“You know, I remember when Dumplin was running around here taking naps.” I felt a soft kiss on my forehead as I opened my eyes from my nap. “You taking naps and Angel pie over there eating anything in her path.”

I was on the couch and Pyro was right on my lap. She was acting all prissy when it came to being in the house, and now her ass was taking naps without having to watch her back. Once she felt me get up, she stretched and then abandoned me with her using ass.

Gams came around the couch and went into the kitchen with bags in her hand. “I didn’t sleep all that much last night.” I lied.With the way that Anjo sucked the skin off my dick last night, she had me sleep with my thumb in my mouth. Now I knew she did it on purpose because she knew I needed the sleep. “What does Blaze taking a nap have to do with me?”

I crossed the living room into the kitchen where she was unpacking groceries out the bag. “A God went with you, right?”

She smiled. “Yes, four of them… scared the poor lady in the local market.”

I settled into the stool and yawned, while looking at my grandmother. “Nap and Blaze.” I reminded her.

“Dumplin took naps before Suga pie found out she was pregnant… naps only mean that Angel cake is carrying another Inferno, Moochie.”

I laughed as I looked at my grandmother. “Gams, everybody takes naps… she’s not pregnant.”

“Well, explain that to your mother… she told me she dreamed of fish this morning.” She continued on with her wild ass theory.

“What does fish, naps, or any of this have to do with anything?”

She came around the counter and kissed me on the head. “It will all make sense soo?—”

The front door opened, and Blaze came running in the kitchen. “Pops got mommy on the bike, Sim.”

He was excited as a kid getting their favorite game for their birthday. The shit was contagious because I was just as excited as I slipped my feet into my house shoes and ran behind him.

When I came out the house, my father was on his bike with my mother holding onto him tightly. “I’m free.” My mother said as she smiled.

I walked over toward them and kissed my mother on the head. “Free, mommy.”

My father avoided looking me in the eyes, but I knew he was emotional. Quinton Inferno wasn’t one for tears and showing his emotion. Something his ass passed onto me. It was hard to show my emotions, and I struggled with feeling like a weaker man because of it.

Pops raised us to get our emotions out, but what was going to come next? We never sat in them long, which is why I broke down in my baby’s arms when she handed me the blanket and photo album.

How did God deem me worthy to love and protect her? Blair was too damn good for this world. Her heart was as big as the sky, and she would do whatever for those she loved. Including almost killing herself to get my baby girl’s blanket and album.

“Go, Quin.” My mother said, and I smiled wide while holding my hand up to my mouth and watching my father.

The shit had me stuck in my tracks, hearing her call him Quin. She was the only one that called him that, and it had been years since I heard her utter those words.

Blaze tried to put her helmet on her head, and she shook it away. “You gotta wear a helmet, Mina.” Pops told her.

“Meer-Meer, no,” she said, and Blaze damn near lost his shit as the tears fell down his face as he watched our mother.

She leaned her head on my father’s shoulder. “It’s only around the block… she wanna feel like old times, Papa,” Gams came out and stood next to me.

I pulled her into me as we watched him back out of the driveway and then take off slowly down the block. My mother held onto him tightly and leaned her head onto his back. It reminded me of me and Anjo in Chicago.

When she leaned her head on my back while holding me tightly, she didn’t realize how much I needed that. “Go, Ma! Go!” Capri jumped up and down as she jogged down the block.

Anjo was behind her, dying with Alaia and Erin. Capri ran over to Meer, jumping into his arms as he kissed her face. “She’s back on the bike.” He said to her, as she hugged him tightly.

I watched as Anjo moved out the street but kept watch. My father spun the block and zoomed back down it. My mother’s hair flew in the wind as she held up her hand with only two fingers up, signifying anIfor Inferno. Anjo walked over and I pulled her into me while holding onto Gams.

“She missed this,” Gams sniffled, wiping her eyes, and I kissed the top of her head. “Meu bebezinho está de volta.”

“mamãe voltou para nós,” I replied and kissed her head again while holding both her and Anjo close to me.

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