Page 45 of Cove City: Volume II
Preach turned to him, “Foe chill, Lakia is grown nigga she can handle her own.”
“Nigga do you have siblings?”
“No.”
“Exactly, so you don’t understand. I’m not trying to put a nigga down for my sister. I don’t play about her. Where is she staying at Harvey?”
“Our house.”
Foe nodded. “Bet.”
Moments later, Diamond came from the back with blue hospital shoes, a sheer net on his head, and a dumb ass grin. “I’s a pappy! Nigga I got me a fucking daughter!” he shouted.
Preach, Foe and I stood. We dapped him up and hugged him. “Congrats, my nigga,” I said to him.
“Come on, I want y’all to meet her.”
I stopped and walked over to Freckles. “Are you ok? I don’t want this to be triggering for you.”
She smiled. “I’m ok, Zeus, go see your niece. I will see her when Yana comes home.”
I leaned forward and kissed her. Preach, Foe, and I followed behind Diamond. When we came around the corner toward the room, Diamond opened the door. Yana looked worn out. Navi and Z were by her side, and it was Chevy who was holding the baby. I watched him and I could see all the love in his grip. The way he looked at her and slowly rocked her. He was ready to be a father.
Diamond picked up his daughter from Chevy’s arms, and it was like he didn’t want to let her go, but he did. When Diamond brought her to us, she was so goddamn pretty. She had a head full of dark, curly hair and high-yellow skin, but I knew that was subject to change. Her nose was like Yana’s, but her eyes and lips were like Diamond’s. “We named her Love. She was conceived on it, so that’s her name. Love Blanco.”
I don’t know why I felt somewhat choked up, because this was something I would never experience with Freckles. However, I knew things happened for a reason. I’m sure when she and I were ready, we would figure it out. Maybe kids weren’t in mystars, but for now, I got my girl back, and the first step was working on a better relationship.
Chevy walked over to Zaria and whispered in her ear. She didn’t respond. I could tell she was still pissed from earlier. Although Chevy had gotten the love he wanted and a family on the way. His ego, pride, and stubbornness looked like they had the potential to ruin everything he built, and I know that shit was scaring the fuck out of him.
He walked over to me, “I have somewhere to be. I will see you tomorrow,” he said as he left the room and disappeared down the hall.
Zaria glanced at me and that’s when I saw the tear rolling down her face. Something was going on with the Calloways, and nobody knew.
TUESDAY
I finished reading the last letter from Naheem and Best to Pierre. I closed the letter and placed it to the side. My eyes focused on his reaction. He sat there with mixed emotions on his face, from happy to sad to confused to angry.
“How do you feel?”
“I don’t know. It’s crazy that Bishop and I ended up being best friends, not knowing that our parents were with each other. Then Naheem, that nigga is a dead man walking.”
I wasn’t here to take up for anyone, but after reading the letters and putting all the pieces together, I believed that Naheem and Best’s breakup destroyed him. It turned him into a careless, heartless man. Pierre turned to me, “Now I’ve got to tell Bishop, and he already has a lot going on,” he muttered.
Pierre’s loyalty to his friendships, his family, and me was something I appreciated about him. He knew how to separate each instance. How to spread his time equally and navigate hard situations, however, it also made me worry. How long could he continue to do these things without driving himself crazy? I knew how it was to take on others’ problems and make them your own.
Pierre was holding on to a lot and I wasn’t sure if he had fully let go of some of the hurt from his cousin to the situation with Naheem. All I could do was be there for him like he needed me to be, and if I could step in, I would. He lay back on the pillow and tapped his chest. I lay on him, soaking up all of his love. “I want you to move in with me,” I heard him say.
I didn’t even have to think twice because the answer was, “Yes. I will.”
“If you want, I can get your mother a spot not too far from here,” he laughed.
“That’s fine. I think she likes it over at your mom’s though.”
I could feel his stomach going in and out from him laughing, “Yeah, moms needs the company. Shit, tell yo momma to hook her up with the bingo.”
“Bingo, gosh, don’t bring that up.”
He and I both shared a laugh. “I’m happy to be in the Wizard of the Cove. It’s like a hood fairytale.”
