Page 27 of Welcome to the Table
“Respect, nigga, and put that shit away. Now ain’t the time for the bullshit. Your sister and mother are at the table.”
He looked at me, and I knew he wanted to say something but refrained. He was a wild one, but he knew when I gave him a certain look, he would back the fuck down. I shook my head and stood with my glass in my hand.
“Before y’all think that the beef is in the streets, it’s not. This shit is much bigger than y’all can imagine,” I told them, and everybody’s antennas went up.
“What about the shootout in the hood? Who was behind those niggas?” Calliope finally spoke.
I looked at my beautiful daughter, Jaci, but she was in tune with everything that was being said. I knew she was ready for this, but I didn’t want her a part of it.
“Oh, I did that shit. I paid some young niggas to shoot some shit up so y’all could leave, and the shit worked. Y’all here now, and I can get this shit over with, so I can spend time with my wife,” I told them, and they all frowned.
“So, you mean to tell me we almost got our shit pushed back because of your fucking antics!? Man, I’m out this bitch,” Hellcat stood to throw his jacket over his shoulders.
“Sit down, Hellcat. This is important,” Athena said, rubbing my shaking arm.
I was about to jump across the table on his ignorant ass. Her voice had to be angelic to his fucking ears. He stopped in his tracks and turned to look at Athena, dismissing me. I didn’t trip because he always listened to her ass. She didn’t even have to raise her fucking voice. They had an unspoken bond that I couldn’t break, but the shit did make me a little jealous. Hejumped at anything she told him to do, but I had to damn near kill his ass for something as simple as a conversation.
“Look, this shit is lasting too long anyway, and I know everybody is on pins and needles about what the fuck is going on. I got a call from a reliable source that there is a snake in my camp. Outside of that, the streets talk, so don’t trust anyone outside this room. I don’t know who the fuck it is or if the shit is true or not. Niggas been hating and trying to get a seat at our table for years, but I believe my source,” I lied and looked at all of them to gauge their reaction. Nothing.
“Tomorrow, I will be going underground, but shit don’t stop moving. Just be more careful about how you move. Hellcat, that means slow the fuck down with the killing and shit, if people don’t make their monthly payments. In my absence, some shit gon be moved around as well. Wisdom is here because, as my underboss, he will take over everything as if I were still here,” I continued, but nobody said anything.
Hellcat’s nostrils flared, but he didn’t speak. He knew not to.
“Until this shit blows over, I will be out of commission,” I told them and sat back down with my drink.
“You keep saying that like I’m not going with you.” Athena turned to me, blocking everybody in the room out. I knew her mouth would be the first to open once I was finished. “And you still ain’t said who the fuck was on the phone earlier.” She was pissed, and I didn’t blame her because we never kept secrets.
“Fanucci called me earlier and told me that the feds were on my ass, and I needed to be off the grid for a minute until shit cooled off,” I told her.
That got Calliope’s attention. I hated to lie to my family, but I knew how ruthless they could be. This shit was for me to handle as a man.
“And you trust this nigga because? Doesn’t he run Colombia? And, let me guess, he wants you to come his way alone? Youdon’t see the fucking setup, Melph? Come on, now. Let’s be realistic about this shit. His family has been trying to get a seat at our table, and you turned him down every time. Now, he wants to help? Where the fuck did he get his information from? Way across the fucking world? Think about that shit before you be so quick to run to that nigga for protection.”
Calliope didn’t know the type of relationship Fanucci and I had, and I wasn’t about to explain it to him. My word was law.
“You don’t know the relationship we have to speak on shit, Calliope. Trust me, I got this,” I told him, looking over Athena’s head.
“Yeah, trust him until you can’t and leave us to pick up the fucking pieces to your fuck up. We don’t have no more seats at our table for them Colombian motherfuckers,” he said and took a swig of his drink. That nigga never showed emotion. His face remained the same.
“Fuck what they talking about. You leaving me here to fend for myself, Melph? We have never been separated. What the fuck am I supposed to do without you? You don’t even know how long you gon’ be gone, and what am I supposed to do?”
I hated when she used her whiny voice. I looked down at her with a scowl on my face. “You boss the fuck up and handle business like you been doing. You ain’t new to this fucking life, and I never shielded you from this shit. The only difference is that Wisdom will be here with you instead of me. He could either live in the west wing or out back in the pool house. I always told you that one day this would happen because niggas get greedy and jealous. The shit is happening now, and you gotta stand yo’ ground with or without me,” I told her, and her eyes turned to slits.
“What the fuck are you running from? The Feds? Nah, it’s something fucking else because I know you. Our hearts beat to the same drum. This shit doesn’t even run in your blood andain’t like you. We don’t run. We face the shit head-to-head, but you know what? Just go. You made your fucking mind up when you took that fucking call, and you right. I am about to boss to fuck up. Me and my sons about to fuck shit up in your absence, and that’s if you return,” she said, then got up from the table and walked out.
I wanted to go behind her, but I couldn’t. That would only make shit worse. I sat there for a minute because I knew what I had to do. Fanucci was trying to fill a seat at my table, and this shit could be a fucking setup, but I had to see this shit through for myself. I looked at Calliope.
“I ain’t got shit to say. I always trusted your judgment, but I don’t trust that nigga Fanni or whatever the fuck his name is. Just be careful and keep us updated,” he said smoothly, leaning back in his chair.
I knew he wanted to say more, but he decided to trust me.
“Daddy, you are leaving, and I just got here?” Jaci’s voice came out as a low whisper, but I heard her.
Jaci was my baby girl. Her heart was in mine, and as I sat before her, I saw the hurt and pain in her eyes. I knew she wanted to get up, jump on my lap, and hug the life out of me, but she was grown now. Her voice was breaking me down.
“Jaci, you not leaving no time soon. You will stay here with your mother until I return. I already made the necessary contacts to have your classes transferred to online, and all your things can be replaced. Hellcat will take you wherever you need to go to shop for whatever you need tomorrow. I love you, baby girl, and you know I would never leave you. Just light your candle and leave it in the window. I will always find my way back to you.” I got up and walked over to her, pulling her into my embrace. I kissed her forehead, and she looked over at Hellcat.
“I’ll be ready at 10:00 am tomorrow, and you better not be late,” she said.
