Page 30 of I'm So Mega
T.J.:
I’m on da way. My momma got Junior since his mama wanna be outside with y’all wives.
It was like Tumnus was Big G’s reminder to me that Big G duct-taped a few other niggas together and said forget the screws. His wife was just as loose minded as he was. Anyone who could be the apprentice of Galiana had to be. She was a mortician of a different kind.
I was at my house with Samuel and my boys since, like TJ said, the girls were outside. Even Mama Naomi was with them. That was a rarity because she and Pop Ned stayed missing. He was still the chief of police, but more importantly, he was now the mayor of Coreland. Mrs. Naomi was the first lady. If there was no business to handle, then he was gone with his wife.
Over the years, the Summersons backed away from the drug game. The legal businesses that they’d acquired and the investments made over time had accounted for their income. There was no reason for them to take the unnecessary risk any longer. I respected a man who knew when to bow out gracefully. That allowed Ned Senior and Junior more time to spend with their family. They were on the retirement plan with the residual earnings.
“Aye, boys! Pack an overnight bag. We’re going to Uncle Croy’s house. Samuel, you rollin’?” I asked him.
Samuel took a sip of his beer. “What? My old ass is invited to chill with the cool kids?” He chuckled lightly, then said, “Yeah, I’ll roll.”
Me:
I’m on the way. I’m bringing my boys and Samuel. Croy have the game room ready for the boys.
I got the boys together, and we got on the road to Croy’s house. It didn’t take us long to get there. TJ didn’t live far at all from Croy. When I told Matthew and Joseph that Corleone was there, it was forget about everyone else. He was their favorite cousin; plus, it was time for the boys’ haircuts. Corleone was their barber.
Croy’s driveway was full. When we got to the front door, it was opened before we knocked. “What’s up, Cousins!”
“Corleone!” The boys ran into his arms. The influence that the men in my sons’ lives had on them was astronomical.
I dapped him. Once the boys noticed Shaun in the background, they ran to him. I didn’t know he would be here. He and his sister had homes on Fiona and Croy’s property as well. Shaun just wasn’t there often because of his profession as a professional football player. Yep, he was drafted to the Carolina Cougars, the team that Liam Christianson retired from. Shaun was a second-round draft pick, but he worked his ass off to eventually start as a linebacker. He was smooth with it.
Corleone took the boys to the playroom to give them a haircut. He and Shaun were going to play the game system with them. Samuel and I headed to the back deck. The smellof pungent weed filled the air. When I saw the blunt in Croy’s mouth, I knew it was real. Croy rarely smoked these days.
What’s up, family?” I went around to dap everyone. Samuel did the same. I grabbed two beers before I sat down.
TJ’s head knocked side to side. “You see dis man stress like fuck. A damn shame.”
“What’s going on? Fiona trying to leave you?” I knew that wasn’t it, but I couldn’t help but fuck with him.
His eyes tightened to the point that they looked closed. “Fiona leaving who? Don’t fucking play with me. That woman’s soul lives in mine.” He rubbed his hand down his face. “Croya is pregnant.”
I choked on my beer. “I hope you mean pregnant with purpose. She better be pregnant with the holy spirit.”
“Nah, she’s very much pregnant with a baby,” Riker confirmed. “This man is about to be a grand pappi. Shit is crazy.”
Ned asked Croy how he knew. “Man, I tapped her nigga’s phone some time ago. I heard them talking about how they were going to tell me and Fiona.” He glanced down at his watch. “He’s suppose to be here in an hour. Lil shit got my baby pregnant and ain’t put a fuckin’ ring on her finger.”
I sat there with a tilted head. “Croy, you said you tapped that boy phone like that’s normal. So, you just be listening to their conversation all willy nilly. What if they’re talking about freaky shit?”
“I only monitor their calls once a week or so. If I hear something I don’t want to hear, I fast forward the tape.” Croy waved me off.
Samuel burst out laughing. “Boy, I tell you. Things were a lot different when I was a father of a young girl. I thought I was crazy.”
My head bucked back. “Sir, did you forget that you have a four-year-old daughter who abandoned me on our date to goplay with some lil boy?” I snickered at the remembrance, shock on his face. “See, that’s that having a baby after fifty stuff. Forgot he got a whole ass daughter.”
“So, what’s the plan when he gets here?” Draco asked. His daughter, Zoie, would catch hell when it was time for her to date. She had three brothers and a psychotic father.
I observed all the men around me. My friend circle was a bunch of psycho niggas. The only person here that hadn’t worked for Christianson Enterprises was Riker. That was neither here nor there because he was loose in the head too.
We sat there and talked until the doorbell rang. All of us pepped up when Croy went to go get him. We got our game faces on. Croy was the first to come through the back door. When the boy stepped out, he stopped to take all of us in. I lifted my hand and wiggled my fingers at him in a taunting wave.
“Oh, hi, everyone. I didn’t expect all of you to be here.” He smiled. I didn’t see fear, and that made me proud. I didn’t need my niece to be with a weak, scary man. He found a seat and sat down.
My ear moved to my shoulder as I gawked at him. Where did I know him from? “Aye, where do I know you from?”
