Page 36 of My Brother's Keeper
I closed my eyes before they shot open. “Chill the fuck out! I like her, I like both of you. You didn’t even give me a chance; you automatically counted me out. Damn!”
He laughed. “Oh, you’re one of those. That’s why I did what I did. You don’t know how to let go. So let me help you,” he paused.
His hand lifted with his gun, aiming directly at my face. “I told you my patience is thin. You want me to keep going. I don’t fuck with you. I let you keep your job, but I see that it’s going to be a problem, too. You’re fired. Stay yo ass away from here before I let Harvey beat yo ass!” he gritted. “Scheming ass shit like this gets you nowhere. You will always be chasing shit that’s not for you. Let it go. Find you something safe to do, before you be six feet in the muhfuckin’ ground,” he finished and slammed the door in my face.
Foe made me feel like I was a bad person. Harvey is the one who invited me into their home. Foe simply didn’t want me there. I hurried back to my car and hopped in. I took off. I was angry and sad because not only did he fire me from a job I needed, but he also made me feel like I was trying to break up a happy home. Then I thought about all my previous situations down to Kareem.Chasing the wrong shit!Played in my head repeatedly.
My phone started ringing; I glanced down to see Kareem calling. I rolled my eyes and hit decline. I didn’t want to be bothered with his bullshit. All I wanted to do was go home, sleep, and start a new me tomorrow. If I couldn’t help myself, at least I could help Alyse. The phone went off again, and this time I answered. “What!” I snapped.
“Ayo, chill. I called to tell you that Mi—”
“Oh fuck!”
Screech. Boom!
The sound of banging on Alyse’s front door made me shoot up from her bed. She groaned a little but remained asleep. I got up, slid my pants on, and walked to the front door. “Stutter Man, we know you’re in there!” I heard Dio’s voice.
I opened the door to see him and Zay standing there. The look in Zay’s eyes, I knew something wasn’t right.
It’s fucking Mison. He’s in the hospital.
My heart felt like it stopped, not my fucking brother.
Fuck happened.
He was in an accident. We’ve got to go!
Dio’s eyes bounced between the two of us. “Nigga what are y’all saying. I got to learn this shit. Are we about to ride out?”
Zay looked at him. “Yeah.”
I rushed back to the room and finished getting dressed. Alyse woke up confused. “Where are you going? I thought—”
I don’t have time to explain. I got to go.I told her as I rushed to the bed and kissed her on her forehead.
I grabbed my keys from her dresser and my helmet, which I’d left on the side of her couch. The ride back to the Cove felt like it was taking forever. I counted down each exit as Zay came in, helmet on, asking me if I was ok and telling me everything was fine. I knew he was really trying to convince himself that shit was cool. My only thoughts were that he was drunk and had hit somebody, or he was intoxicated and had done some stupid shit.
I didn’t know when enough would be enough. When will he wake up and realize that there was a purpose beyond the bottle? That he couldn’t let whatever it was that was going on in his mind win. The Keyton brothers had come so far from being pulled down to the bottom, to our name being tarnished, to finding a group of niggas that were like family and came from hardship just as we did.
We had finally made it into the city when Dio chimed in. “We’re going to y’all’s crib. Chev said they released him.”
I felt a sense of relief but still had so many questions. We changed direction as we headed toward our house. When we got to the crib, Zay and I moved quickly to get inside. Dio entered shortly after us. “Mison!” Xavier shouted.
“Nigga I’m right here. Stop fucking yelling.”
We entered the living room to see him lying on the couch. He looked a little bruised but fine. “What happened? Are you good?” Zay asked.
He didn’t even bother to look at us. “Fuck y’all care for? I’m talking so I’m straight.”
Zay kicked his foot. “Nigga get yo ass up then. We’ve been worried about you, it’s you who's not worried about yourself.”
I pulled at Zay’s arm. “Cha-cha-ch-chill!” I shouted.
“Ain’t no chill. Day in and day out, I’m worried. I’m scared my big brother is going to be in this bitch, dead or out there doing something stupid. Why do you think I left?” he gritted.
Mison slowly stood as he walked closer toward him. “Nah nigga you left because that’s what you wanted to do. Don’t blame that shit on me.”
Zay nodded as his head turned away from Mison, then back toward him. He pointed to the side of his head. “See, that’s the thing. That bottle got your head fucked up. You’re so caught up in that shit that you really believe no one gives a fuck about you. Who was there when your ass was out fighting at the bars? Who was there when you passed out on the lawn, barely fucking breathing? Who the fuck was there when you got locked up for being drunk in public, nigga it was me!” he yelled. “Man, Mison, I’m tired. Am I wrong for giving up and wanting to live my life, a life that I made sure to do the right things so I wouldn’t end up like you?!”
