didn’t really need a lawyer for retainer because me and mine were too smooth to get caught. I actually bumped into Laci at the supermarket days prior to me going into her office. She was leaving and I was going in. She paid my ass no mind, but I was all in her business. I watched her get into a pearly white BMW and her license plate read Laci. From her attire, I figured she was a lawyer and I put Jinx to work. With little to no effort, Jinx found out exactly who Laci was. I then came up with the idea to have her on retainer. I know what I did was bitch like, but y’all just don’t understand. Laci was angelic. You could see the innocence she possessed just by looking at her. She was a breath of fresh air and I wanted to be the only nigga to breathe her.
“I know you said give you a minute, but Nazi just called. Her and Laci should be here within the hour,” Jinx said, coming into my room.
“Ight, let’s get this over with.”
I picked up the cordless phone that was on my nightstand and dialed my mother’s number. I put the phone on conference mode, so Jinx would be able to hear too.
“Gunz, Jinx,” my mother said, answering the phone.
“Yes mother, it’s us. Jiselle said you wanted to talk to us?”
“Will the both of you be joining me and your father tomorrow for Sunday dinner?” What was Sunday dinner to everyone else, was really a family meeting to us. We held our meetings twice a month, on the first and last Sunday of the month.
“Yes mother, we will,” I said, answering for both Jinx and myself.
“I don’t need you to speak for both of you. Jinx has a mouth and he should use it.”
“Yeah mother, I will be there,” Jinx said.
“Good, talk to you later,” our mother said, hanging up the phone.
Jinx walked out the room, not really saying anything, and I could understand why. Anyone else’s mother would have said I love you when she hung up. Our parents just weren’t like that. Having the type of parents we had was a good and a bad thing. It was a good thing because they taught us so much, and because of them, we are able to be in a position of power. It was a bad thing because we never felt that type of love we were supposed to from our parents. I didn’t care too much about it because I took the good with the bad and prayed for better.
* * * *
Within forty-five minutes, the chicken wings were done and everything was set up. Jinx was bringing everything into the game room, while I went upstairs to change into something more comfortable. I stripped out of my clothes, throwing everything in the hamper before jumping in the shower. I brushed my teeth and gargled Listerine in my mouth before washing up. It took all of ten minutes for me to feel fresh and clean. I dried off and walked into my bedroom, ass naked. I threw on a pair of briefs and sweat pants, making sure to spray my Guilty cologne. After putting on a pair of ankle socks, I put on my bred elevens and headed back for the game room.
I smelled Laci before I was even fully in the game room. Since the day in the office, the perfume she wore always seemed to heighten my senses. The smell was delicate and smelled of white flowers. I walked right over to her and pulled her into a hug.
“What’s the name of that perfume you wear?”
“You noticed my perfume?” she asked shyly.
“Yeah, now tell me the name. I told you I don’t like repeating myself.”
“Dolce.” She blushed.
“Damn, if y’all need a room, just let us know,” Nazi giggled, standing next to Jinx. Laci pulled away from me, creating some distance between us.
“Why you hating ma, damn,” I sighed, pulling Laci right back. “If I wanted us to have space between us, then I would have pushed your ass away,” I whispered in her ear.
“Enough of all of this,” Nazi said, coming and grabbing Laci by the arm. “We came here to play pool and get to know one another.”
“Ma, I’m down for whatever you’re trying to do,” Jinx said, eyeing Nazi, causing