Page 6 of Mercedees: Forever An Atkins
Speeding through traffic, I was able to get to North Brookes. My parents weren’t too fond of having neighbors, but this particular neighborhood allowed them to have distance between them. It was also farmland. Something ‘bout making sure their grandkids had enough yard to run around and enjoy being a kid.
By the time we pulled into their driveway, my stomach was talking to me. I couldn’t hold you; I was ready to get my grub on. I parked behind BG’s whip and hopped out. Ashaun was still on my heels like he ain’t have no direction without me. He got on my nerves, but I loved that he looked to me for protection.
I had a key to my parent’s crib so there was no need in knocking. Unlocking the door, me and bro’ walked in and was hit with the smell of good food immediately. Banh Xeo was what I knew was on the table. Bo La Lot was Ashaun’s favorite, so my mama was gon’ make sure her baby boy was straight at all times. Those two dishes didn’t miss a Sunday.
“Boys?” my mother called out coming from around the kitchen corner.
“Yeah Ma, it’s us. Ain’t nobody stupid enough to walk in here uninvited with Pops being the head,” I replied.
That smile I’d seen since I was born surfaced. She gave my father three big headed kids and held no regret. She wasn’t one of them women that used Black men ass a meal ticket or way out. She genuinely loved Pops and vice versa.
“Arion, you are your father’s son. I am more than happy to lay eyes on you, but I am not pleased with your actions,” she fussed.
I met her halfway and extended my arms. She gave into my request as she stood on the tip of her toes to try and match my height. Short but so damn feisty. You better believe she could hold her own, too. Wasn’t no hoe in her. My father wouldn’t allow it.
“It’s either let muthafuckas steal and fuck over family or chop the head off the snake before he could do too much damage. That’s yo’ sister dead ass kid, not yours. Stop feeling sad for their thieving asses. I’m pretty sure she knew about it, too, so fuck her,” I ranted.
“Arion, we’re family. We could’ve talked this out. How am I supposed to face her from now on or the rest of the family at that?”
Waving her off, I shook my head saying, “You ain’t did shit wrong and neither have I. They fix they fuck ass mouth to ask for shit every goddamn week. If they needed bread all they had to do was add that to the list of shit they steady begging for. Look, I done told you, you ain’t they fuckin’ ATM,” I threw back.
“You might want to watch how the hell you speak to my wife lil’ nigga. I’ll cut yo’ lifeline behind that one.” Looking up, I watched my father take the stairs one at a time. He was never too far from my mama.
“Baby go ‘head and finish doing yo’ thang. Let me holla at these knuckle heads. Sip on some wine or something,” he ordered.
She nodded and walked away. Submissive as fuck to BG which got her everything she wanted in return. Whenever I decided to settle down, I was damn sho’ looking for my mama inside them. Linh tamed a fuckin’ beast. I needed my woman to do the same.
BG waited until she was out the way before he said, “Boy, you sound like me out here. I had to give it to her raw, too, but it’s what she need to hear. I don’t like none of them muthafuckas on that side. They broke and that irritates the fuck out of me.”
I shook my head chuckling. He was gon’ always make my mama feel like she had a say, but it was really his word that was law. He then looked to Ashaun and assessed him from head to toe. He shifted his gaze back to me and gave me that look.
“I ain’t his stylist, and I damn sho’ ain’t his care giver. If he look a fool, that’s cause he choose to. What you got to run by me?” I asked.
“Nigga we ain’t finna breeze by that like I wasn’t the topic of discussion for a hot second. What? Y’all don’t like the fit?” Shaun inquired stepping back trying to give us a better view.
Ignoring him, I repeated my question. “What you got to run by me, Pops?”
“Oh, it’s like that, huh? Aight, well let’s cause some ruckus then. You know I never gave a fuck. Arion married to some green haired hoe, and Aurora dating some corporate nigga. Seems to me like yo’ favorite kids got some secrets going on,” Shaun rattled off.
This was the behavior of a goofy that abused being the baby of the family. Also, he never could take the fire being under his ass, so he lit ones under others. It was a reason why I always wanted to jump on him, he did dumbass shit like this. Now how the fuck was I supposed to explain that fluke ass night.
BG laughed, so I knew the only thing he was doing was trying to let Shaun’s words register. Yeah, I was supposed to take a wife years ago. However, the same year I refused was the same year I turned our million-dollar business into a multi-billion-dollar company. Big Greek and the rest of the faction didn’t have shit to say. They loosened their reigns and gave me free range. Whilethe U.S. was our territory, my uncle Poseidon ran most of Spain. It was a fair trade off.
Ashaun talked a lot of shit, but I ain’t never known for him to lie. This was the second time he mentioned mymarriage; except this time, he offered a small detail.
Green hair. Explains why he called her Clover.
“Lil’ nigga what the hell he just say?” BG questioned still holding a slight chuckle.
“Don’t pay him no mind, Pops. He talking reckless,” I said trying to get the hell away from the topic at hand.
“It’s truth in that reckless shit, and you better find out what the hell it is. We got too much shit attached to our names for a random ass hoe to be a part of. Find out what the hell you did in Vegas, Arion, before I get involved,” he threatened.
BG was fifty-five and Dukes was fifty-two. Neither one of them looked as if they were years away from being considered a senior citizen. Them two love birds met in college. Dukes was an exchange student, and he ain’t have a choice but to attend. Grandpa Myth let it be known there was no excuse as a Black man why you didn’t have the same level of education as others.
Somewhere along the many years they put in at college, Dukes parents finally made it over. Ông (grandpa) wasn’t too fond of BG upon introduction. He tried everything in his power to break my parents up. BG wasn’t liked in any shape, form, or fashion. That was until the nail salon Ông and Bà opened was in trouble.
Of course, it took some thoroughbred niggas to come in and save the fuckin’ day. At that time BG was still finding his footing in the drug world, but my Grandpa Myth was already up and shuffling through more money than one could think of. My mama didn’t keep secrets from BG, so he knew what was up. He took their issues to Grandpa Myth and like a real nigga, he said hell nah.
