Page 122 of Certified to Handle You
Hearin’ she got shot just didn’t sit right with me.
By the time we pulled up to the jet, the driver barely had that bitch stopped before we was out the truck. Wasn’t nobody wastin’ time draggin’ they feet. Everybody grabbed what they had and moved.
I threw my duffel over my shoulder and walked behind them, feelin’ that weight in it, knowin’ I came prepared for whatever this shit might turn into.
The night felt off, and I couldn’t shake my feelin’s, but I ain’t say nothin’. I just kept movin’.
We all got on the jet and took our seats, still quiet, and sittin’ in that same space. I dropped my bag beside me andleaned back, runnin’ my hand over my face while I tried to piece together what little we knew.
All we had was that ‘Nelle’s mama called Toni and said she got shot, and that was enough to let me know this wasn’t no small situation.
I ain’t know who did it. I ain’t know why they did it. I ain’t know how bad it was. But what the fuck I did know was when we got there, we was gon’ find out.
I looked over at Kay’Lo, then at Pressure, and I could tell they was thinkin’ the same shit I was.
Whoever did this shit wasn’t just about to shoot ‘Nelle and walk away like nothin’ happened. Not with us involved…
I leaned my head back against the seat and stared ahead while the jet started movin’, my jaw tight while I sat here quiet. I wasn’t talkin’ ’cause there wasn’t shit to say right now.
A nigga just was just waitin’ to land, and once we did…
I was ready to see what the fuck really happened.
Greystone City
When the jet finally touched down in Greystone City, I felt this bitter ass feelin’ sittin’ with me.
The jet slowed to a stop, and for a second, ain’t nobody move. Everybody just sat here like we was all thinkin’ the same shit but ain’t nobody say it out loud. Kay’Lo was the first one to stand, and that was enough for the rest of us to get up and follow behind him.
We stepped off the jet and waited on the next driver to pull up.
Toni stayed close to Kay’Lo, and he ain’t let her go. The nigga kept her tucked into him knowin’ she needed that. Pressure stood right with Pluto with his hand restin’ low on her back whileshe rubbed over her stomach, leanin’ into him without sayin’ nothin’. She was quiet, but you could tell she was feelin’ it too.
I stood a few steps off from them, watchin’ while I kept to myself, lettin’ them be what they needed to be for each other.
I kept my hands in my pockets, lookin’ around.
The last time I was here, me, Kay’Lo and Blaqson was in an Airbnb, and shit went left fast when Toni’s weak ass cousin and them niggas he was with tried to force they way in like they was gon’ take somethin’.
They ain’t take shit.
Kay’Lo put that nigga down, and that was the end of that. Police got involved, we got locked up, and ever since then, this city been dead to me. So bein’ back out here now, knowin’ Sha’Nelle just got shot in this same place, made my fuckin’ stomach turn.
Another black truck pulled up not too long after, and we all got in. The driver pulled off, and the ride to the hospital felt longer than it probably was.
I leaned forward with my elbows on my thighs, and my hands locked together while I stared down at the floor for a second, then back up. I ain’t even wanna think too far ahead, ’cause I ain’t know what we was about to walk into, and I wasn’t about to play no scenarios in my head that I couldn’t control.
By the time we pulled up to the hospital, everybody got out quick and moved straight inside. The energy switched again, ’cause now we was close, and that unknown feelin’ got heavier the closer we got to answers.
Kay’Lo walked straight up to the front desk with Toni beside him, and I could already tell that shit wasn’t about to go smooth.
“We tryna see Sha’Nelle Harper,” he said, his voice low but firm.
The lady behind the desk looked up at us, then back at her screen before she answered. “Only two visitors at a time.”
Kay’Lo frowned like he ain’t hear her right. “Why the fuck is that? We all her family, and wanna see her.”
The lady kept her tone calm, but she ain’t change what she said. “Sir, those are the rules.”
