Page 8 of Maybe I’m the Problem

“Man, you don’t know how good it feels to walk in here and see your ass up.”

Lj gave me a faint ass smile as he touched on what was left of his arm. I fought with myself back and forth to handle this situation when it was time, and now that I was here, I didn’t know what to say to my friend. If I could have taken that bullet for him, I would have.

“I’m not sure how you feeling right now, but I want your ass to know that ain’t shit about to change but the hand you write with. Don’t let this shit make you feel like you can’t live your life.”

“Why the fuck this shit have to happen to me? The nigga should’ve just killed me, bruh. I’m walking around this bitch with one fucking arm. How I’m gon’ fuck my bitch?” He busted out laughing.

“I swear you crazy as hell. You better tell her ass to ride.” I placed the bags on his bed. “I bought you some stuff. I know you got therapy in a few, so instead of having your ass out in front of them people, I stopped and got you some shit for you to slip on.”

“I appreciate that Law. You know we got to take that muthafucka out, right?”

“You let me worry about that. You just heal up so you can bring your ass home.”

We chopped it up a few before they came in to get him. While they took him out, I headed to Summer’s apartment to spend some time with her. She stepped up for me this morning and went and worked with my mama them. I knew her ass was going to want something. Summer didn’t do hard labor. Anytime you work with my mama, she was going to make sure she worked the hell out of you.

Before I could knock on the door, Jill walked out the door with her eyes red. She didn’t speak or anything, which was weird. I’m sure it was nigga problems. That’s all that was ever wrong with her. Jill changed men so much, I hated that Summer let her move in. You couldn’t trust niggas in and out of your shit.

“Fuck wrong with her?” I asked Summer as I met her in the kitchen. She was washing dishes and trying to cook at the same time.

“Her boyfriend broke up with her and she feeling sad. You know how she gets. Same shit, just a different nigga.”

“Why you still got her staying here? You don’t be worried about all the niggas she let run through here?”

“I’m at your crib most of the time, and I keep my room door locked. Unless they’re coming in here shooting, I’m good.”

“Put some clothes on, I want to take you out. Because that shit you cooking don’t look good.”

“I’m really not in the mood to go out.”

“Since when have you not been in the mood not to spend my damn money?”

“I don’t know. I just want to chill.”

“I’ght, well I’ll chill with you then.”

“Alone, Law.”

I moved from by her so I could take a good look at her. Summer always wanted to be under me, but now she’s acting funny as fuck. It must be her time of the month. That was the only time she didn’t like to be around me.

“My mama pissed you off or something?”

“Nope, I’m tired from working a job that I never wanted to work, and I just want to eat my junk food and sleep.”

“Say less. Don’t fucking call me when you get bored and shit.”

Summer didn’t say anything as I walked towards the door. I was only giving her ass a few days before she started blowing my damn phone and shit up. Getting in my car, I really didn’t have a destination in mind, so I ended up at my mama’s house to chill with her. Usually, we were always at work, and she was never home, but it was later in the day, and the restaurant was closed.

“What are you doing over here? I thought you would’ve been somewhere rubbing Summer’s damn feet. Her ass can’t come work with me anymore. Let her pretty ass stick to putting lashes on folks.”

My mama had always been a hard worker. She stayed getting on to Summer because she swore what she did wasn’t hard work, but honestly, Summer made a decent living with what she did. Mama didn’t understand that because she always worked two hard-ass jobs to take care of the family.

“Don’t be like that with her. I thought you liked her.”

“Shit, I do; she just doesn’t know how to work. I had to go behind her ass several times until I finally put her ass in the kitchen. And not to mention her ass got into it with a customer today.”

“These are nice, what man sending you flowers?” I asked, looking for a card.

“They actually came from Pinkie, the customer your girl got into with. She’s been supporting us since we opened and wanted to let us know how much she loves us.”