Page 59 of The Smoke Hour

Love hadn’t been difficult to come by for me. I just hadn’t allowed myself to be open to it because I had other plans. I wasn’t letting shit get in the way of my goals. But I had accomplished all the shit I wanted to, and I was making moves to leave the arms industry. I needed a woman by my side. She genuinely made me want to go legit.

That shit wouldn’t happen overnight, and it wouldn’t be easy, but I was ready. And as if on cue, my phone rang with one of my connections.

“Yo, wassup, Kent?”

“I got word you wanted to holler at me, man?”

“Yeah. I’ve got some business I want to discuss with you. Think you can meet me Monday morning at the office on Covington Street?”

“What time on Monday? I’ve got some shit happening on Monday already.”

“Nigga, I know yo’ ass don’t move until around eleven. Can you roll by my way first and then handle your other shit?”

“Yeah. As long as we done by one, I’m all good.”

“A’ight. I’ll holla at you then.”

“Yo! You gon’ keep this shit a mystery?”

“You wildin’ my guy. I don’t do shit on these wires.”

“I feel ya. A’ight. I’ll get up at you on Monday.”

“Word.”

I ended the call and headed out of the hotel suite.

Fiya

“Get your ass out of the bed.”

“Stoppp, Noel,” I whined as he tugged the pillow from underneath my head. “I hate you. I swear.”

“This whining ass Kai isn’t cutting it. I need your ass to woman up and get your shit together.”

“I’ve got my shit together.”

“No, you don’t. You whining and rolling over in the bed like you can’t do shit. Your shop has been closed for almost two weeks. That’s bullshit. You need your paper, and you’ve got bills to pay.”

I opened one eye and mugged the hell out of him.

“Go to hell, Noel.”

“Nah. I ain’t much in the mood to visit you right now.”

I took my other pillow and threw it at him. Noel caught it, and he chuckled before he dropped down on the bed beside me. He bent down and kissed my forehead.

“What’s up with you? Why you giving that nigga hell?”

I lifted my head and rested it on his lap. Noel stroked my head.

I told him the concerns that I had.

“I knew that you were thinking about Demetrick. I hadn’t wanted to bring that up, but I wanted you to know that I’m here for you if you need to talk.”

Tears fell from my eyes. “D was my world, Noel.”

“I know. I get it. I mean, shit, he was my boy too. I was there that damn day.”

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