Page 7 of Dr. Bell

Quilo’s low declaration eased some of the tension in my head and chest. As long as he tried, I could hold on to hope.

Outsideoftherestaurant,evening had turned into night. The street was now flooded with folks coming to enjoy the festivities downtown had to offer. Along the curb just a few feet away from my car were four men sitting on top of a black Impala. I knew by the way they stared at me, that they were going to say something. So, I put my head down and let Quilo put me on the other side of him as we walked to the car.

“Yeen gotta be scared, lil’ nigga,” one of the dude’s said. I found that funny because Quilo was taller and bigger than all of them.

“If we wanted ya bitch we could have her,” another one said. We were almost to the car now. For a moment, Quilo froze. Hearing someone call me a bitch burned him. I tugged on his arm, praying he dropped it.

“Say, come here, shawty. Wit’ yo’ fine ass.”

We finally made it to the car but not before the men started approaching us.

“Aye, baby. You’on here me talkin’ to you?”

Quilo stepped in front of me. “Nah, she don’t. Move the fuck around, my nigga.”

The men cackled like Quilo wasn’t as intimidating as he looked.

“I tell you what. How ‘bout I beat yo’ ass, then take yo’ bitch. I’ll send her back to you after me and my crew done wit’ her.”

I scoffed at the implication.

“You ain’t gon’ touch my fuckin’ sister. I’ll kill all you niggas.” The steeliness of Quilo’s statement made me briefly glance his way. “Open the door and get in the car, Coco,” he told me.

“Nah, Coco is comin’ with us.”

As soon as the one who ran his mouth stepped into Quilo’s face, Quilo punched him so hard, his fist made a disgusting sound going across the dude’s face. He knocked him out cold.

All hell broke loose, with the other dudes rushing toward us. One pulled a gun and aimed it at us. Before I could react, my brother pulled a gun from his back.

“Quilo!” I shouted as gunshots rang out. The men scattered to duck Quilo’s shots.

“Get in the car!” he ordered while standing like a shield in front of me.

Eyes wide, I rushed into my car and cranked the engine. Instead of going around to the passenger side, Quilo threw himself into the backseat as I threw the car in reverse and toreaway from the curb. Bullets bounced off the hood of my car as I put some distance between us.

I nearly panicked when they retreated back to their Impala. Throwing the car in drive, I sped down the nearest block to get away from them.

ADIR

Heraurahadme.As if I was watching a love story from afar, I stood at the entrance of Smooth Brew watching her watch me.

Her face had me. It was delicate, angelic… Shaped like a soft heart. It held the most amazing big brown eyes, gentle nose, and full pouty lips that would one day belong to me. The soft curls of her natural hair were piled on top of her head, with some curls falling forward to kiss the peaks of her eyebrows.

“I can’t believe you embarrassed me like that!” Genika hissed as we moved to sit down. “Did you really have to take your disrespectful ass to her table? Afteryou stood there staring at her like a damn fool.”

A magnet wasn’t stronger than the pull she had on me. Truthfully, I was appalled at myself for the way I stared. Enthralled wasn’t even the word to describe my instant attraction to her. I just knew it was a nigga somewhere whowas willing to crash the fuck out for the smallest reason behind her.

“She’s fine as fuck. When have I ever shied away from admiring a beautiful woman?”

Genika turned her elegant nose up. “You surely had a wandering eye when we were together.”

I shrugged as my eyes found the answer to a prayer I hadn’t yet prayed strutting across the street toward my building.

“You’re so damn rude, Adir. You haven’t even asked me why I needed you to meet me here.”

“Rude is leaving this table to go run after shawty, which I really wanna do. Also, which I’m free to do since I’m a single man.” As soon as I said that shit, my answered prayer opened the door of Dr. Bell & Associates. For that reason alone, I was going to cut this lunch meeting short.

Shit.

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