Page 48 of Kentrell

“You alright?” I asked.

“I’m alive,” she said. “And peaceful. Can’t ask for much more than that in a place like this.”

But I could see it in her face—the dullness behind her eyes. She’d never admit it, but she was tired. Tired of these walls. Tired of the past. Tired of carrying secrets that were never hers to hold in the first place.

“Ma…”

“Don’t.” She reached across the table, her hand brushing mine. “I’m here because I wanted to be. And I’d do it again. You know that.”

I nodded once, jaw locked.

“You ain’t never gotta carry that weight,” she said. “Not around me.”

Silence stretched between us for a moment. Then her smile curved up just enough to change the air.

“So… you seeing anybody?”

I blinked slow. “Where the hell that come from?”

She shrugged, all casual with it, like she wasn’t sitting behind bulletproof glass in a beige DOC jumpsuit. “Shit, I’m in prison, not dead,” she said, eyes twinkling with that same slick humor she always had. “And I want my son to hurry up and find his shorty?—”

I dragged a hand over my chin, already knowing where this was headed. “You really not gon’ let that shit go, huh?”

“Nope.” Her grin stretched wider. “’Cause you meant that. I heard it in yo voice.” Her smile softened, something almost… fond behind it.

“I was like nine,” I said, giving her a look.

“I knew my mind when I was nine,” she tossed back, like that shut my whole argument down.

“Man… you got it.” I mumbled, shaking my head, not even about to take it there with her. Not over this. Not today.

“You gon’ do better than me and ya daddy, baby. I’m claimin’ that for you.” Her arms wrapped around her shoulders, rubbing like she could comfort herself with the thought. “And I wantgrandbabies too. Start me off with a little girl. I done raised more boys than I care to count.”

I smirked, thinking about Wani. Hell, he wasn’t hers by blood, but you couldn’t tell by the way she rode for him—or any of us, really. All them years crammed under one roof. Velvet, popping in and out when she felt like it. Kensei’s mama showing up on her own schedule. My daddy, my mama, me... and Wani giving everybody hell like it was a full-time job.

Granny called it before she passed, too. Said Wani was Kenny’s payback straight out his nutsack. And she ain’t lied. Well… not until I knocked him off. That was the real karma. The one none of us saw coming.

“Don’t tune me out, Trell.” Mama snapped her fingers in my face, pulling me back to the now.

“I hear you.” I leaned back, giving her a lazy nod like I wasn’t lowkey moved by the whole conversation.

“Good. Then get to work on my grandbabies.”

I sucked my teeth, smirking as she giggled behind her hand. “Grandbabies? You just said you only wanted one.”

“See,” she cut her eyes at me, “Yo ass not paying attention… I said I wanna start with a girl.” She gave me that look—half tease, half dead serious.

“You say it like I got control over that.” I dragged a hand down my face as she rolled her eyes like I was missing the point.

“You got a dick, don’t you?”

“You know what I mean.”

“Well... I want one. For now.” Her voice softened a little, but she still wouldn’t let it go. “I wanna see your eyes and your attitude… and a lil’ forehead too.”

That pulled a breathy laugh out of me, shaking my head as I leaned forward on the table.

“That’s oddly specific.”

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