Page 77 of Obsessive Love

“Yes, ma’am,” I said, nodding. There was no way I was going to keep this to myself. The fellas were going to find out about this as soon as I got to the house.

“Nah, tell my grandkids,” Mrs. Mary said from the back seat. I looked through the rear-view mirror to see her cleaning her knife with alcohol wipes. “They work my nerves sometimes, so they need a little fear put back into their hearts.”

“My son knows I’m crazy,” Ms. Nadine said with a shrug. She pulled her mask off and handed it to Mrs. Mary, who had, of course, supplied the masks. “Who do you think he got it from?”

“True,” Mrs. Mary said, nodding. “I knew Nine was off the day he showed up on my front porch looking for Cross’s crazy ass.”

“Their crazies mesh so well, though,” Ms. Arlene sighed. “Just a little psycho couple loving on each other.” She patted her heart as if she were truly touched. “And they have children, too?” she leaned back and shook her head. “That little Deuce and Love are so adorable.”

“I hope they have more,” Mrs. Mary replied as she nodded.

“Me, too,” Ms. Nadine agreed.

I laughed and continued to drive. One minute, they were talking about how crazy their kids and grandkids were, and the next, they were hoping for more grandkids. The shit was comical.

Ms. Arlene turned around in her seat to face them. “You know who I think is really crazy, though?”

“Ex and Paxton?” Mrs. Mary proudly laughed.

“No, they even have them beat,” Ms. Arlene said, shaking her head.

“That boy sniffing behind the coach?” Mrs. Nadine snapped her fingers like she was trying to remember their names. She tapped my shoulder to get my attention. “What’s your lawyer friend and the coach?”

“Morning and Diara.”

“Yeah,” she said, patting my arm and then turning back to Ms. Arlene. “Them?”

“Nope,” Ms. Arlene said, shaking her head. “It's one of Mary’s grandkids.”

“I already mentioned the crazy ones,” Mrs. Mary said. “Who’s left?”

“The quiet one,” Ms. Arlene answered.

“Child, Psalms too busy playing in the dirt and smoking in her greenhouse to worry about shit. She and Wednesday have been fucking for years. They ain’t crazy, though,” she said, shaking her head.

“Nope, not her,” Ms. Arlene said, smiling. “The other one.”

“Corinthians?” Ms. Nadine questioned, and I couldn’t help but nod. Corinthians was quiet as hell, so most people underestimated her. They always looked at Cross or Ex to pop off and Krude to be dramatic. Judge and Psalms were a little more vocal than she was, which is how she managed to stay in the background. But all the cousins agreed that Corinthians was the most unhinged and were a little afraid of her. “Who is she dating?”

“King Beat Box,” I said, jumping into the conversation.

“Who?” Ms. Nadine asked.

“Four,” Mrs. Mary giggled.

“Why the hell did you call him King Beat Box, Pyrite?” Ms. Arlene asked.

“That’s what Krude calls him because when he’s mad, he stutters,” I laughed.

“Y’all wrong for that,” Ms. Arlene said, trying not to laugh. She turned back to her friends and smiled. “But yeah, they are the craziest. I’m telling you right now, they are worse than Nine and Cross.”

“I believe it,” Mrs. Mary said, agreeing. “Especially knowing what I know.”

“Wait, you know their secret?” I stopped at the red light and turned around to see Mrs. Mary nodding. “How do you know?”

“She’s my granddaughter, Pyrite. If anyone were going to know, you didn’t think it would be me?” She gave me a sweet smile, but I could tell there was something behind it. There was no pain or fear; nah, the hidden secrets behind that smile were deadly as fuck. “Now, when she’s ready for the world to know, y’all will know. Until then, it's my secret to keep.”

“Noted,” I said, nodding. “Just answer me this: how bad is he going to crash out?”

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