Page 24 of Mahogany 2
He looked up at me and sucked his teeth. “Damn nigga!” He complained under his breath.
I laughed. “Complainin’ about one piece of watermelon when you got the whole bitch in front of you is crazy.”
Lil’ Marv was fifteen and about chunky as hell. Most of my little cousins were. All them niggas did were eat and play the game all day. Kids didn’t get out enough for me, anymore. I remember hitting the block, bike riding, playing hide and seek and shit sometimes hide-go-get. Shit used to be lit. I didn’t know what the fuck was going on with the world these days. Nothing beat pulling up at the corner store with my cousins, fucking with a couple hood rats. These days, young cats preferred Instagram and TikTok to do their talking on. It was a completely different world. Low key, I was surprised he even rode out here with Uncle Moe. He probably pulled him off the game. Talkin’ about he’s gon be the next Kai Canet. I didn’t doubt him, just wanted him to aim a little higher than gaming. Although it was money in that shit, the way to get it was crazy.
I walked into the bathroom and tossed my head back with annoyance, peeping the mess Uncle Lew left on the toilet. Shaking my head, I looked over my shoulder at Lil’ Marv and called him.
“Ay, chew your food and come here real quick, lil cuz,” I told him.
After a couple of seconds, he jumped down from the barstool and joined me in the bathroom. “Look at what Lew big ass did.”
He turned his noise up. “Ugh! That nigga stay doin’ that at Pop house. Last time he knocked him out about it.”
I laughed and reached into my pocket for my wallet. “Fifty to clean it up for me.”
He sucked his teeth and cocked his head back. “I ain’t no janitor. A hunnit! I know you got it too so don’t try to get off on me.”
I screwed my face up at him and drew back. “Nigga. A hundred dollars to wipe a toilet down? Fifty generous. Way too generous. Since you tryin’ to be greedy…. Forty.”
He shrugged and shook his head. “Aight, I’ll do it for the fifty.”
“Trying to hustle a hustler is crazy work, cuz,” I told him, handing him the fifty. “Only reason I’m spottin you fifty is ‘cause you need to get a cut nigga. Out here lookin’ crazy.”
“Man what? I’m not gettin’ a cut. Put it on the game for me, cuz.”
“Hell naw. All I got for you is cash.”
He took the money, and I told him where to find the cleaning products. He got right to it, and I headed outside to speak to my pops and uncles.
I could hear them arguing before I even got to the sliding doors. They were like that. Just as bad as my ma’s side of the family but raised off loyalty and respect more than anything. Them dominos games just got a little hectic. I’d bet a smooth hundred that Uncle Slick was cheating.
“Yeah, alright muthafucka you know that wasn’t no got damn six!” Yelled pops, at who I expected—Slick. Nigga didn’t get his name for no reason. I didn’t know why they even played games with him. He pulled the same shit every time. Be it in spades, Dominoes, or dice, the nigga found a way to get off.
“Nephew!” Slick yelled, chucking his chin. “What up, what up? You hear your pussy ass daddy out here bitchin’ bout a domino ‘cause he losin? Moon, you one sore losin’ muthafucka.”
“Aight nigga. Watch how you talkin before you be out this bitch gummin’ for real,” Pops threatened, sitting his gun on the table. “Knock the teeth right out them damn dentures, boy.”
Uncle Slick waved him off and said, “Fuck you nigga. You ain’t the only one at the table packin.” He reached for his and sat it on the table too.
“Both you muthafuckas chill,” Uncle Bobby said, shaking his head. “Every time we play dominoes it’s the same shit.”
We chopped it up for a little while, catching up, and I asked them to come inside for the meeting. I didn’t have much time to politic—just wanted to be in and out. Fucking with these niggas, I’d end up out here for the rest of the day.
“Bet not be no shit with ya momma’s party. You know she need a good day,” Pops threatened, tucking his burner, getting ready to stand.
“It is,” I paused, shaking my head. “Not like that though. I need a favor.”
Once we got inside, I called everybody to the dining room, and we sat around the table. Took a minute to get them to quiet down but eventually I did.
“Alright, so y’all know ma’s birthday is in two weeks.”
“Duh, nigga. We know,” said Uncle Jo. “You called us all the way down here to remind us about our sista’s birthday?”
“Nah Uncle Jo. You let me finish without interrupting me, I can get to why I called y’alltwenty minutesoutside the city.”
He waved me off and cracked the seal to his fresh forty.
“Like I was sayin,” I paused. “Ma’s birthday is in two weeks, and we need food.”
