Page 20 of Welcome to the Heart Of A Maniac
“What are you talking ’bout?”
“Yo’ wife, Solei. Where is she?”
The corner of his mouth quirked. I saw nothing funny about the question at hand.
“That’s my sister.”
“Adopted?” She looks nothing like him. I know that some people be having different parents, but Solei has a darker complexion than him and Luxe. When I searched up their name, I didn’t do a deep dive into all of them, so I didn’t know all of their names or what everyone looks like.
“Nah. Is we gon’ get back to this raggedy ass truck of yours?”
I know that my truck wasn’t the best, but it still has the original paint job, none of it was rusted. Just sometimes, it doesn’t want to start.
“Don’t call her that.”
“Why don’t you just go out there and get something new?” His eyes roamed my face. “…Something that fits you.”
“This was my daddy’s truck. I won’t give this up for anything in the world.”
“Oh, Big John… Yeah, I remember him.”
Tears filled the brims of my eyes. I didn’t remember much about my father, so when other people said they knew him, I love hearing the stories. It made me feel closer to him. “Remember what? I’m sure you weren’t that old when he was alive.”
“I’ve heard the stories ’bout him. I’ve seen him a couple times.”
“What stories?” My daddy wasn’t into the illegal business like Uncle Trayvon. He’d gotten killed on a normal day at a gas station after someone robbed the place and tried to flee the scene. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time. At least that’s what I’ve been told.
“That’s not important.”
“Maybe it isn’t for you, but it is for me. All I have is small memories of him.”
“I’ma let you get outta here. Don’t be talking to no men while you gone.” He stepped back away from my door and I slammed it close.
“That was exhausting,” Aria said as we stepped to the bench and grabbed our water bottles.
“I feel rejuvenated.”
Aria playfully rolled her eyes and gulped her water down. Once she was done, she reached into her bag and pulled out her lip gloss. I watched her as she rolled it over her plump lips. One thing about Aria, she gon’ keep her lips moisturized.
“Is that?...” She squinted her eyes, looking across the building. I searched to see what she was talking about. There were two chicks, standing over there by the door. I’m not sure where she could’ve known them from. “That is that bitch.”Reaching down, she grabbed her bag and draped it over her shoulder.
“Who?” I snatched my bag up when I realized that she was about to storm off.
“One of them hoes that was sleeping with Cassius.”
“Oh, God.” I knew right then that Aria was about to start some shit, and I needed to get ahead of it. “Just leave it alone, Aria,” I spoke, not wanting her to fuck up our membership here. I liked coming here. It was peaceful and they have a lot of equipment.
“Don’t worry, I’m not gon’ touch her in here. Let’s go.”
I followed her out the door into the parking lot. Her car was closer to the door than mine. I could’ve easily just gotten into my truck and left, but I knew she wasn’t about to leave when she opened the passenger door and placed her bag on the seat and then shut it back.
She wrapped her black, curly hair into a bun at the nape of her neck. I knew she meant business then. Aria is the type of person, when she say she gon’ do something, she gon’ do it.
One of the girls came out the door and Aria stormed in her direction. “Aye!” she yelled at her, gaining her attention. Soon as she looked in Aria’s direction, Aria’s fist connected with the corner of her chin. My eyes expanded and mouth formed a huge O. The girl’s head flung back.
“Didn’t I tell you it was on sight every time I see you?” Her fists connected everywhere they could land. “I hate bitches like you!” The girl dropped to the ground and balled up into the fetal position. That didn’t stop Aria. She kicked her in the ribs, head, back, wherever her feet could go.
People surrounded them. Some of them had their phones out recording and the others had them up to their ear. I’m sure they were calling the police on her. I gripped Aria by the forearm and pulled her away from the girl.
