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“I didn’t want none of this shit, sis’. None of it,” I sobbed. “I’m sorry I fucked up our life. I’m sorry I put us in this situation.”
“Ssh. No, you know what it is. We are in this for life, no matter what. I shouldn’t have said what I said about Devin. Don’t get me wrong, I hate his ass, and I can’t wait until you stop dealing with him, but if no one else understands, I do. Y’all have history.”
“There are so many things you want to do, Nesha. I feel like I ruined all that for both of us. One dumb ass decision.”
“And I’m going to do it. I took your advice. It’s been years, and it's time to put the past behind us.”
“What do you mean?”
“Ssh, hopefully I’ll have some good news soon but don’t you worry about that. Right now you just come here.” Shehugged me tightly in her arms and I didn’t hold back. It had been months since I had a good cry and this one was definitely needed.
Prince
“Boss man! Boss man!” Cairo screamed as soon as he got an earshot.
“What up, Cairo? You ready to knock this shit out?” I mirrored his excitement as I walked up to the property.
“This is our only house today. We can have this done by two, and I can be falling into something by three.”
“Yeah, you better before yo baby mama be on yo ass at five once she get off work.” That was Nelson on my right that chimed in. I shook my head because I knew they were about to get going already.
“Fuck you, Nelson. What kind of old ass nigga name you got. Yo’ ass twenty-six, and yo’ name is Nelson. Don’t fucking talk to me,” Cairo shot.
“You see, he ain’t say I was wrong, though. Keisha be on yo’ ass so tough when I see her I start ducking.”
That caused all of us to laugh. Cairo instantly made an excuse to go to his car for a minute, making us laugh even louder. Nelson was speaking facts. Keisha came up here a few times and showed her ass. I had to pull him to the side and check that shit. I was more established now than a few months ago and I ran a professional company. I couldn’t afford to lose this time. He was the youngest of my crew at twenty-four so I gavehim a pass. He had promise and reminded me a lot of myself when I was that age. I talked plenty shit, but when it came down to it, I knew my stuff. A lot of people wouldn’t have given him a chance, but I rocked with him and told him the importance of getting the education to go with it. That’s what would make his name respected, and when he wanted to launch out on his own, he would not only have the experience but the knowledge to pair it with.
Fixing homes was my passion since I started with my own as a little boy. Fixing anything really. My theory was that if something worked right in the first place, it could work again. In most instances, it could work better. I was pushed into the man role of the house once my father left my mother. I remember I would hear her calling my father, asking him to fix this or that, and being pissed off when he never showed up. One day I remember her crying. I mean downright distraught that our washer gave out on us. I stayed up all night while everyone was asleep and didn’t rest until it worked again. I was so proud of myself. Now that I was older I knew she wasn’t just crying about the washer. At least from that point she knew she could depend on me. Anything that would break it would be on my bed waiting for me when I got out of school.
I got cocky. I could fix anything, and by the urging of my stepfather, God rest his soul, I went to school for it. I was a shit talking kid that no one could tell anything. I was kicked off plenty of crews until I found Remy, who was instrumental for me. He helped with the things I could never learn in school, and when I wanted to branch out on my own, he supported me. He gave me a chance, so I would give Cairo one. I guess that was the circle of life.
“You gone sit on yo’ ass, or you gone do some work. Oh no, I get it. You boss man now. You supervise,” Remy intruded into my thoughts just as I thought about him.
“Naw you the boss, Remy. I’m just in your world,” I joked as I rose from the stoop on the concrete.
“It’s your name on the contract. So I’m in your world, but I be damned if you don’t help me lift this muthafucka. What we got today?”
“Repurposing a living room and kitchen. I came in yesterday and stripped everything, so we are good to go with all the placements. It shouldn’t take long, and I’m giving y’all a four-day weekend with pay because the next project after the next homes we are in next week is a fucking monster. It won’t be time for a break. Next week is clean up and a few odd jobs, so get your rest because we are about to bust our asses.”
“Oh yeah the new estates? All those pompous asses want to use us to build homes they won’t let the black folks in. Gentrification!” Remy grumbled.
“Calm down old school. It’s whoever got the money to pay that’s gone get in them. I don’t give a damn who they let in there as long as they pay us. We about to make a bag! Boss, how the hell did you land that contract.” Cairo joined us again without missing a beat.
“That’s where you mind yo’ business. I might show you one day if you stop talking so much shit!” I answered.
“His ass ain’t gone never learn then.” Remy laughed and pulled up his pants even higher than they were.
“Damn, Remy, you sure yo old ass need to be out here? You pull up your pants any higher yo ass ain’t gone be able to see.” Cairo laughed at his own joke.
“Leave him alone. He has more experience than all of us, and he drywalls better than you,” I cut in.
“You a damn lie! I’m supreme with it.” Cairo rubbed his hands together, but I told the truth. Remy was the best on my team. A team that he didn’t have to be on because he was set for life. He retired from the business when I branched off from his team to start my own thing. When things fell apart for me, he constantly called. When I started back up he came aboard to help. I paid him well but it was something he didn’t need to do.
“What the hell we waiting on? Let’s go.” Remy asked.
“Waiting on the husband to come back. He said he was ten minutes away.” I answered.
“Damn rich people. Always think you work on their damn time!” he complained.
