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“Hell yeah, and then be mad you're behind even though they are the reason they made it that way.” Cairo spoke.
“Remy, you rich so you can’t talk. Second, y’all be easy. We gone be in and out today. Stay focused, do what we have to do so we can get this shit out the way.”
“Where you rushing to boss man? Alexis fine ass must be coming over.”
I shook my head at Cairo. I walked away reminding myself he was just a kid. An irritating one. I hadn’t spoken to Alexis in over two months. It was hard to make her understand I was serious about ending our situation but after theclosure conversationat her request it was no contact. My phone vibrated in my pocket. I stepped away to exchange a quick message with Priest.
Don’t forget I need you.
I got you.
I was charged up and ready to knock this work out. The only thing that kept my juices flowing nowadays was getting to work. My body would be so exhausted after a day of heavy lifting that I would be sure to get a few hours of rest at least before insomnia started calling. That and with my weekend plans, I was sure the day would pass without a hitch.
Ten minutes later, the door was opened, and we were able to knock it out as expected. Seven hours later, my crew was gone, and I was stepping back, taking pictures, and forwarding them to the owner. I was in awe of myself at the transformation. I made sure to zoom in on my Royalty corner. It was cheesy, but I told myself that every home I touched would have my signature. Having that signature corner in a home would drive up the price by itself because anyone who got to experience these hands on their property knew it was quality. I was getting me back, and I promised myself I would never lose him again.
I couldn’t resist. I touched my signature, and the wall vibrated. I pushed it again to close it before it opened completely.
“Royalty Restoration. Restoring elegance, hiding treasures,” Remy quoted my tagline as he walked by. I followed him outside.
“Damn right,” I replied as we both walked to our cars.
“Don’t forget to meet me next week. It’s a big opportunity.”
“You have only reminded me twenty times. I’ll be there, Remy. You go home before Ma whoop yo ass.”
“You know she is going to want you to stop by the house as soon as we start working there.”
“Let’s just see what happens.”
“It’s yours, Prince. This is it.” He gripped my shoulder. I threw him a nod before I stepped inside the car.
I ran home and showered, and the next thing I knew, I was out the door on my way to my brother's house to do what I had promised. He and his wife were having a baby shower, and that’s how I could tell he knew I was better. He didn’t waste a second asking me to fix some shit.
I walked up the cobblestone steps to my brother's home. I couldn’t help but obsess over all the divots I found just by looking. If I had gotten closer, I’m sure that I could have seen even more. Lazy work. I hated that shit. I knew Priest. He wasn’t coming light when it came to what he was willing to spend, so that meant that the seller was cutting corners. This would be only the second time I was in his home soberly, and one thing I noticed about having a clear mind was my keen sense of detail. It was as helpful as it was harmful. It was sensory overload at times, and I was still adjusting to walking around this way again. I shook my head, thinking about how fucked I was.
“I been waiting on you for a minute.” Priest swung the door open before I could even knock.
“You good bruh?” I perched my brow before I pulled him in for a brotherly hug.
“I’m good. Nigga is you good? Don’t start that damn sentimental shit, Patch.”
“Don’t call me that shit.” That pulled a grin from me and knocked me straight out of my feelings. If my brother didn’t care about anything else in this world, he cared deeply for his family. He’d always been a solid nigga, but the way he stepped up was something I even had to step back and be proud of. What most people didn’t know about Priest was that he had a hard time figuring out where he fit in life for the longest time. He neverrested well with those in the streets and was too “hood” for the corporate world. He decided to blaze his own trail, and once he found his footing, he never lost it.
“What’s wrong with that name? That’s whattheycall you, right?”
“Yeah, well fuck them. What sis’ cook?”
When I stepped inside, the smell of BBQ tickled my senses, making my stomach grumble. It reminded me of how hungry I was. I had been nonstop moving all day, and I was here to help, but first things first, I had to get some grub. Baby shower meatballs were what I expected, but ribs sounded even better.
“Some of everything. I told her don’t do too much since she almost there. I couldn’t monitor her too much because I was trying to keep her out of the garage. The longer I’m with her, the harder it is to surprise her pretty ass.”
“I’m sure you will solve that puzzle.”
“Damn right, I will. We just waiting on Chaz. I have the shit to load in the back of the truck in the garage. The women will be in the back with the kids, so they should be distracted and shouldn’t worry about us stealing away for a minute.” Priest spoke as he led me to his couch.
“What’s the due date?” I asked.
“She is still about a month out, but it's any day now. That’s why I want to fly out and get this set. It just so happened to coincide with some work, but trust this is my last trip until she drop. Chaz coming. We should chill for a day or two. I have a few morning meetings, but after that, my afternoons are free. Fuck with us and tell me how shit been for you since you been in hiding.”
