Page 13 of Ruger
I saw Jaxson seasoning the huge steak, and my damn mouth watered. I was an easy one hundred forty-five pounds, but my ass was acting like a big back. I couldn't help it. I loved food. I just didn't know how to cook the shit.
All the things that Sahari should have taught me, she didn't. All she truly cared about was Ghana's dad and how to take care of him. I had to learn from our neighbor, Ms. Betty, how to properly care for my hygiene.
"My condolences. Were you all close?"
"We were."
"I'm sorry, I'm being intrusive."
He chuckled. "You're good, Mona Lisa. I welcome the conversation."
I playfully rolled my eyes. "Not you too. Did Ruger tell you to call me that?"
He laughed. "He did not, but that's what he calls you, so that's your name."
"I like how you all go around renaming people. Very cutesie." He laughed some more as he heated up the stove.
"He likes you, ya know."
"Who? Your mean ass brother?"
"The nigga's really not that bad once he opens up to you. It's hard for him to express himself due to his past, but if helikes you, you'll start to see the change in his attitude. Just don't match that bad energy with him because the man is petty as hell. He can hold a grudge longer than Abraham lived in the bible days." Jaxson laughed again, showing those beautiful teeth.
"I can believe it. Do you have a girlfriend?"
He'd be perfect for Nani... orme. I'd turn him and his brother every which way but loose. It should be a sin how fine they were. They weren't twins, but those genes were strong. The only difference between the two was their skin tones and attitudes. I liked Jaxson. He was much nicer than his evil ass brother, but I guessed it would be considered balance.
"A wife and two daughters," he replied.
"Wow. Not you out here being a whole husband and father." We both laughed. "Well, she's very lucky, and I'm sure it's mutual."
"It is. I've been with her since high school."
"Aww, high school sweethearts. I love it."
"Yep. We have two beautiful girls, Sage and Sadè. Sage is thirteen, and Sadè is ten."
"I'll bet they're beautiful."
"Absolutely, and the center of my universe."
"Super cute. A girl dad. I love that for you," I complimented.
"Thanks. So, why you out here causing trouble?" Jaxson looked up briefly from cutting the potatoes with a smirk on his face.
"That had nothing to do with me. That crazy man violated me. I was scared," I admitted.
"I'm just fucking with you, but it's understandable. Ghana is family. We've known him for a little over fifteen years, and it's crazy how he never brought you around. He'd mention you, but we never saw you. It was like an out-of-sight, out-of-mind situation. It wasn't until this happened that we finally saw the face beyond the name."
"Ghana has always been protective of me and vice versa. When my mom ran off with his dad, we were alone in this world. Ghana was only eighteen... way too young to be caring for a fourteen-year-old. I knew I couldn't be out here reckless because I had to be there for him. He would forget to take his meds and would spazz out real bad every time the thought of our mother leaving us crossed his mind. I used to be in the corner, crying my eyes out until he calmed down enough to take his meds."
I looked away and blinked back the tears that were threatening to fall. Those days were the worst days of our lives. And every day that passed without my mother's return made me resent her more and more. She left me with a mentally unstable brother, who had to rob people to pay the bills and keep food in the house. It was by the grace of God that the house was paid off. We didn't know shit about taxes, so when we started getting letters in the mail about foreclosure, Ms. Betty stepped in and helped us. I would forever be grateful for her.
"Mona..." Jaxson called out to me. I looked over at him. "Look where y'all are now... well, not right now..." We both chuckled. "But look at what you all were able to get through. I'm sure Grue's mental health wasn't easy, but even as young as you were, I could tell you were smart beyond your years. Y'all took care of each other no matter how tough it was to get through. Y'all got through it. He loves you, though. I'll tell you that."
"I have no doubts. I'm just really scared for him."
The tears that I was trying to suppress made their way down my cheeks. Even when I tried to swipe them away, an audible cry left my throat. My brother was my world. I couldn't lose him because of something that could have been avoided. I didn't have to tell him what Niko did to me. Niko got his funky ass rocks off by touching my boobs and ass and talking filthy to me, but I could have just let it go and stayed away from them. I didn't have to tell Ghana at all, knowing his ass wasn't wrapped tootight, especially when it came to me and my protection. This was on me, and now my brother had to shut them down before this thing went any further.
