Page 138 of Heart Of A Goon II

Khaos wasn’t one for emotions, but I knew he felt the shit, too. He remained quiet with his headphones on, but the minute he got the view I got, he felt the shit in his heart.

I had a van with wheelchair access booked to meet us, and a Jeep Wrangler for me and Boobie. Moms couldn’t make it up onto my grandparents’ property without me, so I had her and Inez staying at the resort with Khaos. Tomorrow, I would have him bring her.

Right now, I wanted this time with my baby. I wanted to show her why it was so important that I brought her here while carrying my child. I carried my mother down the steps of the jet, while she continued to apologize.

“Mommy, stop that shit… you are not a burden to any of us, okay?” I told her once I got her into her chair that Khaos had waiting.

If I could lift my baby before putting her through the mattress, it was nothing to carry my mother because it made her life easier. She was so used to feeling like a burden and I wanted her to stop that.

Boobie held her hand. “Told you. No one feels bad for you.”

My mother smiled as she tried to swat her. “I’m gonna get you.”

Zoya didn’t try to be someone she wasn’t around my mother. The slick shit she always said, she said right in front of her. Being as my mother was the queen of shade, she appreciated that her daughter-in-law had the same humor and banter.

“The resort has a room for you that is handicap accessible. Inez’s room is connected to yours.”

“Unless she tries to stick a fucking sugar cane in her arm,” Khaos said.

“Shut the fuck up, Kenneth. Always got something to say,” Inez snapped, and climbed into the van.

She sat in the front row, her leg shaking like ass on a Friday at Magic City. I knew it was risky even bringing her here, but this was my last-ditch effort to show her that she had family that loved her.

Melle was gone. He wasn’t coming back and she had to realize that no matter how much she tried to numb the pain, he would always be gone. It was a reality that we all had to live with, not just her.

Once all the luggage was loaded into the van, I leaned in and kissed my mother and Inez. Khaos dapped me up, as he sat in the row before my mother’s wheelchair was wheeled in. It was best he and Inez remained separated from each other.

“Now, both you kids behave yourselves,” Boobie said, and Khaos laughed while Inez didn’t find shit funny.

“Shut the fuck up.”

Zoya nearly came out of herself when she said those infamous words to her. “Who in the fuck you talking to? Just because you coming down from the jungle juic⁠—”

I pulled her from trying to climb into the van, and sent them on their way. She was still popping her mouth, as the van was driving towards the exit gates.

“You heard what the fuck she said to me?”

“Uh huh.”

“And you not gonna defend me?”

“Sounds like you did that all on your own, Boobie.”

She pulled her arm away from me. “I see why Khaos is frustrated. Because she’s a junkie, she gets a free pass to say and do whatever she wants to people.”

I grabbed her hand back. “Stop pulling away from me.”

“Seriously, Gerald… that is not okay?”

“And it was when you said it to me?”

She paused, looking up at me. “Are you fucking another woman?”

“What, Zoya?”

“She fucking you good, huh? You have to be cheating on me!” she accused, trying to mush me, but I backed away from her.

“Stop being fucking crazy.”