Page 61 of Weddings on the West: Vol. I Brick & Destiny

“Yo, I need you to start talkin’ right now before I turn the safety off. What happened?”

“I guess somebody saw me at the strip club, and they asked me not to come back, indefinitely.” She could barely get her words out through her sobs, and while I should have been disgusted at the tears, snot, and overall emotion, I felt… bad. I immediately pulled over, stopped the car, and pulled her over to me. I was mad as fuck. They got me up early on a Sunday, had my baby all cute and shit in her little church dress, and now she was out here crying and snotting all over both of us over some bullshit.

“That shit don’t even make sense! If they ass saw you, they were in my shit too!” I said. When I found out who was responsible for this shit I swore they were gettin’ they ass whooped.

“That’s what I said, but it doesn’t matter because it’s ‘unbecoming’ of the daughter of a reverend… Brick, I gave my whole life to that church! I’ve been there since I was a baby. I gave up my college savings. I don't even know who I am without that place.”

I started to tell her that we could find another church home but realized that wasn’t the move. That was her church. Shit, by that point she should have been a co-owner.

“Then we find you some new shit to do. You like baking, right? What if I buy you a bakery or sum'?” I asked. Was it extreme? Yes. It didn't matter though. I would have given her anything to make her stop crying.

She didn’t though.

A few hours later, and she had been in the bed crying the whole fuckin’ time. I thought that freeing herself from her dad would release the hold that place had on her, but I didn’t realize how deep that shit was. I had gone as far as looking up therapists and hypnotists because she was gonna have to snap the fuck out of it, soon.

My front door flying open pulled me out of my thoughts, and I looked up just in time to see Kalida West stroll in. I knew her demonic ass hadn’t stepped foot inside a church, but she was still dressed to the nines in a pink, floral suit. That lady’s suit closet put Steve Harvey to shame.

“Ma, what are you doing here?” I asked. Dealing with her was the last thing I wanted to do after the day I had. She walked right in and took a seat like she paid the mortgage in that bitch.

“Why did you increase the orders for next month?” she asked, getting right to the point. I flinched. I thought I had a bit more time before I had to deal with this shit.

“I thought we agreed to let me handle the logistics?” I asked.

“We also agreed that I would be kept in the loop, Brick. I feel pretty out of the muhfuckin’ loop right now, nigga!”

“Listen, I had to move some shit around. Some of our people are losing product, and needed to re-up sooner, so I had to make some arrangements.”

“Fuck you mean, losing product?” she asked.

“Their storage facilities have been getting hit. It has to be the same people, but I haven’t turned up a lead so far.”

“How many?” she asked. I started pretending to count silently, knowing damn well the number was at the forefront of my mind.

“Seven,” I answered honestly. I could have lied, but she would have found out anyway.

“You know how that looks, right? Everybody around getting hit but us?” Her expression didn’t change, but I could tell she was pissed.

“I know, Mama.” I sighed and rubbed my hand over my face. “I just hired some extra help to look into it. I didn’t want to bring it to you until I had a solution. Zion put me in contact with an investigator from his side of town that specializes in this type of shit. He said he needed a few weeks, but he would get to the bottom of it.”

“You got four weeks before I get involved,” she said simply before standing and grabbing her purse. I cussed under my breath because I was planning on surprising Peep with a trip the next weekend. I knew that shit would have to wait now. I was never gon’ get to have relations with that woman.

“That a problem?” she asked turning, around and eyeing me like that damn Ike Turner meme. “I felt like I was being generous.”

“Nah, nah. You were. I was just trying to plan something for Des… I can move it around though.”

“Where is she?” Her eyes drifted around the room, looking for a sign of life.

“In bed. She… isn’t feeling too good,” I answered.

“Brick Ismael West! I know the fuck you ain’t got that girl pregnant already!” I stepped back because she looked like her hands were about to start flying.

“No, Ma. Just some shit with her pops.”

“What did Coop’s bitch ass do now?” she questioned with an eye roll.

“He put her out the church. Said she can’t come back because somebody saw her in the club. She’s real tight about it. Been upset all day,” I said reluctantly.

“And what are you doing to fix it?”