Trustee.
1659 Words
"Na tell him I can handle them blocks." Key said as Con looked at him.
They were doing their weekly drop off but things were changing and quickly.
"I can-" Con started and Key shook his head.
"We got this." Key said as they looked at Con unsure.
They grabbed the money and reluctantly passed him bags of dope. More bags than Key or Con had ever seen. Key hadn't even seen this much weight in all his years of hustling and stick-ups.
"Be sure because if yawl do good my cousin goin to want to meet you." Zoe said and Key smirked.
Honestly moving up the ladder had been easy.
He realized that in a year not only was he running blocks but now a whole region.
"Wit more responsibilities, more money." Key said dapping Zoe up before he nodded and left.
Zoe for whatever reason didn't like Con.
Key could see this. He spotted it when they first met. He had gone in with his own intentions but as time passed he thought it was in the best interest for Con, if not they would have set him up To him Con reminded him of a combo of him and Cole. Naive like Cole, Smart like Cody but he was destined for the life of Key.
Sometimes Key saw more than Con could see right now and that's why he took on most of the work and paid Con basically to stay out of the streets.
"What was that?" Con asked Key as they started to load up his truck.
His mind was in money-making mode as Con looked at him with irritation.
"What?" Key said as he looked to Con finally.
"What was that? I thought I was goin to run-" Con started and Key cut him off.
"Run yo mouth." Key said and Con's nostrils flared.
"Look I technically put you on and-" Con started and Key stopped.
"What you think this s**t long haul? What you want that credit? The publicity of bein a dope boy?" Key chastised him.
"Look you makin money so ion see tha problem. Yo ass need to stay and in school." Key tried to lecture him and Con wasn't trying to hear it.
it had always been him wanting to mind his business and now Con didn't like him overstepping.
"I promise you I'm not shortin you on nun but I mean that s**t you goin to do more than this." Key said and it was probably the most honest thing he said in a while but Con sucked his teeth and waved him off.
"Come on I gotta make it to Ava's. She gate when I'm late." Con glanced at his phone.
He had to admit her tutoring was paying off.
Before the idea of actually passing seemed far-fetched but his last test was a C. Although it wasn't an A he felt better than getting a D or failing altogether. Ava told him he could do it and somehow he did.
"You act like she yo damn momma." Key scoffed.
To Con, she was a different kind of woman.
She was nothing like his mother or the women in the neighborhood. Ava was like his grandmother he thought. She was kind and minded her business. To him, it was the fact she treated him like family and to Con it was unfamiliar and it started to make him overprotective of her.
"She coo as hell and helped me pass. Yo ass needs to leave her alone." Con said as they continued loading.
"I ain't f**k her yet." Key laughed.
Con stopped and gave him a sour look.
"Chill." Key continued to laugh.
"Ya keep yo s**t away from her. first Trisha showing up tryin to fight her. then Brooke-" He lifted a bag.
"What you mean Brooke?" Key stopped.
"I walked up tha other day she was talkin mad reckless to Ava. Ava should have slapped her ass after calling her the mail man." He said leaving out the part about Cas.
He would have never expected her being interested in Key let alone Cas.
"Damn." Key said realizing why she hadn't waved back or even looked his way.
"What she scared?" He laughed and Con stopped.
"She a widow and she prolly had some life of luxury until movin in tha hood. Imagine tha one guy she is coo wit is a dick." Con said to him.
"I'm jus sayin shorty not like us. She tutor me fa free. seem like she need real niggas in her life not a f**k nigga." Con grabbed the last bag.
"What yo ass her best friend?" Key looked at him as he got in the car.
"A nigga young but in a few years-" He said and Key laughed getting in the truck and throwing some trash at him as he did.
"Shut up." Key laughed as he wondered what Brooke had been up to.
------------------------------------------
"Deadass I'm sorry." Key said passing Ava her mail.
"Like I told your girl you can just put it in my mailbox. thanks." Ava reached for her car door and Key stopped her.
"Ava seriously." He said and she shot him a glare.
"Whatever drama you deal with don't drag me into it. I almost lost my job. A job I work really hard to keep. Maybe a life like mine seems to simple and your old life is what your used to. A new start with the same old ways gets no one anywhere." She said and he looked at her.
"But aren't you doin the same thing?" He asked her and she stared.
"Say the guy who lied about working at a warehouse." She said and he stared.
"I suggest you catch everyone up on your lies or lie the same to everyone." She said.
"Excuse me." She shoved his hand before opening her door.
As she did she wondered if maybe if he was right.
Maybe 'Ava' wasn't really Ava but Lauren just living the life she would have without Seven.
"Can you please fuckin move?" She said irritated and he backed up from her car and watched her pull off.
Key stood in a plain white shirt and jeans as he rubbed his head.
Maybe Con was right. He was still a f**k boy as he juggled both Trisha and Brooke. Brooke was pure dope, eye candy but she wasn't deep. Nothing soulful about a conversation with her or Trisha. The more Con thought about it was the same with both of them, they both wanted the money.
Honestly Key had been making good money. Since he owned his house all his money was coming in flourishing his pockets. He tricked off a bit but made sure Con was taken care of and his other men. After that, he had been having his men work hard and long. He would occasionally stash some cash but it had been some time and he was sure no one would notice.
"Fuck." He noticed missed calls on his phone.
A few calls were from Zoe and he was sure it was in regards to meeting his connect.
There was also a call from Trisha as he debated on who to call back first.
"Hello?" A woman answered.
"Whats goin on?" He answered.
"Hello? Where are you at?" Trisha asked and he sighed looking at the time on his phone.
"Oh s**t my bad I'm on the way." He said realizing the baby shower was today.
"Okay hurry up." She pouted and he didn't get why since it wasn't her first child or baby shower.
"Ight chill I'm on the way." He said hanging up.
He knew he had probably f****d things up with Ava and told himself there was no point in him messing up things with Trisha or Brooke.
"It is what it is. She not my type no way." He said imagining her dressed up as a librarian.
Ava looked good but she looked like she didn't belong, she could never belong to him.
Key walked back to his driveway and headed for his car.
He climbed inside and headed across town.
He figured as long as he was back by 8 he wouldn't have to pay Brooke off because that's how it seemed.
Every argument it seemed he was tossing stacks at her.
"Somethin gotta give." He said knowing he couldn't afford to keep doing that.
He started to really consider himself as a father and Trisha was enough to deal with but he had to get Brooke on the same page.
He knew that wasn't going to be easy but he figured he could tell Trisha that he was settling down with Brooke after the shower and she would just have to get on board. Brooke he was just going to have to actually talk with.
It was nearly 15 minutes later he pulled up hearing music blasting and cars packed out in the parking lot.
Key got parked and walked in with his all-white on.
"Nigga how you late first my God baby celebration?" Con met him jn formal attire.
Key would give him s**t but he appreciated his efforts.
"Man is here ain't I?" He laughed before Trisha made her way out.
Pregnant as ever in her baby pink dress.
"Key where you been?" She folded her arms.
"Chill. my lil bro is right we celebratin my baby ain't we?" He asked and Con laughed as Key pulled Trisha to him.
He saw men from the block, a few of Con's friends, and all of Trisha's family.
He had to admit the setup was nice.
Trisha looked good. Her hair and all her kid's hair were done and they all had on baby pink. She had all boys so her first girl was exciting as it was Key's first child.
"Fine let's go and take some pictures." She grabbed his arm and he followed all smiles.
- Writer
