Page 111 of The Coldest: Stay Dangerous Part 2

He’s looking out the window still, not realizing we stopped. Once he does, he rips off his seatbelt, but I engage the locks before he can hop out. Only then does he turn toward me, frustration marring his little face.

“Mind your manners. Don’t be mentioning Nan and what she be saying. Remember, no matter who says what, and who does what, she’s your mother. She made you.”

Mars nods his head, absorbing every word. I hold my fist out to him, and he grins, dapping me up.

We’re ready.

I turn the car off and disengage the locks for him. He hops out, but waits at the door for me to round the car.

Holding his hand, we go deeper into the driveway of the apartment building. Ju said she’s in the back unit, so we pass the first building to the second orange building. It only has one door in the middle, and I know I’m in the right place because there’s a mix of big and little pots of plants and flowers surrounding it.

When we get to the welcome mat, Mars knocks nearly a million times.

“Coming!” Ju yells, but Mars keeps knocking.

Over and over, until the front door opens and he launches himself at his mother.

“Hi, baby!” she gushes, dropping down to pick him up. Mars is more than half her height, but she still holds him up, waddling deeper into her house.

I cross the doorway and close the door behind me, staying behind while they walk away from me to show Mars the room she decorated for him.

Her living area is an open concept, and is as eclectic as she is. Plants are everywhere, in freestanding pots, hanging pots, on the windowsill. The couch is shaped like a strawberry, and there’s so many knick knacks on her kitchen table, I doubt she actually eats there.

It suits her, from what I know. My lips twitch as I try to picture Fredo in here.

I’d be right here chilling on my strawberry couch.

Sure enough, this nigga is lounging on the seeds. I snort, shaking my head at him. Fredo’s the type of nigga to be content with a mattress, a laptop, and a tv. Haze was the one who decorated every apartment he had.

“Ricky! Ricky! Mommy said Santa’s coming to her house! Can I stay in my new room?”

I look around the living room. “It ain’t no tree in here.”

“It’s being delivered today,” Ju snaps, folding her arms. “I… wanted us to decorate it together. Me and Mars.”

“And Mommy said she can watch Christmas movies until we fall asleep! And bake cookies! And–”

“Mars.” I crouch down to his level. “Go in your new room and play with your toys. I’ll be in there in a minute.”

His light dims, just a little, but he turns and does what I say. I stand at my full height and call on my brother to give me strength and patience and understanding to deal with his baby mama. When I hear the door close, I go in.

“You been ducking and dodging your son’s calls for years and now you think I’m finna let him spend Christmas here? You don’t even have a security gate.”

Ju kisses her teeth, but then she sighs, and her attitude leaves her. “I dropped out of medical school.”

“Shit.” I sit on the back of her strawberry couch and wait for her to explain herself, since that’s the very last thing I’d ever expect her to say.

“I’m not going back after this break. I can’t do it anymore. This was never my dream anyway, and I owe it to myself and my baby to live my life for me. I start this remote job after the New Year, and it pays very well. Well enough for me to support both of us–eventually. I didn’t mean to spring this on you, I swear. It’s just… he loved his room, and I got caught up in the moment. I’d planned on putting up with your grandmother for the holidays, but… if it’s okay… I mean, you can come, too–”

“Some shit went down,” I blurt. This is so out of my regular, but there are players involved now that are too volatile and unpredictable for me to keep anything too close to the chest.

I take off my sunglasses and meet Ju’s gaze. She cups her mouth, gasping and blinking.

“What happened?!”

It looks worse than it feels. Ty-Ty got me good, and now I have two black eyes to go with my healing nose.

“I told the family about Mars. My cousin was less than thrilled. My homies, too. Shit’s all weird right now, and honestly, if it wasn’t, I would let Mars stay. But how it’s looking, I don’t even think you can be here, foreal.”