Page 136 of The Coldest: Stay Dangerous Part 2

One day, Auty will wash her hands of our makers. If today isn’t that day, I will at least be going back to weed.

Popping a piece of bubble gum in my mouth, I breeze up the driveway to my parents’ house. After theirs got shot up a few years back, Turkey moved them to Thunder Hills thinking it would score Auty some brownie points.

An arm snakes around my waist just as I ring the doorbell.

“You need to use yo words when you miss me,” Rico whispers in my ear, punctuating his lame ass line with a kiss.

I go to elbow him but he dodges it, laughing softly beside me. Glancing behind me, I catch Turkey parking across the street, but turn around when the front locks disengage and the heavy wooden door swings open.

Amani Shaw looks old as fuck. Laugh lines, worry wrinkles, the works mar her once youthful cheeks and forehead. The makeup she’s using to cover them isn’t doing its job, and the way tears spring out of her lids, I’m sure her makeup will be gone in the next twenty minutes.

That, and tired ass wig aside, she looks the same as she did the last time I saw her.

Hope and wonder fill her irises as she takes me in. Her lips part and everything. To an outsider, I’m sure it looks like I’m the second coming of Jesus to her. She probably would have fainted if I’d worn my natural hair and didn’t cover my freckles, which is exactly why I didn’t.

I don’t have the time. Not right now. Not when I’m fighting every day to be a Wynter Shaw I can look at in the mirror and not cringe away. I can’t be reminded of Summer. Especially not on a day where I stared at my dealer’s IG for thirty minutes.

Rico tightens his hold on my waist slightly, just enough to remind me that he’s here. Fucked up attitude, homicidal thoughts and all, he’s here, and I’m not alone.

That snaps Mom out of her reverie, and when her eyes dart to Rico, her face twists immediately.

“Good afternoon, Mom. Gonna let us in? Auty’s right behind us.”

Her eyes planted on Rico, she opens the door, her feet slowly moving until she’s not blocking us anymore.

My hand plants on Rico’s back firmly and I push him in before me. As soon as I’m over the threshold, Mom throws her hands around me and pulls me to her.

“I’m so glad you’re alright! Who the fuck is that man?!” she whispers loud enough for Rico to hear. His steps falter, but he picks his stride back up, giving himself a tour of their place.

Before I can answer, Deucey runs up to us, pushing Mom out the way to hug me himself.

“Auntie Wynnie!” he squeals, and pressure builds in my eyes. My baby boy isn’t so little anymore, especially since he’s to my shoulder.

“Royce!” Mom laughs off, “Mind your manners.”

He ignores her, which is new. Instead, he hugs me tighter and tells me I need to get on the game more.

“It’s not fun without you saying bad words. Hi Uncle Rico!” Just like that, Deucey leaves me to dap him up.

“Uncle Rico?” Mom repeats, a thin brow climbing as Auty, Turkey, and Patience come up.

Mom hoods her eyes, waving at them halfheartedly before walking off toward the patio. “Lunch is ready,” she calls out, before slithering out of the sliding door.

“I should have just stayed home.” Patience cuts her eyes to Auty, before grabbing at Rue.

Turk turns away from her, a mean mug on his grill. “Daddy need to rehash that lesson again?”

Auty scoffs, and I take that opportunity to grab her away from those horn dogs and pull her into the kitchen. She rolls her eyes at a smirking Rico along the way, who’s amused at her tantrum. Blowing her a kiss, he picks up Deuce, flipping him in his arms to make him laugh.

“Mom doesn’t like Patience?” My head begins to pounds as I sift through memories of them together, but I’m coming up empty.

“Patience isn’t special. Mom hates anyone who goes against what the Bible says,” she spits, folding her arms. Her movements are jerky, her ring snatching in her hair after trying to scratch behind her ear.

If I didn’t know any better, I would think she was on something, too.

“You good?”

She meets my gaze head on, daring me to speak on whatever I find in it. “Yup. Let’s get this over with.”