Page 19 of The Coldest: Stay Dangerous Part 2

Him in my room, right before he left for the Marines. Jaw clenched from telling me I ruined us.

My eyes balloon as they dance from Summy to Fredo.

“You guys can’t be serious! He’s probably the reason I’m stuck here! He probably shaved my head!”

They share a glance before Summy gets up. “I’ll let him show you. Just… hold onto Auty, Wynnie. The real way, even if you gotta slap her with your other hand.” She leans down to kiss my crown, before it’s just me and Fredo.

A remote appears in his hand as he begins to fast forward the projector. “You know, you never really lose memories. Your brain just locks them away to protect you. That’s why a lot of people with depression and shit got whole chunks of their life missing. But whatever’s got you locked in this room has you seeing it all.”

He presses play right as I’m leaving the hair shop. I just got a layered black unit installed, and I was feeling myself.

As the rest of the day plays on the screen, my smile disappears little by little. Fredo scoots closer, throwing an arm around my shoulder as tears fill my lids.

Niggas I don’t even know… doing depraved shit to me like I was less than nothing.

“Well, I guess that’s what happened to my hair,” I whisper, as Fredo tightens his hold on me.

Before that fat fuck could take something that wasn’t his, Shad saves me. And then I’m back in Rico’s arms.

I blink through him and Auty debating on what to do with me. Tears roll down my cheeks before I finally can’t take anymore, and thrust my face into Fredo’s chest.

“Why me?” I sob.

I’ve been asking that for almost thirty years.

“You know better than most that Rico shows what he wants you to see. He’s had you thinking he hates you for years, but you know, deep, deep down, how thin that line between love and hate is with him. But even if that nigga did hate you, you still deserve to get your issues off. I’m not here, but he is, and he’ll give you the reaction you want.”

I shake my head on his t-shirt. “No he won’t.”

“Wyn, you the only person not his blood that can get him out of body. You been doing it for twenty years. Trust me.”

The projector finally ends, right after Rico sticks me with a syringe.

The projector and screen fall away, but Fredo is still holding me. It’s been so long since he’s hugged me. He always had the best hugs.

“Did you hate me too?” I push out. Leaning away, I look into his eyes. I don’t know what the answer will be. This isn’t even him, but even I don’t really know if he did or not. Fredo was always too nice to know how he really felt about anything or anyone.

He smiles at me and rubs my back. “Never. You’ve always been my sis. And I’m sorry for the times I showed you differently.”

He stands, and then holds out his hand to help me to my feet.

“Make him feel that shit in his chest the only way you can, Wyn.” He winks at me, then gestures for a door.

I lick my lips and nod, before padding over to the door. It opens just as I reach for the knob, and blinding light has my hands shooting up to cover my face.

My lips are freezing.

When I can finally unglue my lids, I see why.

Nan, I’m assuming, is holding ice chips to my lips. The room is dim, but her face takes up my whole vision.

“Shh, don’t try to speak. Just take this.” Her English is broken, but I’m glad I can understand her this time.

She puts the cup in her hand away and grabs another with a straw. Holding the straw to my mouth, I take sips of the most refreshing water I’ve ever tasted.

My throat is soothed immediately, and I end up drinking until the cup is empty.

“Try to sit up.”