Page 21 of The Coldest: Stay Dangerous Part 2

“Don’t deflect,” I volley. “Mars is five, Ju. Five years and no one in your family knows you have a son?”

“Be fucking for real, Rico. When’s the last time I even set foot in Kenton? It’s not that outlandish that no one knows about him.”

I let her have it, even though it’s bullshit. Ju may have spent the last four years on the other side of the country, but I know for a fact she speaks to her cousin Bleach nearly every day, and meets up with her a few times a year in Northupton.

She let Nan get in her head, plain and simple. I don’t doubt that she loves Mars. It’s evident whenever she’s here.

But Ju was young, distraught, and impressionable when she showed up to Nan’s crib, pregnant, and confused. And Nan, even in mourning her youngest grandson, smelled her innocence and took advantage.

It was almost too easy for her to break her down. And now, Ju thinks her son is better off here with an ex-madame than with his own mother.

“I’m not tryna argue witchu. You wanna talk to your son or not?”

“I told you, I’m busy trying to make shit happen–”

“Aight.” I click in her face, over the conversation.

It’s not the first time I’ve done it. She’s used to me being abrasive, and takes it in stride.

It’s the psychological warfare from Nan that gets her panties in the twist.

But I’m not so obtuse that I don’t see what drew Fredo–and Slime–to her in the first place. Ju’s a little neurotic, but she’s also confident in herself in regards to everything except with Mars. Fine as hell, like a Black barbie doll. And seems to only gain stress weight in her ass and thighs, though I’m sure when Fredo was sprung, she was still a stick.

I’m sure if he were still alive, they’d still be fucking around. Shit, maybe all three of them.

You should fly out to see her.

I roll my eyes, already knowing this nigga is chilling on the couch next to my office door.

“Why don’t you go bother her ass?”

“Nigga, I’m a part of you. You lay eyes on her, then I can.” Amusement laces Fredo’s tone, and when I turn, he has his shoes on my fucking couch.

“Nigga, get your–nevermind. I can’t go see her with Snow here. I’ll temperature check her when she comes out here. Spring break is only three months away.”

“A lot can happen in three months, brodie.”

Don’t I fucking know it.

“I can’t be everywhere at once, Fred. I can’t make sure Snow gets clean, Nan don’t corrupt Mars, and then make sure Ju passes her classes and hold her hand and tell her she’s not a bad mom. I still have a life. I still got shit to do, I still got a hotel to run, I still got open contracts and shit. There’s a reason there was two of us, nigga.”

I don’t look up to see that dumb ass smirk. My skin’s itching bad, like ants all over. Fingers locking up and shit.

I’ve been idle too fucking long.

Fucking Haze, man.

Fucking Snow.

I shoot out of my seat and grab the shit I was fiddling with the night before.

Nan is busy with the hotel. The weekends always bring a flurry of tourists, so she’ll be away for the next few days. Reno took Mars to Belmopan with him. And the shit in my hand will keep Snow busy while I tend to all the other shit she has me neglecting.

She’s sleeping peacefully when I enter her room. I wasn’t exactly loud, but Snow being a heavy sleeper is new. Her breaths aren’t shallow anymore, though, and she’s not sweating profusely.

She hallucinated for days. Different moans and whimpers and repeating Fredo and Summer and Auty and my name over and over. Then she slept for nineteen hours straight.

Nan reported that her eyes were clear, but she looked mischievous when I asked if anything else happened.