Page 33 of Love Sanctioned

For a while I sat there staring at the TV, half listening to him because the truth was he was right. I broke things off with Karsyn because I didn’t think I could take her choosing Curr over me. I didn’t think I could take her choosing anybody over me, so in a selfish typa way I took that choice from her before she ever knew she had it. She didn’t have to choose me because she no longer had me.

I didn’t know how long I sat on the couch, barely paying attention to anything. I went from SportsCenter to about fifteen commercials to Monday Night Countdown then more commercials. I got up to take a shower during the college basketball highlights, telling myself I needed to get out of the house. By that time Killah was gone and Junior was somewhere between the two houses. Time really wasn’t of the essence for me, considering I didn’t know if I was coming or going.

“You headed out, Pops?” Junior asked, interrupting my thoughts. I was in my closet getting dressed.

“Yeah, I shouldn’t be long. Do you need something?”

“No. You alright?” His question halted my movement, making me look up in his direction. Worry rested in his eyes.

“Nah. But I’ll get there.”

He nodded. “Okay?” He stood there for a moment, then he left to go to his bedroom.

I finished getting dressed, grabbed my phone and keys, then headed out of the back door to the garage. On the walk I pulled my phone out, searching for Iso’s contact before I clicked to call.

He answered three rings later.

“Psy, you good?” he asked.

“Yeah, I need to spit with you about something. Are you out this way to talk?”

“Yeah, over here at Li’s folks’ place. I’ll drop a pin.”

“Bet.” We hung up immediately after. I was in the car a few seconds later, pressing the button to lift the garage door. I pulled out at the same time my phone alerted me of a message.

Iso had dropped the pin and the location he sent was in Lower Briar, not too far from where I was. It was on the cusp of Lower and Uptown, so it would only be a fifteen-minute ride.

It was messed up that the entire drive over there I wanted to call her. Everything in me wanted to pull up to her place and apologize. Shit, even tell her why I did what I did, but contrary to what Killah said, the fact still stood. Curr was her father and nothing was as black and white as he made it sound. Of course I knew she didn’t fuck with her father, and that was something talked about. We didn’t discuss the nigga often, but she talked to me and over the years he wasn’t a father to her or her brother, but the facts were the facts, he was her pops.

I pulled up right in front of the house where Iso had dropped the location. When I pulled up he was walking down the driveway holding a toddler. I got out of the car, headed in his direction.

When I walked up, my eyes immediately went from him to the mean-faced little girl in his hands. She was chubby cheeked as fuck but looked just like him all the way down to the eyes and that mug I could see even with the sun setting.

“Damn, this what you been up to?” I asked, genuinely elated for him. He’d left the streets alone and found more than a purpose.

He chuckled. “Pretty much, between trying to be the father I never had, I’m working on opening the barbershop back up. What’s up though, fool?”

I shook my head. “Long story, a lot of mess and apparently I’ve encountered something that hurts worse than getting shot.”

He laughed. “Oh yeah, clue me in so I won’t run up on it.”

“Different conversation for a different time, bro, but I need to ask you about some NorthPark Boys?”

Iso laughed. “NorthPark Riders… Backwards ass biker gang. Ran by some goofy nigga named Dwight. His grandmother runs the laundromat in Lee’s strip mall and his wife owns a taco truck. It’s always parked across Hollis near the train tracks.”

I nodded. “Bet, I’ma head over there.”

“Nahh. Where is Killah?” he asked, looking between me and the house.

“Halfway across the Atlantic. I’m good. Also, according to one of the fools who ran up on me talking about their blo⁠—”

“You know I was making her plate. Why did you bring her spoiled ass out here?”

I turned around and Liora’s little short ass was walking down the driveway. When she saw me, she smiled. “Hi, Posydiann.” She had lowkey warmed up a little since everything went down at the warehouse a while back.

I nodded, giving her a half hug before she snatched her baby from Iso.

“Baby, I’m about to make a run with Psy,” Iso said before she could turn to leave.