Prince: Love Always Wins

Prince

“Boss man! Boss man!” Cairo screamed as soon as he got an earshot.

“What up, Cairo? You ready to knock this shit out?” I mirrored his excitement as I walked up to the property.

“This is our only house today. We can have this done by two, and I can be falling into something by three.”

“Yeah, you better before yo baby mama be on yo ass at five once she get off work.” That was Nelson on my right that chimed in. I shook my head because I knew they were about to get going already.

“Fuck you, Nelson. What kind of old ass nigga name you got. Yo’ ass twenty-six, and yo’ name is Nelson. Don’t fucking talk to me,” Cairo shot.

“You see, he ain’t say I was wrong, though. Keisha be on yo’ ass so tough when I see her I start ducking.”

That caused all of us to laugh. Cairo instantly made an excuse to go to his car for a minute, making us laugh even louder. Nelson was speaking facts. Keisha came up here a few times and showed her ass. I had to pull him to the side and check that shit. I was more established now than a few months ago and I ran a professional company. I couldn’t afford to lose this time. He was the youngest of my crew at twenty-four so I gave him a pass. He had promise and reminded me a lot of myself when I was that age. I talked plenty shit, but when it came down to it, I knew my stuff. A lot of people wouldn’t have given him a chance, but I rocked with him and told him the importance of getting the education to go with it. That’s what would make his name respected, and when he wanted to launch out on his own, he would not only have the experience but the knowledge to pair it with.

Fixing homes was my passion since I started with my own as a little boy. Fixing anything really. My theory was that if something worked right in the first place, it could work again. In most instances, it could work better. I was pushed into the man role of the house once my father left my mother. I remember I would hear her calling my father, asking him to fix this or that, and being pissed off when he never showed up. One day I remember her crying. I mean downright distraught that our washer gave out on us. I stayed up all night while everyone was asleep and didn’t rest until it worked again. I was so proud of myself. Now that I was older I knew she wasn’t just crying about the washer. At least from that point she knew she could depend on me. Anything that would break it would be on my bed waiting for me when I got out of school.

I got cocky. I could fix anything, and by the urging of my stepfather, God rest his soul, I went to school for it. I was a shit talking kid that no one could tell anything. I was kicked off plenty of crews until I found Remy, who was instrumental for me. He helped with the things I could never learn in school, and when I wanted to branch out on my own, he supported me. He gave me a chance, so I would give Cairo one. I guess that was the circle of life.

“You gone sit on yo’ ass, or you gone do some work. Oh no, I get it. You boss man now. You supervise,” Remy intruded into my thoughts just as I thought about him.

“Naw you the boss, Remy. I’m just in your world,” I joked as I rose from the stoop on the concrete.

“It’s your name on the contract. So I’m in your world, but I be damned if you don’t help me lift this muthafucka. What we got today?”

“Repurposing a living room and kitchen. I came in yesterday and stripped everything, so we are good to go with all the placements. It shouldn’t take long, and I’m giving y’all a four-day weekend with pay because the next project after the next homes we are in next week is a fucking monster. It won’t be time for a break. Next week is clean up and a few odd jobs, so get your rest because we are about to bust our asses.”

“Oh yeah the new estates? All those pompous asses want to use us to build homes they won’t let the black folks in. Gentrification!” Remy grumbled.

“Calm down old school. It’s whoever got the money to pay that’s gone get in them. I don’t give a damn who they let in there as long as they pay us. We about to make a bag! Boss, how the hell did you land that contract.” Cairo joined us again without missing a beat.

“That’s where you mind yo’ business. I might show you one day if you stop talking so much shit!” I answered.

“His ass ain’t gone never learn then.” Remy laughed and pulled up his pants even higher than they were.

“Damn, Remy, you sure yo old ass need to be out here? You pull up your pants any higher yo ass ain’t gone be able to see.” Cairo laughed at his own joke.

“Leave him alone. He has more experience than all of us, and he drywalls better than you,” I cut in.

“You a damn lie! I’m supreme with it.” Cairo rubbed his hands together, but I told the truth. Remy was the best on my team. A team that he didn’t have to be on because he was set for life. He retired from the business when I branched off from his team to start my own thing. When things fell apart for me, he constantly called. When I started back up he came aboard to help. I paid him well but it was something he didn’t need to do.

“What the hell we waiting on? Let’s go.” Remy asked.

“Waiting on the husband to come back. He said he was ten minutes away.” I answered.

“Damn rich people. Always think you work on their damn time!” he complained.

“Hell yeah, and then be mad you're behind even though they are the reason they made it that way.” Cairo spoke.

“Remy, you rich so you can’t talk. Second, y’all be easy. We gone be in and out today. Stay focused, do what we have to do so we can get this shit out the way.”

“Where you rushing to boss man? Alexis fine ass must be coming over.”

I shook my head at Cairo. I walked away reminding myself he was just a kid. An irritating one. I hadn’t spoken to Alexis in over two months. It was hard to make her understand I was serious about ending our situation but after the closure conversation at her request it was no contact. My phone vibrated in my pocket. I stepped away to exchange a quick message with Priest.

Don’t forget I need you.

I got you.

I was charged up and ready to knock this work out. The only thing that kept my juices flowing nowadays was getting to work. My body would be so exhausted after a day of heavy lifting that I would be sure to get a few hours of rest at least before insomnia started calling. That and with my weekend plans, I was sure the day would pass without a hitch.

Ten minutes later, the door was opened, and we were able to knock it out as expected. Seven hours later, my crew was gone, and I was stepping back, taking pictures, and forwarding them to the owner. I was in awe of myself at the transformation. I made sure to zoom in on my Royalty corner. It was cheesy, but I told myself that every home I touched would have my signature. Having that signature corner in a home would drive up the price by itself because anyone who got to experience these hands on their property knew it was quality. I was getting me back, and I promised myself I would never lose him again.

I couldn’t resist. I touched my signature, and the wall vibrated. I pushed it again to close it before it opened completely.

“Royalty Restoration. Restoring elegance, hiding treasures,” Remy quoted my tagline as he walked by. I followed him outside.

“Damn right,” I replied as we both walked to our cars.

“Don’t forget to meet me next week. It’s a big opportunity.”

“You have only reminded me twenty times. I’ll be there, Remy. You go home before Ma whoop yo ass.”

“You know she is going to want you to stop by the house as soon as we start working there.”

“Let’s just see what happens.”

“It’s yours, . This is it.” He gripped my shoulder. I threw him a nod before I stepped inside the car.

I ran home and showered, and the next thing I knew, I was out the door on my way to my brother's house to do what I had promised. He and his wife were having a baby shower, and that’s how I could tell he knew I was better. He didn’t waste a second asking me to fix some shit.

I walked up the cobblestone steps to my brother's home. I couldn’t help but obsess over all the divots I found just by looking. If I had gotten closer, I’m sure that I could have seen even more. Lazy work. I hated that shit. I knew Priest. He wasn’t coming light when it came to what he was willing to spend, so that meant that the seller was cutting corners. This would be only the second time I was in his home soberly, and one thing I noticed about having a clear mind was my keen sense of detail. It was as helpful as it was harmful. It was sensory overload at times, and I was still adjusting to walking around this way again. I shook my head, thinking about how fucked I was.

“I been waiting on you for a minute.” Priest swung the door open before I could even knock.

“You good bruh?” I perched my brow before I pulled him in for a brotherly hug.

“I’m good. Nigga is you good? Don’t start that damn sentimental shit, Patch.”

“Don’t call me that shit.” That pulled a grin from me and knocked me straight out of my feelings. If my brother didn’t care about anything else in this world, he cared deeply for his family. He’d always been a solid nigga, but the way he stepped up was something I even had to step back and be proud of. What most people didn’t know about Priest was that he had a hard time figuring out where he fit in life for the longest time. He never rested well with those in the streets and was too “hood” for the corporate world. He decided to blaze his own trail, and once he found his footing, he never lost it.

“What’s wrong with that name? That’s what they call you, right?”

“Yeah, well fuck them. What sis’ cook?”

When I stepped inside, the smell of BBQ tickled my senses, making my stomach grumble. It reminded me of how hungry I was. I had been nonstop moving all day, and I was here to help, but first things first, I had to get some grub. Baby shower meatballs were what I expected, but ribs sounded even better.

“Some of everything. I told her don’t do too much since she almost there. I couldn’t monitor her too much because I was trying to keep her out of the garage. The longer I’m with her, the harder it is to surprise her pretty ass.”

“I’m sure you will solve that puzzle.”

“Damn right, I will. We just waiting on Chaz. I have the shit to load in the back of the truck in the garage. The women will be in the back with the kids, so they should be distracted and shouldn’t worry about us stealing away for a minute.” Priest spoke as he led me to his couch.

“What’s the due date?” I asked.

“She is still about a month out, but it's any day now. That’s why I want to fly out and get this set. It just so happened to coincide with some work, but trust this is my last trip until she drop. Chaz coming. We should chill for a day or two. I have a few morning meetings, but after that, my afternoons are free. Fuck with us and tell me how shit been for you since you been in hiding.”

“Not hiding, working. I would, but I have a few things coming up myself. I’ll fly in and help you build it, though. I got you for sure on that.” He sat forward once I finished speaking.

“You mean to tell me you flying to another country and you just gone stay a few hours? It’s the weekend. Enjoy yourself.”

“My mind just in a different place,” I replied honestly.

“Damn bruh, it’s been a minute. You can’t sit down and fuck with your own brother?”

“Who getting sentimental now?” I jabbed at Priest, and he waved his hand. I was glad I hadn’t lost favor with him after everything we’d gone through. Repairing our relationship was a slow build, but after almost eight months, we were getting close to where we were before everything fell apart for me. He was giving his wife a surprise birthday getaway/ push gift. Priest planned shit meticulously, and I was there to help build a few pedestals that he wanted engraved for her. He also purchased a beach house that needed some work, and I was going to make sure I got everything right for their weekend. Satisa loved her family, and she always wanted to have everyone included. I saw quickly the type of person she was. That paralleled me because when it came to someone I really cared for, I could get selfish. I would’ve been all about them and I having alone time. Either way, I respected what he was doing.

“What y’all old asses doing?” I was smiling before I even turned around when I heard Chaz’s voice. I hadn’t fucked with his annoying ass in months. I wouldn’t admit to him how much I missed him trolling me. Chaz was the annoying little brother that Priest and I both could torture. He was an only child and he would often spend summers with us.

“Who you calling old nigga?” Priest shot up.

“Don’t get up, . I know them old ass knees knocking.”

“Ask yo’ woman about my knees lil’ nigga.” I also got up and slapped hands with him after Priest did the same.

“Speaking of women, what’s going on with you and Lesha? You know she's out back?”

“What the hell you talking about?” The mention of her name did something to me. I couldn’t quite say what, but he had my attention. Control.

“After the day they went crazy and fucked up our shit, Nesha said she couldn’t find her for a few days. She put an APB out on her ass damn near. When she finally caught up with her she said she was with you.”

Priest’s eyes were glued to mine for a response.

“She damn sure wasn’t with me.” Even though the concept didn’t sound bad. That was the second time that had come up. The first time was at the wedding when Nesha said that. Le tried to dismiss it as nothing.

“Stop with all that allusive shit, cuz. Just tell me how the pussy was.” Chaz dumb ass spoke pulling a blunt from his pocket.

“You gossip like a bitch.” Priest laughed.

“You acting like you don’t want to know. I waited almost a year to ask you this shit.”

“Out of all the shit to ask, that’s the first question? Don’t even ask a nigga how business is or nothing?”

“Shit, you . I knew you would get your shit right. You know I got my ear to that anyway, and I see the ripples getting ready to turn into waves, so don’t give me that. I can’t talk to Priest about shit because his ass is locked down. On top of that, he always trying to make me look bad. All this shit he doing for Satisa. Nesha's ass is on my head. Priest took Satisa to an island for their wedding, now he planning an anniversary trip. Mmmcht, new nigga me, please! ” He mocked.

“Sound like you need to step shit up then.” Priest rose from his chair, and Chaz waved him off. He extended the blunt to me, and I shook my head. His face dropped. Here we go .

“My bad cuz. I’m putting this shit out.”

“You good. Y’all got it.”

“I wouldn’t even feel right.” Chaz put the blunt out in the ashtray and fanned the smoke just as the sliding door from the back door opened and Le came into the room. The first thing I saw was the sheer sarong that barely covered the two-piece bikini. Her thick thighs spoke a different language and I was clearly the translator. Her full C cups sat up looking perfect as ever. The pouty bowlike lips that I could make out were looking soft and it made me think about whether they still felt as good as they looked. One second and her ass put something on me that made my head spin for months. I told myself then I shouldn’t play with her fire. Not if I wanted my sanity.

“What up sis’?” Chaz stepped up and she rolled her eyes. She acknowledged Priest with a smile. When her brown eyes landed on me, her eyes widened briefly, but she composed herself and gave another wave. She did it all without stopping her motion to the front door and didn’t say a word.

“Hell nah! You see that shit? Something up between y’all.” Chaz kept pushing it.

“Nigga swear he damn Inspector Gadget. Get yo’ ass out of here. We gotta start loading this shit up before Satisa come looking for me.” Priest was heading toward his garage and Chaz fell in step with him.

“Inspector Gadget? That old-ass show. That come from hanging out with Carlos on those nights he did security. He loved that shit.” Chaz cracked up.

“Hell yeah. Had our asses sit there and watch those old episodes. Get our ass knocked out if we tried to change the channel.” Priest joined in on the laughs. I heard them, and it brought a smile from me, but my eyes were still trained on the door she left out of.

“Y’all give me a minute.”

“A minute for what?” Chaz asked with a goofy smile.

“Cuz get yo’ ass out here.” Priest had to damn near pull him out of the house and all I could do was shake my head. Le was looking good as fuck. Not only that, but I was also interested in why the hell she would start that rumor about being with me those few days. After the wedding, I went underground, not speaking to anyone for a few months. As much as I wanted to pursue her at that point in my life, I was an open wound, and all I could do was bleed on her. No one deserved that, and by the look in her eyes, I could tell she had been through more than a little bit. That’s what made me settle for the uncharacteristic fling. The emotions she would drum up inside of me while I was trying to recover myself would have been in constant contention.

I busied myself above my brother’s fireplace, keeping an eye on the door, knowing I wasn’t moving until she came through it. I lifted the same damn six candles that sis’ had on the mantel a dozen times before I decided to walk toward the door. What if she left? That wouldn’t make sense. She had no keys or purse in her hands. I took a few steps from the knob, and it swung into me so quickly I had to step back.

The first thing I noticed was a frown on her face. The next thing I noticed was that she wasn’t alone. When she saw that I was still here in the living room, her frown deepened. Everything inside of me told me that it had more to do with him than with me. I don’t know if that was all ego, but that’s what I was going with.

“You good, Le? Let me talk to you for a minute,” I asked ignoring the nigga taking up space and air.

“Bruh, why the fuck do you got so much to say all the time?” My eyes finally landed on him and I realized he was the same nigga she had with her at the wedding. “Tweet, what the fuck is this shit about?” his voice elevated and I cut a smile. I begged myself internally to calm down. He just didn’t know I loved this type of shit.

“Devin, please do not show out at my best friend's house. You are the one that just showed up. We all came over to plan another surprise for Satisa, but she just thinks it’s a baby shower. Don’t act crazy and don’t ruin the surprise because Satisa can come in this house at any time.”

“Fuck that, Tweet. What this nigga on the planning committee or some shit? Ain’t nobody else here to talk to you?”

“You directing that energy in the wrong area, ain’t you bruh? I’m here if you have questions. First thing you need to do is lower your damn voice. That’s a woman and her ears, work just fine.”

“What you say to me nigga?” He said but didn’t make a move forward. He wasn’t gone bust a grape in a fruit fight. I didn’t repeat myself because, just like hers, this niggas ears worked too.

“Devin please.” She turned to him and that was enough for him to calm down. He was trying to play that tough guy shit because he mugged me as she whispered something to him. The only thing I made out was the last part.

“Don’t worry, I’ll handle it. Just give me a minute.” She spoke to him first, then turned back to me. “, if you needed to tell me something, you really could’ve just told Nesha.” Her body was better than I remembered. Or maybe each time I saw her, I discovered something I enjoyed even more.

“Those two days.”

“, we should talk later.” She quickly pivoted.

“Nah, whatever y’all want to talk about, you damn sure can talk around me.” He interjected, and his phone rang as her eyes swept toward him. He stood firm for a second, but after the third ring, he answered. Le rolled her eyes to the ceiling. What the hell were they on? It couldn’t be serious because that was the same thing that happened in the lobby.

“You are trying to be funny with that one, . Really?”

“I mean if I’m supposed to be upholding a lie, at least I should know what the lie is and why I am covering for it.”

“You don’t have to cover for me. I’m grown. Just tell them the same way you told Nesha. I wasn’t with you.”

“But why do I feel like you are the only one that kept it up? What happened over those two days.”

Her eyes plummeted to the ground. I looked at him over in the corner, engrossed in whatever conversation he was in while his eyes were still locked on us. There ain’t no muthafuckin’ way I would allow another man this close to my woman, and this was her choice? Then, a crazy thought dropped in my mind when I looked back at her.

“Did he hit you?”

“What? Hell no! Are you crazy?” Her eyes bugged out her head like I lost it.

“Well, then, tell me something. Where were you then?”

“It’s private, . I’ll clear everything up. I’m sorry for involving you.”

“Just some business baby. Sorry, I had to step away. You good here?” He came back to her side. “I’m Devin, bruh. I would try to shake your hand again, but my baby told me you are a germaphobe. That’s why you don’t shake hands. Some soft ass shit, but I get it. Everybody has their thing.” He pulled her snugly to his side, and her eyes hid from me once again.

“She told you that? What else she tell you about me?” I smirked, and finally those gorgeous brown eyes attached to mine.

“I don’t know what the hell you think you are doing, . Devin, there is nothing going on between us, but that is Priest’s brother. I’m pissed off already, so can we go sit down and chill so we can stop with this little… whatever the hell it is that y’all call yourselves doing.” She snapped, but Devin and I still eyed each other for a few minutes before either one of us spoke. He knew I was competition, and I was confident that he wasn’t any.

“You right, Tweet. I mean look at you. I can’t blame any nigga for trying to get a look, but that’s all it will ever be because we locked in. Twelve years with this one, so as long as there ain’t no disrespect, we cool.”

“She is her own woman. I’m sure she can decide her own boundaries. Y’all have a good time.”

“Let’s go, Devin.” She gripped his hand because I was sure he wanted to reply to my statement. She had a damn puppy—no wonder she didn’t respect him.

I stood planted as they moved around me. It took everything I had not to fuck that nigga up. My skin crawled when I saw his hand on the small of her back. I had no right to feel the way I felt. That was one of the reasons I had to check myself after the wedding. I looked her ass up and was getting ready to do everything I thought possible to make her smile and make her happy. I stalked social media pages and all. I could be obsessive to a fault, but people weren’t objects. She was worthy of me being at my best, and even after all this time, I still wasn’t sure if I was yet. There was danger in pursuing her. Falling victim to who I could become when I pledged my loyalty to someone was a realized fear I wasn’t ready to be vulnerable to. Yet, she called to me. Her eyes flitted back in my direction before she walked out the back. There was a pleading in her eyes. A silent communication.

I stared at the sliding door for what felt like an hour.

Leave that girl alone, .

I walked to the garage. Chaz and Priest were halfway through loading the wood into the truck's bed.

“How the hell you gone get that to the plane without sis’ knowing?” I announced my presence.

“Don’t worry about that. I got that part just use those newly made muscles and help us lift this shit, nigga,” Priest spoke without stopping his movement.

“Hell yeah! This nigga out here hulking, but not trying to do no work. Big for no reason ass,” Chaz joked, but I could clearly see the sweat on his brow. “You gone have enough time to build all this shit once we land and be out the same day?”

“You don’t know my hands, Chaz.”

“This nigga can build anything,” Priest said, not missing a beat with loading the wood. I realized that Chaz and I were the only ones standing still, and I got into the swing of helping. We started an assembly line, and the work began diminishing quickly.

“Yeah, I remember that shit when we were younger. This nigga got so much pussy from them older women. Nigga was eighteen knocking off twenty-five and thirty-year-olds. Fixing microwaves, cars, and shit. Them old hoes loved that shit.” Chaz laughed.

“Hell yeah! Remember Mama caught that one chick in our house?” Priest asked, and we all fell into a fit of laughter. I was hell when I was younger.

“Naw, it was the fact that he told Auntie that it was his teacher and almost got away with that shit!” Chaz said.

“Would’ve got away with the shit, too, if she didn’t act crazy when she saw somebody texted my phone,” I remembered that shit like it was yesterday.

“I felt so bad for her fine ass. She found out she was getting cheated on and got her ass whooped by Auntie in a matter of seconds!”

“That’s why I’m over shit like that now. Y’all chill.” I waved them off.

“Yeah, that shit was wild, but that’s it. Let’s get in this party before my wife comes looking.” Priest led the way as we tracked our steps back through the living room.

“So you still ain’t gone say shit about Twin? I know yo’ ass waited in the living room for her.” Chaz brought it back up. I thought I was out of the woods with it since he hadn’t spoken it up earlier. I should’ve known. Chaz wasn’t the type to let anything go.

“Her name ain’t Twin nigga. I told you that shit ain’t like that.” I was hoping to kill that conversation. I barely had my head around what I wanted to do, so I wasn’t sharing that with Chaz. I wasn’t sharing that shit with anybody until we could get on the same page. I could admit it was something though.

We stepped outside and everything slowed down as I heard all types of female screams in the corner of the backyard. There was Nesha, Satisa, my mother, my youngest sister Pria, and I assumed some friends of Satisa. All the women were standing around Le in a semi-circle, screaming their heads off.

“What the hell is going on out here?” I asked as we all took aggressive steps that way.

There wasn’t a need to answer because once the crowd shifted slightly, Devin was on one knee with a ring box in his hand. I was never so happy with the twenty-twenty vision I possessed in my life. Le looked around the crowd until her eyes landed on me. Our connection lingered there momentarily. I held my gaze tight to her face until she looked down again. A few seconds later, she nodded her head, and another round of screams swirled through the air, making my blood boil.

“I guess you right, cuz. It really ain’t like that,” Chaz spoke.

I made it two steps before Priest grabbed my arm to stop my motion. “Bruh, chill.”

“Aww shit! This is about to be good! Welcome back cuz!” Chaz said.