Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 109178 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 546(@200wpm)___ 437(@250wpm)___ 364(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109178 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 546(@200wpm)___ 437(@250wpm)___ 364(@300wpm)
“I’m not a child.”
“You aren’t… but you’re mine. My grandchild. You belong to me.” His voice hardened. “The elders always know what’s best. Why do you think things always go to shit when the younger folk are runnin’ things? If you look at ancient times, it was the elders, the grandparents and great-grandparents, who made all major decisions for the clan. Wisdom only comes with experience. Experience only comes with time. Time only comes with age. People say all the time how blood will treat you worse than a stranger, and that may be true in some cases, but that blood is like a code. It stands for somethin’, Lennox, and it can’t be broken. Code of honor and respect. The blood of Christ… Flesh of my flesh, blood of my blood.” He placed his hand across his heart. “Family is the answer.”
“You’re the answer? Then I’ll never have a question. In fact, I have nothin’ to say to you. Consider me mute.” He leaned forward and lowered his voice, while the subdued sounds of ‘Love Me JeJe,’ by Tems played in the background.
“Lennox, you can pretend to be deaf, mute and blind, but the Lord will open your eyes and force you to see. This is my last appeal to you.”
“Grandpa, the Lord will force us to do nothing. I have free will, as do you. You’ve been exercising your free will,” He placed his hand on his hip and leaned slightly forward. “And I’m just doin’ the same. There’s something called Jahannam, and according to my mama, it’s a bad place for evildoers in the afterlife. Islam’s definition of hell. I’m not Muslim, but I respected my mother’s beliefs. You wanted to talk to me about my mama’s legs bein’ open when you first got in here making a ruckus. Well, guess what? The doors of Jahannam will be wide open for you. I’m sure most men would prefer the legs… My whore of a mother, as you like to call her, will be looking down on you from Heaven, and when she does, I ’magine you’ll beg her to spit on you to help put out the fire. But instead, she’ll grab some gasoline, pour it all over your writhing body, and laugh as you burn.” Lennox cackled.
“Watch it now.” Grandpa’s chest rose and fell faster, and his complexion deepened. “You watch your tongue, boy… I see you’ve been takin’ lessons from crazy Kage! Yeah… I know you two been slippin’ and slidin’ ’round one another like blobs of snot. Family are also the only ones who can get close enough to hurt you, Lennox, but the blood saves. It heals. You better hope and pray I choose the latter.”
“If you respected family so much, Grandpa, you wouldn’t have treated my mother the way you had. She was married to your son. That made her your daughter, too. She was married to the son that did just about everything you asked, and you couldn’t even let him have that in peace. You were jealous that he didn’t love you as much as he loved her, and angry that she didn’t care about you or your twisted opinions about her. You want to be worshiped. Your ass kissed. I ain’t gonna do it. You can come up here with the army brigade, National Guard, and Scooby Doo and Shaggy, and it won’t change a damn thing. My mama was the same way, and you couldn’t stand that she wasn’t afraid of you. Now, if you don’t mind, I need to—”
“Boy, I’ve heard about enough of your lip.” Grandpa jetted his finger in his face. “I want to make somethin’ quite perfectly mother-fuckin’ clear to you. I don’t know what mountain you think you’re standing on, but this ain’t the hill you want to die on. And let me clear that shit you said about your mama up. I never had any ill will towards your mother. Did I like that Aaliyah was one of dem Muslims? Abso-lute-ly fucking not. Did I think she was good enough for the likes of my son? Hell no. I also didn’t give a shit about her bein’ no doctor and havin’ all that education. But you’re right. Your father loved her, so I didn’t touch one hair on her head. I have two simple rules. First rule: Any of my children or grandchildren can love whoever they want to love as long as that person doesn’t interfere with me and my business.
“Second rule, I won’t cause any intervention with anybody y’all are married to, as long as they don’t cause significant, intentional harm to me, or any of my family members, especially those that are involved in the family business. Let’s be fair because your mother broke both of those rules. She knew what was expected, and she decided to do the exact opposite. Multiple times. I gave her ample opportunity to shut the fuck up. Sometimes that woman put silly ideas in your father’s head. He’d get ballsy, and then he’d have to be set straight.” Grandpa placed his hand back on his shoulder. This time, with a bit more pressure.