A Return to Arms by Sheree L. Greer

Author:Sheree L. Greer [Greer, Sheree L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781626396821
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Published: 2016-02-29T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

Toya, Fishbone, Folami, and Kanaan arrived at Fishbone’s grandmother’s house in South St. Pete around midnight. Toya made a U-turn at the end of the cul-de-sac and pulled in front of the ranch-style house only blocks away from Lake Maggiore. She put the car in “park” but didn’t kill the engine. Thelonious Monk’s fluttering keys accompanied by the soft boom-tick of drums and short blasts of trumpets filled the car; they’d driven home to the comforting sounds of public radio’s late night jazz. The block was quiet and empty. Fishbone whispered a quick thanks and climbed out of the car. He walked up to the side door, keys in hand, and waited. Toya waited to see what Kanaan was going to do. She knew he stayed with Fishbone when he’d worn out his welcome at either of his baby mamas’ houses.

“Am I taking you somewhere?” Toya asked.

“Nah,” he said. “Here’s good.” He grabbed at the door handle.

“You want to get whatever the hell you have in the trunk?” Toya said, not a drop of patience in her voice.

“Ain’t nothing in the trunk.” He sighed and rolled his eyes. He cleared his throat. “It’s under the seat.”

Toya turned to face him. He looked away. She shook her head and faced front, getting her bearings and preparing herself for what she’d find when she reached beneath the driver’s seat. She leaned forward against the steering wheel and reached underneath the seat. Her fingers stretched and wiggled until she felt it. Cold. Steel. Toya pushed her hand farther and wrapped her fingers around the barrel. She pulled the gun slowly, wrapping her fingers around it carefully. Finally, she held the weight of it in her hand. She sat up and held the gun in her palm. Folami sat forward and gasped. She looked at Kanaan. Tears filled her eyes and her bottom lip trembled. She turned away from him, staring out the window.

Toya handed Kanaan the .45, the weight of it, coupled with the immense weight of the trouble they narrowly avoided, made her hand shake as she passed the gun toward the back of the car. Kanaan took it and began to speak.

“Just get the fuck out,” Toya said.

Kanaan turned to Folami. “Look, I’m sorry—”

“Just get the fuck out of the car, Kanaan,” Toya said.

He sighed and climbed out of the car. He stuffed the gun in the front of his pants and held it in place as he jogged up to the side entrance. Fishbone raised his fist in the direction of the car then pushed open the door. Kanaan followed him inside.

Toya put the car in gear and drove off. She turned the music down and drove slowly, cruising up MLK Jr. Drive, heading north. When she reached Twenty-Second Avenue South, she flipped the turn signal and moved into the left turn lane.

“Can we go to your place?” Folami said.

Toya looked at Folami over her shoulder. She didn’t move. She kept staring out the window.

“Yeah,” Toya said. “Whatever you want.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.