Adrienne

When I wake up, Tupac isn't in bed.

I know he hasn't left though because his rolex is on the night stand.

"Tupac." I call his name sleepily as I get up from the bed. He doesn't answer, making me walk down the hall.

He's laying on the living room couch asleep, the TV is on.

I shake him gently, making his eyes open slowly. Tupac rubs his eyes before yawning and sitting up.

"Hey baby. Why are you in here and not in the bed?" I ask, sitting on the arm of the couch. He clears his throat. "I couldn't sleep at first and ian wanna wake you up, so I came in here and watched TV til I fell asleep." He says.

"Aww, you could've woke me up. We could've stayed up together." I say, he just smiles.

He scoots over and I sit next time him.

"What you got planned for today? Hanging with the boys?" I ask, resting my head on his shoulder.

"Nah. Actually.. Ima go talk to my mama."

I sit up, looking at him with wide eyes. He told me him and his mom haven't spoken in months. This must be why he couldn't sleep last night.

"Oh.." I say, not knowing what else to say, he doesn't seem excited about it.

"Yea. There was some miscommunication between her and my sister about me. So I needa clear that up." He says. I just nod slowly.

"So if this miscommunication hadn't happened.. You wouldnt be going to talk to her today?" I ask, as he stands up, he faces me, worry on his face, or maybe he's nervous.

"Probably not."

"She's your mom Lesane." I say, but he waves me off.

"I know."

~

After me And Tupac both get dressed, he kisses my cheek.

"Ima see you later." He says, before his eyes roam down my body. "Hol up. Where you finna go?" He asks, making me chuckle.

"Just out and about. No where specific." I smile, Before kissing his lips.

"Well stay out of trouble, and make sure you on time fa work." He says, I roll my eyes playfully.

I'm never late to work.

Tupac

I hesitate before knocking on the door.

Its been almost a year since I been at home. Nothings changed, same metal chairs on the porch, same chipped white window frames.

She ain't used none of that money I been sending.

When the door opens, my heart drops into my stomach, but its just Sek. I suck my teeth, before pulling the screen door open and walking in past her.

"You don't have to be rude." She says.

"I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you so shut up." I say, walking through the house, looking for my mama, but she's not here.

"She'll be here in like 20 minutes. She's at work." Sek calls out from the front room.

I go into my old bedroom.

Everything is still where I left it.

When I decided to run the streets, my mama told me I couldn't stay here no more. She said she wouldn't let me put her and Sek in danger, and that things was hard enough as it was.

But I was tryna help, I knew we needed money.

And so when she still wouldn't let me come home with my "drug money", I decided to drop the game with the money I had and open Black Cotton. I thought that would make her proud of me, I didn't even care about not living at home no more cause by then I had my own place. I just wanted to make her proud, I still do.

But once I got a taste of allat money, it was all I needed, so me and the boys started robbing gas stations and shit. It was perfect cause why would a nigga with his own money go around robbing people?

I was the last person they suspected.

Then gas stations got old, we wanted bigger and better.

So we hit a bank. It was up from there.

Word started getting around the streets that I wasn't the nigga to play with, so I took that and ran wit it. Built my empire up.

Saddest thing is, mama ain't even seen the inside of my club. The person I did it for, won't even come and see all that hard work I put in, all that hard work I'm still doing.

Thats why I'm not really interested in talking to her, the phone works both ways, so apparently she wasn't interested either.

She probably only wants to ask if Sek was telling the truth.

I look around my room, Polaroids of me and Kiada still on my nightstand.

Things used to be so damn easy.

"Is that yo brother's car out there?"

I hear my mamas voice, making me walk up the hall slowly. My boots making the wooden floor creak.

I stuff my hands in my pockets as my eyes meet with hers.

We just stare at each other for a while, before Sek clears her throat, and takes mama's purse from her hand. "I'll put this in your room." She says, before walking down the hall.

"That car out there look like it cost a whole lot." She says, before walking over to the couch and sitting down.

"It did." I shrug.

"The strip club doing that well huh?" She asks, folding her arms over her chest.

I sigh.

"It ain't a strip club ma. You gonna ask about what Sek told you or not? Cause if not ima go." I say, she sits up in her seat, folding her hands together in her lap.

"Son.." She trails off, trying to think of her words.

"You've been taking money from people.." My mama says, I look away from her, starting to pace back and forth slowly.

"I didn't raise you like that." She says.

I clear my throat.

"Yea you right. You ain't raise me with no money at all."

"You know I don't support you breaking the law like that. You could get hurt, or killed-"

"Look. Don't try to act like you give a damn. I been running the streets my way since you kicked me out ya house. Not once did you call to see if I was dead or alive." I say, raising my voice a little.

"I-" she hesitates.

"I know you know how to take care of yourself Lesane, but this isn't the way to do it." She says.

I suck my teeth.

"I think we done here. If you need anything tell Sek to let me know." I say, before starting to walk towards the door.

"Lesane, just wait a second." She says, getting up from her seat.

I turn around, avoiding eye contact with her. "You are my son, and I love you." She says, making me look up at her.

"But I won't allow you to get yourself killed. So either you turn yourself in, or I'll do it for you." She says. I feel my face heat up.

I just nod, before walking out the door, and closing it behind me.

I'll be damned if I turn myself in. Even if she went to the police she ain't got a single piece of physical evidence that I did anything Sekyiwa told her I did.

It wouldn't hold up.

"Look man. Its this bank called "Beverley Heights, its a lil bit of a drive out but we could definitely hit that one too." Que says, laying a blue print on my desk in front of me.

I just look at him before sitting up in my seat.

"Nah." I say.

"What you mean nah? So we shut down just like dat?" He asks, raising his voice at me. I massage my temples, already not in the mood for his shit.

"I said what I said man. We done."

"Well shit. Me and Raheem could just hit it up ourselves. We don't need you." He says, grabbing the layout and getting up from his seat.

"That ain't smart." I say.

"Fuck you." Que says, before walking out of my office and slamming the door.

Shit going from bad to worse.

I lay the clothes on the counter and look through my purse for my credit card.

"Oh my goodness this is one of my favs." The girl says, holding up one of the dresses I picked out as she rings up my clothes, "it'll be super cute on you." She adds.

"Thank you." I say.

"I think I've seen you before somewhere." She says, I look up at her, I've seen her before at the club. She was with a guy though. "Your total is $337.89."

"Don't you work at Black Cotton?" She asks.

I nod, as she swipes my card.

"Oh my Gosh I love it there, you guys have the best food." She smiles, before handing my card back and bagging my clothes. "You guys must get paid a lot."

I just look at her.

I take the bags from her hand and start to walk away. "Thanks."

"Have a great day." She says, making me turn briefly, she waves at me excitedly.

That was weird.

I wonder how Tupac's talk with his mom went. I hope for both of their sakes that it went well. Everyone needs their mother.

When I get to work, the first thing I do is go upstairs to Lesane's office.

I knock on the door but there's no answer.

"If you lookin fa boss man, he went home for the night." Jay, one of Pac's security guards says. I've seen him a couple times before, he's normally downstairs, but I guess when Lesane isn't here he guards his office door.

That's weird.

He probably just had a mentally exhausting day. I'll call him when I get home.

~

"Hey." I speak into the phone. "You okay? Its not like you to miss work."

I hear Tupac sigh on the other end.

"Can you come over?" He asks, his voice is low and sad, the talk with his mom must've not went well.

"Yea, sure." I say, "What's your address?" I ask, grabbing a pen off my nightstand and writing down what he says on my hand.

"Ain't hard to find. I got a privacy fence out front, you'll see it." Tupac says.

"Okay, give me fifteen."

"Igh." He says, before hanging up.

I feel kind of anxious about going to his house since I've never been. I bet its really nice, but as much as he's at Black Cotton, or at my apartment with me, it probably feels kind of lonely.

I hate it when Lesane's upset.

His whole personality disappears and he goes into this work only mind state. That's one of the few things that I think I know for sure about him.

I look over at the clock on my wall.

12:42 AM

Since working at the club my sleep schedule has been ridiculous. Even though most nights after I get off and don't go to sleep until maybe two, my body still wants to wake me up around eight in the morning. I guess it just feels right.

I couldn't sleep all day if I tried.

After packing an overnight bag, and a couple of hair ties just in case, I grab my keys and head for the door.

I hope I can cheer him up some, he deserves to be happy.

~ end of chapter

Hey guys! So first and foremost, hope you enjoyed this chapter😁 secondly, some of you may have noticed the new book I uploaded a day or two ago. Its a short story, a Tupac fan fiction ofc. I think its really good so feel free to check that out for me. Btw the next few chapters are gonna be crazzzyyy. Love ya, bye - Zayla💓