“Look, I know Calvin was a soldier and y’all fucked up about his death. We were never in Calumet and don’t know nothing. Now, earlier when Calvin was talking, he made a point. We know how y’all get down and y’all know how we get down. If y’all want to be part of SCC y’all more than welcome. Think about it and let us know.”
Joe and Lee left. The boys decided to put the incident in Calumet to bed.
A week later, Joe and Lee never contacted them. The boys had an alibi with Bay Bro just in case. Jon had told him about the Calvin incident the day after it happened. Bay Bro wasn’t pleased to hear about another murder but he couldn’t say much because they were getting money the only way that they knew. All he could do was to caution Jon about the things they were doing and assured him that he had their backs.
Don, Jon, Kay and Zoe were sitting in the Dungeon playing Sega. There was a knock on the door. Zoe answered the door. It was Twon and another person.
“What’s up brothers?” Twon said sounding happier than he had been in a long time. “This is my cousin Ron from Milwaukee.”
The boys greeted Ron. Jon and Kay continued to play Madden football.
“So what part of Milwaukee you from?” Don asked.
“The North side,” Ron said trying to seem hard.
“Oh yeah” Don answered smiling. “My peoples from the North side, do you know Chris and Bo?”
“Yeah, them my peoples, we were getting a lot of money together,” Ron said.
His body language spoke differently. Ron was high yellow with brown eyes. He had a medium frame and corn rolls. He dressed a little country.
“How long you staying?” Zoe asked.
“I’m here for the whole summer but I’m thinking ‘bout moving down permanently.”
Zoe shook his head up and down like it was cool but was thinking that Ron would be trouble.
Don and Jon walked into Jon’s room.
“What do you think?” Don asked his brother.
“I don’t know. I’ll call up Chris and Bo.”
“Yeah, I got a bad vibe.”
In two days, Ron had gotten on everybody’s nerves. He talked all the time and a lot of slick shit came out his mouth. If it wasn’t for Twon, Don would have been shut Ron’s mouth up. Jon wasn’t around to get the full effect of Ron’s mouth because he would be at Bay Bro’s talking and kicking it with Lynette. Jon would leave the room. Now on this day Lynette was with him and they were in his room away from the others. Jon was lying on the bed with Lynette resting beside him with her head on his chest.
“Wanna play spades?”
“I’m chilling right now, maybe later,” Jon said.
Lynette picking her head off his chest looked Jon in the face and said, “Come on Smooch, I want to see you kick they ass. Nobody talks shit to my man.”
“All right, this one’s for you,” Jon said getting up from his bed.
Kay, Jon and Lynette joined the others in the downstairs kitchen. Twon and Ron were slaying Don and Zoe. Ron looked up from the table and saw Lynette, he smiled flirtingly at her. Kay and Jon sat down. The boys started to play cards and Jon thought he saw a signal. After a couple of hands the game was tied up and the deal was in Ron’s hands. He dealt the first four cards then Twon shot Ron a look and Ron skipped himself.
“You missed yourself,” Jon said putting his arm on the table.
“No I didn’t,” Ron said staring at Jon.
“All I’m saying is count your cards,” Jon said keeping cool.
“Count my cards, for what?” Ron asked raising his voice.
“Wait a minute. It’s only a card game. No need to cheat,” Twon said.
“Exactly,” Jon and Ron said at the same time.
“Look Jon,” Ron said with sarcasm leaking. “I ain’t no muthafuckin’ liar and I don’t cheat. I ain’t my cousin either. Shit, I put in work too.”
Zoe backed away from the table as did Kay. Twon stood up and so did Ron. Don told Lynette to go into Jon’s room. She didn’t budge.
“Look, y’all my family, my brothers, but Ron my family too. For me, give him a pass.”
“It’s cool,” Jon said maintaining a calm composure.
“I know it’s cool. Y’all need to calm y’all young asses down,” Ron said trying not to look intimidated.
“Nigga, shut the fuck up!” Lynette screamed pissed off because Ron kept running his mouth. “You ain’t built like that and the only reason you still breathing is because of Twon.”
“Bitch…! Mind your-”
Ron didn’t get the last word out. Jon jumped over the table and was choking him.
“Do something, Don!” Twon screamed.
Don looked down at Ron’s eyes rolling to the back of his head. He kicked him twice in the side of the head before pulling Jon off of him.
Jon pushed his brother to the side and kicked Ron in the face. Twon pushed Jon in the chest. Kay punched Twon right in the eye and was now throwing combinations to the face and body of Twon. Jon got back on Ron throwing rights and lefts to his face.
“Zoe! Grab Kay and I’m a get Jon,” Don said.
Zoe wrestled Kay off Twon. Jon was fed up with Ron’s mouth.
“He talk too much shit,” Jon said still pushing his way past Don.
Lynette wanted Jon to finish the job, slowly walked over and hugged Jon.
“It’s all right baby.”
“Let’s go Kay,” Jon said spitting on Ron. Jon, Kay and Lynette left. Lynette drove.
“I think you made a bad move. You never go against family,” Zoe said pulling Don to the bathroom.
“I didn’t go against Jon. I was just trying to keep him from killing that boy.”
“Hey, it’s not me you got to convince,” Zoe said.
“He’ll be alright,” Don said.
Jon, Kay and Lynette drove to the beach. Lynette figured that water, fresh air and kids would be good for Jon. She parked the car. He refused to get out.
“Come on, baby,” Lynette said rubbing Jon’s shoulder.
“In a minute, let me talk to Kay for a minute and I promise you that I’ll get out.”
Lynette kissed Jon on the forehead and got out of the car leaving Jon to talk with Kay.
“I can’t believe Don went against me like that,” Jon said turning around to face Kay sitting in the backseat. “He’s my blood brother. Shit, we twins!”
“I know what you saying. But you was fucking that boy up. I wasn’t gone jump in it because dude mouth is off the chain. I think Don did what he thought was best.”
“If you didn’t jump in, then why should he? It’s like Twon his brother and not me.” Jon shot back.
“Come on Jon, it ain’t ever like that. You knew that Don would kill Twon in a minute if it came down to you or Twon, y’all brothers man, it be like that.”
“You know what, you right. I call you my cousin but you my brother and I mean that. We go back to kindergarten and you’ve always been there for me. I thank you.”