Sky's The Limit

xliv

forty four | ishaan

"Well, are you sure?" Autumn inquired shortly after we both got settled in my brand new car.

It was the last thing I wanted to buy with my advance money before giving the rest of it to Ms. Shondra.

Once I heard the news, I wanted to help cover funeral and burial costs in any way possible.

Autumn even offered up her ring. I shut that proposition down before Ms. Shondra even had the opportunity to though.

In a way, Will laid down his life for that ring. He made it his business to ensure that I "locked her down" with it.

Pawning it off on his behalf was the last thing he would've wanted.

Even though it's come to my attention that I didn't know everything about my brother, I knew him well enough to know that he wanted what was best for Autumn because I wanted what was best for her.

However, Ms. Shondra rejected my help altogether, insisting that I keep and save my money.

With the assistance of the church and a bit of what Will had saved, she was already set to give him the perfect homegoing.

The casket was nice. The flowers were bountiful. The suit he was buried in was slick. His headstone was beautiful— somethin' that really did him justice.

And all the food that would be at the repast— which was our current destination— would surely be abundant.

I finally answered Autumn's question while waiting for the perfect opening to pull out of my parking spot. "Yeah... I'm sure."

"I mean... How can you be sure though? You've never even met the guy that was talking on the mic before."

"You had to read between the lines, sweet thing," I answered.

"Maybe you and Tony were reading too far into it."

"You wouldn't think nothin' of it because you and your girls talk to each other like that every other day. Men don't—"

"Omari, he just lost his best friend. Are you serious?" her voice shot up in shock.

"Autumn—"

"No, like, seriously, get a grip! You too much of a man to let it be known how much you loved somebody you'll never see again?"

I was momentarily silent as the intensity of the moment ate at the air between us.

Space opened in the street, giving me room to join the flow of traffic. I did so before murmuring, "They were more than friends, Rose."

"Okay, and so what if they were? That doesn't change anything... Does it?" she prompted.

I glimpsed at her from the corner of my eye.

"He was still a dope ass MC," she used her fingers to assign a number to every title, "a kind spirit, a music lover with a great ear, and an amazing brother— according to you, right?"

She started to question me, "Or is none of that true anymore since you think that—"

"You've made your point, Autumn."

"Have I?"

"Yes."

Her silence gave the perfect spotlight for her disbelief to shine.

"Yes!" I reaffirmed with a quick look at her.

She folded her arms and gazed out of the window.