Kingsbridge (a Nas Story)

THIRTY FIVE

"NAS AND CAMILLE AN ITEM?"

"NAS GONE MISSING: HAVE YOU SEEN HIM?"

"ILLMATIC NO MORE — HAS NAS LOST IT?"

Nasir | Three Days Later

Giana snatched the magazines from my hands and tossed them in the trash bin of the hospital's waiting area.

"I told you to stop looking at that shit." She gritted through her tightly clenched jaw. She talked to me as if I was Des or some shit. But, I know she means well.

The media had done nothing but create more drama. I canceled all award show appearances and campaign deals. My main priority was moms and my kids. My feelings for Giana and Camille were out of whack, especially with the both of them being beside me as we waited for Ma to wake up from her medically induced coma.

The doctors did this so that she could get the proper rest after an eighteen hour long surgery. The cancerous tissue and tumors were removed from her breast successfully. I was able to take Destined to school like normal and spend majority of the day beside my moms.

"I said the same thing." Camille said in agreement with my ex-wife. Her legs hooked over my thighs as she tried her best to make herself comfortable in the hospital chairs.

It was just us three this time. Allen had to attend his daughter's award ceremony at school and Ms. Helen stopped by for a few hours this morning with Pria to check on everyone. Stacy was off at work and Jungle was at the house. Although I felt awkward with the two of them being in the same room as one another, they energy wasn't off putting.

"Y'all really think I'm falling off?" I raised my brow at Gia who was leaning against the wall with folded arms. Her hair twisted into a bun that was held by a pink butterfly clip. She wore a powder pink Baby Phat velour set. The zipper of her hoodie was low enough to show a slither of white from the cup of her bra.

She rolled her eyes as she chewed her gum with vigor.

"When the last time Nas fell off?" Gia asked as she tucked her velour covered arms further under her breasts.

"Never!" Camille chimed in, her legs still resting hooked over my thighs.

"Thank you." Gia said as she nodded her head in Camille's direction before taking a seat in the chair across from ours. "That's not what them Roc-a-Fella niggas saying." I scoffed at their attempt to try to lift a nigga's spirits up.

I had been hearing rumors in the street that a few niggas under Dame and Jay didn't like what I had to say on the last project. One in particular had been taking shots at me since then. Memphis Bleek or some shit.

"You care about what they think about you? Who is this sitting in front of me right now?" Gia screwed her face in disbelief. "This is not the Nasir I know." She added. It felt like salt being rubbed into an open wound.

"I mean, come on now. Between you and anyone over there at Roc-a-Fella? You'd clear them, hands down." Camille rubbed the back of her calf over my knee as she spoke to me. I looked over at Gia who quickly glanced at her wrist watch. I could tell she was growing uncomfortable at the sight of us.

"None of them are a threat. You don't have shit to worry about. Trust me." Gia said without breaking eye contact from the bezel on her left wrist. Her hand looked bare without my diamond on it, but I had to take that on the chin.

I concealed my emotions on my face as I looked over at my new girl who ran her fingers through her hair to pull her extensions into a ponytail with the holder that was around her wrist.