Mónéy Matters

Chapter Sixty-One

|Icy|

"Can you please hand me that bag over there," Toni asked as she begun to breast feed the baby. I got up from the chair and grabbed the bag before placing it on the nightstand beside her. It had been a week since she had given birth to the baby and to my surprise he had grown three pounds. News like that should've made me happy but unfortunately it didn't. My plate was full with a lot of bullshit and I couldn't even give my son the attention he deserved. First I had Carlos blowing my phone up, reminding me about the drug and money exchange next week. Chanel was still pissed at me for not going to the doctor's appointment with her, Mónéy hadn't made a decision yet, which meant we were going to be one person short for the trip. To top it all off Mona's ass was up to some sneaky shit with the information she had given me.

"Aye you think they gon' let us leave hea' today. I mean I'm all for the baby getting healthy but me and hospitals ain't no good combination. I hate fucking hospitals," I told her, taking a seat in the chair I was sitting in before. She shrugged her shoulders and continued to feed the baby.

"I'm just as ready as you are. The doctor said he's reached the weight limit plus a few more pounds. I guess all we can do is wait. Did you come up with a name yet? Today is the last day for you to sigh the birth certificate," she reminded me. I ran my hand over my head that was in need of a serious hair cut. I had found out who the dude was that was living at the address Mona had given me. At least I thought I did, he looked like I had seen him around somewhere, making me doubt the paternity of the child. I had gotten a DNA kit from the lab and swiped his mouth while they were asleep. Part of me felt guilty while the other part felt like I needed to know.

"No not yet. Is there a way we can stall them for a while," I questioned as I looked at the multiple unread messages and missed calls. Sitting in this hospital had made me feel like I was in prison, locked away from everybody else.

"Why would we do that Icy? Just pick a damn name. If that's too hard, name him after you. I mean, not only is he your first born but he's your first son. It's only right that he's a Jr," she inquired. I rubbed the back of my neck and closed my eyes. I don't know if she was playing tricks on me or not but this whole situation was becoming too stressful for me.

"Just gimme some more time. Look I'm finna go make a couple of calls, when I come back up, we'll discuss some names," I told her. She smiled brightly and pulled the baby close to her. When I was away from the hospital, I breath a breathe of fresh air. Roaming around that hospital was making my nerves bad. I jogged to my car and went straight for the rolled blunt that was sitting in my glove department. Not caring that it was most likely stale, I lit it and quickly took a puff from it. I allowed it to take over my system and relax my nerves.

My phone rung in my hand, causing it to fall on the floor to the car. I sighed before lazily leaning over a scooping it up. A block number flashed across the screen and I knew exactly who it was. I put the blunt to my mouth and answered Carlos.

"Yo," I spoke.

"Eh Icy, mio amico I must admit that I'm not pleased with you avoiding my calls. Your behavior makes me very suspicious and when I get suspicious, people begin to die. I was going to make a personal trip down there myself until I got word that your little one came early. Congratulazioni," he shouted. I sat up straight and looked at my surroundings.

"You got niggas following me? That shit wasn't in the deal. The deadline for the exchange is next week, I ain't gotta answer my phone for you," I ranted, getting angry.

"Calm down my friend, it's just for your protection. Wouldn't want you to get snipped with my drugs and money on you, that would be bad for me. Anyways there's a change of plans, I'm going to need that before the deadline. I'll give you a few days to get shit in order, then I'll want my money. Don't fail me Icy, I would hate to have to end you," Carlos said. I was about to speak up before I heard the dial tone. I closed my eyes in frustration and banged my fist on the steering wheel. Shit was getting hectic and I needed to get my shit under control.