Elijah Baker

Before my grandma Pat woke up dead, she had a favorite saying, 'Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.'

Coby had to be the stupidest nigga I knew.

And I knew a lotta stupid people.

"Ion think you understand the situation." I told him, checking to see if was listening, "That's not some I get into. If he find out, you on your own."

"How would he find out?"

"He know everywhere she go. He prolly got her eating schedule written down somewhere. You don't think he'll notice that?"

That was beside the fact that Jai was pregnant— besides the fact that he was supposed to be moving and shit. I was now wondering if that's why he couldn't pack boxes, 'cause he was doing this.

The prize he'd win from this game would likely be a funeral. Church hats for everybody.

He sighed and stood up, "I'm not doing nun wrong forreal. It's like, Jai gained hella weight. When she have the baby, shit'll go back to how it used to be."

"You ain't know pregnant women gained weight before you got her pregnant?"

"I knew, but Ian know it was gone be that bad."

This subject was sensitive to me for several reasons, the main one being that Coby was so casually cheating on his pregnant girlfriend 'cause of something so petty as weight gain, while it was people– me- who wouldn't care about shit like that.

Secondly, the person he chose to cheat with was too close to home. I didn't care at all if Lauren decided to cheat on Marc, but I did care about the fact that she picked Coby.

"You thinkin' too much into it." Coby decided, "Just go with the flow."

"Nah, you ain't thinking enough. That's fucked up no matter what way you try to put it."

He shrugged, "I'm cool with that. Like I said, it ain't no long-term shit– we having fun. She listen to my music, full songs, help me write and everything, and I can't even get Jailyn to listen to a beat. Lauren talk about how Marc be doing her dirty. We both going through some, we just helping each other get through it."

Whatever way he needed to flip it to help him sleep better at night.

"You not going through shit. Jai be sick as hell inna house and you mad 'cause she don't wanna listen to ya' Dr. Suess ass rapping?"

"Ian' asking you to understand, I'm asking you not to say nun to her about it.... Ken either."

It wouldn't have been my business, but they put me in a bad spot. Keeping secrets was nothing new to me– it was second nature at this point. However, if it did come out, I'd be expected to keep something from happening to both of them.

Coby seemed convinced there was nothing to worry about, though, so who I tried to make myself not worry about it.

• • •

Zi looked around the room in exasperation, "The air don't work innis bitch? I'm hot as hell."

"It say it's on." Coby huffed, "Ion understand why we couldn't just hire somebody to do this."

They were moving a bed that looked heavy. I wouldn't know 'cause I made no attempt to help.

I was sitting in a chair watching them try hard as fuck to get the headboard through the door when all they had to do was lean it and it'd go through.

"Tilt it a lil bit," I suggested.

"Don't say shit if you ain't finna help."

I stopped saying shit because I wasn't finna help.

"Whatchu' come for? You could've stayed at home if you was just gone sit there and look pretty."

"You think I look pretty?" I asked Zi, "I 'preciate that."

"Forreal though, Eli. We can't get it to fit."

Shaking my head, I walked towards them and slightly turned the headboard, pushing it through with ease.

"See how easy that was? I wonder why everybody doesn't just listen to me."

"If everybody listened to you, we'll all be in straight jackets."

"Better a white suit than an orange one. They say the food nasty in prison. Cook for 'em and you'll make some friends."

Zi eyed me suspiciously, "What you so happy for? You was just walking 'round looking like you finna cry, now you over there making jokes?"

"I decided that I don't give a fuck what nobody do." I smiled happily, "Ion' wanna know what y'all doing. Ion' care that Marc cheating again, don't give a damn that Coby doing what he doing. If some happen? Don't call me– figure it out."

"What Coby doing?" He looked to him for an answer.

"It's nun serious. I been vibing with shawty and Eli think it's a problem."

"While ya' girl pregnant? I'll be damned."

Coby repeated the same lines he said earlier, leaving out the part about it being Lauren.

"All I'ma say is, you bold. Women be sniffing shit like that out."

"I still be home every night, still answer when she call." Coby listed, "What's to sniff out?"

I'm sure he would've been happy to keep going, but Jai came through the door carrying bags. Both Zi and I moved to help her, while Coby continued to twist screws into the frame.

"Thanks." She sighed and took my spot in the chair, "Are y'all almost done?"

"Not forreal. It's some more inna car?"

"I told you we should've got a moving company to do this. All this sweating and shit– for what?"

Jai sighed again, rubbing her forehead, "Coby, wrap your head around the fact that we're broke. As fuck. Sorry, you can't take one day out of your very important life and move the bed that you sleep in."

"I can... help get the stuff out the car?" Zi offered, looking at me like I was supposed to do something.

Peaceful Elijah doesn't speak on shit that has nothing to do with him.

"That's 'cause I can't move how I want to. The money outside, but I'm in here helping you."

"Helping me? You must've missed the part where I said you sleep in the bed too?"

"When the last time I even slept in the bed for a full night? You always sayin' you uncomfortable. Gotta sleep on the couch or the floor like a fuckin' dog."

I started inching towards the door, wanting to let them argue in private. This didn't seem like something we should be hearing.

"Y'all be cool. I know a dude who work at the furniture store. He'll have it up, less than an hour."

"I saw a sorrier "man" in my life. Thanks, Zi. I'll ask Ken daddy to come do it."

The screwdriver fell to the floor, and Coby grabbed his phone, mumbling, "I'll be back."

"We got it." Zi volunteered our help, "Eli good with tools."

That was an exaggeration, but it wasn't hard, taking all of 30 minutes to finish it.

Since we were already there, we ended up moving the majority of her bedroom furniture into the room, arranging everything in the way she wanted.

Zi was asking if she wanted us to put the sheets on the bed when she stopped us, "It's okay." She laughed, "I really appreciate y'all."

"Anytime. Call us if you need some else."

When we were in the car, Zi whistled, "Whew shit. Ian' know that was gone go that way."

"It be like that."

"I'm surprised you ain't got nun to say about it. You never be that quiet."

I was checking my emails, "I'm being peaceful. Might start a garden or some. Maybe a farm."

"I know a dude got some chickens. I can ask 'em to sell me some."

"Real supportive." Patting his shoulder, "Lemme know what he say."

• • •

"She showed up in the middle of the night." My mama whispered, "I didn't wanna turn her away."

"That's fine, but why am I here? I can't help her."

"How can you say that when I haven't told you what she needs yet?"

She didn't even like Leah, but we were back to keeping up appearances. I couldn't tell you who she was pretending for and it didn't matter since I didn't plan on being around to find out.

If she wanted to help her? Cool. I was just stuck on her reasoning behind asking me to come here.

"Elijah?" My mama called when I hadn't responded.

"I'm thinkin' of a nice way to tell you that I don't care."

Anger and disappointment flashed through her eyes, "I get that y'all aren't on great terms, but she's still a woman you slept beside for years. The least you could do is hear what she has to say."

"The last thing she said to me was that she prays I get f'd over. I'd say we're not on any terms."

"Let's put the past behind us."

Easy for her to say, "That's what I'm doing– leaving the past behind me."

This was an attempted guilt trip, and it wouldn't work as she couldn't make me feel guilty for not caring. Had she told me over the phone what this was for, I would've hung up by now. Instead, she asked me to come here under the guise that she was the one who needed help.

There was nothing that Leah could need that she couldn't get from someone else.

"It's okay." The words drew our attention to Leah standing in the doorway, "I asked her not to call you. I know you're busy."

"Right. I'll see you later." I went to give my mama a hug that she shrugged off.

"Elijah, just listen. Please."

Groaning loudly, I looked back towards Leah, "Yeah?"

"Do you remember Caleb?"

A friend of hers that I never liked. He was always giving his unwanted opinion, finding ways to insert himself into our marriage.

Leah and I had countless arguments about her over-sharing with him, it confused me 'cause she was so willing to talk to him but refused a person qualified to help her.

"What about him?"

"Well, we tried the relationship thing and it's not working. I let him move into the house and now he won't leave."

"Call the police?" That's common sense, "What you expect me to do?"

She started rubbing her arm, looking everywhere but at me, "I said that, but he knows... stuff. He said he'll tell and I believe him."

So she was laid up pillow talking about me, and now, I gotta fix another problem I didn't create.

I'm sure it was more so that he wouldn't leave than him threatening to go say some shit that they wouldn't be able to prove. A conspiracy charge was what most people caught though, and they'd build a case around that.

The things Leah knew came from years ago when I would vent to her about Christian. I stopped when she began using it against me in arguments. Still, the statute of limitations wasn't up yet.

It all depended on what she told him, "What all he know?"

"Just, a couple of things." She paused, "Everything?"

"See, it seem like you more of the problem than him. What be going through your head?"

"I was vulnerable– I thought I could trust him."

"That don't mean talk about me. You think I sit around and find ways to bring you up? No, 'cause I'm not fuckin' delusional."

My mama had quietly exited the room, Leah standing in the spot where she once was, "I'm sure it's a lot you don't talk about with her."

"Look where talkin' to you got me. In another corner I gotta get out of."

"Are you gonna help or not? I did you a favor by coming here when I could've just let whatever was gonna happen, happen."

It was safe to say I hated Leah, "You did yourself a favor coming here."

"The threats have gotten old, Elijah. If you planned on doing something to me, we both know you would've done it already."

Maybe she had a point.

"I'll tell you when to go back to the house."

"Thank you."

I made a mental note to add my mama to the list of people not to answer the phone for.

• • •

My fork moved food around the plate as Kensley explained to me why Jailyn thought Coby was cheating on her.

Her thoughts were valid but I couldn't say that. I figured Zi was right when he said women know regardless of what you do to hide it, and it was confirmed when Kensley relayed the differences Jai noticed.

"Have you seen him talking to anybody?"

"No," I answered honestly.

I didn't see him talking to Lauren, I just knew her number and noticed it on Coby's phone.

"Would you tell me if you did?"

"No."

She leaned back in the chair, surprised, "Why?"

"I just don't think that's our business. I'm tryna' stay out everybody way."

"I understand." Kensley nodded, "Just... answer this, and I won't ask anything else."

The fork continued to separate food I knew I wouldn't eat, "Wassup?"

"Last week when I was helping her pack and stuff. You were sleep when I came home. But Coby told Jai he was with you."

That wasn't a question, "Okay?"

"So, where was he?"

"Not with me."

She nodded again, slowly this time, watching my face for something, "Was he doing something for you?"

He wasn't, but the truth would be harder to accept than a lie. The lie would keep people from getting killed, and I hated that Coby put me in a position that I had to do the thing I hated having done to me.

There just wasn't another option, as if I told her, she'd probably call Jai as soon as we left the table.

This was why I felt like I couldn't, or shouldn't, share information with Kensley. She had too many ties to too many things— too many people.

Morals, I guess you could say, while my loyalty and sense of peace were stronger than morality.

So, no, I couldn't talk to her about certain things as I didn't want to ask her to lie on my behalf unless it was necessary.

"Yeah." I forced myself to swallow rice, "He was doing some for me."

And I knew she wouldn't ask what.

She ate the rest of her food, silently.

• • •

Kensley Parker

I waited until Elijah was asleep before going back downstairs, calling Jailyn to ask, "Did he come home yet?"

"Yeah. What'd Eli say?"

"He said he's never seen Coby talking to anybody, and he was doing something for him last week."

Jai breathed a sigh of relief, "That's good, right?"

"He was lying."

Elijah had never completely lied to me, telling just enough of the truth to act innocent. At the table tonight, he wouldn't even look at me when we were talking.

Whether Jai was pregnant or not, I still would've told her what was going on.

"So now what?"

There wasn't an answer I could give, "I have no idea. What do you wanna do?"

"I'm finna put the bitch out."

Her tone was decisive, and after she told me goodnight, I went upstairs and tried to sleep. Of course, I couldn't, tossing and turning while trying to make sense of why Elijah lied about it.

The obvious reason was that he knew I'd tell Jailyn, but that begged the question of did he know who the woman was.

As I lay there playing detective, the doorbell began ringing repeatedly, accompanied by a banging. Elijah sat straight up, looking down at me before reaching for his phone and checking the camera feed, "You must've talked to Jai?"

"Yes."

"I don't wanna deal with this shit right now." He laid back down, "He'll leave."

He didn't leave, continuing to pound on the door until Elijah threw the covers back and stormed to the door, yanking it open, "The fuck wrong witchu'?!"

"Nah, I'm tryna see what's wrong with y'all. I ask you not to say nun to Ken, and it ain't even been one day before she calling Jai. Now I gotta find somewhere to go 'cause y'all worried 'bout some shit that don't have nothing to do with nobody over here!"

Their words floated to the top of the stairs where I was standing. I hadn't intended on saying anything to him, I just wanted to hear, but Coby had something to say to me, directing his gaze to the stairs, "That's fucked up you'll do some like that. She pregnant and all, and instead of you being a friend, you stressing her out, tellin' her shit you could've kept to yourself."

"Watch how you talk to her."

He laughed, "She got more important stuff to worry about than what I'm doing. Tell her why you paid me 5 racks to dig a hole– since we sharing shit. Right there in ya' mama bac-"

Elijah pushed Coby outside, slamming the door behind them.

I wanted to know why he got paid 5 grand to dig a hole.

That's the first thing I asked Elijah when he came back into the room, only I didn't get the answer I was looking for.

"I don't like when you put me in positions where I gotta lie to you."

"You never have to lie to me. That's a choice you make."

He shook his head, "No, it's our reality. I can't tell you anything, and you can't ask me questions that you don't really want the answers to."

"How do you know I don't want the answers?" I argued, "Isn't that the purpose of asking questions? For answers?"

"Lemme ask you some. If you were 'bout to go to jail on an accessory charge, would you tell?"

Hell yeah.

"It depends."

"On what?"

I thought about it, "What the crime was, who did it. Stuff like that."

"Wrong answer. You should've said yes, you'll go, 'cause if you tell, you'll end up dead. So the two options of me telling you anything, if everything gets fucked, are you going to jail or ending up dead. Which one you picking?"

"Neither."

"Exactly. One day, I'll tell you everything, but until then, I just need you to trust that what I'm not telling you is to protect you, okay?"

I nodded and he pulled me to lay on him, kissing my forehead, "Go to sleep."

It was comfortable in his arms, but an anxious feeling in the pit of my stomach kept me awake– a nagging feeling that something bad was about to happen.

I'd just started to doze off when my phone rang with Jailyn on the other end, her crying making the words nearly unintelligible.

She managed to calm down just enough to tell me Coby was dead.

• • •

i felt.... nothing writing coby's death lmao. i wish we could've found out why eli paid him 5k not to tell nobody he dug a hole tho.

seeing how that turned out, maybe kenny should've never said anything 🥴

thanks for reading 💕