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6, Lisa Lisa,
     Salt-N-Pepa and Run-DMC were still on the wall. The set of full-size beds was neatly made.
    Damn. Here I go back on the hunt again. Just when I thought I could put this shit behind me, I’m pulled back in
, he thought.
    His mother tapped on the half-closed bedroom door. “Come in, Ma,” Trae told her.
    “Trae, your wife is eight months pregnant. Why did you bring her way across the country? And I know you don’t expect her to
     sleep on these little beds while you’re out running the streets, now do you?”
    “Ma, our stuff is in the guest bedroom with the king-size bed. And as far as her traveling, she insisted. I couldn’t make
     her stay if I wanted to.”
    “She probably was trying to talk some sense into that big head of yours. Before you leave out of this house, make sure you
     talk to your father.”
    “Ma, how is Aunt Marva holding up?” Trae asked, knowing that his mother would tell him the truth.
    “She’s not, baby. Just like you are my only child, Shaheem was hers. I can’t even begin to imagine what she’s going through.
     I can, but I honestly don’t want to.”
    Tap. Tap.
The bedroom door eased open. It was Omar, Trae’s other cousin. “Hi, Nana.” He gave his aunt a warm hug, hovering over her
     and kissing her on the forehead.
    “Omar, what are you and Trae getting ready to do?” she asked, already knowing the answer.
    Mrs. Macklin wasn’t new to the game, she had married a hustler. Trae’s father had snatched her up pretty much the same way
     their son had snatched up Tasha. Her husband, Walter, had done time, survived a gun battle and its injuries and managed to
     retire from the game with his life. The rumor on Walter’s side of the family was traced as far back as the days of Bumpy Johnson.
     One of the sisters had supposedly put a blessing on the family. That’s why Mrs. Macklin knew that Trae would be all right.
     How long that blessing would last, she didn’t know.
Did it stop with Shaheem? “Is that why he got murdered?”
Even those close to the sons were blessed, like Omar and Kaylin. Even though Kaylin’s younger brother Kyron was still locked
     up they all seemed to be protected. Her husband Walter had had a long run, hustled and balled with the best of them. The rest
     of the hustlers were dead or still in prison.
    “I’ma take him out to clear his mind. I’ma watch over him, I promise.”
    “Omar, you look so much like your mother. I miss my sister so much,” she sighed.
    “So do I, Nana. But you and Pop Pop have always been there for me.” Omar planted another kiss on her forehead. This was the
     only family he had known since the age of fourteen when his mother was gunned down. That was fifteen years ago.
    “You discussed this with Walter already?” Nana asked him.
    “Nah. He was in the den when I came in. I slipped right past him and came up here.”
    Tasha tapped on the door, pushed it open, walked in and sat on Trae’s lap. Nana nudged Omar, indicating that Trae and Tasha
     should be left alone.
    Nana stood and turned to Trae. “Make sure you speak with your father.”
    “Aiight, Trae.” Omar followed Nana’s lead. “I’ll be downstairs.”
    Nana and Omar left, closing the door behind them.
    “You understand why I gotta do this, right?” Trae held on to both of Tasha’s hands as he kissed them. She was giving him a
     blank stare. “C’mon baby, don’t be like this. Answer me. You know I’m going to do this anyway. I just need you to tell me
     you understand.”
    Tasha sighed. “Look baby, I know what you do. I don’t like it, but I deal with it because I love you regardless. I’ve been
     with you long enough to understand how you are feeling right now.” She let out a sigh and her voice cracked. “But damn, what
     if something happened to you? We are getting ready to go to Shaheem’s funeral, I don’t want to have to start preparing for
     yours. Don’t do that to me, Trae.” She kissed him softly on his bald head