hollow pit that had formed in his gut had him sick with worry. It was 4 A.M ., and he still hadn’t heard from her. He wasn’t sure if she was coming back or not. The one thing that gave him hope was the money that she kept in the safe. She has to come back eventually, he thought as he leaned over and pinched the bridge of his nose. When he heard the lock on the hotel door open, Po stood and went to the foyer. As soon as she stepped inside their eyes locked. He could tell that she had been crying because her eyes were red and swollen.
“I’m sorry. I have no right to be mad at you. I was emotional. The wine had me tripping,” she said. “You can’t put Scarlett on me though, Po. I’m not her. There are a million people who donate organs in this world. The odds are impossible that she’s my donor. This heart is my heart.” Liberty had never thought about who had lost their life inorder for her to live, but with Po standing before her she was being forced to accept the cold truth. She felt like a science experiment, like she didn’t know whose life she was living. Was she attracted to Po, or was her heart pulling her in a direction of its own?
“I know, Liberty,” Po said as he stepped closer to her. He took her face in his hands. The last thing he wanted was for her to disappear. Despite what she said, she was a constant reminder of Scarlett. The fact that Liberty needed what Scarlett so desperately wanted to give someone was connection enough. Yes, Liberty reminded Po of Scarlett, but he could also appreciate the differences he saw.
“I’m sorry. You’re more to me than some replacement for what I lost. You remind me of Scarlett because you’re a good person. You don’t meet too many of those these days. I’m here with you though, Liberty. I see you when I look at you, I hear you when you speak. Scarlett’s gone, and you are the only person who gets what I’m going through. Tonight I went too far. I crossed a line, and I get that. I respect you, and I’m sorry I hurt you. Your friendship means a lot to me, ma, but I understand if you want to leave.”
Liberty hesitated and looked up at Po. “I’ve spent a lot of time telling you about my life. About Shai, about Sierra Leone. I haven’t done much listening, Po. Tell me about her,” she said.
Po kissed the top of her forehead and said, “She was a lot like you. Very dear to me, but she’s gone, and you’re here. We’re here, ma, so let’s live.”
Liberty gripped his hands tightly while looking up at Po.“Let’s live,” she agreed. She kissed his cheek and walked away.
The tension between them was so thick it could be cut with a knife, but inside, they both knew that neither of them could walk away from the other. Something was happening between them, a friendship so organic that it seemed as though it was constructed by lost loves. As Liberty lay in bed staring at the wall she couldn’t help but wonder if A’shai and Scarlett were pushing her and Po toward each other, simply so that they wouldn’t have to be alone. She touched the scar on her chest and closed her eyes. Thank you, Scarlett, she thought, knowing that a girl that she had never met had died so that she could live. “Let’s live,” she whispered, before falling asleep.
SEVEN
PO AND ROCKO WERE GETTING MORE MONEY than they could spend. Together, they were the perfect combination. Po handled the weight, and Rocko ran the streets. As a pair they quickly dominated the streets of L.A. Po was able to sell the coke at dirt-cheap prices because it was 100 percent profit to him. With Rocko as his street lieutenant and enforcer, they were taking over the streets with ease.
Rock had assembled a small squad of hungry young goons from Compton. They were all live wires and under the age of eighteen. Each of them was loyal because before becoming affiliated with Po they were starving. Po fed them well, and because of this, they all were ready to shoot on Po or Rocko’s command.
“I’m sorry. I have no right to be mad at you. I was emotional. The wine had me tripping,” she said. “You can’t put Scarlett on me though, Po. I’m not her. There are a million people who donate organs in this world. The odds are impossible that she’s my donor. This heart is my heart.” Liberty had never thought about who had lost their life inorder for her to live, but with Po standing before her she was being forced to accept the cold truth. She felt like a science experiment, like she didn’t know whose life she was living. Was she attracted to Po, or was her heart pulling her in a direction of its own?
“I know, Liberty,” Po said as he stepped closer to her. He took her face in his hands. The last thing he wanted was for her to disappear. Despite what she said, she was a constant reminder of Scarlett. The fact that Liberty needed what Scarlett so desperately wanted to give someone was connection enough. Yes, Liberty reminded Po of Scarlett, but he could also appreciate the differences he saw.
“I’m sorry. You’re more to me than some replacement for what I lost. You remind me of Scarlett because you’re a good person. You don’t meet too many of those these days. I’m here with you though, Liberty. I see you when I look at you, I hear you when you speak. Scarlett’s gone, and you are the only person who gets what I’m going through. Tonight I went too far. I crossed a line, and I get that. I respect you, and I’m sorry I hurt you. Your friendship means a lot to me, ma, but I understand if you want to leave.”
Liberty hesitated and looked up at Po. “I’ve spent a lot of time telling you about my life. About Shai, about Sierra Leone. I haven’t done much listening, Po. Tell me about her,” she said.
Po kissed the top of her forehead and said, “She was a lot like you. Very dear to me, but she’s gone, and you’re here. We’re here, ma, so let’s live.”
Liberty gripped his hands tightly while looking up at Po.“Let’s live,” she agreed. She kissed his cheek and walked away.
The tension between them was so thick it could be cut with a knife, but inside, they both knew that neither of them could walk away from the other. Something was happening between them, a friendship so organic that it seemed as though it was constructed by lost loves. As Liberty lay in bed staring at the wall she couldn’t help but wonder if A’shai and Scarlett were pushing her and Po toward each other, simply so that they wouldn’t have to be alone. She touched the scar on her chest and closed her eyes. Thank you, Scarlett, she thought, knowing that a girl that she had never met had died so that she could live. “Let’s live,” she whispered, before falling asleep.
SEVEN
PO AND ROCKO WERE GETTING MORE MONEY than they could spend. Together, they were the perfect combination. Po handled the weight, and Rocko ran the streets. As a pair they quickly dominated the streets of L.A. Po was able to sell the coke at dirt-cheap prices because it was 100 percent profit to him. With Rocko as his street lieutenant and enforcer, they were taking over the streets with ease.
Rock had assembled a small squad of hungry young goons from Compton. They were all live wires and under the age of eighteen. Each of them was loyal because before becoming affiliated with Po they were starving. Po fed them well, and because of this, they all were ready to shoot on Po or Rocko’s command.
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