Concrete Rose (The Hate U Give, #0)(70)

“Yeah. Why you ask?”

“Lately . . . I don’t know. It seems like you have a heavy heart, beyond the normal stuff.”

“My life not normal, Ma.”

“You know what I mean,” she says. She run her fingers through my hair. “Is something going on?”

Red headed to Cedar Lane by now . . . with Dre’s watch on his wrist. “No, ma’am. I’m fine.”

“All right. Well, it’ll probably do you good to be out of the neighborhood for the day. I think you’ll really enjoy Markham. It could be your home one day.”

“You still think I can go to college?”

Ma cup my cheek. “I think you can do whatever you put your mind to.”

It’s hard to look her in the eye. The son I am is nothing like the son she think she got.

Ma hand me a piece of paper. “These are directions to Markham from that MapQuest site. I printed them off at work. It has gas stations marked. Lisa may need a couple of restroom stops. Don’t let her go in alone, and don’t you go in with your hands in your pockets. You know what? I should just take y’all myself.”

“Ma, chill. Why you tripping?”

“You’re a parent, you’ll understand soon enough. Wait until Seven starts walking and you realize everything he can get into.”

A’ight, yeah, that is a scary thought. I look at him and point. “Ay, don’t be walking no time soon.”

Seven chuck his bottle my way.

What the— “Boy, stop talking back.”

Ma laugh and pick him up. “You tell him, baby. Daddy don’t know what he’s in for. You’re gonna do him the same way he did me and his daddy.”

Funny she bring up Pops. “Ay, Ma, can I ask you something?”

“My chunka-chunka-chunk,” she says to Seven as she move his arms with the words. He laugh and laugh. I don’t know what “chunka” mean. Half the stuff people say to babies don’t make sense. “My chunka-chunka-chunk! What, Maverick?”

“If I do good on this trip, can I take the car to go see Pops one day?”

She look at me. “By yourself?”

“Yes, ma’am. I figured I should see him in person since we ain’t really talked lately.”

That stuff she said ’bout his life being at a standstill kinda stuck with me. After a day or two, I realized I oughta be a man and go see him.

Ma smiles. “He’d like that. I’ll work on setting up a visit.”

“Cool, cool,” I say, but I’m already nervous.

She kiss my cheek. “Y’all will be fine. Now, back to my car—”

Around eight o’clock, I back outta the driveway.

The sun shine bright in clear-blue skies. Perfect weather for a road trip. It’s kinda cold today, but I got the heat on and brought a blanket in case Lisa need it.

I make a detour first, just to see if Red ain’t left town again. No, he at his usual morning spot at Cedar Lane. King supposed to hit me up on my pager today once he get me a gun. He asked if I wanted a certain type of piece. Long as it take out Red, it’s fine by me.

I got a strong feeling that whatever Keisha say today gon’ confirm it was him.

I honk my horn in front of Ms. Rosalie’s house. Lisa come outside, yawning in a hair bonnet and slippers with jeans and a sweatshirt. Girl look barely dressed.

I get out to help her with her backpack and Hello Kitty blanket. “You just rolled outta bed, huh?”

“Shut up. Your baby kept me up all night. Here.” Lisa place my hand on her sweatshirt. Her stomach quiver, as if something rolling around under there.

My eyes get big. “Oh, dang.”

“I know, right? It was fascinating at first. After the third hour, I just wanted to sleep.”

I kneel in front of her. Some days Seven and the li’l baby in Lisa’s belly be the only things to make me smile. I tap Lisa’s stomach. “Ay, this your daddy. Chill in there, your mommy dealing with enough.”

Lisa snort. “I doubt that’ll work. She’s as stubborn as you.”

“Well, he ain’t mean to keep you awake.” I straighten up. “He know we got a busy schedule today.”

“I want extra sauce on my rib plate when I win this bet. Will you finally tell me where we’re going?”

I open the passenger door. “You gotta come and see, madam.”

Lisa tilt her head. “How do I know you’re not kidnapping me?”

“You think I wanna be stuck with you?”

Her mouth drop, and she punch my arm.

“I’m playing, I’m playing!” I laugh. “It’s a surprise, a’ight? You gotta trust me.”

Lisa study me hard. “Fine,” she eventually huffs, and hop in the car.

I close the door behind her. “Violent ass.”

I drive past Cedar Lane one more time—Red still there—and I head out the Garden. There’s not a lot of cars on the highway this morning. Most people sleep in on Saturdays. I drive the speed limit like Ma asked and nod with the stereo. It’s an Outkast kinda morning.

Lisa unwrap her sausage McMuffin. She made me stop at McDonald’s before we got on the highway. “Dang! I should’ve asked for mustard.”

What the hell? “Mustard? On a McMuffin?”