All She Can Take

F I F T Y

Sid tried to imagine what a little kid named Robert would look like. She'd only ever met adult Robert's. Already grown into the regality of their name. But they had all been little boys at some point. Running around, kicking soccer balls, all while being named Robert. The name was weird to see plastered on the cubby in front of her. She shifted her head and looked at the cubby next to it instead. Allie. Now, that was a kid's name.

"Here." Chante passed her a drink and dropped onto the couch cushion next to her. She was back in Chante's daycare. The kids were again long gone but the room would soon have a few other inhabitants... if everything went well. Sid took a sip from the cup and instantly winced as the bite of liquor hit the back of her throat. She should have known better than to accept a drink from Chante without verifying it's alcohol content first. Chante looked at her and rolled her eyes.

"You thought I was going to do this shit without a drink? Tuh." Chante took two big gulps from her cup. "You sure you want to do this?"

"Yep." Sid had asked and answered that question at least five times since she got here. And at least ten times since she asked Chante to help her.

"Sid, I—" Before Chante could say the words Sid knew were coming, a loud knock on the door interrupted. Chante's chest heaved with the deep breath she took and her hand trembled as she rested her glass on her desk nearby. She took her time making it over to the door and Sid was careful not to say anything. It would probably send her into a full fit and stop this whole plan in its tracks. By the time Chante finally pulled the door open Sid was sure a caterpillar had turned into a butterfly somewhere.

Sid saw Nixon's amber-colored arms, tattoos snaking up his forearms, wrap around Chante's waist. She teetered forward into his embrace and he kissed her forehead. The gentleness of it made Sid look away. It wasn't until she heard him greet her that she looked back their way.

"Hi, Nixon. How are things?" They embraced briefly while Sid was still seated on the couch. He pulled the rolling computer chair away from Chante's desk and took a seat. The recessed lighting bounced off the satin of his black durag.

"I'm cool. Just came off a little local tour. People feeling the new song." Nixon said somberly. He looked exhausted like he was only awake off the energy Chante and music gave him.

"That's amazing. Congrats."

"Yeah." He seemed to perk up at that but it was still a lot less than she expected from someone on the verge of having a successful music career. "So, what y'all up to?"

Chante's glass clinked as she lifted it to her gloss covered lips, leaving the rim of the glass smudged and opaque. Sid thought she would speak after she swallowed her sip but Chante just took another. And another. Sid rolled her eyes.

"Okay, I guess I'll talk. Umm, it's really a lot to unpack..." Sid launched into the story. From start to finish. From the train platform six years ago to her locked in Kru's office in the back of the bodega. To Phil laying across town in a hospital. Nixon's amber skin had drained to a dull gray by the time she finished the entire saga. She knew she should take a breather but she pushed on, eager to get all the background information out on the floor so she could move on to the real reason they were all sitting here.

"After delivering the money to all these businesses I realized how he did things. How he took over things that people worked hard for and used them for his own gain." Sid paused and looked over at Chante before moving on to the next bit of information. Chante's gaze was locked on hers but instead of holding that pleading look she appeared relieved to have everything out on the table. Another deep breath rose and fell in her chest before she signaled for Sid to continue. "He's using all those businesses to clean his drug money. Even...even this one."