Free Snapped (Urban Renaissance) by Tina Brooks McKinney

to bash my brains in?
    “Babe, I said I was sorry and I meant it.”
    She just stared at me. But I felt hopeful because she hadn’t left the house. I knew that if she left me, she would never come back. She would go home to her mother and, since she didn’t like me anyway, it would be a wrap.
    “I think I need some time by myself to think.” Her voice was barely over a whisper so I had to lean in close to hear her.
    “Can’t you do your thinking here?”
    “The sight of you sickens me.”
    I was about to respond until Gavin walked into the kitchen.
    “Yo, bro, I know you ain’t begging that bitch to stay.”
    Cojo and I both swung around and stared at Gavin. I’d forgotten he was even here.
    “You . . . rat . . . bastard,” Cojo yelled. She grabbed a knife and was heading straight for my brother.
    I said, “No, Cojo.”
    Gavin was backing out the kitchen with his hands up in the air. He was smiling as if this were all a big joke. I grabbed her arm but, once again, she snatched it away from me.
    “I told you to keep your hands off of me.” She wielded the knife at me.
    “I wasn’t going to hurt you. I just didn’t want you to do something you would regret for the rest of your life.”
    “What? You think I care about that fucker? After what he did to me?”
    “Put the knife down, Cojo,” I pleaded.
    “Punk ass,” Gavin replied.
    I could not believe he was still egging her on instead of keeping his mouth shut and letting me diffuse the situation. “Shut up, Gavin. You’re not helping matters.”
    Acting like Billy Bad Ass, he turned his back and walked away, almost daring Cojo to put him out of his misery.
    She whirled around and faced me. “I’ll stay, but that motherfucker has to go.” She lowered the knife, but she didn’t put it in the sink, so I wasn’t out of the woods yet.
    “Baby, he just got out of prison and he doesn’t have any place to go.”
    “And am I supposed to care?”
    I knew exactly how she felt, but putting him out would be easier said than done.
    “Look, stay here. I’ll be right back.”
    She turned away from me, but I was happy that she didn’t just say fuck it and leave. I went back into the living room.
    “Man, you ain’t going to be able to stay here.”
    “You letting that bitch tell you how to treat your own family?” He hawked up a bunch of spit as if he was going to expel it on the carpet. “Man, we ain’t talked or seen each other in seven years. We’re brothers.”
    “Kill that noise; it ain’t even about her. I don’t want you here.”
    Gavin raised his eyebrows, as if he hadn’t heard me correctly. There was no way that I was going to side with him over my wife.
    “I guess I got to go back to Mom’s and tell her you wouldn’t help me out. Gavin got up off the sofa and walked toward the door.
    I looked around the room for his bags but I didn’t see any. “I don’t give a rat’s ass what you tell our mother, but you can’t stay here.” I slammed my hand on the coffee table just to let him know I meant business. He had manipulated me enough. I was done. I pulled out my wallet. I had just gotten paid so I was going to give him a few bucks to tide him over. Counting out $200, I folded up the bills in my hand. “Gavin, wait.”
    “You changed your mind?” He turned around all smiles.
    “Thank God I don’t have to wait for another cab. I’m broke as it is.”
    “Naw, just take this. Maybe you can get a hotel room until we can figure out something else.”
    “Shit, I don’t want your money. I came over here because I wanted to spend some time with my only brother. Keep that shit.” He pushed away my hand as if I offended him.
    “Man, take the money. You can get a room and not have to worry about going by Mom’s. We can get together in a day or so and I’ll look out for you.”
    “Whatever.” He snatched the money from my hand and went out the door. He didn’t say bye or kiss his ass.
    Part of me wanted to run after him and allow