A Player's Prayer

Eight

"Hi grandma." Latrice smiled upon hearing her now six year old grandson Lorenzo Jr, or "Renzo" full of excitement as they spoke the phone. She was throwing out old leftovers after Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday, reorganizing the kitchen. She made it her mission to keep in contact with her grandson over the years, never wanting him to feel neglected by his family. The holiday season was making her feel more determined than ever to get him home.

"Hi Renzo, how are you?" Latrice asked, putting the phone on speaker and resting it on the kitchen island.

"I'm good, I'm with my friends." He enthusiastically stated. What always put Latrice's mind at ease is how happy her grandson always sounded.

"That's really good baby, I can't wait to hear all about your friends and what you been up to when we see each other again. Okay?"

"Okay!" Renzo shouted excitedly. The last time she saw Lorenzo was the first time when he was only three years old. She hated that her grandson would be uprooted from his sense of normalcy soon, but nothing about him living in Texas under the supervision of a Mafia leader was normal. "Grandma Uncle Christopher wants to speak to you."

Latrice sighed at her grandson referring to Christopher as his uncle. "Okay baby I'll talk to you soon, I love you."

"I love you too, bye grandma." Hearing shuffling in the background, Christopher's voice soon came through on the other line.

"Good evening Latrice." He said condescendingly as she rolled her eyes.

"It's been like three years and you still dragging this whole thing out. Like you really don't have nothing better to do." Latrice gripped as Christopher laughed.

"You done?" He asked as she stayed silent. "Like you said it's been three years, let's put this all to an end."

Bryan walked in the kitchen right on time as she put the call on speaker so he could hear.

"We're listening."

Christopher then went into detail about his plan to return Lorenzo home as soon as Latrice and Bryan handled one thing for him. He alerted them that a rival organization was becoming a problem for the mafia along with the cartel. The mafia and the cartel had an agreement in place and this third party was interfering with both parties now.

"What that gotta do wit us and our grandson?" Bryan asked.

"Everything if you want him home sooner. Apparently someone very close to you runs point in New York and I need access to them. His name is Christian."

Latrice and Bryan looked up at each other, shocked but not entirely surprised. They knew what Christian was involved in, they just didn't know with who. It seemed like little by little everyone around them was being used as pawns in the mafias affairs.

"Access how?" Latrice asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You let us worry about that, everything is on a need to know basis. Just set up a meet for us, we got some shit we need to straighten out with him. We know he trusts you so he won't suspect a thing." Christopher said. "I will tell you that this is all linked to someone named Saint. That's who we really want but we like to work from the ground up."

Before ending the call, Christopher revealed that they had four days to call back with their answer. Not seeing the need to prolong anything, they agreed on the spot. In their eyes family always came first, no matter what.

——————

"What time you get here?" B had her phone on speaker, filling the bathroom with cleaning fumes as she thoroughly cleaned everything. It was Saturday which was when she liked to reset, clean everything and get ready for the week ahead. Sundays were reserved for brunch.