Chapter 11 #4
We walked into the mall, his little hand in mine while I held his iPad in the other.
Jade’s store was on the first floor, so it wasn’t that long of a walk.
When we turned in I saw my sister talking to some lil thick ass something, pointing to the shelves.
Ever since I met my sister for the first time, I knew she was on her shit.
Between her first store and this one she had just opened, she also had a little decorating thing on the side.
Though she loved to spend the funds of others, she stacked quite a bit of coins on her own.
“I didn’t know you guys were coming through. I would have surely found a way to put both of your asses to work.” She focused on me and Reminisce, then her eyes went down to Adonis.
“Nah, I need to be paid for everything I do,” Rem rebutted.
Adonis had let my hand go, which prompted me to put my hand in his curly mass of hair. I didn’t have kids, but I knew with younger kids you kept your hand on them, that way you’re aware of where their ass was.
Jade waved Rem off. “And who might this little cutie be?”
Adonis tugged at the pocket of my shorts, about to hide with his fake bashful ass.
Jade kneeled down in front of him and extended her hand. “Don’t be shy. I’m Jade, Reminisce and Rennix’s sister.
To my shock, he shook her hand. “I’m Adonis.”
“Okay, do you want a fruit snack, Adonis?”
Of course he nodded. What kid turned down fruit snacks? I watched as she led him to the back to get them before I looked over at my brother. He was too busy checking out Jade’s assistant.
“Damn, I ain’t even gotta tell you to step off no more.
You on your way to being a family man. I’ll be right back, let me go handle that.
” He walked off, leaving me to answer the phone now ringing in my pocket.
I pulled it out and of course it was my baby.
She usually called me when she was between heads, this time was no different.
“Yo, you told me you loved me this morning, thug.” It was as if my mind just now remembered.
She giggled. “I did, and you said it back. You also are so late because we’ve talked since then.”
“I wasn’t thinking about it then. I’m thinking about that now. Now I want you to tell me that while I’m deep in them guts working on my daughter.” I heard Adonis running back my way and looked up to see him coming toward me with a hand full of fruit snacks and my sister in tow.
“Yeah, okay.”
“Don’t yeah okay me. You know how we rock.”
“Rennix! Jade gave me all the fruit sacks. I even got some in my pocket.” Adonis’s happiness spilled over, making me smile.
“Nah, Jade is on bullshit.” I side eyed my sister.
Jade laughed. “Is that Caya? Let me speak to her.” Before I could tell her anything, she snatched my damn phone out of my hands and turned in the opposite direction with it against her ear.
“You want some fruit snacks, Rennix?” Adonis asked.
“No, but don’t you eat all of them. Save some for later.”
He nodded.
Jade brought me my phone back at the same time Reminisce walked his bitch ass back over.
“She said she had to go. Her client was there, but she said to tell you that her consult cancelled so she’ll be home early.”
I nodded, eyes on Adonis who had found a chair behind the cash wrap. He was sitting to himself, counting the fucking fruit snacks.
“I hope you weren’t harassing my employee, Reminisce.”
He laughed. “Do you see me, sis? I ain’t gotta harass a single soul. I’m that nigga.” People called me arrogant until they met my twin.
Jade waved him off. “Doesn’t matter. My employee is off limits. She has a husband and two kids. There is nothing there for you.”
“Then why she just give me her number? Yeah, like I said, have you seen me, sis?” The look on his face was comical because he was so fucking serious and she was so bothered.
After a while she waved him off, her attention landing on me. “What are y’all getting into today?”
“Nothing really. When we leave here I’m headed to grab him some pieces.”
“For what?”
“Caya be dressing him like she want motherfuckers to fuck with him. The fuck he five with picnic table shorts. I almost cursed my baby mama out this morning.”
“Baby mama? What am I missing?”
Reminisce butted into the conversation. “He’s tryna trap shorty.”
“I ain’t trying to do shit. I’m doing it. Now watch me work.” I winked and my sister just shook her head.
“The logic of you niggas scare me sometimes. I mean I literally be wondering what goes through you guys’ heads, because what?”
I shrugged. My logic was probably flawed, but for the first time in my life, I was following a heart I swear I never listened to.
That both terrified and fueled me. I had never wanted to be with a person as much as I wanted Caya.
My need to be everything to and with her consumed me. It felt natural.
“You just make sure yeen letting some nigga give you the okeydokey,” Reminisce responded.
“I’ll have you know, I’m not dating anyone. I’m just seeing where the wind blows me. I need a dating break.”
“What? You tryna be a hoe?” Rem asked and I busted the fuck up laughing because only he would take her statement as her trying to be a hoe.
She sighed. “No, Reminisce. I’m not trying to be a hoe. I’m taking a break from dating. Right now it takes too much to be with someone and people are out here actively wasting meaningful time. I need a dating detox and maybe my Prince Charming will come gallivanting up on his trusty steed.”
I understood what she meant while Rem’s face let us both know everything she said had gone over his head. I wondered if I hadn’t met Caya would I have understood her words or would I have been just as confused as Reminisce.
When I left my sister’s shop I was true to my word and took Adonis to grab some stuff. That included a few short sets and several pairs of shoes he actually liked. Once we were done at the mall, I dropped my brother off at his bike and decided to go toward the crib.
“Rennix.” I heard Adonis call my name from the back seat over the music.
I reached over and turned the music down. “Yeah, Lil G?”
“Mommy said we moving. Why are we moving?”
“Because I want y’all to live with me.”
“Why?”
“Why not? You don’t wanna live at my house?” I asked, peeking at him through the mirror.
“I don’t know how your house looks and what if it’s small? Mommy’s house is big. And I don’t have a bedroom at your house.”
I nodded. “What if I have your room designed? And we’ll go to my house tonight so you can pick out which room you want and what you want in it?”
“Okay. And can we eat pizza and watch movies there?” He looked truly puzzled.
“Yeah, as long as you know I ain’t watching that movie no more, Adonis. At this point you probably know the damn lines.” I shook my head thinking about how many times he had watched Lilo and Stitch .
He laughed. “Do you have a pool? My mommy said the next time we moved she’d think about a pool.”
I laughed. “How about we see when we get there tonight, Lil G.”
“Okay.”