Chapter 13
R ennix
My sister neglected to tell me that motherfuckers would be at my house at five in the fucking morning. I was pissed, especially since I felt like I hadn’t had much sleep. I needed to get this mess over with so I could get back to the club the way I used to.
Right when that thought crossed my mind, Caya walked her thick ass out of the back. She had on an orange cropped cami and the shorts to match. Who the fuck was I kidding? No part of me was going back to the club like I used to, because even though I loved my club, I loved them more.
“Yo, you tryna get one of these workers fucked up or something?” I couldn’t look away from the supple bronze of her thighs. I was simply fucking addicted to them and her.
“And how could I do that?” She glanced down at her frame and shrugged like all the skin she was showing was nothing. “I’m home, aren’t I?”
“Yeah, bu?—”
“There is no but. I’m home and I’m comfortable.” She then went into the refrigerator like she hadn’t just tried me.
I chuckled, moving from the window where I was watching people set up for the pool party to where she stood. Her back was to me, but I turned her around and closed the fridge door before pushing her up against it. “We got beef, thug?”
She laughed as well. “Nope. You asked me a question and I answered it. Why would we have beef?"
“Because you seem like you got your ass on your shoulders.”
“I don’t. Even though you called yourself checking me last night, I’m good.” I could see in her face she was anything but good. She was overthinking about something that didn’t require it.
I pulled her from the fridge door and pushed her against the counter, then helped her onto it. “Do I make sure you good?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
“Do I make sure Adonis is good?”
She nodded again.
“Then what’s the plan? I swear I ain’t going nowhere and neither are you. So why you tryna get in the way of progress?”
“I guess I’m just scared. My last time was traumatic. I know you’re not him, bu?—”
“If you know I’m not him then there should be no but. We in this, right?” Caya’s fears and apprehension made me wish I had killed ol’ boy in that room. His actions had fucked up her trust, but I loved her enough to restore it brick by brick.
“Yes, we’re in this. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be apologizing. I got us. I promise.” I leaned into her and pecked her lips, my eyes on hers and hers on mine. “And I put that on my life.”
“Okay.” She was better, spirit less heavy when I stepped back to grab one of Adonis’s fruit snacks.
I was just about to open the little pouch when she snatched it from me.
“Um, no. It’s too early for that. I’m gonna go get us something to eat, and before you say why not cook, please look in there.
” She pointed to the fridge with amusement in her eyes.
“Yo, that’s your fault because I been putting so much fucking energy into getting your ass here that food ain’t even been near my mind. That’s all you.”
She laughed, shaking her head. “Um, no. That’s you, sir. You should have had the whole nine laid out for me.”
“Probably would have had you not made me get out of character to get you here. But nah, don’t go out. Order something.”
She looked at me for a minute, trying to gauge the reason for me asking before nodding. “Okay, and one more thing.”
“Sup?”
“Why did Adonis tell me he didn’t want to put my life in danger when I asked him why he put his Spider-Man costume in the back of the closet?
When she said that shit I laughed so fucking hard because Adonis had taken what I said so literally. “I gave him the basic knowledge of being a superhero and let him know I’d fuck Venom up.”
She shook her head. “You nee—” The doorbell rang, interrupting her statement. “Let me get that.” She hopped down.
I slapped her ass before she was out of my space. “Nah, go put on a fucking shirt before it be fireworks round here. I’ll get the door.” Over Caya I was so possessive I didn’t recognize myself at certain moments.
“Whatever. You do know it’s a pool party, right? Just wait until you see my swimsuit.”
“And I’ll shut all this shit down. Fuck around and find out, baby mama,” I called after her, going toward the door.
I assumed it was Reminisce or Jade, but I was wrong when I peeped the pasty, redhead, medium built woman standing outside my door with her hands on her hips.
The fuck was Debby doing at my fucking door?
I opened the door really not feeling like dealing with her old ass. She wasn’t even my immediate neighbor, so knocking on my fucking door at damn near eight in the morning was about to get her ass told off.
From the moment I opened the door I saw the bullshit on her face. “Good morning, Mr. Blac. I was in the area during my morning powerwalk and saw you had people setting up for what’s to be a bash. I was wondering if you sent a formal notification of a backyar?—”
“Morning to you too, Debby. You pay my taxes?”
“Um, what? Excuse me?”
“No, I asked if you paid my taxes.”
She was flustered. “Well, of course not. Why would I? That would be absurd, wouldn’t it?”
“Then why are you at my door in my business, talking about the HOA at eight in the morning?” I was trying to respect my elders, but Debby was pushing that.
“Because she needs some dick. Look at her, out here fanning herself and shit.” Reminisce’s voice made me look around her. He was walking up the pathway from Jade’s truck with three stacked silver pans in his hands.
“Excuse me.” Debby’s cheeks reddened and she was even more flustered.
“Oh my god. Rennix, please get the rest of the pans and allow me to speak with your very concerned neighbor,” Jade called out to me. She was always on some diplomatic shit.
I nodded, giving Debby one last look before going to the truck and allowing Jade to handle that shit. I grabbed the pans and moved past them into the house, running into my brother in the process.
“I told you that old broad wanted some dick.” He was eating the fruit snacks Cay had taken from me minutes prior.
I shook my head. “Then break her off.”
“Nah, I bet that motherfucker has spiderwebs and ticks attached to it. My type ain’t never been pasty old lady. I bet you she isn’t even that fucking old.”
“She ain’t. She’s forty-seven. I looked her ass up after that first sticky note.” I peeked in the pans before turning to where I heard the door close in the front. My eyes landed on Jade walking in with a smirk on her face. She was clearly amused.
“Your neighbor has a crush on you. Well actually, she thinks you’re handsome.”
“Don’t get that old lady fucked up. As a matter of fact don’t let Cay hear you say that; she’ll nut the fuck up.” I looked around. I knew my baby, and just like I nutted up behind her, she did the same behind me.
“Nut up about what?” Cay walked into the kitchen wearing a full shirt with confusion etched in her features.
“Debby wants to give that seasoned monkey to your man,” Reminisce’s petty ass said like it was nothing.
Caya laughed and so did Jade.
“She’s just lonely and he—” Jade started, but the expression on my face shut her up.
“Stop, Rennix, ain’t nobody nutting up over Debby. Yeen going nowhere.” Caya waved me off.
“Damn, so you know you got that in the bag huh, sis?” Reminisce’s shit starting ass egged.
“Yo, all you do is start shit.” Jade mushed him.
“Nah, I was just asking a question. I ain’t too used to seeing my baby brother all in love. It’s like I’m looking at a whole different man.” Rem smirked.
I flipped him off. To know Reminisce was to know he was always talking shit about something. He was the most serious unserious nigga I had ever known.
“I talked to Indiri. He has a few days off training and he’s in town today and tomorrow so he might be here too.”
I glanced from my brother to Jade before nodding. That was another thing that had allowed itself to fizzle. Indiri still didn’t know what my other three siblings did. At some point he needed to know, right?
Slowly but surely the day went on, and before I knew it, the party was in full effect.
Kids running around, water splashing, and the music blasting.
For a while I let Adonis and my nephews get all my time, soaking their asses with the water guns.
Time went on and I found myself mellowing out while my baby enjoyed herself.
“You said one week, right? I ain’t no expert on anybody’s business but my own, but I’m telling you that shit between you and sis looks real forever-ish.” Kinga’s voice interrupted my daydreaming.
I chuckled, glancing down at the orange haired baby in my hands, then back at him. “Shit, a week turned into me tryna secure forever. I guess when you meet the soul meant for you, nothing you had planned matters.”
He pulled from the cigar in his hand, then lifted the beer in his other hand. “I’m with you when you’re right. One minute it’s just you and the next you married with two point five kids and four dogs with plans to have more. Shit is astronomical.”
“More dogs or kids, nigga?”
“Fucking with Harlem it’ll be both. I swear I didn’t see this for myself, but I love her and my kids. Most of all, I love who I am with them. I’m not another street nigga. I’m a father, protector, and husband. In her eyes I’m everything and that right there makes me think the highest every day.”
I nodded, my eyes trying to locate Caya in the sea of bodies.
The family pool party was a success and energy was just that.
There was no funny business or bullshit, but instead a bunch of motherfuckers with connections enjoying the space and company.
There weren’t any unknown people and a sea of faces, but enough of us who were close knit.
The moment my eyes finally found my baby, Kinga started back talking. “Usually she be crying and shit, tryna find her mama. Err’time she in your space, she’s content.” I glanced down at Kysler and smiled.