Chapter 7 #3
Toni sat back down beside Grandma Glo with My’Love in her lap, and after a few seconds, she leaned her head on Grandma Glo’s shoulder like she was a little girl again. Grandma Glo rubbed her arm, and for a lil’ while, things felt calm.
But in our family, calm don’t ever last too long…
People started comin’ in and out not long after that.
Cousins, aunties, neighbors who called themselves family, people who heard Toni was in town and wanted to see the baby, and people who probably just wanted to be nosey.
The livin’ room got louder, the kitchen got crowded, and somebody was already in the fridge lookin’ for a soda like they lived here.
I kept my eyes on everybody too, ’cause I wasn’t about to let nobody stress Grandma Glo out or try Toni in my face.
At some point, Kay’Lo kissed My’Love on her cheek, then leaned down and kissed Toni on the lips right in front of everybody. “I’m finna go to the truck, baby. Text me if you need me.”
Toni nodded. “Okay.”
He looked at her for a second longer like he ain’t really wanna leave her in here, but he did anyway, walkin’ out without speakin’ to nobody else.
A few minutes after he left, our other cousin, TeeTee, started.
She was sittin’ on the arm of the couch, smilin’ that fake lil’ smile people do when they about to say somethin’ slick and pretend it’s a joke.
“So, Toni,” TeeTee said. “You all rich and put up now, huh? Can’t even come visit us regular folks no more.”
Toni gave a soft laugh, tryna keep it light. “It ain’t even like that. I just been takin’ care of home and the baby.”
TeeTee nodded. “I see.”
I looked over at her, already feelin’ my nerves startin’ to jump.
She got quiet for a second, then looked toward Grandma Glo before lookin’ back at Toni. “Grandma medical bills been through the roof too. You do know she had a mild stroke, right?”
My eyebrows went up.
Toni looked at her. “Okay… and you tellin’ me that because what?”
TeeTee shrugged. “I’m just sayin’ what everybody been sayin’. The family ain’t got no money, and Grandma strugglin’.”
Toni face changed a lil’, but she kept her voice calm. “I send Grandma Glo money all the time, but even if I didn’t, that wouldn’t be none of yo’ damn business.”
“Anything pertainin’ to Grandma is my business,” TeeTee said.
Grandma Glo lifted her hand. “TeeTee, be quiet.”
TeeTee looked over at her. “Grandma, I ain’t tryna start nothin’. I’m just sayin’.”
That was enough for me. I was sick of hearin’ this hoe talk.
“Nah, shut the fuck up,” I said, turnin’ toward her fully. “What Toni got goin’ on in her pockets ain’t none of yo’ business.”
TeeTee looked at me. “Of course you gon’ take up for her. Yo’ ass been put up in Trill-Land too. She been takin’ care of you, so of course you gon’ take up for her.”
“And you been put up in that apartment with that grown ass nigga layin’ on yo’ couch rent free, so maybe you need to worry about that,” I shot back. “Just ’cause you sit up like a fool and take care of grown men don’t mean Toni gotta take care of every grown person with they hand out.”
A few people made noise, and TeeTee stood up like she was ready to do somethin’.
I stood up too, ’cause I was ready to do more than talk.
“Try it,” I told her. “Please try it in this house with me.”
“Everybody shut up and stop all that cussin’!” Grandma Glo snapped, her voice not as strong as it used to be but still strong enough to make the room quiet down.
Toni looked embarrassed and hurt, and that pissed me off more than anything. She bent down, kissed Grandma Glo, and tried to smile even though I could see she wanted to cry.
“I’mma call you. I love you,” Toni said.
Grandma Glo grabbed her hand. “Don’t leave, baby. You and the baby just got here.”
“I gotta go,” Toni said real soft.
I followed Toni outside without sayin’ another word to nobody in that damn house. Once we made it to the porch, both of us was quiet for a second, and I could tell she was tryna swallow all that hurt before it showed on her face too much.
I pulled her to me and hugged her tight. “Fuck TeeTee and what her slow ass talkin’ about.”
Toni let out a shaky laugh, but it didn’t reach her face.
“I’m serious,” I said, rubbin’ her back. “You don’t owe nobody shit but yo’ husband and yo’ child. I don’t care if you had a billion dollars sittin’ in the bank, bitch. You not obligated to nobody. Not them. Not me. Not no fuckin’ body.”
She looked down at My’Love, blinkin’ fast while she tried to keep herself together. Whenever somethin’ hurt Toni, she got quiet like this.
“And you the best cousin in the world,” I kept goin’. “You loved. You hear me? Regardless of what our stupid ass family got to say, you loved.”
Toni swallowed hard, then leaned into me again with My’Love still in her arms.
“I love you,” she whispered.
“I love you more,” I said.
I took My’Love from her and kissed all over her lil’ cheeks until she pushed at my face with her tiny hands, makin’ them lil’ irritated baby noises like I was doin’ too much.
“Girl, bye,” I told her, smilin’.
I carried her to the backseat and buckled her into her car seat, makin’ sure she was secure before closin’ the door.
Toni got in the passenger seat, and Kay’Lo looked over at her immediately.
“You good, baby?” he asked.
“Yeah,” she lied.
He stared at her for a second, and I knew he ain’t believe that bullshit no more than I did.
He leaned toward her, then just sat there waitin’, holdin’ his lips out real quiet until Toni finally leaned in and kissed him.
As soon as she did, his hand came up under her chin, rubbin’ it softly while he looked at her for a second like he was tryna make sure she was really okay before lettin’ her go.
“I love you,” he said.
“I love you too,” Toni whispered.
I stepped back from the truck. “I’ll be back that way in a lil’ bit.”
Kay’Lo nodded. “A’ight.”
He pulled off a few seconds later, and I stood still, watchin’ the taillights disappear down the street before I turned and looked back at Grandma Glo’s house.
My face twisted up before I could stop it.
I loved my family, but sometimes I swear I couldn’t stand the way we was divided. Everybody always wanted to talk about love, loyalty, and family, but the second somebody made it out or found peace, here came somebody else tryna make them feel guilty for it.
And I ain’t appreciate that shit at all…