Chapter 7 #2
Kas lifted from atop her and strutted into the kitchen, returning a few moments later with wet paper towels. He cleaned her off before throwing the paper towels away.
“Now can we have a real conversation, please?”
“I’d rather not.”
“Come on, Yanna boo, I’m not trying to beef with you.”
“We’re not beefing. We’re not anything.”
“Can you stop being mad for a minute and just hear me out?”
Releasing a sharp breath, Yanna conceded, standing back on one foot with her arms crossed over her chest. “Go ahead and talk.”
“Alright look, I was wrong, and I know that. But at the same time, I kind of wasn’t. All I ever hear you talking about is how I’m not yo nigga or you not my girl. That shit—”
“Haven’t we had this conversation already? It is what it is at this point, Kas, I’m done.”
“No, the fuck you not. But I am though… with all that other shit. Look…” Kas pulled out his phone and held it up for Yanna to see.
First, he showed that he’d blocked Yasmine from his phone.
Then, he went through his social media accounts to let her know she was blocked from those as well.
“I blocked that bitch on everything. She don’t have access to me no more. ”
“Is that supposed to mean something to me? I’m sure there’s a dozen more bitches to fill her space.”
“It’s not though. I’m really fucking trying with you; can you meet me halfway?
Let’s just agree we’ve both done shit to make our situation more difficult than it needs to be and move forward.
I’m tired of arguing with you, tired of fighting, tired of going in fucking circles.
A nigga just trying to love on you and show you I’m not the ain’t shit nigga you believe me to be. ”
Yanna’s face remained unchanged while she let Kas’ words sink in.
She too was tired of the whirlwind relationship they shared.
She longed to have what Onyx and Troi had but was starting to think such love wasn’t in the cards for her.
At least not with Kas. Still though, her feelings for him couldn’t be denied.
She couldn’t pretend like her days didn’t feel wrong if Kas wasn’t in her presence, or that she slept better on the nights they shared the same bed.
Still, she didn’t believe him. Couldn’t be certain he’d hold true to his word and be all about her.
“I don’t know.”
“I’m just trying to show you how serious I am. Can we please, please just put anything that happened before today behind us? Let me court you and shit because I’m not about to leave you alone.”
Yanna released a huff as she considered the possibilities. She couldn’t fully trust Kas with her heart, but she would try, no matter how much the idea terrified her.
“Kas, I swear—”
“I know, and I’m not gone fuck up this time. I’ll show you. It’s all about you, Yanna Boo. From this day forward, I’m on my best behavior. Give me the chance, and I promise I’ll be good forever.”
Yanna thought on it for a moment longer before nodding her head. “Okay, but remember, whatever you’re on, I’m on. Got it?”
“Yea, I got it. Gimme a kiss.”
“Nope. I’m still very much pissed off at you. I don’t even know why I’m agreeing to still deal with you.”
“Because you love me.”
“Keep telling yourself that.” Yanna nudged him. With some of the anger-filled haze leaving her brain, she finally remembered something major happened in Kas’ life. “Oh my God, Kas! I nearly forgot… you saw your dad… with your mom. You have a sister.”
“Yea…” Kas released an exasperated breath, swiping his hand over his face. “That shit is crazy, right? I haven’t seen my dad since I was little, barely even remembered what the nigga looked like. Aye, you wanna know some crazy shit?”
“What’s that?”
“When we first saw Logan and Maya in Barbados, I immediately noticed something familiar about her… like she reminded me of somebody. I’m realizing it’s because she favors Onyx a lot.”
Yanna chuckled because she’d had the same thought at the market but pushed it to the back of her mind. “She does though, which means she look like you too. You’re just the light version of him.”
“I guess… but I would’ve never imagined she was my damn sister.”
“How you feel about all this?”
“Pissed off… confused.”
“That’s understandable.”
“Like… I’m pissed because the nigga left us.
He left my mumma, left me, left Nyx, and if I’m estimating correctly, I would say Maya is older than Onyx, so that means my mumma had to be a side chick or some shit like that.
I figure since he left her, he had to leave us too, so he could raise his daughter. Fuck us, I guess.”
“And what are you confused about?”
“Because, as pissed as I was to see mumma walking in with that nigga, I kind of got excited too. I mean, that’s my father.
I always wanted to know him, always wondered what it would be like if he was around.
Then, on top of that, I have a sister too.
That’s family, and you already know family is cherished around here.
But… Nyx. He was so mad, I could feel the heat coming from his body.
If he says he doesn’t want anything to do with them, doesn’t want to know them, I have to stick with my brother. ”
“Do you though? I mean, I get it, he’s your brother. But she’s your sister, and that man is your father.”
“Onyx is more than my brother, though. He was like my father. When my mumma worked two jobs, Nyx was the one making sure I ate, did my homework, all that shit. That shit would be like betrayal if I went behind his back to get acquainted with people he wants nothing to do with. You could see as clearly as I could how fucked up he was behind the situation.”
“He took care of you, shit, his ass still takes care of you. I know as well as you know that he would do anything for you, which I’d like to believe would include giving you the freedom to get to know your family if that’s what you want.
He wouldn’t want to be the reason you don’t get something you want.
Talk to him, but not tonight, though. I’ve never seen him that mad. Yelling at Ms. Layla and shit.”
“As he should’ve. I can’t believe her sneaky ass. She popped up with the nigga, meaning she been in communication with his ass long before tonight.”
“True, I was like who is this fine ass old man Layla strutting in here with? I know they used to be—”
“Don’t finish that fucking sentence.”
“My bad.” Yanna laughed. “But she probably thought she was doing a good thing. Don’t be so hard on her because I’ll fight both of y’all over Layla.”
“We’d beat yo’ ass.”
“I’mma let you keep thinking you can fuck with me, Kas. Anyway, are you okay, though? You ain’t gone sit in here and cry yourself to sleep, are you?”
“Fuck nah. You gone be here with me anyway because I know you not gone leave me in here all sad and lonely.”
“Ugh.” Yanna feigned annoyance. She really didn’t want to leave Kas alone. “Fine, I’ll stay with your needy ass. Just let me grab my bag out the car so I can shower.”
“Ight, hurry up!” Kas called to Yanna’s back as she exited the house.
Outside, she had just made it to her car when Troi came jogging out of the house with her shoes in her hand instead of on her feet. She kept glancing behind her as if she were being chased.
“Troi, what the hell? Why are your shoes in your hands and not on your feet?”
“Because I had to walk light,” Troi replied, dropping her slides to the ground and slipping her feet into them. “Where are you about to go?”
“I was just coming to get something out the car.”
“Drive me to the Food Lion real quick.”
“Real quick? Food Lion is damn near thirty minutes up the road.”
“Girl, just bring your ass.”
Yanna rolled her eyes but stepped into her jeep anyway. Her nosiness was overruling her need for sleep.
“Where’s Ki?”
“In the house taking a nap with his irritating ass daddy.”
“What’s wrong with him? Why is he annoying?”
“Kalil just had to mention something about him seeing his father; it put Onyx in a fucked up mood, so he kicked them out. He took a shower then sat on the bed rocking Kian. It’s weird because he hadn’t said a word all last night, then this morning he was his usual self, so I thought he was okay.”
“Did you try to talk to him?”
“Of course I tried to talk to him. All he would say was Baby, not right now. Then when my phone started ringing, I guess he could tell it was Layla, so he told me not to answer. I had to wait until his ass fell asleep to call her back.”
“Yo, last night, I’ve never seen Onyx that mad, like ever.”
“Neither have I. I wanted to stick around and make sure Layla was okay, but I was scared to say anything.”
“I could tell by the way you let him drag your ass out the building like a rag doll.”
“Yea, I mean, we talked about the disdain he has for his father, and while I understand it, I wouldn’t have expected him to act like that.”
“Well, if anybody else knows, you know I know all about bullshit fathers, so I can’t really blame Onyx. Maya being their sister, though, I didn’t see that one coming.”
“Hell, neither did I. Mumma Lay picked the perfect time to pull this shit, right before my wedding.”
“She’s a wild girl.” Yanna laughed. “But maybe she did it at this time so their dad and sister could come to the wedding.”
“Sounds nice, but clearly that won’t be happening.”
“At all.”
It took them a while, but the girls finally reached the Food Lion grocery store located further into town.
They pulled into the parking lot and noticed Layla standing outside of her car, pacing back and forth.
Yanna pulled up behind the car, and she and Troi hopped out.
Layla approached, running straight into Troi’s arms. Her shoulders shook as she cried, and Troi comfortingly rubbed her back, whispering to her that everything would be okay.
“How is he?” Layla asked Troi.
“Upset.”
“And Kas?” She turned to Yanna.
“He said he was angry but also confused. He wants answers but—”
“He’s going to do whatever Onyx wants to do.”
“Exactly.”