Chapter 16
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Layla was busy cleaning away the layer of dust that had settled since she’d been away from her home.
After her meeting with Nouri, she decided it was finally time for her to face the music and return home.
She’d been home since earlier that morning, and no one besides Troi knew she was there.
Or so she thought. That proved to be untrue when she heard the door’s code being punched into the keypad.
She knew it was Kas before she saw him because he was always rapping some song or making some sort of beat with his mouth.
Grabbing a towel from the counter, she dried her hands just as Kas was entering the kitchen.
“Hey mumma.”
“Hey, baby boy. I didn’t expect you to come by here so soon. You still mad at me?”
“Hell yea, I’m mad at you. Bring yo ass on outside and pick a switch. You fitna get a whooping.”
“Now I know you done lost your damn mind, boy.”
“I’m sorry, mumma. I got beside myself.”
“Yea, get yourself hurt playing with me like you crazy. You hungry?”
“I could eat.”
“Alright, come on and sit down. I was just about to fry some chicken.”
Kas ventured further into the kitchen and took a seat at the table. He sat quietly for a moment, watching as his mother moved about the kitchen. There was so much he wanted to say. So much he wanted to ask. He just didn’t know where to start. He figured he should start with the most pressing first.
“You fucking with Nouri?” He blurted.
“Hell no.”
“Nah, mumma you answered that too fast.”
“Because there was nothing to think about. There’s nothing going on between me and your father.”
“So where did he come from all of a sudden?”
Releasing a deep sigh, Layla turned on the stove to allow her oil to heat before taking a seat at the table with Kas.
“When you and Nyx found out about my cancer, I called him. I wanted you boys to have at least one parent if something happened to me. We stayed in contact after that because I would give him updates on your lives. When we saw Maya in Barbados, me and him decided it was time for a reunion.”
“Why didn’t you tell us when we ran into Maya and her husband? Clearly, you knew who she was.”
“I mean, telling my boys they have a sister wasn’t exactly an easy feat. Reconnecting y’all with your estranged father seemed like it’d be even more difficult. The simple answer… I was scared. You see how Onyx reacted.”
“Yea, he was pissed. Still is. He don’t want nothing to do with Nouri or Maya.”
“Me either, huh?”
“I mean, he’ll get over being mad at you eventually.”
“Yea… what about you?”
“I’mma mumma’s boy. I was done being mad at you as soon as you told me you were frying chicken.” Kas shrugged. It was true. There probably wasn’t much Layla could do to make him mad at her for an extended period.
Layla laughed, patting Kas’ hand to let him know she appreciated his words. “I’m glad to hear that, but I wasn’t asking about me. What about you when it comes to wanting to see Nouri?”
“Honestly?”
“You better not lie.”
“Yes, I do want to see him. Is that crazy? I don’t even know the nigga.”
“Well, it’s only one way to remedy that.” Layla stood from her chair and grabbed a pad and pen from a drawer. She scribbled down an address and handed it to Kas. “When are you going?”
Kas grabbed the slip of paper and read the address, knowing exactly where it was. “No time like the present, right?”
“True. I’ll keep your chicken in the microwave until you get back.”
“Okay.” Kas nodded and slowly stood from the table.
“Hey, how long do you think it’ll be before I can expect a visit from my big baby?”
“You know how Nyx is, mumma. Give him some time, he’ll come around.”
“I know… I just really hate this.”
“Me too. I love you though, I’ll be back once I’m finished with yo deadbeat ass baby daddy.”
“Watch your damn mouth, boy!”
Three. That was the number of times Kas had walked away from Nouri’s hotel room door.
Each time he raised his hand to knock on the door, he stalled.
What would he say? Would he even say anything?
Or should Nouri be the one doing the talking?
What if he acted on his urge to punch the man who’d abandoned him in the face?
Nah, he’d save that honor for Onyx, because if he knew his brother, he’d definitely have smoke for Nouri whenever they did reconnect.
Emitting a preparative lungful, Kas stalked back down the hall towards his father’s hotel room.
Fuck it. Stop being a bitch and just knock on the fucking door.
Not giving himself time to back down again, he pounded on the door as soon as he approached it.
He heard a bit of shuffling inside the room, and seconds later the door swung open.
Kas had never seen so much as a picture of his father since he was around ten.
He hadn’t wanted to. Still, if he’d passed Nouri in the street, their uncanniness would’ve been impossible to miss.
It was as if someone had done an age progression photo on Onyx.
He looked exactly like their father, which Kas guessed meant he did as well.
The two men stood at the door staring at each other, silence louder than a sonic boom.
Tiring of the awkward reticence, Kas said the first thing that popped into his mind.
“Long time no see, nigga.”
Nouri’s head tilted to the side, giving Kas a befuddled look. “Nah, start over.” With that, Nouri closed the door.
Kas couldn’t contain the laughter that slipped out, because he probably would’ve had the same reaction. He knocked at the door, and a few seconds passed before Nouri opened again.
“Close the door on me again, and I’mma dip. I’m not ‘bout to kiss yo ass.”
“Fair enough, I wouldn’t expect you to. We will respect each other, though.”
“Respect is earned, muh’fucka. Let me in.” Pushing past his father, Kas entered the hotel room and looked around. From the opulence of the suite, he could tell his father had money.
Nouri chuckled. “I fully understand the dynamic here, so I’mma let that second occurrence of disrespect slide. Don’t make a habit of that.”
“Not you trying to be a father.”
Shaking his head, Nouri laughed at Kas’ antics. “Yea, you’re definitely my son.”
“Nah, I’m Layla’s son. I don’t even know you.”
“Well, can I assume you being here means you want to change that?”
“We’ll see,” Kas responded, taking a seat on the accent chair. “Aye, you got something to drink in here?”
Nouri nodded, knowing Kas wasn’t asking for soda or juice. He traipsed to the minibar, grabbing a glass, whiskey, and ice. After fixing both of their drinks, he took a seat on the foot of the bed, facing Kas.
Accepting the drink, Kas downed nearly half before focusing his attention back on his father. “What did me and my brother ever do to you? We was ugly kids or something? Why did we deserve to be abandoned?”
“This little nigga,” Nouri grumbled under his breath, also taking a hefty gulp of his drink. “Nah, y’all weren’t ugly kids. Actually, you were two of the most handsome little boys I’d ever laid eyes on.”
“So, why’d you leave?”
“Well, that’s a long and complicated story. I’d actually feel better discussing it with Layla present.”
“I bet you do wanna be near my mumma. I ain’t miss how touchy you were with her at the mixer.”
“It was an awkward situation. I was just trying to be there for her.”
“Right… so why you back? Why now?”
Nouri took another sip of his drink before responding. “Your mom called me and told me about her cancer… scariest fucking call I’ve ever received. Anyway, we kept in contact after that, trying to find the perfect time for me to make an appearance.”
“‘Cause yo’ ass the main attraction and shit, huh?”
Again, Nouri tossed his head back in laughter. “Hey man, you’ll learn that you’re more like your old man than you know.”
For the next two hours, Kas and Nouri talked and drank whiskey.
Nouri told Kas more about himself, and Kas returned the favor.
It didn’t take long for the conversation between them to flow organically.
If they’d been in public, no one would’ve been able to tell the men hadn’t been in each other’s company for two decades.
“Tell me about my sister.”
“Maya… well, she’s pretty pissed off at me right now. I don’t blame her, though.”
“Me either. She’s older than me and Nyx, right?”
“Yea, she’s got Onyx by three years. Got you by five. She asked me to give you two her number. I was going to relay the message through Layla, but since you’re here, take out your phone.”
Kas pulled his phone from his pants pocket, unlocked it then passed it to Nouri. He watched as Nouri programed Maya’s number into his phone, wondering if he was supposed to call or text her first. As Nouri finished, a thought hit him.
“You can um, you can go ahead and put yours in there too.”
That request gave Nouri pause, but he quickly recovered, a smile gracing his face. Kas having him put in his contact number meant he was open to getting to know him further. After entering his number, he passed the phone back to Kas.
“I’m glad you stopped by to see me, Kas. Real glad.”
“I felt like I needed to.”
“Yea, and what about Onyx?”
“Oh, that nigga can’t stand you,” Kas replied candidly, standing and stretching his body. “I’ll try and work on him, though.
Nouri stood with Kas, giving him a subtle smile as they stood uneasily.
“I’m going to be sticking around for a while, so keep in touch,” Nouri informed before reaching his arms out to Kas in an attempt to hug him. Except Kas extended his arm to hold him away.
“Nah, nigga. We ain’t there yet,” Kas rejected, turning on his heels and heading toward the door. “And keep yo ass away from my mumma!”
Letting the door close behind him, Kas hopped on the elevator and rode down to the parking lot. His phone began to ring in his pocket just as he reached his truck and climbed in. Glancing at the caller id, he saw it was Kalil calling.
“What’s up?”
“Shit, where the hell you at?”