Chapter 16 #2
“Richmond, about to head back down the road. Why, what you got going on?”
“I’m about to check out that new club in downtown Petersburg. They supposed to have a nice outdoor bar.”
“Alright, give me like thirty and I’ll meet you there,” Kas confirmed, disconnecting the call.
Turning up his car stereo, he allowed the sounds of JID to carry him down I-95 south.
After twenty-five minutes, he arrived in Petersburg at a club named Club Link.
Parking at the curb, he exited his car and hit the lock.
It had been so long since Kas had to worry about going through security checks at the club.
Most people, especially in the Tri-Cities area, knew Kas by face.
He was through the gate, in the section with Kalil and complimentary bottles within minutes.
“Nigga think he a superstar now,” Kalil jested, standing to give Kas dap.
“I been a superstar, fuck you talking ‘bout?”
“Yea, yea, where the hell you coming from in Richmond? Yanna’s house?”
“Nah, actually, I went to see Nouri.”
“Dead ass?”
“Dead ass.”
“Did y’all talk?”
“Yea, I talked to that nigga. I can’t even front, he ain’t that bad.”
“The crazy part about the shit is that I’ve known Maya and them for years. I’m sure she knew my last name, but she never mentioned her father being a Zaman.”
“It is weird. He gave me her number.”
“You gone call her?”
“I will eventually.”
Kalil reached forward and poured himself of shot from one of the tequila bottles. As he tossed the shot back, an unpleasant thought flooded his mind. “Hold on, so Maya is my cousin, and she’s married to Logan. Doesn’t that make Londyn my cousin-in-law or some shit like that?”
“What does it matter? Ain’t like she ever gone give yo ass the time of day anyway. Thick ass eyebrows.”
“You don’t know what the fuck she’ll give me. And why the hell you and Nyx always coming for my eyebrows?”
“Because you need to tweeze them muh’fuckas or something.
You real close to having a unibrow.” Kas cracked up laughing at his cousin’s expense as he pulled a pre-rolled blunt from his pocket.
Kalil’s eyebrows were undeniably thick, but the ladies never seemed to mind.
Nevertheless, Kalil didn’t appreciate his cousins constantly ragging on the facial feature he was most insecure about.
Catching someone walking their way, a smile spread across his face.
Instant karma. “Go ahead and laugh it up, bitch. Watch this.” Raising his hand, Kalil waved it to motion someone over.
When Kas turned around, his smile faded when he spotted Zahra walking their way.
She was smiling so hard it looked like it hurt.
Two other girls with her looked just as thirsty as she always did.
Kas wanted to send her on her way but could imagine how badly Onyx would curse him out if he was rude.
So, he tossed his head to invite them into the section.
“Heyyy Kas,” Zahra spoke, bending down to give him a hug.
He let his arms relax, not wanting to give her anything close to a hug. “Sup, Zahra. Take a seat.”
“Thank you.”
Zahra and her friends scooted into the section. She took a seat next to Kas while her friends scurried in next to Kalil.
“Since my cousin’s bad-mannered ass isn’t going to do it, I’ll introduce myself. I’m Kalil,” he introduced himself, mainly to Zahra’s friends. He’d already met Zahra at the studio.
“Oh, these are my friends Christina and Jada.”
Kalil was a sucker for a pretty, thick, brown skinned woman, and Jada fit that description perfectly.
He shook all three ladies' hands but held onto hers a little longer. Deciding to extend hospitality, Kas offered the girls shots to which they eagerly accepted. With each song that played, Zahra seemed to get closer and closer to Kas. Every time she scooted an inch closer, he scooted two inches away. She was doing everything in her power to get Kas to bite. Bending over and twerking in his face, grabbing onto his arm, and laughing loudly anytime he said anything even slightly funny. She’d even gone so far as to try and drape her legs across his lap, which he politely removed.
Tiring of Zahra doing too much, Kas checked his watch, noticing it was approaching midnight.
He was over the club and the girls occupying his section.
Plus, he’d consumed quite a few shots and wanted to get on the road while he could still drive.
“Aye, Kalil, you good?”
Kalil had both arms spread across the back of the couch, eyes glued to Jada’s ass twerking on his lap. “Why? You dipping?”
“Yea, I’m out.”
“Oh, I um, I think I’mma stick around for a while,” Kalil responded, giving his cousin a telling glance.
“Wait. Kas, you’re leaving so soon?” Zahra questioned.
“Yea, I got some shit I need to take care of in the morning, so I’mma take it down for the night.”
“Oh okay. You need some company?”
“Hell nah, I’m straight,” Kas replied, walking past Zahra and giving his cousin dap. “Don’t stay out this bitch by yo self too long.”
“You don’t got to worry about that. Quan on his way up here now.”
“Ight, bet. I’ll see y’all niggas tomorrow.”
Kas left the section and out of the club, not bothering to offer Zahra any more than he already had.
If he were being honest, he needed to get away because he wasn’t comfortable with how much he liked her attention.
Inside his Jeep, he drove through the city and jumped onto the highway headed for Richmond.
“See, this is why I couldn’t be on one of these reality shows. A bitch touch my belongings and I’m shutting the whole show down!” Yanna spoke animatedly.
“I’m trying to tell you. Zeus would have to change their name or something,” Troi concurred.
They were having one of their sessions where they FaceTimed and watched reality shows together. Their show for that night was Baddies East, and they were having a time spectating.
“Fuck changing their name, the network would cease to exist. Anyway, are you ready for this shower? Whose idea was it to have a joint shower anyway. It’s called a bridal shower for a reason.”
“Girl, I don’t know. Either my mumma or mumma Lay. Maybe they came up with it together. But I’m ready for it though. I’m ready for it all.”
“Me too. I don’t know how Onyx expects me to complete all the shit he has me doing at WCMG on top of my maid of honor duties.”
“You want to ask him?”
“Hell no, leave him where he’s at. I’ll just let him continue to work me to death until I keel over.”
“Girl gone with the dramatics. I know my man is paying you well.”
“Real good, but still he—” Yanna was interrupted by the sound of her front door opening and closing. “I don’t know why I agreed to give that boy a key.”
“Because yo ass ain’t have no fucking choice. That’s why,” Kas answered, walking into Yanna’s bedroom with bags in his hand. He placed the bags on her nightstand and proceeded to take his shoes off. His shirt was removed next, and he climbed onto the bed with Yanna.
“What’s in the bags?”
“Some of them MaMa ramen noodles you like, hot fries, a hot pickle and a cherry Pepsi.”
“Ooh, hand me the hot fries.”
Kas handed her the bag of Chester’s hot fries and climbed behind her, resting her head on his chest. “What we watching?”
“Baddies East.”
“Ah fuck, these weird ass bitches. What’s up, Troi baby?”
“Hey Kas, I miss you.”
“See, why you ain’t tell me that before I came here? I would’ve came and laid up with you instead.”
“I just assumed you were coming by here. Where you been anyway?”
“Went to handle something earlier then I met up with Kalil for a little while.”
“Went to handle what?” Yanna asked, craning her neck to face Kas.
“Mind yo business, Yanna Boo.” Kas replied, placing a kiss on her forehead.
“Mhmm, don’t play with me.”
“Girl, can we just watch the show? Damn.”
Yanna opened her hot fries and started to chomp on them, pressing her back to Kas’ torso. Since she was eating, he held the phone for her while they conversed on FaceTime with Troi.
“I swear I can’t stand that hoe,” Yanna commented about one of the show’s cast members.
“Dead ass, I can’t either. She wanna be hard so bad, but she always following behind the big bitch,” Kas added.
“Yes, she does, and it’s so annoying. Her and the big bully can kick rocks as far as I’m concerned. I can’t stand broads like that.”
“Me either, Troi Baby. The big chick seem like she can’t stand for the spotlight not to be on her.
I know some bitches from Hopewell that’ll beat the breaks off her big ass.
The funny looking chick too,” Kas commented, taking a sip of his Red Faygo.
He listened to Yanna and Troi ramble on about the show and was about to add his two cents before he got a sour feeling in his stomach.
“Aye hell nah, y’all got me sounding like a lil’ bitch talking about these broads. Where my brother at?”
“Onyx!” Troi called loudly.
Moments later Onyx’s face appeared on the phone screen. “Baby brother, hell you doing?”
“Nothing. You good? You ain’t been crying and shit, have you?” Kas quizzed, knowing his brother was still in his feelings behind Nouri’s sudden appearance.
“Shut the fuck up. Y’all been on the phone long enough, can I have my wife back now?”
“Oh, my God!” Kas and Yanna yelled simultaneously. “Yea, you can definitely gone head with that irritating shit.”
“Don’t be a hater, Kas.”
“Yea, hating ass muh’fucka.”
“Nyx, you tender as fuck.”
“I don’t give a damn. We about to have some private time. I love you, boy.”
“I love you too, nigga.”
“Um, Onyx, you better not hang up like you don’t see me on this phone. Act like you love me too.”
Onyx scoffed, feigning annoyance as he ran his hand down his face. “Love you, Yanna.”
“Oh hell nah, don’t give me that half ass sentiment. It don’t hit the same if you don’t put the “I” first.”
“You irritating as hell. I love you, Yanna.”
“I love you too, Nyxie pooh.”
“Never call me that again,” Onyx demanded, remembering when his ex, Brea, used to call him that. “Take y’all asses to sleep or something. Bye.”
“Did he just hang up on us?” Yanna asked.
“Hell yea, muh’fuckas think I’m the rude one, but I get it from his ass.”
“Clearly. Anyway, what’s the business you had to handle earlier?”
“Damn, you nosey as fuck. I went to see my dad.”
“Wow, really?”
“Yep.”
“And where’d you go after that?”
“Met Kalil at Club Link.”
“Yea? Y’all was with some bitches?”
“Nah,” Kas replied, but Yanna could tell just by the tone in his voice that he was lying.
“Kasra Hussein, don’t lie to me. I’ll call Kalil right now and ask if bitches were with y’all.”
“Bruh, won’t no bitches with us. Wait, why the fuck do you even have my cousin’s number?” Yanna chose not to answer that question but gave Kas a devious simper. “Hell nah, delete that shit.”
“Kas.”
“Kas my ass, delete it and let me see it.”
“Ugh.” Yanna pulled out her phone, deleted Kalil’s contact info, and showed her phone to Kas.
“Good, ain’t no reason for you to have my cousin’s phone number.”
“It’s gone, damn. Now… how did things go with you and your dad?”
“Um,” Kas started, scratching his chin indicating he was in deep thought. “It was ight for real. It’s crazy, but the nigga kind of remind me of me.”
“You mean personality wise?”
“Yea, I gave his ass hell soon as he opened up his door, and he won’t having it. It’s like he gave Onyx his looks and me his personality.”
“Lord, I know he gave Ms. Layla a run for her money.”
“I wouldn’t know about all that. We didn’t get to talk about their relationship. I’m not sure I want to know for real.”
“You know you want to know. What you’re really worried about is Onyx. Are you going to tell him about meeting up with your dad?”
Kas released a deep sigh, that question being prevalent in his mind since he left Nouri. “I don’t know, man. Nyx thinks about this shit differently than I do. I hope he comes around, though, because I do want to get to know Nouri and Maya.”
“Talk to him then.”
“Yea, we’ll see.”
Yanna and Kas continued to watch the reality show while gorging on their snacks. Once they were done, they showered together and climbed into her bed. As Kas drifted off to sleep, a thought crept to the forefront of his mind.
“Jaiyanna.”
“Hmm?”
“If I ever catch you on some hoe shit with my cousin, I promise you’ll meet a side of me you’ve never seen before.”
“Okay, Kas. I believe you.”
You better…
The remainder of Kas’ thoughts were surrounded around how he’d talk to his brother about their newfound father.