32. Corinthians #2
“I think she’s just mad because he is cheating, but he always cheats. It’s why I stopped playing him.”
“You played him?” I wasn’t shocked Cross loved computers and games.
“Yep, we used to battle daily, but then I realized his ass was cheating. I said fuck that and stopped.”
“You had Nine freeze his accounts, didn’t you?”
“Oh no, that wasn’t Mecca,” Cross denied. She sat back in her chair and smiled. “That was me.”
I laughed and turned to look out the back window. From my seat, I could see Granddaddy and Exodus at the grill in the backyard. “I know Granddaddy isn’t handing over the grill to Ex.”
“Never,” she answered. Exodus knocked on the window and waved for us to come outside. The food was done. We got up, and I went back to get my shoes. Psalms was still on the phone. I pointed to the backyard, and she nodded. After I got my shoes, I went back to the kitchen.
“I was meaning to ask whose cars are outside?” I asked Cross. She got the paper plates, and I grabbed the cooler handle that held all the water. Madea and Granddaddy had already let everyone know that they weren’t washing dishes, which we were good with.
Cross opened the door so I could walk out first. “Umm, just the normal people,” she answered with a shrug. “What car did you see out there that you didn’t know?”
“The grey Lexus,” I answered.
“Oh, that’s Four’s car,” Cross answered.
I stumbled but quickly righted myself. “Four?” I asked.
Cross nodded, then set the plates on the table and looked around. “And before you try and run, you might as well stay. Judah has already seen him, and they’ve been playing since he got here,” she said, then pointed to the far corner of the backyard where Judah stood talking to Four.
“Damn it.”
“I don’t know why you just won't admit your attraction to that man,” she said. “Judah already busted y’all out all those months ago.”
We’d done well as strangers until we didn’t.
Nine and Ex had Uri drop Judah off at my house because I had to work late and Judah had invited him in.
Just like that night four years ago, we held each other and fell asleep.
I thought he snuck out before Judah woke up, but I learned later that he hadn’t.
Judah told my family that he’d seen Uri and me naked in my room, but we weren’t naked.
They ran with it even though I told them he was wrong.
Why they believed him, and he was a kid, I will never understand.
Now I've made it a habit not to be around when he is. I left early or didn’t come at all. Madea always made sure to invite me to things that she knew he would be at. I didn’t show up on purpose. I couldn’t be a stranger to this man. It was obvious as soon as we were around each other.
I could feel Cross watching me, but I couldn’t help but turn and look at Uri. He bent to Judah’s eye level, said something to him that made him laugh, then stood. I could see the small smile tugging at his lips. His pink lips held a hint of brown that looked soft and kissable.
Four years ago, when I woke up and he was gone, the first thing I wished I’d done was kiss him.
I didn’t realize I was a lip woman until seeing the adult version of Uri.
His lips were etched permanently into my brain, along with the letter that was locked away in my dresser.
I found it the next morning; I still hadn’t opened it after all these years.
A part of me was afraid of what it would say.
Uri looked good, better than he did when I last saw him.
His golden-brown skin glowed, and the tattoos that covered him gave him a dangerous look, not that he needed to add to it.
He’d grown his beard slightly; it wasn’t long, but full and rugged.
He licked his lips, and I was jealous. I wanted to be his lips and feel his tongue.
He was dressed in a pair of black cargo shorts, a King’s jersey, a fitted hat low on his head, and a pair of black-and-gold Givens that hadn’t been released yet.
I only knew they weren’t because Judah wanted them and had their release day marked on my calendar.
A gold cross hung around his neck, and a gold bracelet on his wrist. I’d never seen him dressed down, but I loved how he looked.
He said something else to Judah, then nodded, and Judah ran off. He laughed, tucked his chain into his jersey, and chased after him. Judah looked back as he ran and realized that Four was right behind him, then turned around and ran towards me.
“Mama!” he laughed as he came towards me.
“Mama!” He got to me, got behind me, and peeked around me to see Four had stopped at the porch.
I could feel Judah’s hands on my hips; he was breathing hard and laughing.
Four’s pretty ass eyes went from Judah to me, then back to him.
“I told you I’d get the one person that could stop you. ”
Uri didn’t say anything, just shook his head and stepped back. I could tell from the interaction between Judah and Uri that this wasn’t their first time meeting.
“Right, if anybody can stop Four, it’s Corinthians,” Cross teased.
Uri chuckled then wiped his hand over his mouth.
His hands were huge, and the healed scars that were visible broke my heart.
I looked up at him, searching his eyes for answers to questions I hadn’t even asked.
The loudest one screaming in my mind was, why was he here?
What happened over the last few years that made him show his face again?
I unwrapped Judah’s hands from my waist.
“Judah, I need to go check on Auntie Bug,” I told him, moving him from behind me. “I’ll be right back.”
“Okay,” Judah said. He looked at Uri, then smiled. “You ready, Four?” Without waiting for him to respond, Judah tagged him on the arm and then ran away.
I watched him run away, then looked back at Uri, who was still watching me.
Yeah, I was about to find a reason to leave; I couldn’t be here.
I licked my lips then stepped back, shaking my head.
The peaceful feeling immediately washed over me as I looked into Uri’s eyes.
That was something I never experienced with anyone but him.
Even after all these years, it was still there.
The pulling to stand next to him, be in his space, let him protect me.
“Corinthians?” Cross called my name. “Where are you going?”
“To check on Bug,” I told her as I walked away. I had no intention of finding my sister; I just needed to get away from Uri. I needed a moment.
I went back into the house and headed right to my childhood bedroom. I closed the door, went to the closet, opened it, and climbed in, making sure to close it behind me. I turned on the light that sat in the back, wrapped my arms around my legs, and rested my forehead on my knees.