Daymir
“Did you talk to Vee Vee about ol’ girl?” Brick asks as soon as he walks out into the solarium. I don’t even have to ask how he knows because my family talks to damn much. If he didn’t hear about it from Aunt Vivian, Vee Vee or Dodge told him.
“No. I let that Makenna shit ride,” I admit. I don’t live in the past. I didn’t parole back home for a reason-there was nothing left there for me. That hasn’t changed.
“You don’t care why she’s looking for you?” Dodge adds.
“Hell nah. Shit was dead with us when she showed me who she really was. Plus, you saw Imani, right?” I ask and Dodge smiles. “And nigga, keep that corn bread dressing shit to yourself,” I bark playfully. I can’t believe he said that in front of Imani and Presha.
“She thick like that?” Brick asks.
“Too small for me but she’s bad,” Dodge says.
“This is both of ya’ll niggas first and last fucking time talking about my lady.”
“Damn, you got that. I’ll shut up,” Dodge says with a laugh.
“What happened in NYC?” I ask Brick. Friday morning, he left for New York and he just got back.
“We finally handled that PrePass shit. So, our transport rigs won’t have to stop at the weight stations anymore on the high ways. Shipments should be quicker and smoother now.”
“Good. Shipment delays and issues throw the warehouse schedule off. This will make Hazel happy because she can create a more succinct work schedule for the girls and stick to it. And, I can streamline the deliveries.”
“Facts. Anything to keep this shit flowing. I plan to eat for a long as time,” Dodge says and I agree one hundred.
Our business is organized, streamlined, and on point.
Between law enforcement on payroll, attorneys on retainers, and several legitimate businesses owned and ran by the family, I sleep damn good at night knowing that I won’t ever be back in anyone’s cell again.
I’m even thinking about using my money to start a business.
I love working for the Powers and appreciate my cousins for putting me on but ultimately, I want my own shit.
I run the warehouse but that shit ain’t mine.
Being a manager isn’t true boss status and that’s what I ultimately want.
The door opens and Imani walks in looking gorgeous as always.
I love that she always puts some shit on.
Her style is uniquely hers, sexy and a little edgy.
Today, she’s wearing a sweater dress that hangs off one shoulder and a pair of boots up to her knees.
The dress kind of looks like a jersey with the number ten on it and although it loosely fits her body, I know what’s under it and that makes the look extra sexy.
I stand, step to her, and wrap my arms around her. Whenever I’m near her, my hands can’t control themselves. I have to touch her in some way.
“You good?” I ask.
“Yeah. Good and a little tipsy. Hazel makes some strong ass drinks,” she says, smiling.
“Nigga, let her breathe,” Brick says too damn loud before walking over and slapping me on the back.
“Chill,” I tell him before releasing Imani. “This loud fool is my cousin, Brick.”
“His favorite cousin,” Brick says.
“Nice to meet you.”
“You too. Anybody that can make this nigga smile is cool with me.”
“I keep hearing that he didn’t smile but I can’t believe it. He smiles all the time,” she says before grabbing my hand.
“Now, he does,” Brick reiterates.
“Did you really not smile?” she asks as we walk over to the table.
“I smiled when needed,” I tell her and she shakes her head.
“So, it’s needed around me?”
“All the time.”
“I like that,” she gushes. Then, she inhales and exhales loudly. “It smells so good out here. I’m so ready to eat.” She touches the red platter in front of her. “Okay. They are serious about their seafood,” she comments.
Presha loves seafood so Dodge has this big ass outdoor boiler and he fires it up often.
Today, he hooked up snow, Dungeness, and blue crabs, shrimp, corn on the cob, sausage, and potatoes.
The table is set up. The place settings are large round platters.
Each platter has a crab cracker, scissors, wooden mallet, and a pair of tongs.
“Yeah. Presha and Dodge can eat crabs every day. When we were growing up and Dodge and Brick came to Philly for the summer, we would eat crabs all the time. I ate so much I stopped for a minute.”
“Whew. Never. I can’t eat them every day but I can’t stop eating them either. Blue crabs are my favorite.”
“You can have them. That’s too much damn work for some little ass meat. I’m good on those.” Presha and Hazel walk in and bring lemons, bowls of butter, and Ranch to the table along with rolls of paper towels and buckets for the shells. “That Ranch shit is disgusting,” I tell Presha.
“Leave my Ranch, alone,” Presha snaps before looking to Imani. “Do you need a bib? I have some?”
“No, thank you. I’m good.”
“Then let’s eat,” Hazel says.
“You want something to drink?” I ask Imani.
“A beer and a water.”
“Heineken cool?” I ask and she nods.
When I stand to go grab our drinks from the fridge, she stands too and follows Hazel and Presha. They grab the bowls of the seafood and sides and dump them all in the middle of the table. Dodge turns off the television and starts to play some music through the sound system.
Once we are all at the table, we dig in. Using our tongs, we load our platters up. Imani pushes her sleeves up on her dress then starts. I watch as she squeezes lemons over her platter then squeezes some juice in her butter bowl. She catches me staring.
“You want some lemon juice?” she asks.
“Is it good in the butter?” I counter.
She grabs a crab leg and cracks it. When she pulls the meat out, she dips it in her bowl then holds it up to my mouth. She’s feeding me. Even with my peeps clowning me about smiling and shit, I don’t bother stopping the smile forming on my face from her feeding me.
“You tell me,” she responds before I bite the crab leg. “So?”
“It’s good. I like it,” I admit.
“Bruh, get a fucking room,” Dodge yells and everyone laughs, including me and Imani. I can always count on him to act the hell up.
For the next two hours, we eat, drink, and chill, with Imani blending in perfectly with the people I love.
For the past two years, I grinded hard to build the life that I have here in Crescent Falls.
I worked my way up in the organization. I own my condo and I have a nice savings.
Honestly, I thought I had everything I needed until I met Imani.
In the short time I’ve been with her, I see how different and better life can be with a real woman by your side.
Imani’s got her own, she knows and owns who she is, and she’s sexy and feisty as hell.
Plus, she rocks with me and fits. From the moment she walked into this house, she blended with my fam.
Hazel and Presha are chopping it up with her and I fo’ sure have Dodge and Brick’s nod of approval.
While I don’t need their acceptance of her, I appreciate it and it just proves that she is the one.
As soon as we finish with our food, Brick and I bag up the trash, shells, and empty bottles.
Dodge cleans the boiler and Imani helps Presha in the kitchen with washing the bowls and platters.
We all meet back up in the entertainment room.
Dodge turns on the television and finds a pre-season football game. Presha immediately objects.
“I have to watch football all the damn time. This is just pre-season, baby. Can we please watch something else? That new Denzel movie is out,” she says.
“I’m bout to watch my eyelids. I’m full as fuck and tired from my flight,” Brick announces.
“Man, you stopped by. I appreciate it. Take yo’ ass home. We can get up later,” Dodge says.
“Yeah, baby, go home. Get some sleep,” Hazel says.
“Come with me and put me to sleep,” he counters.
“And with that, I guess I’m leaving,” Hazel smirks then stands. She steps in front of him and holds her hands out. He takes them and she pretends to pull him up. “Hit me up so you can go with me to the track,” she tells Imani.
“I definitely will,” Imani says. Then, she looks to me. “Dodge looks tired too. Maybe we should go too,” Imani utters.
I look up and Dodge is definitely nodding on the other sectional. He spent a lot of time standing over that boiler cooking. He cooks so much, there’s still some left.
“You right,” I tell her then speak up louder. “We bout to dip too. This nigga sleep already.”
“Well, hold up. I have food packed for everybody and you need to get some of the cake Imani bought,” Presha says.
“I’ll get the food,” Imani says then stands. She follows Presha and Hazel out of the room. Brick nods then dips too.
When she walks out, my cell rings. It’s the 832 area code that called twice yesterday. I didn’t answer then and I don’t answer now. It’s an unknown number. If the caller wants me, he or she can leave a message or text.
“Damn, where everybody at?” Dodge says after he lifts his head.
“Left. I’m bout to dip too.” I stand and step over to him. After dapping him up, I say, “Thanks for the invite.”
“Already. Where’s yo’ girl?”
“In the kitchen with Presha.”
“Keep her. She’s aight. I like her for you.”
“I like her for me too,” I assure him.
“Good.”
“Alright, I’m out,” I say and he starts to move like he’s about to get up but I stop him. “Chill. I know how to get out.”
“Say less,” he sighs then gets back comfortable.
Imani is still in the kitchen when I walk in. She’s talking to Presha. Hazel and Brick are gone. When they see me, they hug and say their good byes. So, I hug Presha next.
“I like her. Don’t fuck it up,” she whispers in my ear as we embrace.
“I won’t.” After I grab the food bag, Presha walks us to the door and we dip. “Thanks for coming with me,” I tell Imani when I pull out of the driveway.