14. Kayshon
Several weeks later…
“Girl, I saw how that man was looking at you today. Don’t you think it's time to go to HR on his ass? I mean—oh, excuse me. How can I help you, sir?” the woman at the front desk of Ashari’s job says to her before seeing me walking up behind Ashari.
Overhearing their one-sided conversation, my blood runs hot as Ashari slowly turns to face me. Ashari quickly diverts her gaze as if trying to avoid making eye contact, further increasing my souring mood. During our conversation last night, I got Ashari to agree to my taking her to work today so we could spend time together. Ashari said she doesn’t generally work on Saturdays, but something unexpected came up, so she had to. Now that we’re moving past the hiccup that set us back, I realize I need to be more mindful about giving Ashari reasons not to let me go so effortlessly.
I had also re-scheduled my consultation because Ashari wanted to be in attendance. The new appointment is this week, and uncertainty has been trying to overtake my thoughts because I’m unsure how it's going to go. I also haven’t made a concrete decision, which has me out of sorts. Before Ashari, I knew there wasn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that I would have kids. Now, I’m torn about whether I should proceed with the procedure.
I thought I would be good with loving and spoiling any kids that Kyce and Jawaan had, but now I don’t know. I also haven’t been able to see Letitia as she’s had a family emergency that has caused her to cancel appointments. Thankfully, she’ll be back this upcoming week, but not until after the consultation, so it could either be good or bad.
“Whose death am I causing before we vacate these premises?” I ask, hiking my brow as Ashari’s breath hitches and her eyes damn near bulge out of their sockets.
“N-nobody,” Ashari says as the woman behind her rolls her eyes, and my jaw clenches before I respond.
“Are you protecting the mothafucka, Ashari?”
“Oh great, I caught you. I need you to come to my office, Ashari,” some pasty man says, rushing toward Ashari, whose face falls slightly before returning to normal.
I know you fucking lying…
“All I can spare is ten minutes, Paul,” Ashari tells ole boy before looking at me. “I won’t be too long. Hang tight.” Without another word, she follows behind dude with her head hanging, causing my blood to run cold.
“What the fuck?” I say, frowning deeply.
“This is none of my business, but I’m gonna say something anyway because she won’t. Paul has been like a dog with a bone trying to convince Ashari he’s the man who can provide her with the opportunity to run his pig pen. He has an intense craving for getting beautiful women like Ashari to roll around in the hay at his farm,” the woman says as Ashari and ole boy enter the elevator shaft and the doors close.
My blood pressure skyrockets as a sharp pain grips my chest, moving up to the top of my head, making the hairs covering my crown painful. My jaw clenches tight enough to break the molars in my back teeth as I stare silently at the elevator.
“Here’s a visitor’s badge. They’re going to the seventh floor and will be the only two up there, and I doubt Paul’s motives are anything but shiesty.” Light tapping pulls me from the elevator's closed doors to see the woman extending a badge in my direction.
Wordlessly, I take it and make quick strides to the elevator as my index finger assaults the call button.
Holding Ashari like Kevin Kostner held Whitney Houston when fans rushed the stage in The Bodyguard , I exit the front entrance twenty minutes later. RPD's blue and red flashing lights light up the fast-approaching night sky yet don’t slow my progress. I think ole girl at the desk knew some bullshit was about to go down, which is why she sent me after Ashari. Ashari trembles, causing me to grit my teeth as the last thirty minutes play back like a Michael Myers soundtrack.
While staring at the slowly ascending elevator panel, my heart races with an intense urgency to get to Ashari. Exhaling heavily, I damn near run off the elevator when it reaches my desired floor. My steps sound in my ears as my chest feels like it's about to cave in, making it more urgent to get to my woman.
“I have thought about what this moment would be like so long that I must apologize. I promise I’ll make it up to you,” I hear ole boy say before hearing Ashari’s reply.
“I see why you have a farm. I’m embarrassed for you.”
Busting in the office, I see ole boy with his pants down around his ankles as his left hand pumps up and down his lower region. Laughter bursts from my mouth, causing me to bend over in hysterics. I’m not a man who looks at another man’s dick, but my eyes can’t help it this time.
“What the fuck are you doing in here?” ole boy asks causing tears to slip from my eyes from my laughing.
“You ought to be ashamed of yourself for trying to entice my woman with that Vienna. I can guarantee that on your best day, you wouldn’t be able to penetrate her even if you added all ten of your fingers.
“Period, boo. It goes to show that shoe and body size don’t equate to monster dicks or third legs. He should have kept that shrimp between him and the goats on his farm,” Ashari says.
Redness starts on the tips of ole boy’s ears as his chest rises and falls like a bull, instantly halting my laughter because I already know what’s coming. Forgetting that he isn’t in his bullpen, ole boy huffs before charging toward Ashari.
“Mothafucka!” I shout before crashing out on his ass.
“Aye, hold up, Patton,” I hear just as I place Ashari in the passenger seat of my ride.
Standing to my full height, I see Detective Bellamy jogging toward me with a goofy smile that sparks one of my own.
“Why didn’t you have somebody cover that nigga’s peapod before we arrived on the scene?” Detective Bellamy smirks before both of us start laughing.
Paul Keys made the grave mistake of thinking running up on Ashari would be successful in my presence. I beat his ass until he needed smelling salts to wake him up. An intense rage at his audacity took over my body, causing my hands to punch Paul even after he was out like a light. Ashari’s screaming didn’t break the haze I was in, and it took Detective Bellamy, Marks, and two uniform officers to get me off Paul and out of the room.
“You’re lucky the bitch ass idiot was breathing when you got here. His ass fucked around and found out that Ashari Weeks will never be that woman.”
“I don’t blame you, and I’m definitely writing this report as self-defense, although we all know it’s bullshit,” Detective Bellamy says, smirking.
“Hell yeah. I appreciate you looking out because I can’t fuck up tonight’s plans.”
Looking over my shoulder, I see Ashari’s fingers tapping a mile a minute while holding her phone.
“No worries. Big Homie continues to bless me, so I’m all about paying it forward when the situation warrants His grace. Besides, your brother is cool people. Speaking of which, y’all should hang with my people and me some time. We’re at Ty-Walt’s Clouds of Rhapsody every third Friday of the month.”
“Bet. Be easy, Detective Bellamy,” I say, nodding.
“You do the same,” he says as we shake hands. He walks away before I head to the driver’s side of my ride and get in.
“How about we go back to one of our places and just chill out? After all that, I’m not in the mood to be around anyone but you,” Ashari says.
“Fine, but next Saturday, we’re gonna have a real date out, and I don’t want to hear any complaints or objections,” I say, smirking.
Being laid up with Ashari doesn’t sound like a bad idea, especially after ole boy had me dancing around him like I was Apollo Creed in the Rocky movies with his opponents.
“Good. Let’s go to your house so I can see what it feels like for you to make love to me in your bed.”
“Damn. Say less, Shari.”
“How do you feel about self-sucking?” Ashari instantly asks out of the blue, causing me to grab the remote and mute the TV.
“Uh… what the hell are you talking about, Ashari?”
Her question came out of left field, which confused me because we’re currently watching reruns of A Different World where nothing is happening.
“One of my friends called me while I was at work, going off about meeting some guy who sucked his own dick when she refused to do it. I’m just wondering if this is something common amongst men.”
“Have I asked you to suck my dick, Ashari?” Wrinkles dance like waves on my forehead as I look down at her, despite her eyes remaining on the still TV screen.
“Uh… no,” she says as if there’s a puzzle in her answer as she shifts her body, looking up at me.
“If I don’t want you sucking my dick, you can bank I ain’t putting my mouth on it. You need to tell your girl to keep better male company. I ain’t never heard of no shit like that before.”
“Well, that makes me happy because if you did, I would tell you to go ahead with the vasectomy because nobody needs to be birthing your babies in this lifetime.”
“Oh, now you don’t want to have my babies, Ashari?”
“Ugh. Pick a side, Kayshon Patton. Either you’re getting snipped or you’re not.” Rolling her eyes, Ashari takes the remote from my hand, unpausing the TV while resuming her previous position.
“Crazy ass woman,” I say with a low chuckle.
“No sperm-having man.”
My body shakes with the laughter echoing from me at the dig Ashari makes as her giggles send warmth throughout my extremities. As Ashari continues watching the old-school HBCU sitcom, I pick up my phone and text the group chat between me and my brothers.
Me:
Which one of y’all will cop to Rema having you suck your own dick? *side-eye emoji*
Before I can lock my phone or put it down, it starts buzzing back-to-back, letting me know that either both or one of my brothers are answering my question.
Kyce:
??
Jawaan:
No habla ingles, fuck nigga
Kyce:
At least Google the rest of the statement in Spanish, little brother.
Jawaan:
I can’t hear Jimmy, big bro. I’m unsure if he’s having a Shug Avery moment or if Ashari has him doing some shit he wants us to cop to with his cringy ass.
Me and Cleo are about to come over and get Sassy’s ass out of there. She doesn’t want any parts of whatever is going down over there, Kayshon.
Me:
I changed my locks, so good luck with that shit.
Kyce:
Not to mention that Sassy has been here for so long that Masani bought her a kennel so she would be comfortable like Peaches.
Jawaan:
First, Kyce goes and knocks up the first nurse who revitalizes his comatose dick.
Now here Kayshon comes, changing his locks so I can’t hear Non-soprano lowering his sperm count while she is singing.
I ain’t gotta keep taking this neglect and shit. I’m moving to Columbus.
Kyce:
Shut your crybaby ass up.
Jawaan:
Nah. You niggas hurt my feelings. *running emoji*
Laughter bubbles to the surface at seeing the emoji Jawaan has added to his message because he plays all day and is the most unserious nigga I know.
“What’s so funny?” Ashari asks.
“In a text debate with my brothers, and Jawaan is whining.”
“He needs a woman but wouldn’t let my bestie take care of him when she offered.”
“To know Jawaan is to know that he’s cautious regarding his dealings with women. As unserious as he is, he’s also jaded in a way most wouldn’t understand, making it hard for women to see the man he truly is.”
“Oh, really? How?—”
“It’s not my place to tell Jawaan’s story. I’ve already said more than I should have, so please don’t repeat that to anyone.”
*ping*
Pulling my eyes away from Ashari, I shake my head at the message on my phone that I know is only gonna fuel Jawaan.
Kyce:
Father, I come to you on behalf of my little brother. Send the woman that’s for him and that Masani has seen expeditiously. I don’t want him to be lonely anymore and Cleo is weary in well-doing. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen
Jawaan:
Kyce, I say this as best as I can…go to the deepest part of hell and rest there. As a matter of fact, I’m about to call Masani and tell her that you didn’t wash Mycah’s binky when it hit the table, talking about the nonexistent five-second rule.
Me:
Bro, you’re petty. *laughing emoji*
Jawaan:
Petty is Ashari being kicked out of Heaven for breaking the celestial windows while auditioning for the Jubilee choir and Hell for making Satan’s ears bleed while running around the fire thinking his bitch ass would beg God to give her another chance.
Me:
Fuck you nigga. My baby has an angelic voice.
Jawaan:
Shiddd. Sassy is wearing noise-canceling headphones because Peaches put her up on game after y’all adventure in babysitting.
Kyce:
Oh shit! Is that why Peaches hung her head when she saw Ashari at dinner? *laughing emoji*
Me:
Wow, Kyce. Let me find out you’re bandwagon jumping to stay in little bro’s good graces. Simp ass niggas
“If you’re done letting your brothers entertain you, can you put me to sleep?” Ashari asks, rubbing her hand on my dick as it jumps in response, causing me to turn my phone off.
“Say less, Shari.”
Ain’t neither one of my brothers more important than the advantage of sliding into the treasure that is Ashari’s pussy. A fluttering sensation sprouts in my stomach as I reposition Ashari’s body before leaning down to kiss her sweet lips as a moan escapes my mouth from the contact.
Yeah, fuck those niggas. It's go time.