Chapter 5
Chapter
Five
Reminisce
Last night happened. One minute I was telling myself I’d back off and give her space and the next I was repeating what I had been telling her the last few months.
The difference this time was that I had every intention of following through and I hoped she saw that.
She asked me to prove that I wanted her, which meant I was doing just that.
It was strange a lil bit because with Pynk, or any girl I fucked with, I’d never had to prove it.
As a matter of fact, I didn’t care to, but with her, I cared.
I gave more of a fuck about her than any girl I had ever messed with and that baffled me.
I had never been some player ass nigga, but after everything I went through with Pynk, I wasn’t with any of that love shit.
I kept it moving on anything real or mirroring strings because I couldn’t afford to be played with like a mark.
I refused to keep playing the games I watched my mother and every nigga she entertained play when I was a youngin.
Regardless of any of that, I had a whole daughter out here, a child I was raising with the opposite childhood of my own.
“So we’re working on getting the fireplace installed this week. That way we’ll be able to keep warm while working in here,” Jason said.
I nodded. “Good shit, I’ve been meaning to come through and work on the cabinets.” I glanced around the open living room before my eyes found his.
He nodded. “That was a nice color you went with. Never seen anybody buy black cabinets.”
That statement earned a chuckle from me. “You tryna call my shit dark, Jason?”
A hearty laugh escaped his lips. “Damn right I am. You know how much it’s gonna take to lighten that kitchen? Not to mention you said you wanted a grey backsplash.”
I joined in on his laughter. He was right. “Looks good to me.”
“Good and dark, but were you able to choose your quartz for the counter? I wanna get that ordered so when we finish the counters, we can get it laid.”
“Uh yeah, I did. But since you’re talking about my colors, I might go with that one you suggested.”
We shared another laugh. “I’m following your lead, son, but I just want you to know it’s gonna be dark as hell in there if you don’t go a little lighter on something.”
I nodded, understanding what he said. “I got you. I’ll let you know soon.”
He showed me what else he and his team had worked on, explaining the concept of tuckpointing and sealing the windows.
I had been unaware all this went into building a home.
I fucked with the fact that I wasn’t only writing a check when it came to Jason’s work.
He was also explaining the things one never considered when buying a home to renovate.
I always learned something when we discussed progress.
After chopping it up with him for a while, I made my way to my brother’s house to see about my lil bossy ass best friend.
I was a minute from pulling up when I decided to call Rim.
She was used to me going missing after I stayed at her crib.
It was just our thing and there was never a promise or expectation for anything else between us… until now.
“You ran out of here like you had somewhere to be.” Her voice filled my car as soon as she answered.
“I did. I had to meet with somebody. Now I’m wondering what you got going on tonight.
I’ma have lil mama, and once I get her aggy ass in the house, I ain’t taking her back out,” I mused, thinking about getting her ass undressed once we got in.
Romance dropped clothes from the front door to wherever she settled.
Karim laughed. “Don’t be talking about her.”
“Shidd, shorty is just stressful.”
“Well, the apple doesn’t seem to fall too far from the tree, does it? Because you’re just as stressful. What are you cooking?”
“Who said I was cooking, Karim?”
“You’re inviting me over. Anytime I’ve ever been invited anywhere, that meant somebody was cooking for me.”
“Don’t tell me that shit.” I screwed my face up. I didn’t wanna hear about anybody else cooking for her or inviting her over to their place.
She laughed. “To think of it, I’ve never been over to your place before.”
“You coming or what, Rim?” I asked, knowing she was about to start her shit.
“You want me to?” There she started.
“If I didn’t want you to, I wouldn’t have invited your ass to come. Don’t get to being complicated because you’re feeling me and don’t know how to let things happen.”
Laughter expelled from her lips. “Shut up. I’ll be there. What do you want me to bring?”
“Just you and your mama if you wanna bring her too. You know mama was feeling me,” I joked, to fuck with her.
“Reminisce, stop playing with my mama. She was just being nice. She doesn’t like you for real.”
I could hear the lie through her teeth. “Yeah whatever, not the same mama who made me promise to come to dinner one of these days before you got to whining and shit.” I pulled into the parking garage of G’s building.
“I told you she was being polite.”
“Yeah, aight. What you getting into today?”
“Nothing really. I’m about to handle something for one of my brothers before I go try this aerial fitness shit with Kaydence.”
I laughed. “Oh, so you ’boutta come over all sore and shit.”
“I hope not, but you never know. Kay always wants to try some off the wall shit. Last month she had me in hot yoga. It was ninety-nine degrees in there and we were doing fucking yoga poses. My legs hurt for days after that.”
I chuckled. “I just bet they did. Don’t go fuck yourself up.”
“I’ll try not to. What time you want me to come your way? And you do know you have to send me the address, right?”
“Whatever time you finish. Uh, bring a bag or something, that way yeen tryna rush out my shit top of the morning.” I didn’t know why I felt so put out by what I was saying to her, especially when everything I was saying seemed to flow from my lips like it was meant.
Then with all the ease in the world, I dropped her my address.
It wasn’t like she couldn’t get it on her own.
She could get the president’s exact coordinates if she wanted.
For me it was the fact that I had willingly given it to her.
“Why are you nervous, Reminisce?” Her voice shattered my endless thoughts.
“Who said I was nervous, Rim?” I glared at the car console as if it were her momentarily.
“Do you not want to do this? Because if no—”
“Do what, Karim? Be with you? I hope you know me well enough to know I don’t do shit I don’t wanna do.
If you don’t think you do, then how about we discuss that shit tonight when you come through?
I’m sure we’ll come to a consensus. Now…
what you wanna eat? ’Cause if I’m ordering, it’ll be pizza and cheese sticks for shorty. ”
“That sounds good. Can you get me some wings?”
“Yeah, I got you.” I turned the car off and grabbed my things before getting out.
I hit the locks and moved briskly toward the lobby doors.
One thing I wasn’t built for was this Chicago winter.
It was only fucking November and it felt like we were in the middle of a fucking polar vortex.
From what I heard, this was normal, which had me questioning if I even wanted to settle my ass down here.
Who was I kidding? I didn’t see myself settling anywhere else either way.
This bipolar ass weather not only matched my vibe, because I wasn’t a sunshine ass nigga by far, but I knew after the cold was the heat.
Chicago summers were something you just had to experience for yourself.
“Why are your teeth chattering into the phone, Reminisce?”
“Because it’s colder than a motherfucker out here, baby. I don’t know how y’all survive this shit.”
“With coats. You walk around in a hoodie or sweatshirt and think that’s supposed to keep you warm. It doesn’t.”
“It ain’t like I be walking around outside, Rim.
A nigga be outside for three point five seconds,” I explained, walking in and going straight for the elevator.
The receptionist still thought I was G, so she never asked for ID or anything.
It was hilarious because I knew somebody had to be lost when they saw my brother and my twin then me within the same day wearing different clothing.
Not to mention Indiri when he popped up.
“I’m gonna call you later, alright?” she asked, voice bringing me back to her on the phone.
“Aight. Don’t have me waiting too long either.”
After we hung up, I was on the elevator for all of six more seconds before the doors opened and I stepped off.
It was funny how I had this feeling like I hadn’t seen my child in ages, but it had only been a damn night.
I missed her little ass so much that even though she was supposed to be with them for the weekend, here I was picking her up.
I glanced down at my phone as soon as I stepped in front of the door. Then I knocked and heard footsteps moving toward me. “Yo.” G’s voice sounded from the other side.
“It’s me, fool. Open up.”
I heard his laughter before he got the door fully open. “Couldn’t stay away, could you? First night is always the hardest. Just wait until you really need that break. You’ll be ready to drop her ass off and not look back.”
“You knew I was coming through, huh?” I laughed moving further into the condo.
“Um, we both did. It was truly just a matter of what time.” Beyah walked in the room with a laptop.
“Now pay up. I won’t go too hard on it.” Beyah’s hand was extended.
G went into his pocket, pulling out his wallet. “Yo, I shouldn’t give you shit. You lost yours.” He then extended a black card with a grunt. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say this nigga was pouting.
She laughed. “You’re not giving it to me. I won it fair and square.” Then she looked from my brother to me. “Thanks, Rem.”
I laughed. “For what?”