Chapter 9
NINE
Watching her hips sway from side to side as she made her way to the whip had me considering adding some width to them motherfuckers. Maybe a mini or two would thicken them up even more. Her body was perfect as it was, but some grown-ass woman weight wouldn’t hurt. Some weight that expressed her life’s purpose and an ability that the opposite sex simply didn’t have— procreating .
Chill, nigga, I warned, sealing the blunt in my hand.
“Hey, you.”
Glacier plopped down onto the seat of the coupe I’d spent two hours at the dealership copping.
“I love it, babe.”
“Thank you. Here.”
I stuck my wet lips out for her to kiss them.
“You ready to roll?”
“Not really, because I don’t know where we’re headed.”
“I’m not telling you, either. You’ll see whenever we get there.”
I hadn’t seen Glacier in two days. I had missed the shit out of her ass. Business had called me away, but now that I was back in the city, she was my priority.
“Ugh. So annoying.”
“How you liking your new crib?” I asked, changing the subject and ignoring the lies she told.
“I love it, baby. I just wish I had someone to sleep in my big, lonely bed with me,” she exaggerated, whining.
“I’ll be there tonight.”
“Promise?”
“Yes. I promise. Ghost and Midnight walking ’round that bitch sad. I went to feed them today and they don’t know what to do with themselves.”
“I know. I’ve visited them twice, hoping they wouldn’t notice my absence.”
“Too bad, because them niggas know.”
I lit the blunt, taking a pull before punching the gas. Her body flew backward, making me double over in laughter.
“Oh God, Makai. Pay attention and stop laughing,” she fussed.
“My bad, Mommas. I should’ve warned you.”
“Or at least let me get my seatbelt on.”
“That too.”
The irritation in her voice alerted me to other issues, prompting me to put my blunt out.
“What’s up, though? What’s on your mind? You sound… frustrated.”
“I’m not, baby. Just anxious.”
“About what? How can I fix it?”
“I just need to ask you something.”
“Yeah?”
“What’s the limit on the card you gave me?”
“Ain’t one. Spend whatever you need. Why?”
“Because I was thinking… I’m becoming a little frustrated with my car. And now that I live here, I want a better one. One that represents me now, not me years and years ago. Riding in Aeir’s truck a few days ago, and it made me want one like it. I have been obsessing over them for the last two days since you’ve been gone, working up the nerve to ask if?—”
“Ask for what? Working up the nerve for what? Have I not proven to you that you can have whatever you want, Glacier? If I have access to it, then so do you. For every dime I have, at this point, five cents of that shit belongs to you. You can have whatever you want, baby. You want a G-Wagon like Aeir’s, then let’s get you a fucking G-Wagon.”
I busted a U-turn in the middle of the street, putting the rest of our plans on hold. If Glacier wanted a new whip, then that was what she’d get. I was beating my own ass for not getting her something else sooner.
“Baby, we don’t have to right now. It’s late. Maybe they’re closed.”
“They’ll open that bitch up, then. You’re not going to spend another day obsessing over something you can have. You’re getting a truck, baby. Tonight.”
“I’d much rather have date night. The truck can wait. Seriously. I don’t want to spend our night looking around, test driving, or whatever else it takes. I’d rather be alone with you.”
The desperation in her tone, and the feel of her hand as it grazed my thigh, soothed me. I relit my blunt and made another U-turn, heading back in the direction we were going.
“Aight. Then, I guess the gun range shit out of the question tonight?”
“Oh, God. You planned date night at the gun range?”
Baby was mortified.
“Yeah. It’s important that you learn how to protect yourself, Glacier. I won’t always be there. I live a life that people wish they could. If anything ever happened to you because of me, I’d lose my shit. So, yeah, I planned a date at the gun range.”
“I wore heels,” she admitted. “And a dress. I’m sorry, baby. I didn’t know.”
“It’s all good. I was just trying to take you somewhere official. I can teach you how to shoot at the crib. I’d prefer it, anyway. The rounds are unlimited, and so is the choices of machinery.”
“I have mase.”
“For what? A bear? Kiwi, you got to blast a nigga that comes your way. You gon’ fuck both y’all up with some mase.”
“I have a knife, too.”
She was proud of her arsenal. I was sick to my fucking stomach.
“A motherfucker shouldn’t even be able to get that close for you to have to use your knife. Send his ass to hell before he is even in your personal space.”
“Oh, no. I couldn’t. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.” She huffed, getting herself worked up for nothing.
“Yes, you would. Because you’d find comfort in knowing you tried to keep him alive until the ambulance came. Be down there giving the nigga CPR and shit.”
“You know me so well.”
“Where we headed, G? I ain’t got no more tricks up my sleeve,” I confessed, puffing on my blunt.
“Well, there is this new movie I was eyeing.”
“See what time the next one is showing. And do you really want to waste your fly ass fit at the movies?”
“I don’t mind.”
She busied herself on the phone while I made a few turns to get us closer to a theater so that she could see whatever she was trying to see. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been to see a movie. We bootlegged almost everything as kids. As an adult, it never crossed my mind.
“The next one starts in an hour,” she articulated, straightening her back so that her voice projected over the music.
“Bet. You want to wait there or what?”
“Yes, because I have something I want you to look at.”
“What is it?” I wondered.
“The one truck that I like most. It’s not in Berkeley but it has zero miles on it.”
I understood why she wasn’t interested in the dealership idea. She already had a truck in mind.
“You want it shipped?”
“Yes. It’s all a very pretty shade of white with little sprinkles meshed into the paint. Everything inside is the prettiest shade of nude. It’s loaded with so much.”
“See what they need from you to get the process started.”
“Makai—” She sniggered, leaning closer to me.
That could only mean one thing. She already had some shit in motion.
“I’ve already been approved. I just wanted to make sure I could use the card for the down payment. That’s why I asked about the limit.”
“Bet. Don’t put shit down. We don’t pay notes, baby. We pay for the whole thang. Give me the link and I’ll make sure it’s in your cubby by nightfall tomorrow.”
“Awww. You’re going to make me cry.”
“Don’t do that shit, Mommas. It’s the only time you look ugly.”
“Really, Makai?”
“Real shit. The first time I seen that shit, I was like, please stop. Please stop that shit. It’s not a good look for you.”
“I don’t even know why I try with you sometimes.”
“Because you love a nigga and his honesty,” I reminded her. “Now send me the link to that truck. I can put something in motion while we wait for the movie to start.”
Glacier was ecstatic to hand me her cell the second I was settled into a parking spot. To my surprise, she’d done her homework and chosen a sick-ass G 63. After further inspection on my end, I forwarded the link to my phone and then to my people from there.
Have this at the crib by nightfall tomorrow.
Because the location of my home was anonymous, the vehicle would be delivered to Pops' house.
“So now we wait.” Glacier reclined her seat slightly.
“Yeah. We have about forty-five minutes. What’s on your mind, Kiwi?”
From the way she peered in my direction, I knew there was something floating in that noggin of hers.
“Well, I was thinking that maybe the dogs cou?—”
“No.” I laughed, shaking my head because I already knew where this was going.
“You haven’t even let me finish.”
“Because them niggas too big to be anywhere other than where they’re at. Plus, I can’t even touch you when they’re around without them tripping. That’s part of the reason I got the spot, to have you to myself, away from them niggas.”
“Seriously? You’re jealous of dogs?”
“If they don’t come up off you soon, I’m putting them niggas to sleep.”
“Wait. Hold on, Makai.”
“Any nigga that tries to come between us has to go. No exceptions.”
“They are animals!” She cackled.
“Anybody—shit, anything—can get it.”
“I don’t even know why I try with you sometimes.”
“Me either.”
Forty-five minutes passed by extremely quickly. Lost in one another and the thoughts lingering in our heads, we were approaching the start of the movie.
“Baby, it’s 9:15,” Mommas announced, gathering her belongings.
I was the first out of the whip. I made it to her side as she slid out. Taking her hand, I gently closed the door behind her, knowing that it would seal itself tightly without my assistance. Hand in hand, we journeyed toward the building and then to our seats. Glacier had secured our tickets online, so there was no need to pick any up. Before my ass could touch the seat good, I was back up, ready to hit the concession stand.
“Where are you going?” she whispered, pulling me back down.
“To get some food. I’m hungry as shit.”
“Baby, there’s a button to push on your chair. They’ll come and take your order.”
“Damn, real shit?”
“Yes. And bring it to you. I just sent you the link to the menu.”
“It’s online?”
“Yes.”
“Damn.”
“Why do you keep saying that?” She chuckled.
“I ain’t know they done upgraded like that. Shit, I would’ve been hitting the movies.”
“I think that’s a lie, baby.”
“It is, but now that I have a woman that demands date nights, then I know where to come every now and then.”
“I won’t be mad about a movie date at all. I can dress down and relax.”
“Exactly. Now, where the fucking button at, Kiwi? My stomach touching my back.”
I hated the nights she worked. Shit, I hated she worked at all. If it was up to me, she’d be jobless and spoiled. However, I’d settle for the spoiling. I did that shit with pride. Movie dates like the one we’d gone on last night, dinner dates, activities, outings, picnics, clothes, bags, shoes, hairstyles, facials, or whatever else Glacier wanted, she could have. The sky was hardly the limit for Mommas.
What you doing? I texted, hoping her phone was near. I was missing her down bad and needed to hear her voice.
When the gray bubble appeared, I knew I had some action. I waited for her response to surface, but it never did. Instead, I received a call. In my eyes, that was even better.
“Mommas,” I sang into the line, drunk off whatever potion she’d been giving a nigga.
“Hey, baby.”
“What you doing?”
“Working. Preparing to take my break in the next twenty minutes. Are you near?”
“Shit, I can be.”
“Okay. Maybe we can settle for a date in the cafeteria? It’s late so they don’t have many options.”
“I’m with whatever. I’m not complaining.”
“Okay. Meet me downstairs in the cafeteria in twenty minutes.”
“Bet.”
Thrilled to be in my lady’s presence again, I caught myself doing a small celebration dance. My hands were both in the air as I rocked my body from side to side, sure not to spill the weed I’d just lined my blunt with.
Admittedly, Glacier had a fucking hold on me. I punched the gas, determined to meet her in twenty minutes. I was almost fifteen minutes away, but I had a stop to make. The engine in the coupe got me the hell out of dodge and on the highway in seconds. Rick Ross and his recollection of the moves he was making to see the money he was seeing fueled my adrenaline.
I made a pit stop just before leaving my car in the emergency room roundabout. If they needed it moved, they’d tow my shit. I wasn’t tripping, not even a little. But neither was I going to miss the twenty-minute mark. Following the signs through the hallways, I made it to the cafeteria just as Mommas was walking in.
The beige scrubs she wore hugged her frame perfectly. Loose almost everywhere else, the backside had little to no room left. Shit, I wished I was them fucking pants for the night, riding up her ass and pussy every so often.
“Pssst. Pssst. Can I holler at you for a minute?” I whispered. “What’s ya name? You walking so fast, baby.”
“Because my man is meeting me here soon. I don’t want you to end your night in one of the beds upstairs, so it’s best we not talk to one another.”
“Damn, it’s like that?”
“Yes.”
I reached her, my steps equaling nearly two of hers gave me an advantage. I wrapped my arms around her, stuffing my nose in the crook of her neck.
“Ummmm. You smell good, Mommas.”
“Thank you, baby.”
“How long is your break?”
“I have a full hour if I decide to forfeit my two fifteen-minute breaks.”
“Forfeit them motherfuckers then, baby.”
“Hmmm. Those fifteen-minute naps come in handy, Makai.”
“You can nap during the hour. I promise I won’t even bother you.”
“What’s the catch?”
I placed my lips an inch away from her ear and confessed, “I want some of that thang between your legs.”
“A nap will be needed, indeed.”
Nervously, she chuckled, pulling me deeper into the cafeteria.
“Nah. We going outside. I’m parked in the emergency entrance.”
“Oh God. I need to grab something to eat first.”
“I got all that in the car.”
“What did you get?”
“A plate from Pops. I was supposed to pick it up earlier but let time pass me by.”
“You interrupted Pops’ sleep this late, Makai? I could’ve gotten something from the cafeteria,” she fussed, walking down the hallways without looking at a single sign.
“I have a key, Glacier. You do know that, right?”
“Oh, yeah.”
We arrived to find my car in the same place I’d parked it, waiting for me to hop back in and do the right fucking thing.
“I can’t believe I’m letting you talk me into this,” she commented.
Her head darted from one side to the other as if someone was privy to our little secret. Her paranoia was humorous.
“You watching the door like somebody about to come out of that motherfucker looking for you.”
“They aren’t.”
“Good, then, we straight.”
I searched the parking lot for the best secluded spot, one where she would be able to sleep peacefully after I dropped dick off inside of her. When I finally found the perfect location, I backed in, giving us a clear view of the hospital and the remainder of the parking lot.
Glacier’s head was turned toward the window, thoughts in a faraway place. She hardly noticed we’d settled in. I slid my seat back and reached over to her side of the car. I snatched her little fine ass up by the shirt and sat her right on my thighs.
“What’s the matter, Mommas? Talk to me.”
It was so easy for me to see straight through her facade. Something was bothering her. It was written in those big, wondrous eyes.
“My grandmother. I feel like I’ve dropped the ball. She requires commitment and I’ve always made time for her. As of late, I’ve been putting my weekly visits off. Every week, I say that I’ll go the following week. Then, I tell myself I’m too busy that week. Seeing how you and your family cherish Pops and see him so often has me slightly disgusted with myself.”
“Then we’ll go tomorrow.”
“We?”
“Yes. You pull up to Pops’ with me. Shit, why not?”
“She has dementia.”
“Aight, your point?”
“It’s not always pretty.”
“My mother went from a completely normal woman, a fucking brilliant being, to losing her fucking mind. You think that shit was always pretty?”
“No.”
“Exactly. We locked in, Kiwi. Your shit is my shit. The good, bad, and the ugly. Aight?”
“Okay.”
“Now, get up and get these pants off. I got the perfect remedy for that heartache you’re feeling—doctor prescribed.”
“Doctor prescribed, huh?”
She perked up immediately, showing those pearly white teeth and gums that secured them.
“Umm hmm. Keep them panties on.”
“Baby.”
“Keep them motherfuckers on.”
The innocence she harbored, I was stripping her of, slowly but surely. She could remain bashful and shy away from anything she wanted in public. With me, unfortunately, that wasn’t an option. Having Glacier open, ready, and willing for me was such a treat. When she finally shed those layers of protection, she was a fucking beast behind closed doors.
She sucked dick like it was the last piece of meat in her possession as the world came to a screeching halt and humanity as we knew it ended. She worked her pussy like she was trying to trap a nigga and have him sign papers on that motherfucker. She cooked like she was trying to light the path to my heart. She cleaned like a mental patient who was obsessed with cleanliness or a pure germaphobe.
Mommas was the total package and a nigga would have to put me in the mud before I came up off her. When I laid down to take my final rest, I wanted to sleep well knowing that I had everlasting love, endless top, and a piece of the ocean lying right beside me each day.
I slid my fingers into her mouth, lubricating them before rubbing the parts of her pussy that I loved to kiss more often than not.
“Ummm.”
Her low, pleasurable moans were always music to my ears.
I removed my dick from my sweats. The elastic band made it easy to release the dragon. I wasted very little time tapping against her entrance to prep it for my intrusion. When her lips brushed against mine and the begging commenced, I granted Mommas’ wish.
“Put it innnnnnn. Ohhhh, yesssss.”
We sealed our connection with a kiss. Glacier’s feet were flat against the seat on both sides of me, giving her the perfect balance. She held onto her knees, bouncing her pussy on me like she had no fucking intentions to stop jacking my shit until I was spitting up inside of her. Trying my hardest to slow her down and catch my breath, I gripped her waist and bit down on her lip.
“Uhhh.” She groaned in pain, but her speed didn’t alter a bit.
“You gon’ make me nut all in this shit, Kiwi. Slow tha—fuck! Slow that muuhfucker d-down.”
“Cum for me,” she requested innocently, as if she wasn’t putting a whooping on my ass in the process.
That was the final straw. I unloaded, unable to gain control of myself as I exploded inside of her guts. She continued bouncing, succumbing to her own orgasm. Simultaneously. It wasn’t until then that her chest touched mine and her knees hit the seat.
I watched her readjust in the passenger seat after I cleaned her up with the wipes in my glove compartment and helped her get her pants back on. She scarfed down the grilled chicken, broccoli mash, and sweet potatoes in a hurry so that she could curl up under the blanket I’d provided as well. Within seconds, she was off to sleep—fucked and full.
When it was time for her to return to work, I kissed her goodbye and watched her walk back inside. Pride swelled in my chest. Before the doors shut, I couldn’t help but release my feelings, laying them out on the platter for her to have her helping.
“I love you, Mommas!”
Turning back, she laid a hand on her chest.
“I love you back, baby!”
On cloud nine, I sped through the lot and headed to my next destination. It wasn’t my final one, but it was the most important one of the day. Upon arrival, I whipped into the closest spot to the door.
Fuck that director, I thought, realizing I’d parked in their spot once I was out and headed toward the door.
“Can I help you, sir?” the woman behind the desk asked as I approached.
“You can start by turning some of these lights on. Why the fu—why is it so dark in here?”
“Probably because the patients are asleep and visiting hours were over six hours ago.”
“Makes sense,” I admitted.
“So, how can I help you?”
“Hattie Roseberry.”
“Yes. Ms. Hattie. Our sweetheart.”
“I’m looking for her.”
“Well, she is asleep. She went down a few hours ago. You can come back in the morning when visiting hours start. Be here at eight.”
“Nah. That ain’t gon’ work for me and I’m not interested in visiting. I was hoping you could get her shit packed up and help me get her to my car. She’s coming home for a few days.”
I smacked the counter with every dollar in my pocket.
“There’s been a family emergency of some sort, huh?” she responded, mouth damn near touching her chest.
“Yeah. Something like that.”
The pacing that had gone on for the last five hours had me drifting in and out of my sleep. I was resting with one eye open, making sure Glacier’s grandmother didn’t get into anything that would harm her or send her into a worse episode than the one she was experiencing.
Her routine had been interrupted. She’d been uprooted from her home and brought to a strange place. As the clock ticked, I was beginning to wonder if it was a good idea to bring her out of her habitat and into unfamiliar territory. The turning of the locks at 7:43 a.m. sharp quickly pushed those thoughts aside. As much as I wanted to get up from the couch and greet Glacier at the door, I was too fucking tired.
“Baby! Makai. Where are you?” she shrieked, coming through the door. “My truck!”
I watched as she removed her shoes at the door, hardly paying attention to her surroundings. She hadn’t noticed me on the couch and nothing else around her. My Kiwi . I peered in her direction, watching her change into a pair of slippers.
Because I was so invested in fulfilling the void missing her grandmother made, I’d completely forgotten about the task I’d completed before shooting her a text last night. Her whip had arrived in mint condition. Instead of having it delivered to Pops’, I’d had it dropped off at the shop so that I could give it a full inspection before signing the paperwork.
“Baby, you go?—”
She finally turned around, finding me on the couch. Her grandmother’s pacing was halted as she noticed the familiar face.
“Icy? Is that you, my baby?”
“Granny?”
The two traveled the distance to erase the space between them, meeting in the middle of the living room. Loud, uncontrollable sobs emerged from the spot where they stood, fisting my heart and fucking up my head.
“Where’s that daddy of yours? He said he was on his way to see me. I haven’t heard from that boy since. He ain’t answering my calls. Can you see if you can reach him for me? I need my candy. He told me he would bring me that candy I like.”
Tearful and filled to the brim with emotions, Glacier took her grandmother by the hand. “He is away on business, Granny. He and my mother send you their love. Come here. He dropped this off with me before they left because he knew you’d be expecting it.”
She pulled open the first drawer of the island. Tears fell from her face, onto the floor. I watched her crumble as I watched her grandmother’s eyes glisten.
“Icy! All this for me?”
“No, old lady. You can’t have all of this. It’s not good for you. You’ll have your sugar way too high.”
“You’re right. Can I at least have one?”
“Yes. Of course. I’ll have one, too.”
I observed as they both grabbed a piece of the yellow butterscotch candy that Glacier kept floating around somewhere. It all made sense now. They were her granny’s favorite. Our eyes locked.
“I love you,” I mouthed.
“Thank you,” she mouthed, tilting her head to the side as more tears fell.
“You so ugly,” I whispered, bringing a smile to her face.