Chapter 26 Ocean
OCEAN
I sat on the arm of the couch, watching my mother tend to the plant perched on the windowsill. She moved slowly and peacefully, dressed in a soft cotton tee and loose lounge pants. There was something effortlessly beautiful about her in moments like this, calm and completely in her element.
“Aren’t my little babies beautiful?” she said, smiling to herself as she watered the leaves.
“They all look the same to me. Just a bunch of green goblins slowly taking over the house.”
She shot me a playful frown before pinching my arm. “Oh hush. You should consider getting you a plant or two to brighten up that dark museum you call a home.”
I laughed.
My mother hated how modern my home was. The stainless steel appliances, the clean lines, the lack of clutter. She said it stripped a home of character, made everything feel cold and lifeless instead of lived in.
“No thanks. You know I don’t have a green thumb. I couldn’t keep shit alive if you paid me.”
She cut her eyes at me.
“My bad,” I corrected quickly. “I couldn’t keep anything alive.”
Ever since I was young, my mouth had always been the worst, especially in front of my parents. I never quite mastered the art of filtering myself around them.
“How do you know if you don’t try?” she asked.
“I don’t need to try. Taking care of things just isn’t something I’m good at.”
“That’s not what I heard,” she said, eyes sparkling with mischief.
“What?”
“Oh… huh?” She moved on to the next plant, that smile still glued to her face.
“Mama,” I sighed. “What are you talking about?”
“Well,” she said sweetly, “according to your sister, you’re pretty good at taking care of that little friend of yours. What’s her name? Skye?”
I took a deep breath, already making a mental note to cuss Jassi out the next time I saw her.
“That’s different.”
“Oh, really?” She leaned against the windowsill. “Enlighten me.”
I didn’t answer.
“Look,” I said finally, “you know what happened to her. I just want to make sure she’s good.”
“Yeah,” my mother replied slowly, “but I’ve never known you to let a woman stay in any of your homes. What makes her so different?”
Everything.
But instead I said, “She’s Shade’s girl’s best friend. If she’s good, Nyx is good.”
My mother stared at me, that knowing smirk never leaving her face.
“Mmhmm.”
I ignored it.
“You really think you’re fooling me?” she said lightly. “You remember I was at the hospital after Jassi’s accident, right?”
“Yeah.”
“So you know I saw the two of you together.”
I shrugged. “And?”
“And I saw how close y’all were,” she said. “That wasn’t just you looking out for somebody.”
“Mama, you’re reading too much into it.”
“I’m not,” she replied calmly, turning back to her plants. “But okay. I know she’s the reason your little lying tail’s been spending so much time in Bigg City.”
“I’m just keeping an eye on my club like always.”
“Boy, please.” She laughed. “Tell that to someone who didn’t push you out and raise you.”
My phone rang.
“Excuse me, Mama,” I said, standing. “I gotta take this.”
“Go ahead.”
I stepped into the kitchen. “What’s up, Trace? Everything good with Shade?”
“Shade’s cool,” he said calmly. “But your girl…that’s a different story.”
My chest tightened. “What you mean? Where’s Skye?”
“In the backseat going off like a damn psycho.”
“What the hell happened?”
“I don’t know. But it looks like she crossed paths with that chick that works for you,” he said.
“Who? Melina?”
“Hell if I know,” he shot back. “All I know is the girl’s face is fucked up, and she’s probably going to need a few days off to heal.”
“Shit. And Skye?”
“She’s straight. Not a scratch on her.”
I pressed my hand against my face.
This wasn’t the call I expected today. And I couldn’t help wondering what the hell Melina had said to Skye.
“Let me talk to Skye.”
“Call her.”
“Nigga—”
The line went dead.
I shook my head. Trace worked my fucking nerves. Just like a brother would.
When I called Skye, she didn’t answer, which only made my nerves spike higher.
I called again.
“Hello.”
“Skye? You good?”
“I’m fine,” she said, way calmer than I expected.
“Trace called me and—”
“Snitch!” she yelled.
“Don’t shoot the messenger,” Trace mumbled in the background.
“Skye,” I said, lowering my voice. “What happened?”
“I was minding my business when that funky bitch, Melina, popped up behind me,” she snapped. “And now that I think about it, I’m pretty sure that hoe was following me.”
“Following you?”
“Yeah. The club isn’t anywhere near the café,” she said. “I tried to keep it cute. I even walked away. But she tried me.”
“So you handled it.”
“Exactly. I had to give her a clear understanding of why trying me isn’t smart.” She sighed. “Look…I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to let the old me come out.”
“You don’t have to apologize for shit,” I said firmly. “She never should’ve approached you. And if she was following you, she deserved every bit of what she got.”
“This wasn’t about me not trusting you,” Skye added. “I just don’t tolerate another woman in my space talking crazy.”
“Talking crazy how?”
“She told me to leave you alone. Like you were her man.” She paused. “You’re not her man, right?”
“Hell no,” I said immediately. “I already told you what it was with her. That shit’s over with.”
“Okay. Well maybe you need to make that announcement louder,” she said. “Billboard loud.”
“I will,” I promised. “I’ll handle it when I get back in town.”
“You need to hurry,” she said quietly. “I don’t like sleeping in your room alone.”
I smirked. “Oh, so you been sleeping in my bed?”
“Yes,” she admitted. “It smells like you. It helps me sleep.”
My chest warmed.
“I’ll be home in two days. After that, you won’t sleep alone again.”
“Good.”
“You sure you’re okay though?”
“I’m fine. We’re on the way to the condo. I’ll call you when I get there.”
“Don’t forget.”
“I won’t.”
We hung up.
I held the phone to my ear a second longer, swallowing the words I wasn’t ready to say yet.
Then—
“Hmph. You really thought you could lie to me, huh?” My mother said, smiling.
“How long have you been standing there?” I asked.
“Long enough to know you’re in love.” She laughed. “And it looks damn good on you.”