Chapter 5
CHAPTER FIVE
Rashawn Kentrel Williams
When Elise and Nariyah disappeared into the room, I shoved Nash into the guest bedroom just before the stairs.
“What I do?” Nash groused, fluffing his shirt back out. “I thought we just came to an understanding in front of TT. Now you wanna change up on me?”
“What the fuck is this?” I lifted Nash’s phone that displayed his Cash App history with his dad.
“Man, why you going through my sh…”
I flinched at him, and he straightened up. “Elise said you can’t curse in front of me any more, so we gotta abide by her rules.”
“Simp,” he coughed.
“Man, stop playing. What is this for real, man?”
“Why are you going through my phone, man?” Nash exhaled, plopping down on the bed. I leaned up against the dresser with my arms folded across my chest. A nigga was really in uncle mode.
“When I went to delete the picture of me and Elise out of your phone, a text from Myron came through, asking can you send him forty dollars like he is the son and you’re the parent.
I opened the thread to see if I was tripping, and not only did I read the text preview correctly, but it got worse.
You been sending him money since your parents made the Cash App for you.
The shit he was saying to you ain’t cool at all.
You are the child, and he is the parent.
It’s not your job to look out for him. It’s his job to look out for you. ”
“I know. As you can see, I don’t even reply to his messages, I just send the money. I figured I got it. Why not just hit him with it here and there?”
“Damn, I ain’t shit to you for real, huh?” I leaned my head to the side.
“What?” Nash puzzled, his face screwed up.
“I’m saying, though, it’s fucked up that I come through for you regularly.
You just told Elise that I’m one of your boys, that’s why you’re so comfortable with me, and I get it, that’s why Ion trip.
I been cussing since elementary school, and I thought we was like this,” I vented, lifting two fingers to my eyes, then aimed them at Nash.
“But when you drank up my shit, you acted too broke to replace my box of Capri Suns,” I vented.
“Man, let that go!” Nash cackled, and I joined in for a moment. “Yo rich ass…” I flinched at him again, ceasing his words.
“Yo rich self didn’t need me to replace those Capri Suns. Yo pantry look like ours and it’s just you over there. I should’ve ate up all your chips too.”
“It was the principal, though,” I laughed. “But seriously, I’m going to have to tell your parents about you sending Myron money and those texts. I’ll be holding onto your phone until then. I gotta show them.”
“Fine, the fellas about to pull up for some food anyway. I won’t need it,” Nash confirmed. “Can you just wait until the day is over. My mom is so happy to have her family down here for the first time since their wedding, and this is their last day. They fly out tonight.”
“I got you,” I nodded.
Nash’s phone vibrated, and it was his boys saying they were at the door. We went back downstairs and split directions. Nash went to the door, and I went to find Essex.
Myron was Nash’s powda head sperm donor who chose drugs over being a father.
After Nariyah gave him a year to get clean and co-parent for Nash’s sake, she went to court to have his rights terminated.
Myron didn’t fight it, making it a swift process and clearing the way for Essex to adopt Nash.
The adoption became final back in December, just in time for Nash’s name to be changed before Nova was born so their entire household could have the same last name.
I thought we had heard the last of Myron.
I guess that would have been too much like right.
When I stepped back outside, Essex was checking the meat on the grill, while chopping it up with one of Nariyah’s male cousins. Looking like the premier family man.
“How the fuck I send you in my room to grab the weed, and you come back empty handed?” Essex shook his head.
“My bad, I forgot. Plus, they were in there looking for bathing suits,” I lied.
“I’ll go grab it,” Essex announced, marching towards the sliding glass door.
My phone vibrated in my slacks, and I pulled it out to read the text.
Shay: But you want to be serious?
The bubble was still moving, and I waited for Elise to tell me what the fuck she was talking about. Then it disappeared, and a screenshot came through. It was a picture of one of Nariyah’s cousins in my car on Halloween.
Shay: I know your car, and not once did you mention having a woman in your car before coming to me on Halloween!
Shay: Don’t talk to me, Rashawn!
Shay: I’m so for real!
“Lady problems? I know that look and the way the messages coming through back to back,” Nariyah’s cousin chirped. I was so focused in on my phone that I almost forgot he was standing here.
“Hell yeah, I’m starting to think she might be a little bipolar,” I laughed, while rapidly texting Elise back. “But I love her regardless.”
Me: I didn’t even take her for a ride in it. That’s Nariyah’s cousin. I pulled up, and her people were outside. She asked to take a pic, and honestly, it was Nash’s bad ass who said yes and took the picture. I was about to tell them hell no.
Shay: Now you’re placing the blame on my nephew?
Me: WTF. Ask Essex. He was standing right there. Or ask your bad ass nephew. Nariyah did try to hook me up with one of them, but I said nah, I’m straight, and then the seed of Chucky gone say I’m suuuuuuper straight trying to be funny. Right hand to God that’s what happened bae.
Shay: Stop texting me for real, Rashawn!
Me: Just ask Nash. I haven’t done shit I ain’t supposed to. I promise. Don’t start that shit. You blowing me man.
I probably looked pitiful as fuck, but I didn’t give a damn. I loved Elise, and love will have you doing some crazy shit.
The bubble popped up, and I was waiting for a reply, then they disappeared. Essex returned with his weed rolled, and I claimed a seat in one of the empty chairs while we put the blunt in rotation.
My phone vibrated, and I picked it up to read her delayed response.
Shay: I’m so sorry. Nariyah just introduced me to her cousins.
Me: See, you gotta see the best in me.
Shay: I do. That’s why I love you. It does make me crazy sometimes. I can admit that. I’m going to work on that. I really don’t feel right about Nash knowing and his parents still being in the dark. Let’s tell them tonight after everyone leaves.
Me: Nah. Let’s tell them next weekend.
Shay: Oh, now you want me to wait?
Me: Nah, it’s not like that. I already have to have a heavy conversation with them after everyone leaves.
Shay: About what?
My head instantly lifted when I heard Elise’s voice not too far away. She changed into a bright pink bathing suit with a white coverall. I did not mind her modesty at all. Her body was for my eyes only.
“Wheee-ew!”
I whistled at Elise, and her neck snapped in my direction. “God damn, Elise. When you got out of them church clothes and put that on?”
Elise shot me a menacing glare and raised her balled up fist, making me laugh. That was her version of a middle finger, making it apparent that she was annoyed.
“Damn, she is fine. That’s Essex’s twin, right?” Nariyah’s cousin questioned me.
“Aye watch yo eyes unless you want to lose them motha fuckas!” I growled, sliding to the edge of my chair.
“My bad. I ain’t know y’all were…” He threw his hands up in surrender, and I realized I was tripping.
“We nothing,” I cut him off. Realizing I had more base in my voice than I intended.
“But yeah, that’s Essex’s sister, and she’s off limits to everybody.
” I tried to clean it up, but that was my first time ever hearing anybody admire Elise, and he pissed me off audibly lusting after something he could never have.
Everybody else already knew not to fuck with her in front of me and Essex.
I refocused on my phone to shoot Elise a reply.
Me: When I went to delete the picture out of Nash’s phone, I saw his bitch ass daddy pressing him for money. And he been sending it to him too. He sent him $1,200 since they set up his Cash App about 18 months ago. That’s almost $70 a month.
Shay: OMG. That’s terrible. We can save our announcement for next weekend. That’s going to be enough for them to process in one night. I don’t want to add on to it. I’m going to say an extra prayer for Nash tonight.
Me: Lil nigga needs an exorcism.
Shay: Hush.
Elise dropped her phone on the pool chair, then slipped into the pool with Nariyah and those same cousins she was pressing me about.
Essex and Nariyah had a massive backyard.
Some people were in the pool, others were playing cards on a folding table, and the final group was lounging around on pool chairs around the pool.
Nash entered the backyard with his buff ass friends.
All of them played some type of sport. Football, baseball, basketball, or track.
They were all between eighth and ninth grade and already built like they were playing in somebody’s league.
They offered quick greetings, then went to the edge of the backyard and started throwing around a football.
“You’re really living the life, man. Wife, daughter, your son is a track star, and you have a big ass crib to host family,” I admired.
“Yeah, it’s still surreal to me. You couldn’t convince me that this would be my life before I met Nash and Nariyah. You better stop playing around like we ain’t getting older.” Essex passed the blunt, and I leaned in to accept it.
“Lord knows I’m trying.”
My eyes inadvertently landed on Elise while Essex stood and went back into the house.
He returned after washing his hands and started pulling the meat off the grill.
My future was so close that I could taste it.
The party ended around seven o’clock because Nariyah’s people had evening flights to catch and Nash’s lil homeboys had to be up for school the next day.
Me and Elise cleaned up the kitchen and packed up the food. Nariyah descended the stairs after putting Nova down. She was dressed in joggers and a sports bra, showing off that baby bump. I lifted my phone and texted Elise.
Me: I can’t wait to have you waddling around here.
Shay: Slow down speedy. One step at a time.
Me:
Essex and Nash came from the backyard carrying the last few folding chairs to the garage.
I leaned up against the counter, waiting for Nash and Essex to re-enter the house.
Elise climbed onto one of the stools across from me and texted my phone.
I felt it vibrate in my pocket, but Essex and Nash returned before I could read it.
“Alright, now that it’s just us, I’m going to spill it,” Nash’s voice announced over Love Ballad by L.T.D that was playing low from the indoor speakers. Everybody was dead tired, but focused their attention on Nash. “Myron has been asking me for money,” he confessed.
“What?” Essex roared, fire dancing in his eyes.
“Essex,” Nariyah gently rubbed his arms.
“Yeah, Essex, calm down,” Elise chimed in.
“Rashawn saw it earlier, so he took my phone and agreed not to tell y’all until everybody left because I didn’t want to ruin the day.”
“Y’all need to see the messages he was sending him. Telling him he ain’t ate all week, and all types of shit,” I added, sliding Nash’s phone across the counter to them. “He sent him about twelve hunnid dollars.”
“What?” Nariyah spluttered, her eyes damn near bulging out of her head. She snatched up Nash’s phone and flashed it in his face to unlock it.
Nariyah went to their text thread, and I saw the anger consuming her the more she read the one sided text thread between Myron and Nash. He was in there saying some wild shit. Like if it wasn’t for him, Nash wouldn’t be shit, and he owed him.
“You’re getting a new number, and the communication with Myron stops here,” Nariyah announced, passing the phone to Essex. He accepted the phone, and I saw him fighting to contain his visceral reaction the more he read. Nariyah pulled Nash into her arms, and they hugged while she shed a few tears.
“That’s emotional blackmail,” Elise broke the silence.
“That’s exactly what it is, and I’m so sorry you were going through this for a year now.”
“Mom, please relax. I just give him the money because I know he needs it, and I splurge all of the money y’all give me on silly stuff that doesn’t matter.
I’m fine. I understand that he’s an addict, and I feel sorry for him, that’s all.
I know we would have everything we have even without him.
I was old enough to remember how he stopped paying for my private school and everything surrounding that,” Nash divulged.
“Even if you say it doesn’t bother you, I’m not going to allow Myron to subject you to that type of treatment. You’re thirteen, in middle school, spending money on silly things is a part of development,” Nariyah expressed.
“Yeah, at the end of the day, it’s Myron’s job to protect and provide for you.
You’re the child and he’s supposed to be the parent.
It’s also his job to care for himself. Addiction is a disease, and it's not your fault. There is nothing you can do to fix Myron’s issues.
I know you declined therapy before, but it’s happening now,” Essex chimed in.
“Absolutely,” Nariyah confirmed, lifting Nash’s phone. “After we get your number changed tomorrow, I will give you your phone back, but for now it stays with us.”
“I understand,” he nodded.
Essex pulled Nash in for a hug, and they stood in the middle of the kitchen for a few moments before breaking the embrace. “You know you can always come talk to us, right? We can’t be keeping secrets like that.”
“I know,” Nash lamented. “I’m sorry for not telling y’all.”
Guilt hit me, and I glanced at Elise. We were trying to communicate with our eyes, but I was getting mixed signals. In the end, Elise didn’t say shit, and I wanted to respect her wishes, so I remained silent. After saying goodbyes we left and walked down the block.
“I was trying to say, let’s stick around to tell them. I feel terrible now.”
“You want to go back in there?”
“No. It’s done now. We will tell them next weekend like we planned.”
“Bet. You coming to my house?”
“Absolutely not. I’m going home. I have to be up in the morning, and you’re not going to be trying to sleep. Plus, I have a long day tomorrow. Full first day of practice,” Elise beamed, sticking her tongue out.
“I’m so proud of you,” I swooned, opening the door to her truck.
“Thank you, Rashawn. I love you. I’ll see you whenever we are both free this week,” she waved, slipping into her car.
I stood on the curb with my hands behind my back watching Elise drive off. That brief moment made me realize Nash was right, I was a simp when it came to Elise, and that was fine with me.