Jasir
Body
“Who all supposed to fall through tonight?” I questioned.
I had finally been granted the time off I’d been begging for, and I didn’t want to waste a minute of it.
I was booking it out the door with my homeboy Stedman on my heels.
Our boss wasn’t trying to let us both go but there was nothing he could do.
“Everybody and they mama. Shit, from what I heard, Camille is back in town too. This lil four-day vacation about to be lit as fuck. Harold fucked up letting us off together.”
“Oh, that’s a fact. They been on my last nerve all day trying to make me do shit that could keep me here longer. Where you hear about Camille from?”
“Loudmouth ass Bianca. She came in the other day telling all her cousin business.”
I smiled after hearing the confirmation. My baby was coming back, and I couldn’t do anything but blush. I hadn’t seen her since she decided to attend college out of state. It hadn’t been the same since she left.
“Bet. What time it start?”
“At nine. All you got to do is bring your choice of drugs. I’ll handle everything else.”
“Nigga you saying choice of drug like I do anything other than Mary Jane. I’ll be there. Just make sure don’t nobody touch my woman.”
“She fair game nigga, but I’ll see what I can do.”
We departed in different directions, with me hopping in my old school and him in his Benz. He lived outside his means, but I didn’t say shit about what he had going on. My struggle wasn’t his and vice versa. I knew how far my Food Lion check went.
I plugged in the aux cord to the bottom of my phone and scrolled through Apple Music until I came across the song I wanted to hear.
I pulled out into traffic blasting Lil Wayne We Steady Mobbin ready to fuck the weekend up.
I sang along to the tunes but was soon interrupted by the ringing of my cell.
Tapping the AirPod that was in my ear. I answered with slight irritation without screening the call.
“Hello.”
“Hey baby. I was wondering if you could bring your mama something to eat if it wasn’t too much.”
I relaxed upon hearing my mama’s voice. She didn’t call unless she wanted something, but I was cool with that. We did our bullshitting around when I was home, so I got her whatever she asked for when I was out.
“Yes ma’am. Is there anything in particular that you wanted to munch on?”
“How about some chicken from Church’s or Bojangles? That’s not out of your way, is it?”
“No ma’am. I’ll be there soon.”
Hanging up, I hit an illegal U-turn right in the middle of the road.
Luckily the people weren’t around and there wasn’t any oncoming traffic.
I was a few blocks away from the crib and all the food places I’d already passed.
However, mom dukes was hungry, and I was going to make sure she was straight at all times.
I’d pass Church’s before I would Bojangles, so I stopped there and got an eight piece with okra and mashed potatoes for the sides. I headed back home twenty minutes later. It took Church’s damn near half an hour just to get you right. They were on the same type of time as Popeye’s.
Finally, I parked in the driveway behind my mother’s car and headed inside. I’d been looking forward to this since the schedules came out over a week ago. Working at Food Lion warehouse wasn’t for the weak, especially if your ass was placed in that freezer.
The front door was already open so all I had to do was enter. Opening the screen door, I was greeted by AC. Since mine had run out in my car, I had to use the breeze from outside and it wasn’t hitting on too much of nothing.
“I’m home mama!” I yelled out.
She surfaced from the back with a smile on her face. She was still dressed in her scrubs, and I knew by the way she walked that she had a long day. I smiled her way and went to give her a hug.
“Hey baby. How was work?”
“It was straight. How you feeling though ma?”
“My knees almost gave out on me, but I’m fine.” She grunted as she took a seat on her favorite recliner.
“You off this weekend, right?” She nodded as she picked up her can to spit. That was a habit I wanted her to get rid of. “Cool. I’ll be here so you can get some rest. I’ll handle everything.”
“Sometimes I wonder why your brother didn’t turn out like you.”
I was the baby of the family, and she never let me forget how big of a fuck up my older brother Trey was. I missed his crazy ass, but he was too busy doing a twenty year bid and wouldn’t be touching down for quite some time.
“I don’t know myself ma. Let me get a shower and whatnot, and then I’ll come and fix you a plate.”
“It’s okay baby. I can fix my own food. You just got off so do what you need to do. I’ll be alright.”
She grunted getting up and I felt bad. I hated seeing my mama so damn tired all the time.
I was running up on a year at my job, but I wasn’t making the amount I wanted yet.
Plus, I took care of my mother’s bills and let her pocket her checks to do whatever she wanted.
I didn’t have a woman at the time so stacking bread whenever I could was the move.
Entering my bedroom, I closed the door behind me and began to undress.
There was only two bathrooms in the house and luckily mine connected to it.
I didn’t have to worry about anyone walking in on me because my mother didn’t ever come in here.
I also kept the other door for you to enter from the hallway locked.
I started the shower then sat on the toilet and took a shit while scrolling through social media. Being home always brought me peace. I’d been going hard up until my vacation and now I had time to sit back and do whatever the fuck I felt for the next few days without hearing bull.
Once my stomach was empty, I wiped my ass and hopped right underneath the water. I allowed the warm water to relax and refresh my body. I had a good minute before the party started so I was going to eat, nap, and then head over to the homies crib.
Knock, knock!
“Ja, did you want me to go ahead and plate you something?”
“Uhm, yeah ma.”
She didn’t know how to sit down and relax. She had to be doing something even if that meant taking care of me. I finished washing up and got dressed in a timely matter. More than likely, my mama was waiting for me to finish to share a meal with me.
I threw on some balling shorts and a t-shirt before I was heading to the front to chill with her. When I got there, she was just sitting down getting comfortable again.
My mama was up in age, and it showed more and more. She had me when she was in her mid forties with my brother being the only child until then. I don’t know what made her start over so late in the game, but she did, so in a way, I felt responsible for her.
“What you about to watch lady?”
“Catch up on my Law & Order. I haven’t been able to see my girl in a while. You start your vacation today so what you got planned?” she countered.
“Trey throwing a lil shindig later so I’m going to that.”
“Oh good. You’ll be able to have a good time then.”
“Yes ma’am. I don’t know what time I’ll be home so don’t wait up for me.”
“You know I can’t get no shut eye until you’re safe in this house. I’ll be waiting right here until you get back.”
“I’ll be straight Ma. Don’t worry about me and get some rest. I might not even come home. I might just kick it at Trey’s.”
“Well, will you call me and let me know?”
“Of course.”
We ate dinner over small talk. I was back in my room getting ready to lay down shortly after.
I had about two hours left on the clock before it was time for me to get myself together and go and present the people with the life of the party.
I threw myself down on the bed and dozed off within minutes. I was too tired.
&
The crowd was thick as fuck. I knew there was going to be niggas packing this hoe out, but the word had to hit ears other than the normal. Then again, Trey parties never disappointed. He was the man to see when it came to events. This was a pool party the hood had been waiting for all year.
Walking through the gate, the weed smoke mixed with the foam made it to where you could hardly see out that bitch. I smiled and immediately started to bop to the tunes that were playing. I was excited for the shenanigans that could possibly occur.
“Hey Ja, I thought you wasn’t coming.”
Turning around, I looked into the face of my ex. I cut her off damn near two years ago and she was still on me like a leech. I couldn’t deny how good she looked though. Her body was stacked no doubt.
“Why you clocking me Syd? I ain’t got shit for you.”
“Why you acting like we wasn’t in love? I’m a stranger to you now?”
“Yeah. Excuse me,” I said not caring to continue the conversation.
She grabbed my arm to stop me, and I gently yanked it from her grasp.
We had nothing to discuss. She wanted to be single so damn bad, so I wasn’t going to interrupt her time.
I moved to the table where the food was and began to fix me a cup of ice.
I knew better than to drink the punch. Somebody always did the most by adding some extra shit to it. I refused to be a part of that number.
Once I had my cup, I kept pushing through the crowd to the area where the weed was the most potent. I knew I’d find Trey and the gang over there.
“’Bout fuckin’ time nigga,” Trey greeted laying his eyes on me before I did him.
Looking in the direction I heard his voice, I put on a smile then extended my hand to match the energy. He was already standing and ready to dap me up. We showed brotherly love before I took a seat and greeted the rest of the gang.
“What y’all on?” I asked tapping the bottom of the bottle.
“Rotation. You want to join?”
“Nah, I’m good bro. You know I don’t smoke or drink nobody shit but my own. I ‘preciate it though.”
“Are you going to dismiss me the same way you did Syd or what?”
Her voice could never be forgotten. Her hand glided across my chest as her perfume surfaced to the front. She was standing behind me and I was eager to see how she matured. I smirked at her question.
Letting my head fall back, I was now looking into the face of the person I’d been after for years. Her smile was big and bright and one I wanted to see more often. Her hair was pulled into a messy bun allowing her features to get attention.
“You know I could never do my baby like that. What’s up mama?”
She slapped my bare chest in a playful manner before saying, “Boy, I done told you about calling me that. I am not your damn baby.”
“Just because you say something doesn’t make it true. We all know who you belong to.”
“The good Lord up above and that’s all. Slide over so I can sit down.”
She rounded the chair and took the empty space I made available to her. She smelled even better now that she was directly beside me. This moment seemed surreal due to me not seeing her in such a long time. However, she still appeared to be the same Camille from back in the day.
I witnessed the light in her eyes as she looked at me without a care in the world. She was absolutely breathtaking, and she knew it too. She was the most sought-after woman from the hood.
“So, tell me what’s been up with you. Any baby mama’s or crazy ex’s besides Syd?” she inquired.
“Not at all. It’s still just me out here. You trying to be my baby mama or something?”
“You wish.”
“You trying to grant it?”
She shook her head laughing but I was dead ass. I didn’t care how she became a part of my life, just as long as she did.