Chapter Gills
Gills
After feeding my babies, I went to work on my sermon for Sunday.
I needed somethin’ to get my mind off what Journei spilled in the kitchen.
Kégo and I were brothers ’til the end, and I would step outta my clergy for him as well.
To know that Diego was doin’ business with Alexis didn’t sit too well with me.
She was my enemy, no doubt, but she wasn’t anybody to worry about until she grabbed her plastic balls and came for me for real. However, Diego was gettin’ a call from me before the day was over.
Journei was supposed to be taking a nap before we went out to dinner tonight. My son had her drained most of the day. I could see it in her face and the way she maneuvered, but she had enough energy to wanna sit on me again. Her hormones were controlling her, and she didn’t even know it.
I planned on taking her out for dinner with my granny tonight. Granny had been asking to meet her, so giving in to the request and letting her in on the pregnancy was gon’ be killed with one stone.
Granny didn’t censor her mouth for anybody, but she wasn’t rude. She voiced her opinion, whether it hurt feelings or not, and only apologized when necessary. I acted just like her.
It didn’t take me long to write the sermon out. Most days, I’d be stuck in my head and goin’ over it for hours at a time, but that day, it just flowed. I was pleased with it, so I got up, and grabbed my briefcase from the closet.
I had a few papers I was supposed to have signed before Sunday. Since I had to stop by the church the next day, I’d might as well drop them off with Rebecca, our secretary.
As I sat back down, my phone went off. Looking at the caller ID, I saw it was a number I didn’t recognize, but I knew that +52 anywhere. I answered, knowin’ it could only be one of two people.
“Gills,” I said into the receiver.
“Since when you go by Gills? You some kinda fish outta water or somethin’? Oh, so Hades was too street, huh? Let me find out you done went soft like a lil’ bitch. Aye, Papa, yo’ son pickin’ flowers and shit.”
A smile instantly appeared on my face. The person I planned on calling for a rundown called me instead. We always had that weird twin telepathy thing when we were nowhere near related.
“Te extrano Kégo (I miss you, Kégo),” I spoke in Spanish to him.
“Ew, nigga, you really did go soft. I told you, Papa, he wasn’t the same,” he responded, laughing.
“I’ll holla at Papa myself so we can have a conversation without you lying. Wassup, Kégo?”
“Not shit. I heard some things and was wondering how you doin’? I called Granny since we headed to the States soon for this job, and she tells me all about you. The fuck is you doin’ bein’ a pastor when you took more souls than the devil?”
His question brought up old memories. I was really out there on that type of time. I changed and wasn’t tryna go back, but then again, my family was bein’ tried, and I refused to lose anybody in it. My son and Journei were all I saw.
“Kégo, I didn’t wanna hurt abuela. She shed tears and thought she was gonna lose me. I couldn’t have that. You know she comes first. Siempre y para siempre (Always and forever),” I told him.
“Don’t preach to me, Christian. Abuela es mi corazon (Granny is my heart) the same way she’s yours. We coming to the States tonight. We’ll catch up more when we touch down. Hasta luego (See you later).”
I didn’t have to have that conversation over the phone. Diego was gon’ be in the States within a few hours, and my thoughts on Alexis would be cleared up.
I went to check on my babies, and they were getting some rest. I wasn’t proud of how we got there, but I was proud of the blessing she was carrying. I prayed she didn’t get an abortion. I wanted to see the result of the love sessions we indulged in.
Walking into the bathroom, I started the shower. Whenever Journei woke up from her nap, she was gon’ take it over with all that girly stuff women did for hours at a time. I undressed and stepped underneath the warm water. It was relaxing me by the second as the steam started to surround me.
These last few months, I bit off more than I could chew. For the first time in my life, there was drama that involved a woman. Usually, I wouldn’t stick around long enough to meet drama.
Women didn’t get much from me other than what they offered. And to be frank, church women were the ones who offered before a stranger at the bar. The wrong woman could become a headache, and I had little to no patience for nonsense, so I rarely entertained it.
I had moments throughout my life where I wished my parents were still alive to guide me. Granny did a good job at raising me, but I needed my dad to show me how to treat a woman, and my mom to tell me what kind to stay away from.
I missed them more than anything, so when it came to that child in Journei’s womb, I was goin’ to war for it. My child wouldn’t grow up without having both parents like Journei and I did.
“You must be in your head because usually, you can smell or feel me before I get to you. What’s wrong, baby?”
Journei’s soft voice pulled me out my thoughts. She was right about what she said. I knew she was nearby before I laid eyes on her most of the time. Her perfume or that magnetic pull she had on me always gave her away. That time, I didn’t even notice her.
When I spoke, I tried not to lie, so I gave her the real. “I’m in my head, mama.”
Turning around, I came face-to-face with the most-beautiful creature my God had created. Journei was that rare gem people desperately wanted to own. I kissed her once that smile appeared on her face. The mother of my child had me addicted to her essence indeed.
“No, sir. Finish answering me, Christian. I’ll cum for you after.
” Just hearing her say she would cum for me sent all the blood I had in me rushing to my manhood.
I threw my head back to let the moment pass.
She laughed once she noticed what was happening.
“I’m sorry, baby. Maybe I should’ve kept that to myself. ”
“You good, mama. Gimme a minute.”
Her laughs started to fade as her warm tongue glided along my shaft.
One thing Journei didn’t have to do was please me orally.
Her canal was more than satisfying. I went to grab her hands to pull her up when she slapped my hands away.
I stepped back, and she wore a confused expression.
She nodded and got ready to step out the shower when I reached for her. I knew she felt embarrassed.
Turning her around, back to chest, I placed her palms against the wall. “I don’t need that from you, mama. This…” I lifted her leg and eased my way inside her haven. The way she clenched down on me let me know I was where I needed to be. “…is more than enough.”
I wasn’t tryna avoid her question, but she knew where climbing in here naked with me would lead. I found myself buried in between her walls more pleasing than having her tongue wrapped around my shaft.
Journei’s moans filled the room with angelic tunes. I loved the sound of her, whether she was laughing, talking, or expressing her pleasure. Any noise that left her throat had me hooked, especially when she called for me as if I wasn’t already home.
I gave my baby as much as she could handle in that shower. We were showing up late for that meet and greet dinner.
&
By the time we made it to Chattanooga, it was a lil’ after seven. I stopped to get Granny a bouquet of flowers to go along with the apology I was giving.
“Christian, who’s house is this?” Journei questioned as soon as we pulled up.
“My granny’s.”
Journei’s head turned in my direction so fast I heard her neck crack. “No, the fuck you didn’t bring me to yo’ grandma’s house. Christian, what the fuck am I supposed to say to her? You lied to me, and I didn’t think I would have to go through that with you.”
“Mama, I didn’t lie to you. I said we were having dinner, and that’s what we’re doin’. Stop cursing, mama. My son can hear you.”
I stepped out the car to avoid the argument Journei was tryna start. We weren’t about to be at odds so she wouldn’t have to meet my grandmother. She was slick but not that darn slick.
I walked around and opened her door. The look she gave me wasn’t too pleasing, but I didn’t care about her attitude. I was willing to give her whatever she wanted in life, but she had to meet me halfway on some things.
Extending my hand, I helped her out the car. I felt her energy, and I was praying she didn’t come off on Annie Mae Gills wrong. My granny didn’t care who a person was. They were gon’ respect her at all times.
I stopped her midstride before she got to the door. I needed for her to calm down. I delivered a look that said don’t get beside yo’self. She rolled her eyes but adjusted her energy.
I did my special knock once we reached the porch to let Granny know we were there. Journei stood beside me and wrapped her arm around mine. Suddenly, she wanted to be cute and innocent. I chuckled at her behavior. She was emotional, and my son wasn’t taking it easy on her.
As the door opened, I felt Journei’s nervousness. She was shaking almost and like a scared child, she hid behind me. I opened the door when I saw that beautiful face that raised me. She was my heart, and mountains would be moved for her.
“Hey, son. I missed that handsome face of yours. Is this the one?” she asked. And when she said one, she meant the one.
Journei stepped from behind me with her head down. It amazed me how one could flip a switch and become someone different within seconds. I looked into my granny’s face and saw an expression I wasn’t expecting. She looked at Journei as if she knew her.
“Journei? Baby, is that you?” Granny asked. Journei lifted her head and stared. They held the same look, and tears started to fall from both. I didn’t know who to comfort first. Curiosity was once again getting the best of me.
“Yes, ma’am.” Journei answered while nodding.
“Oh, dear, Lord, you heard my cry. I have been praying for you every day. Baby, I thought the worst had happened to you. Come here so I can hug you.”
Their hug lasted longer than I wanted it to.
A hint of jealousy surfaced. I didn’t want to share either one of them, but I needed for both of them to be OK with sharing me.
Moments later, they detached and allowed me to enter the house.
Journei stood to the side, giving me just enough room to enter before our arms were interlocked again.
“Mama, what was that about?” I questioned.
“Can we tell you later? I need a minute, baby.” Her eyes were pleading, and I could see every thought she was thinking bouncing around in her head. With a simple nod, I dismissed the conversation.
We headed to the dining room, where the food was laid out. She had entirely too much food and too many place settings for three people. I caught her coming from the kitchen with two pecan pies. I grabbed them from her and noticed chocolate chips in one. I only knew one person who ate it like that.
“Ma, what you got goin’ on?”
“Nothing, baby. You asked me to cook dinner, and I did. Now y’all go wash up before y’all sit at my table,” she said.
She was hiding somethin’, but I was sure whatever it was would soon be revealed. I guided Journei to the bathroom in the downstairs guest bedroom. I could tell she was in her head and wanted to go home. Seeing granny changed her vibe completely.
“Mama, just give her thirty minutes to an hour. We can tell her about the baby and then go, a’ight?” I suggested.
The softest okay left her lips. It was almost unheard, but I caught it. I did as I was told and left Journei to her private moment as she requested. As I walked toward the front, the doorbell went off. I knew it was somethin’ more to what Annie Mae Gills was acknowledging.
I shut the light off out of habit and checked the peephole. It was covered, so I took the gun Ma kept in her foyer table out. Too much was goin’ on for me to be caught lacking. Snatching the door open, I was greeted by my family who wore the dorkiest smiles.
“Oh, so you gon’ shoot a nigga? Abuelaaaa! Yo’ grandson tryna take me outta hea! Come beat his ass for playin’ with guns in the house!” Kégo yelled.
Diego and Kégo made it to the States, and I couldn’t hide how I was feeling. I felt like a child reuniting with his family from a long summer away. I missed my people. Kégo knew me and my reason behind what I did when I was younger. The smile I carried was full of pure happiness.
“Papa, te extrané (Papa, I missed you),” I spoke when my eyes landed on him.
“Same here, mijo. Abuela?” He was asking about granny, so I let him know she was in the kitchen.
Once Kégo stepped inside, we engaged in a long, overdue brotherly hug. I truly missed them. As I closed the door, I noticed Kégo’s focus was on somethin’ behind me. I turned around to see Journei walking up the hallway.
She was dressed so simple in a maxi dress and heels but could easily shut down a room full of women. Her natural beauty captured the gaze of anyone nearby. I smiled while shaking my head. Kégo approved without verbally saying it.
“Mama, come here.” I called for Journei before she went to sit. “This is the infamous Kégo. Kégo, meet my baby, Journei.”
She gave up that infectious smile and gestured a handshake. Kégo ignored her extended hand and went in for a hug.
“If you’re with this one, you must love him. He’s not the easiest man to fall for. Nice to meet you, Journei.”
“You as well. Baby, can we eat please?” Her voice was still soft but could be heard. I nodded, and everyone headed to the dining area.
I could hear Granny and Diego fussing in the kitchen. Granny was upset about him not coming to see her in over ten years. She loved them like family, so she was more so hurt than upset. They joined us shortly, with Diego wearing a look of defeat. She must’ve scolded him if he wore that face.
Granny and Diego took the heads of the table, while Journei joined me on the side with our backs facing the wall. I needed to see all movement, and I refused to have my back toward any door.
The most Diego could do was bless the food before an interruption I wasn’t expecting happened.