13. Saint
I swung my legs over the side of the bed, groaning at the throbbing sensation in my knee.
It was slightly swollen. I knew Blessing was about to trip because I’d promised her I would let her know if I was in any pain.
I didn’t want her to regret last night, so I didn’t tell her about the discomfort I felt after we got out of the shower.
I grabbed my knee brace from the floor and put it on before heading into the bathroom to relieve myself.
I heard the bedroom door open as I was brushing my teeth. Blessing walked into the bathroom wearing a pair of silk pajamas. Her hair was tied under a silk bonnet.
“Good morning, gorgeous. Did you sleep okay?” I asked, spitting toothpaste into the sink.
She nodded, wrapping her arm around my waist, laying her head against my back. “I slept great. Your mom and sister just left. How’s your knee?”
“It’s fine.” I lied.
“You sure?”
“Yeah, Bless, I’m good. I promise. What y’all got planned for the day?” I asked, changing the subject.
“I need to clean my house, cook dinner, order groceries, then go visit my grandmother and get some herbs from her garden.”
“I ain’t ready for you to leave yet,” I responded, turning around to wrap my arms around her.
“You’ll see me damn near every day next week.” She laughed, softly kissing my lips. “I made you some breakfast.”
“Let me get some real quick.” I gripped her ass, giving it a soft slap.
“Noooo, Saint move. I gotta go check on my daughter.”
“Our daughter.”
“Oh, please.” She rolled her eyes, pushing me away.
“What? You should’ve kept that good ass pussy to yourself. We’re a family now.” I chuckled, walking back into the bedroom.
“You say that now, but as soon as things don’t work out, it’s gonna be fuck me and my daughter.” She said, looking through her duffel bag. She pulled a jogging suit out and started getting dressed.
“See, that’s the problem. I’m not even thinking about us not working out.
What we got is going to last. I told you ain’t nobody ever made me feel like this.
Shit, I might call my jeweler right now and get a ring.
I’m just waiting for you to be ready for us to make things official.
I don’t do this hiding shit. I wanna tell the world about you. The ball is in your court.”
“I hear you, Saint.” She mumbled.
I didn’t respond because I knew that was her way of ending the conversation. I’d said all I had to say. I know actions speak louder than words, but I planned on showing her that I mean everything I say.
“Let me know when y’all make it home safely, Bless,” I said, leaning into the window to give her a quick kiss.
Once she pulled off, I headed towards Kam.
He was standing outside the Yukon, holding the back door open for me.
I thanked him and slid inside. “I just need to go to my mom’s.
I’m gonna be over there for a minute, so I’ll let you know when I’m ready to head back to the crib. ”
“Got you, boss,” Kam responded before turning the music up.
On the drive to my mom’s house, I pulled my phone out to check my social media accounts.
After scrolling through my Instagram notifications, I immediately went to Blessing’s page.
Even though I’d just left her, I couldn’t help but stalk her social media profiles.
She’d posted a few pictures from last night, leaving me out of them.
I double-tapped the images before exiting the app.
Even though I understood her wanting to take things slow and keep things between the few people who knew, I still hated being a secret.
We were grown as hell. The opinions of others had no place in my mind.
She’d only be my physical therapist for a few more months. I had no choice but to wait until then.
I could smell whatever my mom was cooking as soon as I opened the front door.
“Wassup, Mama?” I greeted, taking a seat at the island in her kitchen.
When I got drafted, I bought my mother her dream home and spared no expense with the renovations she wanted done.
She lived in a quiet, gated community that was a little smaller than the one I lived in.
All her neighbors were people of color, and everyone around here got along pretty well.
“Hey baby. How you feeling today?” She asked. She was standing across from me, rolling out dough for whatever dessert she was making.
“I’m great. I had a little knee pain this morning but I’m feeling better now.”
“Mm. I bet. You know y’all weren’t quiet last night? I hope the girls didn’t hear y’all nasty asses. I thought you were up there killing that poor woman.”
I snickered, waving her off. “You’re exaggerating. Nobody was that loud. Thanks again for keeping an eye on the girls. We appreciate it. Where’s Ren?”
“She’s out back playing with that damn dog. I don’t know why you bought her that ugly thing. All it does is whine, scream, and breathe heavy all day.”
“I know you’re not in here talking mess about Franklin,” Ren said, walking into the kitchen with him following behind her. For her last birthday, I’d bought her a black pug she named Franklin, after a character from her favorite childhood show.
“Don’t bring that ugly ass dog into my kitchen, Serenity.” My mom said sternly.
“You see how she treats her grandson, Moo?” Ren said, giggling. “Stay!” Franklin sat outside the entry of the kitchen, whining.
“Y’all crazy. I’m finna go check on Nana.
” I said, getting up to make my way into my grandmother’s room.
Macie Jackson is the light of my life. She’s 65 and acts like she’s 100.
She spent most of her time cooped up in her room, reading her black romance books and watching her soaps.
On Thursdays, she goes to play bingo, and on Sundays, she goes to an early morning church service.
Those were the only two times she left the house besides going to doctors’ appointments.
Even at her age, she was as healthy as someone half her age.
“Hey Nana, how you feelin’?” I asked, taking a seat on the edge of her bed.
She looked up from her Kindle, peering at me through her glasses that sat on the bridge of her nose. “Hey, baby. I’m doin’ alright. Your mama told me you done got another girlfriend.”
“That’s my wife, Nana.”
“And how you figure that?”
“I can feel it. She’s special to me. I’ve waited damn near four years for our timing to be right. I can’t miss my chance to finally make her mine.”
“Mm. What’s her name?”
“Blessing Carter.”
“Oh, that’s Miss Josie’s granddaughter. We used to be good friends back in the day.
I have known her since we were about 5 years old.
We went to school together. Her family has always been into hoodoo.
She messes around with those herbs and stuff.
Josie used to make this tea back in the day.
It’ll knock the toughest cold right outta you. ”
“Blessing ain’t no witch.” I shook my head, chuckling.
“I didn’t say she was a witch. I said her grandmother practices hoodoo. Hoodoo and witchcraft are two different things. Josie don’t too much mess around with the other stuff. Just teas and creams.”
“So the cream Blessing gave me to help with the pain in my knee..” I trailed off.
“Oh, that’s the good stuff. When I had your mother, I had to have an emergency C-section. That healing cream saved me from all the pain and helped with scarring. You do right by that girl, Saint. She’s a sweet girl, and I know her ancestors don’t play about her.”
I nodded, taking a moment to process the things my grandmother had just revealed.
Blessing mentioned the recipe for the cream coming from her elders, but she never mentioned being into hoodoo.
It didn’t scare me at all; if anything, I was more interested in her than before.
I gave her a quick kiss on the forehead before heading back into the kitchen with my mom and sister.
After eating dinner with my family, I called Kam to pick me up. It was still early in the day, so I decided to visit my jeweler, Black, to cop a few new pieces to add to my collection. My phone began buzzing in my pocket as I walked into the jewelry store.
“Wassup Dru?” I answered as I walked towards the display cases.
“Shit, where you at?”
“The jewelry store. Looking for a tennis bracelet and a Cuban link.”
“Nigga I thought you was finna say an engagement ring.”
“Shit, I might as well.”
“You must’ve gotten some last night.” He chuckled.
“I don’t kiss and tell nigga.”
“I already know wassup. Blessing and Chanel been on the phone all morning. But you know you messy as hell, right?”
“Fuck you talkin’ bout?” I asked, confused.
“Nigga, why the fuck you allowing them to hang with Symone knowing you used to fuck on that bitch? Blessing gone cuss you out if she finds that shit out. Chanel already picked up on that shady shit she was doing last night.”
I smacked my lips, “Man, Taryn brought her ass to game night. I didn’t expect them to bring her out with them last night. That shit happened so long ago. I ain’t even worried about her ass.”
“Still, you need to dead that shit. Symone is sneaky as hell. She was just hanging with Mariah a few months ago. Bitch doing everything to be around you.”
“Aight, man. I’ll call Rome when I leave here and have him tell Taryn not to invite her around us anymore.”
“For real, Moo. Don’t let that shit get back to Blessing. I’ll hit you later nigga.” Dru said before ending the call, just as Black was walking over to me.
“Wassup nigga? Glad to see you out walking around and shit.” Black greeted, slapping hands with me.
“Shit, you and me both. Let me see the new pieces you got in.” He nodded, going over to the display counter next to us. He opened the glass drawer and pulled out a black box, setting it on top of the glass. He opened the box, revealing a few Cuban link necklaces and bracelets.
He held up an iced-out Cuban link bracelet, passing it to me. “I knew you’d like this one. I've been saving it for you. I got those earrings you called about as well. You still want them?” He asked.
I nodded, running my fingers across the bracelet. “This shit nice. I’ll take it. You got any of those Cartier love bracelets in stock?” I asked, passing it back to him.
“I just got some in today. Come over to the display towards the back.” He responded, walking towards it. I followed him. He pulled the case of bracelets from the case and set them on the counter, along with a few rings and necklaces.
“Let me get the silver diamond one, the gold one without the diamonds, and the gold studs. My mama gone love those studs. You don’t have the love necklace with the diamonds?” I asked, admiring the collection.
“No, those sold out for the next few months. I can put an order in for you, though.” He said, grabbing the jewelry I requested.
“That’s perfect. Thank you, you can just charge everything to the card on file.”
“Okay. I’m gonna box all this up for you. It’ll all be ready in about five minutes.”
I nodded, taking a seat at one of the chairs against the wall. I pulled my phone out to scroll through social media.
“Saint?” I heard a familiar voice call. I looked up towards the voice, smacking my lips when I realized it was Symone. Dru had spoken her ass up.
“Wassup Symone.” I responded, going back to my phone.
“Why you be acting like you don’t know me.” She said, folding her arms.
“Fuck are you even talking about?”
“I’ve seen you twice in these past two weeks, and every time I’m around you act like you didn’t just fuck me back in August. I find it really funny that you and Mariah broke up, then all of a sudden, you’re so quick to jump to Blessing like I wasn’t right here.”
“Symone, get the fuck out of my face. So, what we fucked in August. Me and Mariah were on a break. You practically begged me to fuck you. I gave you exactly what you wanted. You knew what this shit was. So what’s the problem?
And stay the fuck away from Blessing. Stop trying to force yourself into their friend group.
Find something safe to do.” I said, clenching my jaw.
Before she could respond, Black called my name, letting me know my jewelry was ready.
I grabbed my bag and left the store, not bothering to say shit else to Symone.
She needed to stay the hell away from what I had going on and mind her business.
I knew I needed to say something to Blessing before she heard it from someone else.