Chapter 14
“Gahhhhhh damn, nigga! What kinda pussy you been diving in? Skin looking clear as fuck!”
I shook my head, leaning on my partially opened front door. “Ford, the fuck you doing here this early in the morning?”
“I remembered you saying you were getting back last night. Thought I’d let you get some sleep first. You gon’ let me in?”
I fully opened the door and stepped aside, allowing him into my apartment. “What you mean, sleep ‘first?’”
“First, before I came over here so you could tell me who Miss Mystery Pussy is.”
“What makes you think I’ma tell you?”
“Look at you, grinning and shit,” Ford said.
Damn, I was grinning.
The fuck?
“I’m glad to see you, man,” I tried.
He fell into my black easy chair and smirked. “Naw, my brother, I know a good-pussy grin when I see one. Probably still got pubic hair in your teeth.”
Sitting on the sofa, I said, “You have got to be the stupidest motherfucker on the planet. Where is Jones? I’m surprised he ain’t here, too.”
Almost on cue, a knock sounded at my door.
“I bet that’s him,” Ford said.
I left the sofa, opened the door, and moved out of the way when Jones rushed inside with his baby girl in his arms.
“Baby girl shitted on the way here. I got to get her cleaned up,” Jones announced.
I nodded and watched him sprint to my bathroom.
“Damn, I’m glad LaDarius don’t be having blowouts like that,” Ford commented.
About twenty minutes later, Little Zora was sitting in my lap while her father and Ford sat staring at me.
“Well?” Jones said.
Through a sigh, I divulged, “Okay, there is a woman, but she’s super private. I don’t need this to get out.”
“First of all, you know we wouldn’t tell your business to no one. Things have always stayed between the three of us. We don’t even share the deep shit with Stick. Second, why you acting like you fucking Bianca Bambina or somebody?” Jones said.
“Right! That’s what I’m saying,” Ford agreed.
Nothing from me. I kept my eyes on Zora. She was a cute little girl.
“Nigga, what?!” Ford yelled, making the baby jerk.
“You know, Ford, you say that word a lot for a dude with red hair. You gotta be at least twenty-five percent Irish,” I quipped, knowing it would set him off.
“Fuck you, Rapp! I told you my ancestral DNA says I’m a hunnid percent pure Mandingo.”
“Shiddddd! That sumbitch is faulty then, or they mixed up the samples ‘cause ain’t no fuckin’ way,” I countered.
“You know what? You need to do one of them tests to see what part of ugly-ass-istan your ancestors are from,” he shot back.
“Could y’all stop yelling and cussing over my little girl? Shit!” Jones cut in.
“My bad,” Ford replied. “Rapp, stop stalling. How you get in with and into The Don?”
Honestly, I wanted to share this with them, knowing I could trust them. So, I told it all from her spontaneously calling me that first time to her backing it up to me as I was attempting to pack for my departure on the final day of my visit. Just thinking about that shit made me want to hop on a plane for another taste.
Didn’t make no sense!
“Damn,” Jones said once I was finished.
“Double damn,” was Ford’s contribution. “Rapp…you’re her man, now? You?”
“The fuck that mean? Why not me?” I countered.
“You’re ugly,” Ford said flatly.
“Nigga, kiss my ass,” I said, “and no. We’re just friends who happen to fuck. That’s it.”
Almost simultaneously, my fellow linemen said, “Riiiiiight,” their voices full of skepticism.
Me: What you doing?
A minute or three passed before she replied to my text with: In a boring meeting and missing your friendship dick.
I grinned.
Me: What a coincidence. I’m missing that friendship coochie.
Her: As soon as my schedule calms down, I wanna see you.
Me: You wanna see me or my dick?
Her: Honestly? Just the dick but I realize you’re attached to it so I’m OK with seeing you too.
That made me laugh.
Me: I feel you. How long before your schedule calms down?
Her: Too long.
Me: Yeah, I know you’re mad busy since your new album released today, but I can’t wait for your schedule to calm down either. Until then, I’ll be hitting the gym to make up for all the food and missed workouts from my time with you in New York.
Her: Or you could get with someone in St. Louis.
Me: Right, like you can get with someone in L.A.
Her: What makes you think I want anyone but you?
Me: The same thing that makes you think I do.
Her…
Her…
Her: Gotta go.
I shook my head and dropped my phone on the sofa beside me before heading into my little gym.