Chapter 4 #2
Sloan shook her head. “Nothing, girl. I just put my foot in my mouth yesterday about him finally getting out of prison, and I just want to make sure we’re good.”
“Well, he’s out back with the girls,” Ellie said, pointing to the rear exit sign. “Meet us at the table when you’re done.”
Ellie hurried to the bathroom and then joined Courtney at the booth.
“Let me seeeee himmm, Court,” she cooed as she reached for baby Christian. “Oh, my goodness. He’s so precious.”
Courtney gave a flat smile, but Ellie didn’t miss that it didn’t reach her eyes.
“You feeling okay? No postpartum or anything?” Ellie asked.
“I feel fine,” Courtney answered. “Exhausted, of course. He isn’t sleeping through the night yet, but that’s normal.”
“I think they’re giving away formula and diapers. You want to grab some?” Ellie asked.
“I don’t need a handout, Ellie,” Courtney stated firmly. Her tone made Ellie look up from her adorable nephew.
“I didn’t say you did, Court. It’s free shit. You have a newborn baby. You better take some of this shit home,” Ellie teased.
“We’re good,” Courtney insisted.
“Okay,” Ellie replied. Ellie knew not to press the issue, but Courtney’s defensiveness was a red flag that things were, indeed, not good.
She texted Sloan and told her to get in line to get the items for Courtney anyway.
Even if they had to sneak the items into Courtney’s backseat, Ellie was determined to make sure her friend went home fully stocked.
She knew Courtney well enough to know that something was wrong, and until she felt comfortable advocating for herself, Ellie would make sure she kept a close eye on her friend.
“Auntie Sloan!” Tessa shouted.
“Hey, niece!” Sloan greeted picking her up. “Hey, big girl,” she extended to Brooklyn.
“Hey, Auntie,” Brooklyn greeted with a hug. “We’re about to ice skate. You want to come?”
“Ummm, I prefer my skates to have wheels,” Sloan said, skeptically. “How about your uncle, Cass, and I go get y’all some hot chocolate and watch from the sidelines.”
Brooklyn snickered. “Deal,” she said. “Extra chocolate syrup and marshmallows in mine, please,” Brooklyn added.
“Extra hot in mine!” Tessa shouted after them.
“Got it,” Sloan promised, laughing at Tessa’s request. She turned to Cassidy, who hadn’t spoken at all. “How about it? Walk with me?”
He scratched the top of his head and nodded. “Yeah, a’ight.”
“You don’t have to sound so miserable about it,” she joked.
They strolled through the sea of people as an awkward energy settled between them. “Look, I’m sorry for how I came at you last night,” Sloan said.
“You said how you feel. Ain’t no apology needed for that,” Cassidy stated.
“It was fucked up,” Sloan admitted. “I just. I have my own history with murder, you know. With my mom. It’s just…”
“I get it,” Cassidy said. “But I’m not like the nigga that took your mom away. The circumstances were different.”
“How?” Sloan asked. Cassidy sighed.
“It’s not the time or place,” Cassidy replied.
“You know what? You’re right. I just wanted to apologize. I couldn’t even sleep last night after I left,” Sloan confessed.
“Yeah, a nigga ain’t get much sleep either,” Cassidy responded. He stepped up to the Hot Chocolate counter.
“What you need, Cass?” the man working the booth asked. “Let me get three large hot chocolates, extra chocolate and marshmallows on one, extra hot on the other,” he repeated.
Sloan laughed. “You know extra hot isn’t a thing, right?”
“Listen, I’m just following directions,” Cassidy stated. “Whatever they want, they can get from me. I’ve missed too much to ever tell them no.”
He passed her a cup, and then he carried his nieces’ as they walked back to the skating rink. He took a seat on the bench and placed their cups on the ledge. Sloan took a seat next to him.
“Oh, Shy wanted to know if you have a company Cash App. She’s going live and wants to have her followers donate to the cause digitally,” Sloan said.
“Yeah, it’s $sigaro,” he said. “She’s really internet famous out here, huh?”
“She likes to think so,” Sloan laughed. She pulled out her phone and sent the Cash App name to their group chat.
“What are you up to these days, Sloan? Besides judging niggas,” he stated. She could tell he was still in his feelings about their misunderstanding, and she couldn’t say she blamed him.
“I’m a doctor. I deliver babies for a living,” she informed. “Forever a bridesmaid, never a bride.”
“I’m sure that’s by choice,” he replied.
“Umm, yeah, I guess you could say that. My choices have led me here. I just never have time to date, let alone to invest the amount of effort it takes to get serious enough to make a baby,” Sloan said.
“Now, I’m forty and my eggs are crusty and although I did freeze some when I turned 33, I don’t know if I want to fertilize them alone.
It just seems so desperate to choose some stranger who went to a sperm bank. ”
His brows hiked in confusion. “I don’t know what to say to that, except, I think you should do whatever is going to make you happy, Sloan,” Cassidy responded.
“Sorry. Don’t mean to be talking about reproductive issues in the middle of your event. Which is great, by the way. This is amazing. It’s something to be proud of,” Sloan acknowledged. “Where did you get the seed money for this place?”
“It wasn’t drug money if that’s what you’re thinking,” he said.
Her silence gave away her guilt.
“Damn, a nigga just ain’t shit in your book, huh?” Cassidy asked.
“I don’t know, Cass. I just don’t know adult you. I only know the boy who got locked up before he even had a chance to live,” Sloan said.
“I’m not that kid anymore. I saved some kid in lockup from getting his ass beat during his seven-year bid. His dad owed me. He was getting ready to sell this place when I got out, and we came to an arrangement. I’m paying it off out of a percentage of sales over five years. It’s all legit, Sloan.”
“Good for you,” Sloan said. “I mean that. This is quite a footprint you’re leaving on the neighborhood. Look at all these people. Some of these families wouldn’t have gifts for their kids, Christmas trees, or Christmas hams if it wasn’t for you. Maybe you are different now.”
“I’m just trying to make it out here, man.
A nigga name burnt. Can’t get no regular job, trying not to go back to what I know and walk a straight line.
Being an entrepreneur is the only way I can survive, and I ain’t never been no bottom feeder.
I was always going to be a millionaire, Sloan.
Whether it was by hook or crook. I only know how to go big. ”
“Well, look at you, Cass. This is neither hook nor crook. It’s legitimate, and it suits you,” Sloan said, smiling.
He smiled at that, too, nodding his head bashfully and then looking out at the ice where Brooklyn was calling him.
“I better get back to the girls,” Sloan said, standing.
“Thanks, Sloan. A nigga will sleep a lot better tonight.”
“Me too,” she agreed. She stood and took a few steps before turning back. “Oh, and I hate to ask, but is it possible to get a few extra cases of diapers and formula for Courtney? She has a newborn, and she could really use that stuff.”
“Yeah, of course, say less,” Cass stated. “I’ll drop it off personally later tonight.”
Sloan beamed. “Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
Sloan walked away, but a large part of her wanted to stay right there in the cold with him.
She had entered the conversation with so much anxiety, but she was walking away with peace.
He was a good listener, and she hated that she couldn’t just keep talking to him.
She glanced back once more before going inside, and she smiled as she watched Brooklyn and Tessa fawn all over him.
She was glad that they had been able to clear the air because he felt like a friend in the making.
An unexpected friend that she didn’t see coming.