16. Renza Mensah #2
The road curved, and I followed it, lettin’ a car pass before I switched lanes.
My chest felt tight, and I could feel myself gettin’ uncomfortable with how deep this conversation had got while I was still supposed to be playin’ my part in Pressure’s lil’ surprise.
I rolled my shoulders once and looked toward the buildin’s ahead.
Pluto noticed ‘cause of course she did. “It doesn’t have to be tonight, Renza.”
I swallowed and nodded once.
“But if you want that feeling to start leaving you,” she said, keepin’ her voice gentle, “you’re probably going to have to talk to her at some point.
Even if it’s just for closure. You don’t have to make a decision tonight, and you don’t have to forgive her before you’re ready, but you got hurt, Renza.
That doesn’t make you weak. It just means you let your guard down with somebody you really wanted, and I don’t think you should punish yourself for that. ”
I kept my eyes on the road, but that shit landed heavier than I wanted it to. Pluto shifted in her seat like she was tryna see my face better, and I already knew she was catchin’ everything I was tryna keep off it.
“She engaged to a whole other nigga, Pluto,” I said, and even though my voice stayed low, I felt every word scrape on the way out. “That ain’t some lil’ mistake you make and come back from like when you forget to call somebody. She said yes. She let that nigga put a ring on her finger.”
Pluto got quiet for a second, and I thought she was gon’ leave it there. Then she looked out the window, and when she spoke again, her voice was still soft, but it had somethin’ real in it.
“You remember what happened with me, Pressure and Kashmere,” she said. “You were there, Renza. You saw how far that went.”
I ain’t say nothin’ ‘cause I did remember.
Pluto turned back toward me. “Somebody can say yes because they’re hurt, confused, scared, tired, or trying to choose the life that looks easier on paper.
That doesn’t always mean their heart is where their mouth is.
I’m not saying Sha’Nelle handled everything right, because she didn’t.
I’m saying love get messy when people are trying to protect themselves from the very thing they still want. ”
My hand moved over the wheel, and I let out a light breath through my nose. “That’s supposed to make me feel better?”
“No,” she said. “It’s supposed to make you think, and at least give grace.”
I glanced at her, and she held my eyes for a second before I looked back at the road.
“Sha’Nelle is a beautiful person,” Pluto said.
“I can understand why you wanted her and why you saw a future with her. She made mistakes, but she’s not some random woman to me either.
She’s Isley’s godmother, and you’re Isley’s godfather.
That means both of y’all are connected to my baby, and I’m never going to sit here and act like one of y’all matter and the other one doesn’t. ”
My throat worked, but I ain’t say nothin’ yet.
“She wants to hear from you,” Pluto added. “Even if you’re not ready to give her what she wants. Even if all you can give her is the truth. Sometimes a woman just needs to know the love was real, even when the hurt is still sitting in the middle of it.”
I swallowed and kept drivin’, lettin’ the streetlights pass over the windshield while my hands stayed on the wheel. “And what if hearin’ her make me worse?”
Pluto’s face softened. “Then at least you’ll know what you’re really fighting. Right now, you’re fighting what happened, what you think she felt, what you think she meant and a conversation you never had with her. That’s a lot to carry by yourself.”
I kept my eyes on the road ’cause lookin’ at her would’ve made it worse. “You always gotta say some shit that sit on a nigga.”
She smiled soft. “That’s Virgo love.”
I huffed a small laugh. “A’ight then.”
I pulled into the private lot outside the jeweler’s buildin’. The place was two stories, glass across the front with gold lettering near the doors and security posted out front.
I cut the car off and sat here for a second, gettin’ myself back into the role I was playin’. Pluto fixed her hair in the mirror then looked at the buildin’ like she was still suspicious.
I got out first and walked around to open her door. She took my hand when she stepped out, and I helped her down before closin’ the door behind her.
“You good?” I asked.
Pluto looked up at me, and her mouth twitched like she was fightin’ a smile. “Why are you askin’ me that?”
I shrugged, tryna hide my own smile. “I’m just askin’.”
“Mhm,” she said, watchin’ me close. “You look like you know something.”
“I know you need to go in here and get yo’ gift before that man close.”
She stared at me for another second, then shook her head and walked toward the door. I stepped ahead of her and opened it, lettin’ her go in first like I was supposed to.
The second we crossed inside, bright lights hit the glass cases, and the whole place opened up around us in a way I ain’t expect.
Then everybody yelled, “Surprise!”
I turned my head toward the sound with a smile already sittin’ on my face for Pluto, but that smile went still when I saw the banner stretched across the second level railing.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY RENZA.
For a second, I ain’t move…
The whole damn jewelry store had been turned into a private birthday setup. Every display case was lit from underneath, and instead of regular pieces sittin’ inside, there was chains, watches, rings, and custom pieces placed on black velvet with my name worked into the cards in front of ‘em.
Some of the pieces had my initials. Some had lil’ touches only my people would know to ask for, and that was the part that hit me before I could get my face right.
The first floor had tables with food, bottles, and flowers that made the place feel expensive as hell.
Upstairs, I could see another whole setup for Pluto with her own banner, her own cake, and a section full of soft colors, diamonds, and the kind of shit Pressure would have done just to make her shake her head and cry later when nobody was lookin’.
My mama was here. My pops stood beside her, dressed clean, lookin’ at me with that proud look he got when he wasn’t tryna make a scene out of what he felt.
My uncles was posted up nearby, already smilin’ ‘cause they knew they had got me. My aunties, girl cousins, Blaq crazy ass, a few of my other people, and more family filled the space.
Kay’Lo and Toni stood near one of the cases, both dressed fly, with Kay’Lo holdin’ a cup like he had been waitin’ to see my face. Pressure was right beside him, grinnin’ like the dangerous ass child he was, with his own cup in his hand and his shirt open at the neck.
Pluto stepped next to me, no longer hidin’ her smile.
I looked down at her. “Woman, you knew?”
She nodded, eyes bright. “Happy early birthday, Renza. We love you so much.”
I stared at her, then looked back at everybody. “I love y’all too, but man, y’all some lyin’ ass muthafuckas.”
Pressure walked up laughin’ before I could say somethin’ else. “Nigga, you thought you was slick.”
I pointed at him. “Bitch, you play too much.”
Kay’Lo laughed and lifted his cup. “He mad as hell ’cause we got him.”
“I told y’all I ain’t want no party,” I said, lookin’ between ‘em.
Pressure came closer, wrapped his arm around my neck, and damn near put me in a headlock while still holdin’ his glass in his other hand. He smiled big, kissed my forehead hard, and squeezed me like he ain’t give a fuck who was watchin’.
“Nigga, it ain’t about what the fuck you want,” he said, still grippin’ me around my neck. “Yo’ birthday tomorrow, Pluto birthday right after, and we turnin’ up tonight. Fuck all that hidin’ in the house shit you been on.”
“Get off me, nigga,” I said, but I was laughin’ when I shoved at him.
Kay’Lo stepped in, pullin’ me into a tight hug with that same quiet love he always carried. “Happy birthday, nigga.”
I nodded against his shoulder before we pulled back.
My mama came over next, and that was when the hard part started. She ain’t even say nothin’ at first. She just grabbed my face between both her hands and looked at me like she was checkin’ every piece of me. I let her ‘cause that was my mama.
“My baby,” she said soft, lookin’ at a nigga like she was proud. “Happy early birthday, son. I love you.”
I kissed her cheek and hugged her. “Thank you, Ma. I love you too.”
She held me longer than usual, and I let that happen too. I had been so focused on actin’ like I ain’t need a big deal made over me that I ain’t think about how my people might’ve needed it.
My mama needed to love on me. My pops needed to stand there and see me take it in My cousins needed to drag me out of my own head for one night.
And Pluto, sneaky ass and all, had sat in my car talkin’ to me about closure while knowin’ she was walkin’ me right into a room full of people who came to remind me I wasn’t by myself.
My pops hugged me after my mama let go, and his hand landed heavy on the back of my neck for a second. “I’m proud of you, son.”
I swallowed and nodded. “Appreciate that, Pops.”
The jeweler that was supposed to just be for Pluto came over once my family gave me room to breathe. He was dressed in a black suit with gloves on, and he held a box like he had rehearsed the moment.
“Mr. Mensah,” he said with a smile, openin’ the box. “Happy birthday.”
Inside was a custom Rolex, and the bitch was clean enough to make me stop rubbin’ my face for a second.
Diamonds sat around the bezel. The face had a blue finish that was the same color as my birthstone, with small custom details worked in so smooth that you had to really look to catch ’em.
My initials was done small on the clasp, and the back had engraving that I couldn’t read until he turned it more toward me.
For the one who always shows up.
That one line did more than I was ready for.