9. Gemini Black #3
I was happy to stand under the shower head and allow the hot water to hit every part of my body.
Being on the road, having the kind of workday that I had today, I didn’t start washing myself right away.
My body was aching a little bit, so I just wanted to enjoy what the water was doing to my body.
I eventually started using my washcloth that I lathered with soap to clean my body.
I did a good cleaning, wiping myself down for about twenty minutes.
Once I finished, I shut the water off, wrapped the towel around my waist, and headed over to the bathroom counter.
I handled my business at the sink. Washing my face and brushing my teeth.
When I finished with that, I applied lotion to my body, slipped on a pair of briefs, joggers and a wife beater.
I put socks on, slipped into some slides, and I cleaned up the area. I had everything that I needed, so I left, holding onto my shower bag. I went over to the sitting area, where I was going to just chill out until Amina made her way out of the bathroom.
While I was sitting here, I decided to put a phone call in to my sister.
I haven’t heard her voice in a couple of days.
We’ve only communicated through text. Plus, I wanted to see her face.
I put the call in, sitting here, waiting for the call to connect.
Gianna didn’t answer until the 6th ring, and when she did, you could tell that she was working.
Judging from everything that was around her, I could tell that she was at her spot.
Gianna owned a commercial kitchen. In that kitchen, she had everything fully equipped with professional kitchen supplies.
That way, she could have multiple industrial ovens, a bunch of freezers, and refrigerators, shelves that were stocked with spices, and other ingredients.
She was able to have an entire team there, working with her, so she wouldn’t have to do these big ass jobs on her own.
“Hi brother,” she said to me with a smile on her face.
She was in her chef uniform. Her chef hat was on and everything. You could really tell that she was in that mode because there was smears of flour on her black chef coat, small specs of what looked to either be paprika or cayenne pepper, with a kitchen towel that she had thrown over her shoulder.
“What’s up sis? I see you busy. What you getting ready for?” I asked her.
“You know it’s voting season. I have a city council campaign reception that’s taking place in two hours.
They ordered so much damn food. You would think that the plan is to feed the entire Dade- County.
We’ve been at it since like five this morning.
How’s it going today? I didn’t get to check in with you and Amina like I usually do because we’ve been so busy.
Where are you?” she asked, firing off question after question.
We didn’t even get to stay on the fact that she was catering an event for a city council campaign reception before she changed the subject.
That’s how my sister was though. Very humble, just like I was.
That was big news, but she skipped through it like it was nothing. Nah. I had to congratulate her on that.
“I hate when you do shit like that. This catering gig is a big deal, and you just sped by it like it was no big deal. Nah. We gotta sit in that for a little bit. You work hard, sis. I remember a time when the things that you’re doing right now were just dreams for you.
Look how everything is unfolding. I’m proud of you girl,” I told her, and she smiled big when I said it, loving when those kind of words came from me.
“Thank you, brother. I needed to hear that,” she said, and I nodded.
“But yeah, I’m finished with work for the day. We’re at the truck stop right now. I just finished showering and I’m waiting for Amina to come out, so we can go across the street to the laundromat,” I let her know.
She laughed when I said that. She paused from kneading the dough that was in front of her, so that she could cock her head to the side.
“Please send me a video or something of her when she walks in the laundromat. I know for a fact that Amina has never stepped foot inside of a laundromat. Gemini, you are turning my friend out,” she joked, and then laughed.
I smiled, sitting back, thinking about all the shit that I had this girl doing.
I still couldn’t believe that I had her showering at truck stops and sleeping in a bunk bed.
“She’s at a point where she just goes with the flow.
I got her miles away from home, and she knows that it’s too much work that I have left to even complain about it.
This shit was no easy fix though. She crashed out the first time that she had to shower at the truck stop.
We way passed that though,” I confirmed.
Gianna knew about the crash out. I told her because I knew Amina wouldn’t.
I wanted Gianna to know what she had me on the road dealing with.
Even when I told her, she was the one to tell me to take it easy on her and give her grace.
That’s another reason I took her to the carnival that night.
I was doing what Gianna said… giving her grace.
“That’s good to hear. As long as it’s gotten better. I’m not going to lie, I was scared at first. I started questioning if I was a bad friend for damn near forcing her to get on the road with you. I’m glad that it all worked out,” she said.
I thought about what she said, and how I wanted to respond. I knew that Amina was going to be in the bathroom for a little while longer. She took long ass showers, and then she had to do all her skin care shit.
I wanted to get into my sisters head a little bit. Have a talk with her and see how she felt about what I was getting ready to ask her.
“I want to ask you something. Hypothetically, if I started liking one of your friends, how would you feel about that?” I just flat out asked it.
I could tell that she was caught off guard a little bit by the question. She stared at me intensely, as if she was trying to read me. For a while, she didn’t say anything. I don’t know if she was waiting for me to yell out that I was just playing with her, or what.
“I have a lot of associates. It’s not too many women that I can call a friend. Amina is my only true friend. My best friend at that. That’s the only friend that you have access to right now to hypothetically start liking. Are you talking about Amina?” she wanted to know.
From her tone, I couldn’t tell you if she was upset, or happy.
Her tone was right there in the middle. Growing up, I know that I used to tell Gianna to stay the fuck away from any of my homeboys.
I did it because I was overprotective of her, but I also did it because I knew that at that age, one of my home boys would break her heart.
She never told me to stay away from Amina though.
I guess it’s because Amina was younger than me, and back then, she knew that I was attracted to girls that were my age, or older.
“Yeah. I’m talking about Amina,” I said. Again, she did that dramatic ass pause.
I knew she was caught off guard. The last time she was around Amina and I, we carried on like we hated each other. Now, here I was, asking her how she would feel if I started liking Amina.
Gianna cleared her throat, and when she looked at me with that seriousness in her eyes, I couldn’t help but notice how much she looked like our mom. Her look was stern. It meant business.
“I kind of just want to know what your intentions are with her, Gemini. I know being on that road can get real lonely. I don’t want you looking at Amina as just something to do.
Someone to fuck for the time being. Don’t do it out of convenience.
Do it because it’s what your heart is leading you to do.
You weren’t there to witness all the aftermath between her and Jacob.
I still hear her cries in my ear when she called me screaming and crying about him calling the wedding off.
I never want to see my best friend endure some shit like that again.
You’re my brother, and I love you to pieces.
Even with that, Amina is my best friend, and the sister that I never had.
I will literally fall out with you if you break her heart.
Gemini, I mean that,” she was honest. I sucked my teeth at that, while waving her off, knowing that it wouldn’t even come to that.
“Man, you already know that I’m not going to break her heart.
I had to endure listening to her cry over that nigga too.
I’ll be fucked up to come around and break her heart some more.
Give me an answer though. How you feel about it?
You want me to leave her alone? What you want me to do?
” I asked. My question caused her to smile and roll her eyes at me.
“What have ya’ll done already? I feel like you’re leaving parts out,” she said. I flashed that cocky smile, while pulling down on my beard.
“We haven’t done shit. We just kissed,” I was honest. The kiss was so good that it damn near felt like we fucked. It wasn’t just a simple peck on the lips. Our kisses were dangerous. The kind that you had to do in the comfort of your own home.
“Wow. I talk to this girl every day and she didn’t say anything to me about that,” she went on.
“Gianna, tell me how you feel about the situation bruh. She about to come out of the bathroom soon, and I don’t want her to walk over while we’re talking about it,” I pushed.
“I won’t feel any kind of way about it, Gemini. I think it makes sense. Just treat her right, please. If not, me, mommy, and Amina are going to beat your ass,” she threatened, and I laughed at that.
“Yeah okay. I ain’t going to fuck it up. I promise. Get back to work, sis. Call me before you call it a night. I love you,” I let her know.
“Okay. I love you more. Take care of my friend,” she threatened.
“I got you,” and like that, we ended the call.