Chapter 11 Navy Achebe
Navy Achebe
"Girl, will you sit your ass down?" Chosyn smacked, her face taking up the phone screen like she wanted to fall through it.
Sucking my teeth, I waved her off. "Leave me alone, Chosyn, damn."
"Uh-huh, don't get hype with me when you chose to call me." She laughed at her own little joke. "I used to hate my name, but now I love it."
"Why?"
"Because it's a reminder that I'm the chosen one… God's favorite."
"I'm happy one of us feels that way," I mumbled, looking away from the phone and continuing to pace.
"Walking back and forth won't make him walk through that door any faster."
Chosyn was right, but I honestly didn't care. Walking between my living room and foyer was the only thing stopping me from jumping in my car, blasting ‘Riding’ by Mya, and going to find my man.
"It won't," I responded, slowing my stride, "but it's better than picking your ass up and going to find him."
"Oh, if we're on that type of time, come get me. It's been a minute since I've had some fun." The twinkle in Chosyn's eyes was telling. Her kind of fun wasn't really mine, but that's why we worked. She's crazy, and I'm sane. I brought Chosyn balance whenever Wolfe wasn't around to gather his wife.
"Don't make that face. This can be fun."
"How?" Wasn't nothing fun about the urge to go hunt my man down. All I saw it being was a recipe for disaster.
"We both know Honor isn't out there on bullshit, but it'll be fun if we act like he is. Ooouuu! I'm getting excited just thinking about it. Come get me, girl. I need about fifteen minutes. I gotta slurp my man up so he won't be grumpy when you get here."
Chosyn's crazy ass was really giddy about whatever she cooked up in her head.
"Chosyn, please sit your married ass down," I huffed to keep from laughing.
"Why? Your man is missing, and I wanna help, friend."
"The answer is no," Wolfe calmly interjected in the background.
"You don't even know what you're saying no to," Chosyn smacked, playfully rolling her eyes.
"You think I give a fuck? I know you, Chosyn Gravehart. Anytime your sneaky ass gets giddy like this, you're on bullshit. So, before you even try to gargle my balls and give me that sexy pout, the answer is no."
"But Wolfie," Chosyn whined. "Navy needs my help.
Honor said he'd be home waiting for her so they could have a movie night, but when she got home, he wasn't there.
Navy didn't trip, but she's been waiting two hours for him.
He's not answering her calls or texts. She's upset and wants to act up.
I told her to stay calm because Honor would never be on fuck shit.
But then she said if this isn't the perfect time to show her ass, then she doesn't know what is.
I didn't want to agree, but Wolfie, she has a point. "
"Chosyn!" I screeched, mortified by how easy it was for her to concoct a story that made her seem innocent. "Just tell my business why don't you."
"Girl, please, it's not like he wasn't going to find out anyway. I tell Wolfie everything. I love you and River, but my husband really is my best friend. Ain't that right, baby?" Chosyn puckered her lips, and Wolfe leaned down, mushing his hand in her face.
"Wolfie!" she spat, jumping back.
Wolfe's heavy, gruff voice filled the call as he laughed and took Chosyn by the jaw.
Once his lips touched hers, I put my phone down and grabbed my AirPods.
The two of them kissing was known to suck you in and leave you yearning in places that only your true love could settle.
That's how powerful their love was, but as beautiful as it was, I wasn't in the mood to deal with it.
"Damn, inhale her whole fucking face, why don't you?"
Hearing an extra voice, I tilted my head. "River?"
"Yes, it's me, and I wish I hadn't gotten on this call while these two were swapping spit. Y'all know I'm pregnant and horny."
"What's that gotta do with us?" Chosyn asked, laughing.
"Everything. Y'all be sucking face, and my clit gets jumpy. I try not to say anything, but I just know the two of you have great sex."
"River!" I guffawed.
"Did I lie?"
"Not even a little," I admitted.
"Not y'all getting turned on by Wolfie and me," Chosyn said bashfully. "River, I'm happy you jumped on. Navy is coming to pick me up. We can swing by and grab… ahhh Wolfie, I told you about smacking my ass like that," Chosyn fussed.
"And I told you the answer was fucking no," Wolfe shot back.
"But Navy needs us," she whined, her voice sounding as sweet as syrup.
"Chosyn, please stop with that stupid ass baby voice," River snapped.
"River, shut up," Chosyn retorted.
While they went back and forth, I walked into the kitchen, grabbing a bag of tortilla chips and my favorite vanilla ice cream.
Ever since River put me on to this snack, I've been hooked.
The only difference was I swapped the French ice cream she liked for a black-owned brand.
Frosted Dreams was owned by a woman who lived upstate in Stonecrest. Supporting black women was important, especially when they lived within proximity of me.
The ice cream being so damn good was an added bonus.
I popped the top, dipped a few chips, and enjoyed my snack until Wolfe said something that caught my attention.
"Honor isn't on fuck shit, and Navy knows that. I get we're in a weird space with the nigga, but at the end of the day, he's still the man who saved all of us in one way or another. Before trying to be on y'all Left Eye shit, let him come home and explain."
"You're right," I murmured.
"Cool, now finish this shit up. My heart, you got thirty minutes to meet me in the shower, or we gon' give them front row seats to us making baby number two."
"She'll be there!" I blurted, wanting no parts of that.
"I don't know, that might be something I wanna see," River chided.
"Get your freak ass off the phone, River. You gon' have Crown at my neck 'bout you." Wolfe laughed.
"I guess," River blew. "I cannot wait to have these babies. I swear I wanna get fucked six ways from Sunday at least twice a day."
"Sounds like a beautiful problem to have if you ask me." Chosyn laughed. "But back to Navy since I'm strapped for time."
"There isn't much to say." I shrugged, biting into a chip covered in ice cream.
"I think there is. You've known Honor since forever. The two of you have a strong connection, so this can't be the first time he's gone against something he said—"
"I'm just overreacting," I eased in. "Wolfe was right. I gotta let Honor explain before jumping down his throat."
"Is it because I'm on the phone?" River asked lowly. "I saw y'all were on FaceTime and wanted to join. But if I'm stopping y'all from having a moment, then I can hang up."
"River, please," Chosyn sassed.
"Please, what? We both know you're Navy's favorite. I don't feel away because Navy and I are working on our friendship. At the same time, let's not forget you're my best friend too."
Picking up my phone, I propped it up so I was looking directly into the camera.
"We all know Chosyn is your best friend. I'm not trying to step on that. She's my best friend, but so are you. Chosyn and I just talk more about certain things. That's not to say I don't want to talk in front of you. I'm honestly just over it," I declared.
"You're not, but I won't push. When you wanna chat, I'm always here for you. But for now, I'ma go let my man rearrange my insides, then slurp him dry because second baby where?" Chosyn tittered, then hung up.
"Are you hanging up too?" I asked, not wanting to be alone with my thoughts.
"Nope," River said, making me smile.
We sat in silence, with me eating ice cream and River typing away on her computer.
Thoughts roamed my mind, and none of them were good.
I didn't want to think the worst, but that's all there was.
Relationships weren't meant to be lavender and daffodils.
Turmoil had to plague beauty at some point, and over the years, it has.
Usually, Lucian was the cause, but the feeling settling deep in my gut told me this was different.
There wouldn't be anyone to blame for the rift in our relationship.
Whatever happened when he walked into this house would fall solely on us, and that wasn't something we'd ever dealt with before.
"Navy," River called out softly.
"Yeah," I answered, unintentionally matching her tone.
"I know you didn't ask for this advice, but from someone who's been through a lot in the last year, I feel I should share something that might help you, but only if it's okay with you."
"Of course, River. You're a soon-to-be Gravehart. Crown loves you, and I love you. We're family, so whatever you say is held in high regard by me."
"Don't cry! Don't cry!" she chanted, flicking her eyes toward the ceiling.
"Not you being two seconds pregnant and you're already emotional," I joked, knowing that if River started crying, I'd follow suit.
"Girl, these babies are have me feeling everything in such a crazy way that it's insane.
" She simpered. "But all I wanted to say was how love can be all-consuming at times.
I've been in two relationships where my partner's love for me and mine for them overtook me.
Of course, my situation with Sincere was my first experience being in love.
But I was so in love with that man that I ignored all the red flags and blaring horns trying to warn me that he was no good for me.
Shit, even after he died, it became hard for me to picture life beyond him.
I want to say Crown is the reason I'm able to see everything I missed with Sincere, but it was my own doing.
Crown forced me to look within myself, but it was me who fully healed those wounds that scabbed over.
I struggled with accepting what Crown felt for me, consumed me with no intention of ever letting go.
To cherish his love, we had to go through hard times. "
"I can understand that."