Prologue #6
“Okay. Lay down, and I’m going to grab a special book to read to you. We have to wait on Essence to get her jammies on and get in her bed first.”
Essence was a little woman. Her level of independence was scary. Just as I mentioned her, she walked into the bedroom with her bathrobe wrapped around her body.
“I’m all done.”
“Look at you big girl, all squeaky and clean,” Ever cheered.
“I brushed my teeth, too!” she shouted, excitedly.
“Good job, Es.” I clapped my hands as I told her. “Go ahead and put on your pajamas. I’m picking a bedtime story, now.”
“Okay, TT Lyric.”
She was her mother’s child. The calmness of her spirit was enchanting.
I gazed at her bouncy curls as she made her way to her bed where Ever had laid her pajamas as well.
She didn’t take any shortcuts when it came to her children, and I loved that about her.
San helped out many days to alleviate her from her duties, but even then she was always on point.
Both girls were sound asleep when I crept out of their bedroom.
It was going on ten o’clock. Aside from a few light sconces in the hallway, the Eisenberg residence was dark and quiet.
I didn’t have to peep in on Elle to know that she was asleep with her mother’s boob dangling from her mouth.
It was the same routine nightly until Ever woke in the wee hours and went to bed or Luca got lonely enough to retrieve her.
“Let me walk you out,” I heard Luca’s voice but couldn’t pinpoint his location.
When he appeared from the shadows beneath the steps, I knew that he’d been tending to his other best friend, Glock.
The tri-colored, short, and stubby dog was the most well-behaved I’d ever encountered.
He was much like his owners, unbothered by anything and everyone.
Not even the children could work him up.
“Putting Glock down for the night?” taking in Luca’s appearance, I asked. It was still uncanny how much he and Laike resembled each other. They were identical twins. Laike had just been born two years later. It was as if our parents had birthed the same boy twice.
“Yeah. And wanted to catch you before you snuck out,” he admitted.
“Is everything okay?”
“Yeah. Everything is good on my end. I’m just trying to figure out if that is the case for you. Lately, you’ve seemed… I don’t know… sad.”
“Me? Sad?”
My questions were in vain, especially knowing how intuitive Luca was.
He could sniff out any sign of trouble on my end.
I still think it was how he ended up in my parking lot the night Chauncey put his hands on me.
He was due there anyway, but he’d come so much sooner than he was expected.
He was at least twenty minutes early and that never happened.
He was usually a few minutes late for dinner.
“Don’t insult me,” he chastised. “What’s going on in that pretty head of yours, baby girl? Is there something wrong? Something you need to talk to me about? Something I can help with?”
“I’m fine, Luca. Just going through the motions.”
“Don’t lie to me, Lyric. You’ve never done it, so don’t start now.”
“I don’t know what you want me to tell you, Luca.” I sighed, pressing my back against the wall. He’d stopped so I followed suit.
“The truth,” he declared.
“Well,” I cleared my throat and spoke, “seeing you so happy and so loved just feels me with as much joy as it does… I don’t know the word I’m getting at but it reminds me of what I don’t have.”
“Who’s fault is that, Lyric?”
“I can’t say it’s all mine because I tried. That didn’t turn out well for me or anyone that I love.”
“That was a decade ago, Lyric. I’ve been so afraid that it’s the true reason behind you not accepting love from another man since but hearing you confirm it makes that shit so much worse. Listen, I did my time and I’d do that shit again. I have no regrets so why do you?”
“You left us for eight years, Luca. That hurt worse than any heartbreak. That hurt worse than the pain of not having someone. You guys have spent your whole lives protecting me. The least I can do is keep you two out of jail. I can control my actions, but I can’t control what someone else will or won’t do.
I never imagined Chauncey would do what he did but look where that got us.
It's easier to just steer clear instead of trusting that someone will have your best interest at heart.”
“I get that, Lyric, but hear me out. You could walk into a store and be minding your own business and someone violates you. Who do you think is coming to check that motherfucker? Me or Laike, whoever is closest. You could be driving and someone hits your shit. When they jump stupid with you, who do you think is coming to check them? Me and Laike. You could be enjoying your night at the club and a nigga starts tripping. Who do you think is coming? Me and Laike. Ain’t no saving us, baby girl.
We’re here to do our jobs and because you’re trying to keep us out of trouble won’t stop us from doing it.
“We don’t send hitters, Lyric. We are the hitters and the heaviest of them all when it comes down to the people we love.
So, don’t worry about us. Whatever will happen, will happen.
Take care of yourself and we will handle the rest. Let some nigga love you down, Lyric.
You deserve it. My kids need some cousins and shit to play with.
How else will they know how to fight? Your first ass whooping always be from your cousin.
Laike ain’t giving me shit, so I need you to come through. ”
Nodding, I agreed. “Seriously, we’d be lucky to get a steady face out of Laike.”
“Exactly. You’re our only hope. So, promise me you got me.”
“I got you.”
“Aight. Now, let me walk you out so that you can get home. Text me to let me know you made it.”
“I will.”
We started for the door, again. When I reached my truck, I felt Luca’s arms around me. I rested my head on his chest and inhaled his familiar scent. It was one of my favorites. After a few seconds, we disengaged and he opened the door of my truck for me.
“Goodnight, Lyric.”
“Goodnight, Luca.”
From the second I stepped through my door, I began removing articles of clothing.
By the time I reached my bathroom, I was fully undressed and ready for my shower.
But as I started the water, I came to the conclusion that I preferred soaking over a long shower.
My garden-style tub was a dream and ideal for extensive bath times.
I stood from the ledge of the tub and slowly dragged my body across the bathroom until I reached my sink.
Underneath it was an entire cabinet full of the most divine fragrances paired with soap to create a rich, lathery bubble bath.
The large bottles had been gifts from Ever whenever she felt like forcing her favorite relaxation tactics into my routine.
It wasn’t often that I did or even wanted to sit in the tub.
I preferred showers, the longer the better.
But for once, I wanted to rest with my thoughts and figure a few things out.
Luca’s words were at the top of my list. Then, there were Ever’s words.
And, lastly the words I’d compile in a potential email to Ken.
Still, I wasn’t too fond of the idea, but as I poured the thick liquid at the bottom of my tub and adjusted the temperature of the water, the urgency of it hit me like a sack of bricks.
The thudding of the water against the bottom of the oval-shaped pit reminded me of my rapidly beating heart. What will I say? I wondered.
Before the running water ceased, I was stepping inside and lowering my frame. It disappeared underneath the fluffy bubbles, instantly protesting for my tranquility. I closed my eyes as I listened to the ferociousness of the running water.
Keanu. His chocolate skin was so smooth and so perfect. Though it had been months and months since I’d encountered him, I could still smell the peppery fragrance that he wore so well. The amber and citrus made my nose tingle and my nostrils flare.
Vividly, I could recall the day that I realized my adoration for him was deeper than I could’ve imagined.
Deeper than my diary mentioned. Deeper than words could explain.
It had been over a year since I’d seen him on the night of my prom.
In my sparkling dress with my prom date on my arm, I watched as Ken slid from the driver seat of the Lexus he was driving.
Luca exited the passenger side. High out of their minds, the two of them made their way to the curb where I was posing for pictures.
Though I was so happy that my brother had kept his promise and made it in time to see me off, it was Ken that I couldn’t keep my eyes off.
The heartbeat that formed between my legs as his gold teeth shined beneath his smile was a clear indication of my true feelings for him.
I’d known him all my life or at least for as long as I could remember. But at that moment, he felt like a stranger, one that I wanted to get to know. Keanu. That’s who I was interested in. I knew Ken like the back of my hand.
The bubbles surrounded me, finally reaching my back and alerting me of the water’s dangerous height.
My eyes popped open as I slowly slid toward the faucet and turned it off completely.
When I shifted backward again I was careful not to move too fast or with too much emphasis.
The water was near the top of the deep dwelling and would spill over with too much movement.
Dear Keanu, I began inwardly.
“This isn’t middle school, Lyric.” I chuckled.
Happy birthday, Keanu. I replaced it with, already liking the sound. Yeah. That’s better.