Chapter 6 #3
“If it was my favorite brother calling, then I would have.”
“You just like your fucking daddy,” he fussed. “You and that nigga a hater.”
“Yet you love us all the same.”
“Admittedly, I do.”
“What is it, Laike? I’m watching my show.”
“You, watching a show?”
“Yeah. I’m really into Blacklist right now.”
“You cook something?”
“Yeah. You hungry? I can fix you a plate if you plan to stop by.”
“Hell yeah. I’m not even ten minutes away.”
“You live in The Hills, too, Laike. You’re only ever about ten minutes away.” I chuckled.
“Not always, but I’m on my way.”
“Okay. I love you.”
“Always.”
With a heart full of gratitude, I reluctantly paused the television, grabbed my plate, and made my way back into the kitchen. Having either of my brothers over was always a treat. Though my parents rarely visited, their presence felt like an occasion as well.
I piled garlic potatoes, broccoli, and the biggest of the three pieces of steak I’d cooked onto his plate.
It was still hot, so I shoved it into the microwave to maintain its warmth until he arrived.
My bar area was my next stop. I gave the bottle of Hennessy a spin before dumping five shots into the blender, measuring them with the gold shot cup that Ever had gifted me. It came with an entire set from Target.
Frozen sliced strawberries, peaches, mangos, and crushed ice were all dumped into the blender one after the other, followed by a splash of fresh pineapple juice. The mixture only took a few seconds to combine, ultimately creating a fluffy, cold, and very tasty combination.
“Ummmmm,” I hummed, licking the spoon.
“Give me some,” Laike begged from the other side of the kitchen, startling me.
“Shit, you nearly gave me a heart attack.”
“Damn,” he praised after grabbing the spoon and licking the rest of the frozen beverage from it.
“That’s kind of nasty,” I joked.
“How?” he questioned.
“You have no idea where my mouth has been.”
“Man, gone on with that shit. Where’s my plate?”
“In the microwave.”
“Bet and make me whatever that shit is. Put a little more liquor in my shit, though,” he instructed.
I halved the mix and added a pretty healthy shot to what was left before blending it for a few more seconds. Once his was ready, I carried them both into the dining room where he was making himself comfortable. I raced back to the kitchen to get my plate and noticed it was already gone.
“I heated it up for a few seconds,” Laike shared once I realized he’d already brought both plates to the table. I hadn’t even noticed when I’d dropped the drinks off.
“Thanks.”
I sat across the table from Laike, who immediately dug into his food before asking, “What’s new? Anything you want to share with your bigger nigga?”
I’m madly in love with your best friend, I desperately wanted to confess, but the words just wouldn’t emerge.
“Collin and I are official.”
“Anything else?” Laike shook his head, ready to change the subject already.
“Why don’t you like him?”
“I don’t know the nigga enough not to like him. But I don’t like him for you. There’s a difference.”
“Why not for me?”
“It just doesn’t seem… right? I don’t know. I just imagined you with someone with a bit more finesse about himself. This nigga is a square if I’ve never seen one before.”
“He is, but he’s a good person.”
“Is that all you require?”
“Are you insinuating I’m settling?”
“I don’t have to insinuate shit. I’m telling you right now that you are.”
“I don’t think that I am. Safety and settling are very different. I’m just being safe.”
“Them blue collar niggas be on some foul shit, too, Lyric. Don’t let that shit fool you.
Niggas be low down, down low, conniving, abusive, and all the rest of that shit.
Just because he wears a suit and doesn’t tote a Glock doesn’t mean that he’s to be trusted.
It ain’t about the career the man has. That doesn’t determine his character. His actions do.”
“I agree. Collin’s actions have been nothing but outstanding.”
“Wasn’t Chauncy’s in the beginning?”
He cut deep, reopening wounds that I’d patched up over therapy and the duration of our brother’s sentence.
There wasn’t a follow-up for his statement.
I didn’t have a rebuttal. Silence was my only defense because we both knew that he was accurate, and he meant well – although his statement was brutally honest.
“Listen, all I’m saying is don’t settle on our account ‘cause we’re coming behind any nigga and any broad that dare to fuck with you,” he continued after a few seconds.
Laike shrugged as he sipped from his cup and then dug into his garlic potatoes.
Nodding, I took the hint and continued eating the food that was left.
I knew that everyone meant well around me and wanted what was best for me.
It was just difficult recovering from such a huge blow, it didn’t matter how long ago it was.
What everyone else saw as a simple task, for me was much more complicated.
I wouldn’t apologize for my hesitancy or my choices. I’d made enough bad ones already.