LAKIA
I rolled over and stretched with my eyes still closed.
My stomach clenched, and I felt dizzy as hell.
I under-estimated those fucking house drinks.
When my eyes opened, I was in a bed, a nice California King one at that.
I couldn’t remember anything after leaving Foe’s.
I shot up, eyeing the oversized shirt I wore, then began staring around the room.
My clothes were neatly folded in a chair in the corner, with my purse sitting on top.
What the hell? I eased out of bed as the sound of muffled music crept through the door.
When I opened it, the smell of passion fruit and fresh linen filled my nose.
It gave tropics. The air was cool, and the light streaming in from outside the window illuminated the house.
As I reached the front room, the soft music became louder.
The house’s natural light and island vibe felt soothing. I spotted Monfua asleep on the couch.
The idea of what my drunk thoughts had said aloud played in my head.
How in the hell did I end up at his house?
Did I call him? Or maybe sent a drunk text?
Shit! I ran back down the hall to the room and grabbed my phone out of my purse.
I scrolled through, but I hadn’t seen any text or calls to him.
Did he delete them? I did notice my brother had been calling nonstop, fine time to be worried now. I thought.
I removed the large t-shirt from my body and began putting my clothes on. “Good morning, Sukalati,” I heard his voice.
I quickly jumped, trying to cover my body. Although Monfua and I did what we did, we still hadn’t slept together. He smiled, then turned around. “I won’t peek, but none of that shit mattered last night.”
As I glided my pants on, I said, “What does that mean? What did you do to me?”
He turned around quickly. His demeanor changed. “What did I do to you? Girl, you’re tripping.”
I slid my shirt on. “I mean, I woke up in your shirt so—”
“So what? I had to do something to you to make sure you were clean before I put you in my bed. You threw up in my fucking truck. I cleaned you up.”
“I didn’t ask for your help. I didn’t call you, so how did you find me?”
He laughed. “You’re not hard to find. Look, I was trying to help,” he said as he walked back out of the room.
I was right behind him. “I didn’t need your help. Take me to a hotel.”
He scratched the bridge of his nose, “What do you mean by hotel? I thought you were staying with your brother?”
Shit! I knew I had fucked up. “We got into it and I don’t want to go back there right now,” I lied.
He barely glanced over his shoulder as he continued down the hall, “Find your own way.”
“Monfua!” I shouted.
That’s when he stopped and spun my way. “What! You're on some bullshit. I can smell it. I don’t have time for the games you're trying to play!” he shouted back at me.
Games? He must have forgotten that this entire thing, which he and I did, was a game. “Monfua, please, you’re not fooling anybody. This,” I pointed between me and him. “Was not supposed to happen.”
He chuckled. “No, your plan didn’t work. I heard what you said. You said you needed a place to stay.”
My body stilled. I didn’t know he heard me. He turned his back on me. I grabbed his arm to turn him my way, “Nigga if you don’t take me where I got to go!”
“Nah, mama, I only do that type of shit for my wife.” He winked.
I felt insulted. I felt dumb. Maybe I thought because he liked me, he would bend, but bending was the last thing he was doing. I got angry and fast. I went to say something, and he threw his hands up in the air. “Kofā!” he shouted this time.
I didn’t know what the hell he said, but I didn’t like it. I began swinging my finger in his face. “Nigga I don’t know what the fuck that—”
The sound of banging on the door startled us both. “Nigga open this muhfuckin’ door! What are you doing to my fucking sister!” Foe shouted.
Monfua swung my way, “You called your brother on me?”
I didn’t call Foe, but his showing up was perfect timing. Before Monfua could answer the door, Foe kicked it in. “Fuck going on in this muhfucka!” he shouted with his gun aimed.
Monfua didn’t even hesitate as he rushed over to Foe. He drew his fist back and swung. “Nigga this is my fucking house.”
Panic set in as the two started to fight. “Fuck! Stop!” I shouted.
Shit was happening too fast. Monfua rushed Foe, lifting him and slamming him against the wall. Foe began to send jabs to the side of his ribs. “Fuck you, pretty boy ass nigga,” Foe gritted.
“A pretty boy who’s finna beat yo ass!” Monfua growled back.
I spotted my brother’s gun on the floor. I rushed over and picked up and let off a shot in the air. They both stopped fighting, but the tension was thick. So thick it strangled me along with my lies. “Stop!” I shouted again.
Foe walked over to me and snatched the gun out of my hand and cocked it back. “Ayo, Lakia, I’m about to kill this nigga,” he gritted.
I moved to stand in front of the gun. I dropped my head because I knew I couldn’t let him do that. Yeah, Monfua and I were getting into it, but I didn’t want this to happen. “No, you overreacted. You—”
Foe waved his hand, “You in this muhfucka screaming not saying shit while I’m calling out to you, and I overreacted? What the fuck?”
Monfua’s arm extended over my shoulder as he pointed to the door, “Nigga get yo bitch ass out my crib and take yo sister with you,” he grumbled.
The way he looked down at me made me feel bad.
I wanted him to capture that I didn’t mean for any of this to happen, but he wasn’t buying what I was selling.
I turned to Foe, who was clearly upset. He waved his hand in the air as he sneered at me, “Nah, you married the nigga, you stay with his ass. Got me in this muhfucka fighting and shit. Fuck is wrong with you!” he barked before he walked out.
I knew Foe was more embarrassed than mad, and I knew that whatever divide we had before today, a bigger wedge was placed between me and my brother.
I also knew that my options to stay at either of their houses were dead.
Now I had nowhere to go other than a hotel, and that would only last so long before I ran out of money.
The one place I refused to go was back to live with my mother.
I knew I needed to figure things out and fast.