Chapter 2 #2
“I understand that he’s going through something—I really do—but every time something happens with him, I’m there.
If he’s upset, I’m there. If he’s frustrated, I’m there.
If he needs somebody to tell him he’s still good, I’m there.
” She shook her head. “And I don't mind being there for him. That’s what you do when you love somebody. But lately, it feels like I’m the only one doing it. ”
Lauryn and Toya’s expressions softened, while Bishop and Vic’s hardened. They were ready to pay Jabari a visit, and it wasn’t going to be friendly.
“He doesn’t show up for you?” Lauryn questioned.
“Not like he used to.”
“Then let that nigga go, sis. Straight up,” Bishop said, not giving a fuck.
Lauryn looked at her husband and chuckled. “I mean, I wouldn’t go to those extremes. At least have a conversation with him.”
Her suggestion sounded nice but based on how their quote-unquote conversation went earlier this week in her kitchen, Kwinn wasn’t sure she wanted to even give him that.
“I don’t really care to, honestly,” she said with a sigh. “But I guess he deserves that.”
“Does he?” Toya asked.
Kwinn looked at her mother. Toya’s expression wasn’t harsh. If anything, she looked concerned.
“Listen, baby. Sometimes, we get so busy trying to understand somebody else’s behavior that we forget to ask ourselves how that behavior is making us feel. We get so concerned with how they’re feeling and neglect ourselves.”
Kwinn stared at her, blinking away her emotions. “It doesn’t feel good,” she mumbled, and saw her daddy’s jaw flex as he shifted on the couch.
“Then you need to pay attention to that. Don’t stay somewhere just because you remember how good it used to be,” Toya said, meaning every word.
If she knew nothing else, staying in an unhealthy relationship past its expiration date was detrimental. She didn’t want either of her girls wasting their time being miserable with any man who didn’t see their worth. Absolutely not. Toya wasn’t going for it.
And neither was Vic, as he leaned forward to ensure Kwinn heard him.
“Aye, listen to me, okay?” She nodded. “I don’t give a fuck how good that man is at hooping, how much money he makes, how many people know his name.
None of that lame-ass shit. As your father, I’m not gon’ ever be okay with you or your sister sitting here with tears in y’all eyes, telling us y’all feel alone in your relationship.
Lauryn is different ‘cause she married, and I don’t get into married people’s business unless I have to.
You,” he said, pointing his finger, “are not married. And unless you want that nigga’s family nem’ to feel the exact same way you feeling right now when his ass is no longer walking amongst us, you better make a decision before I make it for you. ”
“Vic,” Toya groaned, rubbing his arm.
He kept eye contact with Kwinn, and she didn’t break it. She knew her daddy wasn’t fucking around and meant every word. Licking her lips, Kwinn nodded. With a racing heart and his trigger finger itching, Vic stood to his feet. He kissed Kwinn on the top of her head, before doing the same to Lauryn.
“Love y’all,” he grumbled with his emotions on high.
“We love you, too,” they responded, simultaneously.
“Toy, come let me holla at you in the room,” Vic said.
The sisters watched their daddy swagger off toward the steps and didn’t say anything until they knew he couldn’t hear them.
“Girl.” Lauryn exhaled.
“I’m blaming y’all,” Kwinn whined as BJ fully woke up, stretching his body. Bishop stood and grabbed him and the diaper bag to change him and make a bottle, before Lauryn could say anything. He headed toward the nursery Vic and Toya specifically set up for their grandson.
“Okay, maybe that was a conversation we shouldn’t have had in front of him. Now he’s ‘bouta take his frustration out on me since he can’t shoot Jabari’s ass,” Toya fussed, but grinned as she stood up.
Lauryn frowned. “Mama, please. For real. We did not need to know that.”
“Honestly,” Kwinn added.
Toya waved them off. “Yeah, yeah. Y’all better hope y’all man is still giving it up like mine does when y’all get our age. Lucky I got them damn tubes burned, or BJ would have another auntie or uncle his age.”
“Oh my gosh!” Kwinn screamed.
“I’m calling Granny on you. In here being fast!” Lauryn shouted behind her, gagging.
All the sisters heard was laughter as Toya headed up the staircase. They let the silence settle between them until Lauryn spoke up.
“You know Daddy is serious,” she said.
Kwinn sighed and shook her head. “I know. But it’s not that easy. We’ve been together for three years.”
“And before you know it, it’ll be three more years of things not changing.
This is only one situation, at least that I’m aware of.
Who says there won’t be or haven’t been more?
You’re only thirty-three, sis. It’s okay to let this relationship go if it no longer serves you.
Keeping it a buck with you, I thought y’all would’ve been married by now, but I’ll leave that alone. ”
Kwinn audibly exhaled. She too thought Jabari would have at least proposed by now, but marriage hadn’t come up in any of their forced conversations in a while. The idea of it had been so far removed from Kwinn’s mind that she hadn’t thought of it until just now, when Lauryn mentioned it.
“Whew. I thought I was coming over here to relax. I’m even more stressed out now!” Kwinn exclaimed.
Smirking, Lauryn patted her leg. “You’ll be fine. Pour a glass of wine when you get home and take a nice, hot bath.”
“Oh, I’ma do that anyway ‘cause that’s how I am,” Kwinn said, making them cackle like always.
Lauryn simmered down and got serious again. She was only three years older than Kwinn and took her role as the oldest seriously. She wanted only the best for her baby sister, and if it wasn’t Jabari, like her husband said, she needed to let that nigga go.
“All jokes aside, sissy. If you don’t think you deserve better, then neither will he,” Lauryn said just as Bishop walked back into the living room with his mini me attached to him.
Resting her head against the back of the couch, Kwinn knew she had some tough decisions to make, preferably before her daddy made them for her.
By the time Kwinn got home, she’d done exactly what Lauryn suggested and poured herself a glass of wine before running a hot bath. She took her time doing her skin care routine afterward, determined to relax and enjoy the rest of her Friday night.
Stretched across her bed in a lux short set from SleepOva, with her hair wrapped in a silk scarf and bonnet, she sipped on her semi-sweet red wine while watching an episode of Pour Minds.
Kwinn was cackling at something Lex P said when her best friend’s name popped up on her screen.
She answered her FaceTime call and grinned.
“Hello,” Kwinn sang.
Saiko smiled, climbing into the driver’s seat of her BMW X6 M. “Hey, girl. What you doing?”
“Nothing. Just laying down.”
“By yourself?”
Kwinn laughed. “Um, yes. Why you sound surprised?”
“Thought that man would’ve been back by now.”
Hell, so did Kwinn, but clearly, he had better places to be.
“You and me both, but whatever. Where you coming from?” Kwinn asked, not interested in talking about Jabari.
“From dropping these snacks and stuff off to Danny for the vending machines,” Saiko answered. “He was supposed to get them yesterday on my off day.”
Three years ago, they went in half on a new business venture, and it’d been well worth it.
Investing in vending machines had been lucrative, providing semi-passive income.
Kwinn and Saiko were hands-on for the first year but eventually hired a few people to take over for them.
Restocking inventory, fixing jammed coils, and handling the physical labor didn’t require their presence.
With machines in seven high-traffic locations, they simply collected the cash each week and went on about their day.
This week was Saiko’s turn to make the store run to Sam’s Club for their biggest location.
Her younger, scheming, scamming-ass cousin, Emori, had come up on some food stamps, and Saiko was the first person she called.
“I know you can’t wait to get home.” Kwinn giggled, already knowing how Danny had probably yapped her ear off.
Saiko’s eyes bucked. “Girl.” She sighed. “Not to mention, work whooped my behind. I’m so glad I’m off until Monday. I’ma show my ass at this concert tomorrow.”
As a certified registered nurse anesthetist, Saiko’s life was serious three days a week. Sometimes she couldn’t believe she was a responsible adult, walking into a hospital and putting people to sleep for a living. She did more on the job, but that was the gist of her title.
“I forgot all about it. Who you going with again?” Kwinn asked, sipping her wine.
“You.”
“Me? How that happen?” Kwinn laughed.
“Because my coworker decided not to go, and Endie said you have to come.”
Kwinn couldn’t help but laugh, knowing that wasn’t what Saiko’s older sister had said.
As the best friend of one of the rappers coming in town, Endie had all access to whatever, wherever he was at.
So it was only right that she brought the girls along.
Kwinn had no intention of going, but clearly, those plans had changed.
“I’m sure Endie didn’t say that, but okay.” Kwinn chuckled. “Who’s performing again?”
“Like you know who most of these niggas are anyway.” Saiko laughed.
Playfully, Kwinn rolled her eyes. “I know a few rap niggas, actually.”
“Oop,” Saiko quipped, giggling. “My bad, who you know, girl?”
Before Kwinn could tell her the names, an incoming call from Jabari came through. She’d called him on her way home, and he was just now calling back hours later. Kwinn had the right mind to ignore him, but she didn’t.
“Hold on. Jabari is calling me.”
“Girl, bye. How I’ma hold on?” Saiko questioned rhetorically.
Snickering, Kwinn told her she’d call her tomorrow and answered his call.
“Hello?”
“What’s up, baby. You called me?”