26. Téa #2
“Okay, relax. I’m on the way.” Rakim ended the call, and I sat at the table, taking some cash out to pay for what had been ordered, even though we’d only eaten a little of the appetizer.
As time passed and the crowd waned, I felt relief hit me when a hand landed on my shoulder that belonged to Rakim.
“I already paid,” I told him as he helped me stand and handed me my purse.
I noticed he was double parked as we hit the corner and thought that was bold as hell for such a high traffic area crawling with police. Deciding not to say a word since nothing had transpired from it, I got into Rakim’s car with his assistance, and then we were off.
“What happened?” He frowned, checking his phone as if he were waiting on Mylo’s call.
“Some man walked up while we were eating and basically said he was upset his favorite ho, meaning me, was out of commission, then he pointed to my stomach.”
Rakim shook his head, irritably.
“Let me guess, Mylo beat his ass.”
“You know your friend.” I caressed my stomach. “I feel horrible. He shouldn’t be getting into shit over me and my past.”
“That type of shit is ya past, right?” Rakim glanced at me just before entering the freeway.
“Very much so.”
“Then don’t feel bad about that shit, Téa. For one, that was some pussy shit he did. Secondly, Mylo is a grown ass man. He chose to do what he did,” he schooled.
“I just hope he isn’t mad at me.”
“He won’t be. Mylo ain’t like that. If anything, it’s the nigga who made the comment’s fault.”
I simply nodded, praying that what Rakim was saying about Mylo was in fact true because, sadly, I was starting to like Mylo a lot.
* * *
ANOTHER TIME…
As I sat on the couch, flipping through yet another streaming app for something that would catch my attention, the doorbell sounded off.
Setting the Fire TV Stick down, I ascended, padding to the door to peer through the peephole. Seeing Mylo, I damn near broke a fingernail trying to hurriedly unlock the door.
Since he’d been arrested, I hadn’t heard anything and felt weird about reaching out to Rakim to inquire on Mylo’s current state.
For some reason, even though Rakim knew Mylo and I had been intimate recently, it still felt awkward to act so cavalierly about me possibly dealing with his homeboy while pregnant by his brother.
“Oh my gosh!” I almost pounced on Mylo, hugging his neck, and thankfully, he hugged me back.
“I see I gotta pop up on you because you definitely wasn’t about to hit me up.” He walked in, only releasing me from our embrace once he was over the threshold.
“I’m sorry. Part of me felt like you wouldn’t want to talk to me, then I felt awkward about hitting up Rakim to check for some reason,” I explained, but when Mylo smirked at me cutely, my shoulders fell due to the sudden ease I felt.
“You good. I get it.” He sat down on my couch, and I joined him. “I ain’t mad though. I knew it was possible I could be apprehended when I stole off on that nigga, but I couldn’t allow his disrespect to go unpunished.”
“I get it. Thank you, but I want you to know because of the life I lived for the majority of my days, shit like that doesn’t bother me.
You don’t need to come to my rescue or fight for my honor every time someone says something disgusting like that.
I barely even notice those types of comments anymore. ”
Mylo nodded, taking his eyes off me briefly as he chewed on my words.
“I feel that, but I need you to understand that I won’t allow anybody to be rude or talk shit on yo’ name in my presence. I may have to adjust how I go about the shit, but letting it roll off a nigga’s shoulders ain’t happening.”
I could only bob my head, knowing that continuing to try and convince Mylo to let shit go would be in vain.
“So what happened? When did you get out?”
“I got out yesterday. They tried to press charges, but Rakim somehow convinced old boy to cooperate. With nobody willing to give any more information, plus Rakim’s connects, I got a slap on the wrist and a warning.”
“Okay, that makes me feel better.” I smiled, and we exchanged smiles. “I like you, Mylo. I’ve been trying not to and keep you at bay, but I can’t deny how much better I feel when I’m around you.”
It felt pointless to push Mylo away in favor of a man who was no longer breathing. And with Mylo being in trouble, it gave me time to realize how much I liked and wanted him around.
“I know. Was just waiting for you to admit the shit.”
“Damn. I thought you’d say it back.” I giggled.
“No need to. I’ve made that clear.” He caressed my knee, staring down at it longingly for some reason. “I got some shit to tell you though, Téa.”
“Oh no.”
“Calm down.” He sat up since he’d been leaning back on the couch. “We found out what happened to Zaire.”
“Who was it?”
“You’d never guess.” Mylo steepled his fingers, staring down at them pensively and pushing me to the precipice of my anxiety. “His own father.”
“Huh?” I felt my brows kiss. “His father killed him? How? I mean, I know how, but what?”
“I know. I still can’t wrap my head around the shit, but we got proof.” Mylo ran a hand down his face. “Apparently, he secured the drugs, and somehow—we’re assuming via injection—got it into Zaire. He had enough in his body to kill two people.”
Here I was excited to have an extension of a family, but now I was finding out that my baby girl’s grandfather had murdered her father. What the fuck?
“But why? I don’t get it.”
“We still trying to piece that shit together. Rakim wants to know before he makes his move.”
I nodded, knowing that made sense.
“My father passed when I was in high school and while he wasn’t perfect, he was far from being the type to want to kill his own kid,” I half joked to lighten the dire mood in the room at the moment.
“Mine was a good dude. And I thank God he wasn’t that type of nigga.
” He nibbled on his lip. “Nate never was one of them Cliff Huxtable type fathers though. So, while this shit is shocking, it ain’t at the same time, if that makes sense.
Whatever Zaire knew or did was enough to make that nigga murk him. ”
“Are you close with your parents?”
“I am or was, depending on which one you asking about. My father passed from cancer when I was younger, but my mama is still around. I think I’m closer to her because she been in my life longer, but I loved my pops too.”
I nodded, listening and enjoying learning about him.
“I wouldn’t even know my father if he walked up to me and my mom was never really like a mom. She treated me like a sister she never wanted.”
“That’s fucked up.” Mylo looked over at me, shaking his head. “I think my mama got enough love in her for both of us. She warm and inviting like that.”
Smirking I said, “Until she sees I’m pregnant by another man that is.”
“Nah. She not like that.” He took my hand, kissing it and I couldn’t deny the warmth that engulfed me.
I fell against the couch in deep thought about what I’d just learned. Mylo’s big hand falling upon my belly snapped me out of my trance.
“It’s a girl,” I uttered, smiling as I sat back upright. “Gonna name her Zaria Godfrey.”
“I like that.” Mylo smirked, caressing my stomach slowly.
We made eye contact, and moments later, our mouths were fused together. I told myself that I would rid my mind and heart of Mylo, especially while pregnant, but it had proven to be an abortive attempt.
And just like the last time, our kissing quickly graduated to lovemaking, only this time after we experienced our orgasm, we lay there together, cuddled up and basking in the euphoric state we’d placed one another in.