Chapter 3
THREE
“And what the hell is this again?” Alex asks with a frown as she examines the can.
“Oh, I heard about these. There are videos all over Skroll with people getting drunk as hell off just one of these,” Mireya says.
She picks up one of the cans then reads it.
“Thirteen percent alcohol in this little can. You love a strong ass drink. Y’all have fun.
” Mireya shakes her head as she puts the can back on the table.
She’s definitely not going to try one. She’s not drinking at all because she’s pregnant.
Last Sunday, she surprised us all with the exciting news.
She’s expecting her second child in about seven months.
Her first child is her precious daughter, Niya, she gained two years ago when she married her husband Quintus.
Mireya instantly fell in love with Niya.
We fell hard for the little princess next.
How could we not? Niya is the sweetest, funniest little girl I’ve ever encountered. I love everything about her.
Because of Mireya’s new family, our family has extended. We are now invested in the Bako clan. However, I’m a little more invested than Alex or Giselle. I’m intimately invested.
Two years ago, our circle officially met Quintus’ family during his and Mireya’s reception dinner.
It’s an understatement when I say Shuga Bako gave birth to five, tall, fine, and handsome sons.
The fourth one though, Shiro, caught my eye as soon as his hazel orbs locked with mine.
His eyes contrast and complement his midnight skin in the most sensual and sexy way.
From just his look, I knew I would be in trouble.
Some men just have that soul stirring, panty wetting allure about them and Shiro Bako possesses it tenfold.
Before he asked, I knew I would end the night with my legs around him.
I was partially right too because they ended up around him, over his shoulder, and hanging off my damn sofa.
We had what was supposed to be a one-time thing but it turned into two years of the best sex of my life.
Truthfully, our relationship is perfection: no strings, all fun, and amazing sex.
We are friends, no more, and I never have to worry about him breaking my heart like Raquan and my gutter snipe sister, at least that’s what I keep telling myself.
“Oh, I am,” I assure her. “Lord knows I need it.”
“This doesn’t look like canned sake,” Giselle scoffs as she walks back into her theater room.
She has deemed herself the permanent host of FNF, so we are at her house and she’s catered and decorated to fit a theme.
Tonight is sushi and sake. She ordered from Sushi House.
“I said sushi and sake, not sushi, sake, and whatever the hell this is.”
“It’s Slice H2O and it fits. Slice begins with a S too. Plus, I need it. My momma called today,” I admit.
“And?” Mireya asks pensively, reading my face.
“And Kym’s pregnant,” I blurt. Mireya and Alex are out of their seats before I finish speaking.
They rush toward me along with Giselle and wrap their arms around me.
Being my true sisters, they hold me as I cry the tears I’ve been holding since my mom’s call.
I couldn’t cry in my office; that’s my job.
That wasn’t the time or place. This is. Here with them.
I’m always safe with my girls who love me unconditionally all the time and who would never hurt me like Kym did.
When I finally stop sobbing, they release me and Mireya places her hand under my chin. “Whatever you need, we got you,” she assures me.
“I know. I know. I just can’t believe this shit,” I say while shaking my head. “And why would my momma think that was some great news to share with me.”
“She wasn’t thinking,” Alex says. “There’s no way she could believe that you would even want to hear that shit. Who would?”
“No wonder you bought these,” Giselle says before popping a can. “It’s sushi, sake, and sliced up water night. Drink up,” she says and I grin.
“Slice H2O,” Mireya corrects her with a titter. “I would join in but…”
“Girl, I know you can’t drink,” I say.
“Definitely not this college looking shit but I have something for you.” Giselle steps to the bar and we hear her open a bottle of wine. All of our heads swivel in her direction.
“And what is that?” Alex asks, all motherly. We are really close in age but Giselle is the oldest. She’s turning the big four-oh this year. I’m three years behind her and Alex and Mireya are a few years behind me. Alex is definitely not the oldest, but in her mind, she is.
“Divine Vines has a non-alcoholic sweet red. I don’t know how it tastes but it smells good,” Giselle says. With the bottle and half-filled glass in her hand, she rejoins us in the theater seats. Mireya holds the bottle and reads it before taking the glass. When she sips, she smiles then nods.
“Thank you. If I close my eyes, it tastes like regular wine,” Mireya says.
“I thought you could have wine during your first trimester,” Alex says.
“I’ve heard that but it’s a hard no for me. I’m not taking any risks with mine.” Mireya gently rubs her stomach. “Not one chance,” she reiterates.
“I don’t blame you,” Giselle says. She reaches for her can of Slice H2O. “Now, we can make a proper toast and get tonight started. Kyrah is going to get fucked up.”
“Me too,” Alex interjects.
“Well, Kyrah and Alex are going to get fucked up. We’re going to eat this food then spend the night dragging Kym and Raquan to hell.
Raise your cans and glasses, bitches,” she says.
“Here’s to letting the trash take itself out and our girl living in her happiness with a peace of mind instead of pieces of shit. ”
“All of that,” I add and we toast. The contents of my can disappear down my throat soon after. “Shit,” I huff, then burp.
We get up and fix our plates. As usual, Giselle outdid herself.
There’s an assortment of our favorite sushi rolls, some cooked ones for Mireya, Kani salad, edamame, and sake.
Because I’m starting to feel the effects of my two cans already, I bypass the sake.
I’m not sure how well the two will mix in my stomach.
“Umm. What’s this one?” Mireya asks as she points her chopstick to a roll.
“The CF Royal. It’s a mix of the volcano and shrimp tempura rolls,” Giselle says.
“It’s delicious. Let me add it to the list of things my baby likes. I’ve struggled this week.”
“It was that bad?” Alex asks.
“Yes, but I’m going to make up for it tonight. Don’t y’all bitches eat anymore of this one. It’s mine,” Mireya says while pointing her chopstick at us.
“Damn, bitch. It’s yours,” I tease. Then I reach for another Slice H2O.
“I’ve seen the videos. You think you can handle three?” Mireya asks.
“Yes, and if I can’t, I’m good. I’m here with y’all.” After taking a nice sip from my third can, I ask, “What are we watching tonight?”
“No movie tonight. I think it’s time to pull out the karaoke machine. I’ve had it for almost two years and never opened it,” Giselle says.
“Oh yes. I can finally show y’all my Whitney skills,” Alex teases because we all know she’s tone-deaf and can’t hear or carry a damn note.
Mireya’s the singer; she just doesn’t really sing.
She grew up singing in her grandfather’s church, but once her grandparents passed, her desire to sing dissipated.
“Please keep those so-called skills to yourself. Your role is solely back up tonight,” Giselle says.
“I’m singing lead,” Alex insists. “Where is it? I can start setting everything up.”
“In the closet and I think it might even be hard for your smart ass,” Giselle says.
Alex waves her off then stands. While she walks to the closet, Mireya and I go back to the food table for a little more. Her hand lands on my back and she caresses it.
“You know it’s fuck them, right?”
“I know. I just can’t believe she married my ex-husband and is having a baby. Like where the fuck do you do that? You know what the fucked up part is?”
“I think it’s all fucked up,” she says.
“It is but I hate that I can’t stop being mad.
Lord knows I don’t want Raquan. Nothing in me does.
I just hate that they have the nerve to be happy.
They don’t deserve that, especially her.
She’s my sister, my flesh and blood, and she did that to me,” I say and feel a tear fall.
Quickly, I wipe it away. “And ugh! I hate that I still cry after all these years.”
“First off, who says they are happy? The God I know wouldn’t even allow that. They are two snakes together, and no matter how many times a snake sheds its skin, it’s still a damn snake. Those two probably biting the hell out of each other,” she says and I grin.
“You’re probably right,” I sigh.
“You know I’m right. Now, cry tonight. She was your sister. That shit would hurt anybody and make them cry. You’re human. You can cry with us, but after tonight, it’s really fuck them.” She pulls me in for a hug. “But have you told Shiro any of this?” she asks.
“No! This isn’t something you just tell somebody. It’s embarrassing as fuck,” I damn near yell. “Besides, Shiro and I are just friends.”. But do I want more? Should he know this part of my past?
Honestly, I’m starting to question my insistence on being just friends the more I’m with him and the more this Slice H2O infiltrates my blood stream.
It’s hard not to question it. If I had to create a list for the perfect man, Shiro fits the top attributes.
He’s so big and manly but caring and gentle at the same damn time.
Whenever we occupy the same space, his eyes stay glued to me like he doesn’t even see anyone else.
He loves his family and is a teddy bear with all the ladies in his life—his mother, his niece, and his sister.
He’s everything and I can’t risk losing what we have if I take us past the friend stage.
“Give in to that man. You deserve to be happy too,” she says.
“I am happy; that’s why I won’t.”
“Make that make sense, friend, ’cause it doesn’t.” She shakes her head. “Unexpected relationships and love are the best. Trust me. I know. Are you sleeping with anybody else?” she asks and I frown.
“Reya, you know I don’t do that. I can only handle one penis at a time.”
“And is he sleeping with anybody else?”
“He says he isn’t but I know firsthand men lie.”
“Raquan lied and did the unthinkable. Don’t put that on Shiro; he’s being held guilty for a crime he didn’t commit.
That’s not fair to him or you. I know we as women do that as a defense mechanism but we really have to stop.
If you operate solely thinking this man is going to do you like the last one, then you can never be fully happy,” she says and her words are like a punch to my gut.
I’m doing just that.
But how can I not?
The last man I gave my all to fucked my sister.
“Get out of your head,” she says, intruding on my thoughts.
“Today’s news was fucked all the way up but you have to let them live their life and you live yours.
I love you and want you to be happy, like genuinely happy.
Let that Bako man show you how a real man navigates a relationship and treats the woman he committed to.
If he’s half the man my husband is, girl, you are in for a time.
” We embrace again, and this time, she squeezes me.
While adding more Kani salad and Alaskan rolls to my plate, her words sound off in my head like sirens, loud and very damn clear.
Today’s news was a muthafucka and brought back feelings I honestly thought I had moved on from.
It hurt real bad. My sister is pregnant by my ex-husband and my mother thought I’d be happy to hear that shit.
Do I tell Shiro this?
“Testing! Testing!” Alex’s voice sounds out loudly, filling this theater room.
“Definitely turn that down,” Giselle scoffs and Mireya and I turn around.
I was expecting a little speaker-looking box and mic for karaoke but I don’t know why.
This is Giselle. Anything she does is over the damn top and I love it.
There’s a whole damn setup in front of her theater screen with four adjustable mic stands, four wireless microphones, two large speakers on stands, a touchscreen tablet, and a laser light Giselle is adjusting.
“Do you see this shit?” I ask Mireya.
“Do I! Girl. Giselle is really Giselleing with this. It looks like a real damn stage.”
We walk back to our seats and watch as Giselle and Alex put everything together. Not only is there a laser light, but also a Hollywood backdrop. Once all the mics are on and ready, Giselle turns the theater screen on and the backdrop appears.
“I love how you do the most,” I admit to Giselle.
“We had to do it big for you tonight. Come scan the QR code on this screen so you can get the list of songs. We have to start with a good fuck that nigga song,” she says.
“I told you I’m going first and I have the perfect song,” Alex insists.
“What is happening to our financial guru? I’ve never seen you like this. You’re acting like a wild woman,” Mireya teases Alex.
“It’s that cheap but strong ass Slice shit,” Alex says and we all laugh.
Three words describe the next two hours: loud, fun, and needed.
We sing, rap, coordinate dance routines, shake ass, and just have so much fun.
All thoughts of Kym and my ex-husband vanish as I have a blast with my sisters.
Laughter and love are truly the best medicine.
My head is spinning and I can’t tell if I’m walking or floating down this hall to the bathroom but I know I’m having a good ass time.
Somewhere between our last choreographed song and dance, I finished my Slice H2O and it’s doing its damn job.
Maybe too damn well because it’s never taken me this long to find a damn bathroom. There are three on this top level.
By the grace of God and the support of the walls as I walk, I make it to the bathroom in the guest room Alex usually claims. Seeing the king-sized, four poster bed helps.
My bladder cooperates and I successfully make it to the toilet and pee for what feels like a damn hour.
I’m tipsy, maybe even drunk, but I have enough clarity to know that Slice H2O isn’t for me.
The slight dizziness I feel is disconcerting.
I like to drink and feel a light buzz, but this is too much.
I can’t even put my braids into a bun. There’s no question, me and Slice H2O are a one and damn done; I’ll leave it for my students.
The washing of my face and hands is interrupted by knocks on the bathroom door. “What’s wrong?” I ask.
“Shiro is here,” Mireya says.
“What!” I exclaim, surprised as hell. “Here? How? Why?”
“He says yo’ ass called him. He’s downstairs.”
“Called him? I didn’t call him? Did I?” I wonder out loud.