Chapter 22
TWENTY-TWO
Having brothers can be a great thing or it can be annoying as fuck.
Today, it’s the latter. My wedding is in two weeks and only two of these niggas have their tuxes tailored and picked up.
Quintus handled business first, then Ace, but like always Deuce and Tre are on some bullshit.
My baby is on my ass about it, so I’m on theirs.
Me: Go tomorrow and get measured.
Tre: Damn, nigga, okay.
Deuce: I’ll go Thursday.
Me: What’s wrong with tomorrow?
Deuce: I got shit to do. Chill out.
“Who can’t go tomorrow?” Kyrah asks as she leans over and looks at my phone.
“Deuce but he’s going Thursday,” I say and she sighs then rolls her eyes.
“Can I eat now or do I have to wait for them to get fitted?” I tease and she laughs.
“I guess you can now.” She smirks then walks back to the fridge to grab some beers.
Bruh and Sis invited us over for dinner and a movie.
With the wedding being so close, Mireya thought it would be good for us to just chill and link up for the night.
My niece chose the food so we are having her favorite, seafood, specifically legs.
They ordered the family feast from the Seafood Spot and we brought a few steaks and I threw them on Quintus’s grill.
We’re outside, about to eat before it gets too late.
Niya has school in the morning and can’t be up too late.
“Say grace, Daddy,” Niya says and we all bow our heads and say silent prayers.
She’s the first one in the pans, grabbing deshelled snow and king crab legs. Besides the crab, she only grabs one corn on the cob then digs in, dipping everything into her bowl of butter.
“You gon’ eat all of that?” I tease.
“Yes and some more.”
“You don’t want any steak?” Kyrah asks. “If you do, you better eat it before your daddy and uncle do.”
“They can have it. Imma eat my legs.”
“Are you eating any steak, kyau?” Quintus asks Mireya.
“No. I’m with Niya tonight. I want seafood and my sweet potato. You put me one on the grill?” she asks.
“Shit, yeah. I forgot to grab it.” He gets up and brings two foil-wrapped sweet potatoes back to the table. “And the cinnamon and sugar are already on them.”
“Thank you,” she says.
As we eat, since Niya is present, we keep the convo light and kid-friendly.
She also catches us all up on her elementary life and goes on and on about her dress for the wedding.
My little niece is going to be the prettiest and most enthusiastic flower girl ever and I can’t help but smile at her as she talks.
“Imma throw my flowers allllll the way down the aisle. I’ve been practicing with Mommie and Nana. Imma do so good,” she gushes.
“And how are you getting your hair done? Kyrah asks.
“A press out,” she says.
“A blow out,” Mireya corrects.
“Yeah, that,” Niya says. “I’m ready too. Imma save my hair for school and not get it wet.”
“You about ready to take a bath and lay it down?” Mireya asks her.
“I’m full. Can I take some legs in my lunch tomorrow, please? In the salad?”
“Yes. I can make crab salad with the leftover meat. You want crackers too?” Mireya asks.
“Mmhm and grapes, please.”
“Okay. I’ll make that and pack it. Tell your uncle and auntie goodnight. You need to get ready for bed. I’ll be up to help in a minute,” Mireya tells Niya.
“No, kyau. I got her,” Quintus insists.
“No, you two stay put and let me. Quintus, you and my fiancé can talk about getting your other brothers in line while I help Niya,” my baby says, then stands.
Hand in hand, Niya and Kyrah leave us outside and head into the house. Mireya follows after Quintus helps her up. She’s having my little niece or nephew at the end of next month and finally looks pregnant pregnant.
“I got to ask you something,” Quintus says seriously when we’re alone.
“What’s up?”
“Has Asali reached out to you? He called my cell twice, Monday and Tuesday.”
“You answered?” I question.
“Fuck no. I don’t have shit to say to him, for real. He cheated on Shuga, preached shit to us that he didn’t live by his damn self, and look how he does Alami. He cut her completely off once Shuga found out about her. I have zero respect for him.”
“Facts. I lost all respect for him. He’s a liar and not a real man. I can’t rock with that. I’m glad he’s not trying to contact me ’cause I can’t promise I won’t fuck him up. But he came by the shop last month and tried to talk to Tre.”
“For what? What did he say?”
“I don’t know. Tre said he left Asali’s ass in the parking lot talking to himself. Shit is weird though. Why try to reach out now? It’s been damn near three years. He needs to stay his bitch ass wherever the fuck he’s been.”
“You think he reached out to Ace or Deuce?” he asks.
“I don’t know. Neither of them has said nothing though. Plus, you know Ace would've told you though if he had. But you think he tried to get at Shuga too?”
“Nah. I don’t think he would. Shuga wouldn’t fuck with him if he did.”
“True,” I agree before finishing my beer. “It’s weird though. You think he needs money?”
“If he does, he won’t get it from me.”
“And for damn sho’ not me either. Man, fuck Asali.”
“Real shit,” he agrees. We chill outside for another hour talking shit then head into the house. Mireya and Kyrah are walking out of the kitchen into the living room when we enter. They both have red and white popcorn containers in their hands. “Baby girl’s asleep?” he asks.
“Knocked out. She tried to fight it at first but she’s out,” Sis says. “Are y’all ready for the movie now? We got the popcorn.”
“Depends on what we watching,” I say before grabbing a handful of popcorn from Kyrah’s bowl.
“You should taste mine,” Mireya says and Kyrah gives me a look that says I don’t want to taste hers. “It’s cinnamon and sugar with a little red pepper flakes. So good, sweet and spicy.”
“Nah, I’m straight,” I say and Kyrah laughs.
“Good choice because it’s not good at all. Shit tastes weird,” Kyrah says.
“It’s okay. More for me and my hubby.” Mireya grabs some of the popcorn and holds it up for Quintus to eat. I just shake my head because the look on his face is crazy. He clearly doesn’t like it but is appeasing her.
“Nigga,” I utter as we head to the stairs. I let Kyrah walk ahead of me so I can watch and grab her ass. “I hope we’re watching something scary so I can have you all over me screaming. You cutting a nigga off after this week,” I scoff.
She’s on some crazy bullshit that we need a week apart before the ceremony so when we see each other, it will be more memorable. I don’t agree with that at all but I’m not trying to argue either because she deserves to have our day exactly how she wants.
“Nothing scary. We can’t wake Niya up,” she says.
Over the next four days, Tre and Deuce actually get fitted for their tuxes and Kyrah finally relaxes.
I tease her about being a crazy bride-to-be but she’s far from that.
Between the planner, her girls, Shuga, and her mom, everything is handled.
She even picked a dress, but no one, especially me, can see until our day.
Since this is my last day with her before we do her crazy week of separation, I’m about to leave the shop and kidnap her from the school and take her to The Metropolitan for the night.
Her girls will keep her busy next week leading up to the wedding, so they can miss their Friday night thing and let me spend time with her.
This week is going to be hard as shit. Not having her soft body on me when I sleep, not being able to kiss her pretty as lips, and not being able to bury myself deep inside her sweet pussy is going to damn near kill my addicted ass.
I don’t know how I’m going to make it, real shit, which is why I came in at six to finish up the Range and Cadillacs I promised would be ready today.
“Boss man,” Niko calls out after he pulls the Wrangler into the bay. “Ay. I can open tomorrow and show the newbie what’s up.”
“Brandon. His name is Brandon and ’preciate that. Black is closing and Ion know what time I’m coming in yet. You opening is perfect.”
I hired the two extra mechanics I wanted, LeShawn and Brandon.
LeShawn started on the first of the month and he’s full-time.
Brandon’s only working Monday afternoons, Fridays, and Saturdays and tomorrow’s his first day.
I no longer have to work over forty hours a week but next week I probably will just to keep myself occupied while my baby’s on strike.
“I got you. You looked out for me and I owe you and your brother,” Niko says.
“You don’t owe me shit. Just keep doing what you’re doing. I’m 'bout to head out though. Hit me if you need me,” I say, then walk to the office.
After grabbing the keys to my bike and my cell, I hop on my ride and go to the crib. Kyrah has no idea I’m coming to scoop her for the rest of the day. We have dinner plans later but that’s too many fucking hours away.
Once I’m showered and shaved, I rub oil on my beard and hair, keeping with my wave pattern, get dressed, and throw some shit in my duffle for the hotel. As soon as I’m in my truck, I text her.
Me: How’s your day, baby?
Baby: Going by too slow. I’m ready for tonight.
Me: I’m ready for you too.
Baby: I’m leaving at 4 so I’ll be ready before 7.
Baby: Gotta go. My Zoom call is about to start. Ily
Me: I love you more
It’s right after noon when I make it to Crescent Falls.
My first stop is the flower shop for her favorite, lilies, and balloons, then I hit up Seasonal Sweets and grab a strawberry bouquet.
It has chocolate and caramel dipped strawberries.
I check into the hotel next and take everything upstairs to our suite for the night.
I wanted to do something special to the room for her, but I just don’t have that in me, so I place the strawberries in the fridge and center the lilies on the table in the living room area then let the balloons go.
They fly to the ceiling and I leave them there.