Chapter 12
SIN
"Sin, tell me why out of all the Sundays and, according to Auntie, sometimes Saturdays, she chooses not to invite me to dinner?"
"Now that's a question that needs answers," Zoo added to Brooklyn's question.
"You stay talking shit, but mad 'cause you gotta sit this one out. I'm sure it's some food at your crib. If not, it's plenty of restaurants to choose from. Go to brunch or something."
"Who?" Zoo dragged out, then pointed at Brooklyn. "You want me to go to brunch with this nigga? I ain't going to shit called brunch anyway 'cause that's some shit for bitches to do, so what we look like sitting at a table drinking bottomless mimosas?"
"Some bitches!" Brooklyn shouted. "And we ain't going out like that. Tell Auntie to put our plates on the patio, and we'll eat out there, so we won't disturb yo' family moment."
"Patio? Put his shit on the patio. I'm still eating inside, at the table, next to my sister-in-law."
"SISTER-IN-LAW?" Brooklyn and I said at the same time.
"Don't play like that. You out here obviously meditating and putting shit in the air, so why can't I?"
"You mean atmosphere," Brooklyn corrected him before I had a chance to.
"Air, atmosphere, it's all the same shit. Let me go get my chakras opened so I can become one with PJ. Ain't that what you did? Naomi hated you just as much as PJ hates me, and you managed to get to the point of her coming to our sacred place?"
"What damn sacred place yo' dumb ass talkin' 'bout?"
"Yo' folks' crib for Sunday dinner. That shit is not for outsiders, but somehow, her lil' ass is about to eat my damn plate. That could be PJ and I at—"
"Yo' mama's crib!" I told him. They really be acting like my mama was the only one who knew how to cook.
"Fuck you. I'm out. I hope the food is nasty as hell this time. Oh, and tell Auntie that last Sunday dinner on a Saturday, she had loose bones in her dressing," he quipped. I chunked my shoe at Zoo, but he caught it and threw it right back, then ran out of the house.
"That nigga's six-foot-three, damn near two hundred pounds, and stay runnin' roun' folks' crib."
"Hell yeah. I'm telling my mama what he said, too. I bet he won't come to another dinner talkin' shit.”
"Have a good time, though. I know we don't really talk when it comes to relationships and shit because we've been running into some bitches that weren't really worth the convo.
You seem happy, though. Regardless of how long it took yo' ass to break her down, it happened and taking her to meet yo' people is big. "
"Man, tell me about it. She's been texting me all morning, sending pictures and shit, trying to see if her fit looked right. Naomi looks good in everything I see her in. Mostly sneakers, but she still looks better than chicks that have on expensive ass heels and half-naked ass dresses."
"You cut Toya off completely, right?"
I had to look at Brooklyn hard, trying to remember who he was talking about.
When I finally did, I had to laugh 'cause shit, before Naomi, having Toya slide through was an every other night thing.
"Nigga, hell yeah. She was only something to pass the time, anyway.
I just stopped hitting her up. Shawty knew what it was after that. "
"Good, you don't want shit to interfere with what you are trying to build. We knocking out on thirty, so it's time to get serious about someone. I, on the other hand, stay in the studio too much to even get that close to someone."
"What happened to the nurse chick, Emily?"
"That muthafucka needs to administer pills to her own-damn-self.
We, just like you and Toya, only fucked.
It was neva gon' be shit serious, but she was always trying to make it more.
Not too long ago, I bumped into this beautiful-ass chick at the hospital she works at while I was taking Emily some food that she begged me to bring.
Even with puffy eyes from her crying, she was fucking gorgeous.
Emily came around corna', tryin' to check me, then came at ol'girl like I was her nigga.
I'on even know who shawty was. She just bumped into me and spilled her coffee.
She started going on about how her father just had a heart attack and how her nigga ain't checked on her.
I was invested like a muthafucka in her story though, except the nigga part 'cause I didn't give a fuck. "
"That's 'cause she was pretty. If she were ugly, you would have popped her ass on the top of the head for spilling coffee on you."
Brooklyn was the laid-back, lowkey one out of Zoo and me but that nigga had a mean streak like no other.
"You already know I would have. Brianna, though.
.." This nigga paused like he was having a That's So Raven vision about her ass.
"... She was too beautiful to be disrespected.
I started to go back to the hospital, put a gun to the security head and make his ass run the tape back.
I needed as much info about shawty as I could get. "
"You went from, ‘I'on even know shawty’, to remembering that her name is Brianna."
"Bruh, she's tall but still shorter than me.
Even in the leggings and oversized Biggie T-shirt she had on, I could tell she had a lil' body on her.
She wasn't up there trying to look good and still had all my attention, even with her hair tied up.
That allowed me to see her raw beauty. She had a nigga dick jumping, ready to knock her lil' fine ass down. "
"Maan, stop it." I laughed while tying up my shoes.
"For real. It was crazy how she instantly started opening up to me like we were long-time friends and she just needed someone to vent to.
But when Emily started talkin' crazy, Brianna looked down at her like she wanted to pluck her ass in the middle of the forehead.
On some serious shit, I wish she did. Brianna told Emily he's safe tonight as in if she wanted me, she could pull me.
Shiid, shawty can definitely pull me and have me wrapped around her fanga.
Emily blew my phone up all night until I blocked her, trying to ask me whose face I was all in.
Shit, ‘If I knew lil' baby, she would be on my line and not chu’, is what I told her. "
"You hell, man. Let me get out of here so I can pick Naomi up. I'll bring you a plate back."
"See, that's why I fuck with you more than Zoo. That nigga would have let me starve."
"Do it look like I give a fuck?" Zoo yelled out from down the hall.
"I thought yo’ ass was gone!" I yelled out.
He walked into the room and started looking like he had lost something.
"My phone is somewhere in here, but I'm glad I came back. Now I see that you niggas don't do shit but sit around and talk about me when I'm not around."
"Ain't nobody studin' yo' ass. I was just happy to get a plate. Fuck you mean?" Brooklyn spat back at him.
"Yeah, aight. Next time I hear some shit about me, I'm knockin' errthang ova'."
"And you gon' pick errthang back up, too!" I barked. This nigga was crazy as hell.
He grabbed his phone from the bathroom and headed back down the hall. "I forgot I took a shit before I left."
"Dirty ass nigga. Get out. I gotta go."
When they left out, I locked up and headed to Naomi's. I already knew she’d lose her shit if I made her wait any longer.
NAOMI
Pacing back and forth, I fumbled with my phone, trying to decide if I should text Sin to call this off.
I had the door open, to see when he pulled up, silently praying that it wasn't anytime soon so I could have time to calm myself. My mind was moving a mile a minute, and the only person who could’ve probably settled me was shopping.
Deciding to bother Bri, I went to my favorites and hit FaceTime.
"What's wrong, Naomi?" Bri asked right when she answered.
"How you figure something is wrong?"
"Because PJ already told me you were about to go have dinner with the new boo's family, and instead of doing that, yo' ass is calling me. Now, what's wrong?"
"Are you busy?"
"Out shopping with PJ. What's up?"
"What?" I huffed, becoming pissed off. "You hoes left me?"
"Umm, aren't you going somewhere? Plus, our meeting up was an accident. Making the day of it was on purpose. We are both out here trying to be incognito with hats and shades on."
Exhaling, I let out exactly what was bothering me.
"I'm nervous about going to Sin's parents' house. You know the last mama I met was a bitch, and I really do like Sin, and I don't want his mom to be just like Vick's mom. That lady hated every fiber of my damn existence. No matter what I did, it was never enough for her or good enough for her son."
"I remember, but you can't go into this with negative thoughts already. If you are going to go in, then go all the way. Erase everything about your last relationship and know that this is not that," PJ announced once she came into view.
"PJ, you guys have no idea what all that lady took me through, and I just keep having thoughts that Sin's mom will be another her, a straight up bit—"
"She's not."
My heart dropped, and I became a roach that didn't want to be seen as I stood still, trying my best not to make any sudden movements.
"Oh shit. Is he there?" Bri whispered.
Instead of answering the question, I whispered, "I gotta go."
I ended the FaceTime and turned to face Sin, who was standing on the other side of my screen door like Mister was doing in The Color Purple.
"You can come inside," I nervously stated, unsure what he had heard besides me getting ready to call his mama a bitch.
"You good?" Sin asked with questionable eyes. His arms gently wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me in close to him. The kiss he placed on my forehead seemed to calm my nervousness.
"Yes, are you ready? I just need to grab my purse."
"We should talk first. Just to get this out of the way and clear the air."
Oh shit.
Turning around, I led him to the couch and took a seat next to him.