“So what’s that about?” Jamal asked.
I racked the bar and weights after finishing my set before answering. Sitting up, I wiped the sweat from my face as I caught my breath.
“What you mean, what’s that about?” I asked.
“Man, X, get the hell outta here,” Jamal laughed. “The fact that Jay ain’t say shit means he already knew. So, you came to him as a man and asked his permission to date his sister?” We all cracked up at his joke.
“First of all,” I pointed at Jamal, “I ain’t come to no damn grown ass man as shit! Second of all, I talked to my best friend and let him know I was interested in his sister. And I wasn’t asking for permission either.”
“And Jay, you was cool with that?”
Jay gave me an assessing look. He blew out a breath. “Hell, I mean, the shit was kinda outta nowhere, but he was upfront, so it’s whatever.”
“And you ain’t come ask me shit?”
I gave him a look like he was crazy.
“I’m just sayin’, Chanel’s my family too.”
“Get the fuck outta here,” I waved him off.
“I’m just sayin’ if I knew a nigga like you was try’na get with Mercedes, I’d have some questions,” Jamal added, talking about his older sister.
“But I’m not dating Mercedes, and she’s already married. Did you ask all them questions to that Brazilian dude who wifed her up?” I questioned. Jamal’s sister lived in Atlanta and had gotten married two years earlier.
“I didn’t need to. That nigga took a bullet for my sister. I knew he was legit then,” he quickly responded, giving a grim look.
Some family drama had transpired that ended up with his sister being stalked by an illegitimate sister neither Jamal nor Mercedes had known about. That had ended the marriage between Jamal’s parents, too.
“Anyway, what the fuck you mean, a nigga like me?” I threw my dirty towel at Jamal.
“Seriously, my dude?” he snapped as he ducked the dirty towel. “I mean, a nigga who gets as much ass as you do. You ain’t no stranger to the ladies, is all I’m saying.”
“And neither are you,” I retorted.
“Yeah, but we ain’t discussing me right now.”
I looked over at Jason, who’d been mostly silent throughout the conversation. The fact that he hadn’t interrupted told me he must’ve wanted the answers to at least some of Jamal’s questions. Jay was a lawyer, had the shit drilled into him since he was a kid. He told me one of the main lessons his father told him when he wanted to know something was to speak as little as possible and listen to everything.
“Man, what are you even asking me right now?” I questioned, growing irritated.
“I just want to know, what are your intentions with my cousin?” Jamal asked, crossing his brawny arms over his chest.
I wish the fuck I knew my intentions.“My intentions?” I couldn’t believe I was having this conversation. “My intentions are simple, to spend time with the woman I’m trying to get to know. That so happens to be my best friend’s younger sister. That good enough for you?” I looked between Jamal and Jason. When they both nodded, I asked. “Now, can we cut this little girl talk session out and get back to this workout?”
****
“Yo, you know I ain’t put Mal up to that, right?” Jason asked as we finished getting dressed in the locker room. Jamal had left already, having an early meeting with a client.
“I know. I ain’t trippin’.”
“Besides, I kinda knew you had a thing for Chanel.”
I paused, tying my tie.
“I’m serious. You were never obvious, but I sometimes saw your eyes would linger on her. Or you’d ask how she was doing out of nowhere. Shit like that.”
I furrowed my brow, wondering if I’d been that damn obvious.
