“You’re welcome,” I replied with sarcasm.
“Oh, my bad. Thank you, brudder. You know I love you.”
“Yeah, yeah. How was school?”
“It was good. I’m working on a big art project for an art show my school is putting on. Mrs. McKinney thinks I have what it takes to become a great artist. I don’t know what that would mean for my future, but I love creating.” Danae has always had a creative side. She used to make caricatures and paintings for us when she was nine, and they were better than most adults. Not only could she draw, but she was also good at pottery and sculpture.
She often mentioned her future and how she would make a living as an artist. To be honest, I wasn’t very knowledgeableon the subject, but I also wasn’t the type to shut down anyone’s dreams. All of my siblings were gifted in some way, and I wanted them to do whatever made them happy. I financially supported us, so they never had to worry about taking care of themselves until they were ready. All they had to do was apply themselves and reach for the stars.
“Send me the date for the art show so I can make sure it’s on my calendar. You know I don’t want to miss anything that you have going on. She was only a freshman in high school, so there wasn’t any pressure for her to figure life out. The only thing I required from her was to try her best in school and keep her room clean. For the most part, my sisters held up their end of the deal. Dominique would be graduating from high school this year, and Dana was a freshman in college. She decided to stay close to home and attend a local college. All of them were better in school than I ever was, so I didn’t have to preach to them too much.
Dominique came down the stairs next, with her friends on speakerphone. I hated that shit because her raggedy little friends were always trying to flirt with me. Most of the girls she hung out with already had reputations, and I kept telling her she needed to be mindful of the company she kept. Of course, my words went in one ear and out of the other.
“Hey, brudder bear. Thanks for my snacks. Where are you coming from? A long night of fuckin’?” She snickered, and I could hear her little friends laughing.
“Get out of my face with that bullshit.” I waved her off, heading to the fridge to grab my leftovers from last night.
“Don’t get mad at me. I noticed the hickey on your neck, and it wasn’t there when I left this morning. When are you gonna settle down and get married like Justice? All of your friends are either married or in a relationship. Don’t you want to settle down one day and have some kids?”
“Hell no. I’ve been raising kids most of my life. I’m good.”
“Well, what about a wife? Aren’t you tired of humping on bitches in the dark? Don’t you want someone you can call your own?”
“You better watch all of that cussin’. You know I don’t play that,” I warned. Her friends giggled on the other end, but Dom knew I meant business. I may not have been their father, but I wasn’t someone they could play with either. I was strict about our boundaries because I wasn’t about to let them walk all over me.
“My bad, brudder. I’m only asking because I don’t want you to die alone. Dana is gonna be moving out soon, and then I’ll be leaving for college. When Danae graduates, you’ll have an empty nest and no one to share life with.”
“What makes you think I don’t want that? I’ve shared my space with people my whole life. How do you know I’m not looking forward to the day I can walk around the house with my balls out?” Truthfully, I hadn’t considered what life would be like when they were out of the house. We’ve been together for so many years, I hadn’t thought about how things would change once they grew up. The only thing I cared about was them finding their way in life.
I had witnessed a lot of women fall victim to poor decisions and toxic relationships, and I wanted more for them. They hated it when I lectured them about choosing the right partner, but I still did it. I treated my sisters like queens, hoping they would never allow a man to diminish their worth. My girls were spoiled, and I prided myself on treating them the way a real man should, so they would know what to look for in a man.
“I didn’t need to hear about your balls. Yuck. Anyway, I’m going to a party with Keshaun and Kenyatta tomorrow. We’re gonna get a hotel so I won’t be home until Sunday morning,” Dominique rattled off. She was eighteen, so I let her have somefreedom, but she knew me well enough to know I was gonna have a bunch of questions.
“Where is this party being held? I need the address and the names of the people throwing it. I don’t have a problem with you staying in a hotel, but I need to know which hotel and what your room number is.”
“Oh, come on, Dreaux. You already have my location on your phone. Shouldn’t that be enough?” she whined. I ignored her as I took my plate out of the microwave. Dominique was the sneaky one of my sisters. We bumped heads a lot over the years because she wasn’t always honest. When she wanted to do something, she never stopped to think about the consequences of her actions. I was overprotective of my siblings because I knew how dangerous the world could be.
“Either you give me the information I’m asking for, or you’ll be sitting at home playing Spades with Nae and me. This isn’t up for negotiation, lil’ baby.”
“Damn, your brother is strict.” One of the girls spoke on the phone.
“Damn, right I am. Y’all parents may not care about you, but I don’t play about mine. Now, I would suggest you send me that information tonight,” I retorted.
“You’re so annoying,” Dominique grumbled. I shrugged my shoulders, then reached into her bag to grab a handful of chips.
“I’m okay with that. As long as all of my siblings are safe, I’ll be the lamest, most annoying person that ever lived.” I kissed the side of her head before leaving them in the kitchen. I headed to my room to wind down for the rest of the night. Daisy and Belleza fucked me so good that I would probably be asleep within the hour.
Life was good, and I had no plans to change it. My sisters thought I was lonely, but that was the furthest thing from the truth. I could have a different bitch every day of the week ifI wanted to, but I wasn’t interested in that. Women were a distraction, and I had enough on my plate right now. Love wasn’t for everyone, and I was one of those people who didn’t need it. I had my family, my money, and endless pussy. What more could I possibly need?”
peace graham
. . .
It had beena week since I was released from jail, and I was still trying to get settled in. I thought Chop would be glued to my hip once he got back home, but he only spent the first two days with me before he was back in the streets. It felt good to be reunited with my man and my daughter, but everything seemed so different. Two years might not have seemed like a lot to some, but it was hell for me. Every night, I cried thinking about how I got in that place to begin with. Chop assured me that if I told them the drugs were mine, they would go easier on me since I had no record. I believed him like a dummy, and it cost me my freedom.
Two years behind those jail walls taught me a valuable lesson, but it also came with many regrets. Chop was remorseful about the situation and, as a result, he made my bid as comfortable as possible. My books were never lacking, and his weekly visits were something I looked forward to more than anything. He made numerous promises that we would get married and have a baby as soon as I returned home. Although I still wasn’t sold on the idea of having another baby, it kept my mind off my circumstances.
“Where the hell is she?” I whispered to myself. Chop’s cousin, Raylee, was taking me to get pampered for the day. My hair was in desperate need of attention, and my nails were dull and chipped. I used to go to the nail and hair salon weekly, so to go this long without any maintenance was torturous.
