Heavy held his two fingers up for her, and Giselle tapped her two against his twice.
“I love you,” he said, watching her walk away with Maisie.
“I love you too.” She grinned, and Maisie hooked her arm across her shoulders and fell in stride with her.
In the middle of packing and loading everything up in cars to be transported to Remi’s house, the rain came. It started with slow, but thick drops before manifesting into a complete downpour. Everyone moved quickly, leaving the tents behind and piling into the many cars. Remi whipped her truck into her driveway and parked behind her house, leaving room for Lou, and anybody else to pull in behind her. Once she reached herkitchen, Gem ran in with Harlee in her arms, both dripping wet as Solo galloped in with Heir on his back. Those two were having a good ol’ time spinning around in the rain and jumping in puddles.
“Tee Tee. I wet. I need a cookie,” Harlee said once she set her at the kitchen table.
“What does one have to do with the other, Harlee?” Gem queried.
“A cookie make me feel better.” Harlee shrugged.
“Me too.” Heir wiped some of the rain from his face.
“Solomon, can you look upstairs in the hall closet and grab some towels?’ Gem suggested as he set Heir on the ground.
He paused, annoyance crowding his face that left Gem sniggering. She’d been fucking with him since she found out his real name.
“Gem, what I tell you?”
“I’m sorry.” She held in another laugh.
“Ok, Gemalynn. Sound like some damn country singer.” He started up the steps to get the towels and she shook her head after him.
“I got you.”
Remi moved around her kitchen, making room for all the food dishes and keeping them covered with foil. Lou, Maisie, and Crew loaded even more inside from the back of her truck. Heavy parked in front and rounded the back of his car to get to Giselle and help her out. She carried a pan of mac and cheese along with baked beans that he grabbed from her, so he could take it inside. As she padded down the sidewalk to Remi’s front porch behind Heavy, Viggo pulled up with Prischa, Henna, and Pierre.
“Ah, shit, good ol’ house party like the old days!” Viggo raised his beer and swallowed what was left in the bottle. “Who ready to get they ass kicked in some spades?”
“Viggo, you know you can’t stand too lose. You need to be a little pickier about who you partner up with.” Milani came out of nowhere with Toussaint, Petal, and Horace behind her.
“Is that supposed to be a dig at me?” Prischa chimed in, attitude etched all on her face as her arms folded in front of her.
“I don’t know… homie hopper. You feeling some kind of way?” Milani taunted, rolling her neck.
“Mama, leave Pri alone,” Henna defended. “We’re trying to move past all this. Heavy is with Giselle, and she’s with Viggo. Let’s stay out of their business.”
Viggo choked on the smoke from the blunt he’d sparked, and Prischa had to reach out to slap him on the back a few times.
“Shit! The fuck! Did Henna just say she was staying out of somebody else’s business? Where Oz at? Let me find out this nigga got magic powers.”
“Shut up!” She shoved him with her face scrunched up, and Pierre raced past all of them to the front porch.
Night settled over Southwick, and the humidity mixed with the rain left the heat clinging to everything. Music bumped not only from Maisie and Crew’s spot, but from random cars lined up and down the block where people smoked. Remi’s porch was packed with people, mostly Crew, Heavy, Viggo, and their inner circle from. Someone started a dice game, and at a small card table, Viggo, Toussaint, Milani, and Horace played a game of spades. The rain was light and intermittent, but it didn’t stop the block from celebrating. The streetlights illuminated everything, and the low hum of crickets filled the air along with laughter and music.
The Hens, as Horace called them, gathered in the kitchen. Lou’s Bluetooth speaker blared ’90s R&B, and Remi danced with Petal and some other older ladies while sipping daiquiris that Gem concocted at the counter.
“Y’all want a drink?” Gem called to Giselle, who was seated at the kitchen table with Maisie, Henna, and Prischa.
“Yes, Lord!” Henna threw her hand up like she was in church.
Maisie sparked a blunt, and Lou pulled up a chair when Gem walked their glasses over. She set them on the table and went back to the blender to make more as they each reached for a glass.
“Okay, so I guess I’m officially done hating you.” Prischa exhaled dramatically and rolled her shoulders. “Not because I’m mature, God knows I’m not, but because for a minute there, I related to your break down when the twins went missing for those few minutes. No mother deserves to go through that, and it made me realize at the end of the day, that’s what you are.”
Sipping her drink, Giselle giggled.
