“She knows you were arrested. She actually fake passed out on the floor from the stress,” Andrew spoke with a soft chuckle.
“Before or after you were in cuffs?” Emani asked, now that they were alone.
“After,” Andrew, muttered moving to the fridge to get the items needed for his requested meal.
“Don’t mutter. Say it with your chest,” Emani encouraged. “Whatever it is in life, mistake or not, you got to own that shit. For instance, all the food you ate while we were in college was stolen. I stole from the spot where I worked, grocery stores, wherever. Your brother’s greatest fear in life isn’t being a trash ass basketball player, it’s losing you. So we did what we had to do to make sure he kept you and to make sure you had a life we only dreamt about. So I want you to always remember the price associated with this. For you. I’ll do it all over again.”
Andrew faintly smiled. “I missed you, E.”
“I thought about you every day. I’m sorry I just disappeared. I owed you more than that. And that’s on me. I’m sorry,” Emani apologized.
“You’re here now and you’re staying, so it’s all good. And Sanaa really likes you so you’re not going anywhere. She’s not going to let you. She likes you more than her own mother,” Andrew muttered the end of the statement, making Emani wince.
“I like her too, she’s something else,” Emani laughed. “So this little girl you’re breaking your punishment for, tell me about her.”
Andrew blushed. “She’s nice and she’s pretty.”
“First crush?”
Andrew beamed.
“Mmm. No wonder you’re losing your mind. How long are you grounded?” Emani quizzed.
“For the rest of his black ass life,” Jahlil stated with Sanaa on his back.
“Yeah that. I got to be up every morning and train. School and home,” Andrew added.
“No basketball?” Emani posed.
“Walk on try outs are next week,” Andrew muttered to Emani.
Emani shot Jahlil a look and he groaned, immediately breaking under her glare. “School, basketball, and home. Got me going back on my shit already.”
Emani and Andrew stood stoic before Jahlil hiked up the stairs with Sanaa. Once he was out of sight, they high fived. “You’re out of fuck ups so the next time you mess shit up needs to be well worth it because your brother daddy is soft. I’m not.”
Emani gave him a wink.
“I hear you.”
“Good. Don’t let a little girl have you out here with nothing because you can’t focus on the task at hand. Girls come a dime a dozen, your dreams are here one minute and if you don’t seize them, they’re gone.”
They fell into a comfortable silence, listened to music and made a full breakfast for the house. When Jahlil and Sanaa returned, both were showered and dressed for the day. While Andrew and Sanaa ate at the table, Jahlil stood behind Emani and gently smacked her hips and kissed her cheek.
“I see you’re a part of the gang,” he grumbled in her ear.
“Mmhmm. Sanaa changed my name too. She said Wheaton was trash and I’m now Emani Rose Savage. But that’s only after you ask me to be your girlfriend.”
Jahlil rumbled in laughter. “I could’ve sworn I was deep in it, making a mess of you and I said you’re mine and you said yes, daddy.”
Emani gasped and muttered. “You got kids, sir.”
“Wegot kids and that’s exactly what you said. You want a refresher?”
Emani giggled and shook him off of her. “No. What I need is to get my stuff. I need to put on something other than your clothes because apparently, this is the sign that I’ve been kissin’ on Sanaa’s daddy.”
Jahlil burst out laughing. “I’m really trying my best raising her.”
“Yeah, y’all need some help. Don’t worry, big mama is here. I’ll have her all in the studio with me,” Emani joked.
