I was frozen for a second ‘cause if Pressure was here, then…
The whole walk, Pressure and Pluto argued, while I shook my head knowin’ I was ‘bout to go through the same shit.
When we finally made it to Pressure’s truck, the passenger door opened, and Kay’Lo stepped out, tall as fuck.
He was standin’ by the door like he had been waitin’ on me to surface, his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes locked on me like he was trackin’ prey.
“Fuck…” I whispered under my breath. “Here we go.”
Kay’Lo didn’t walk toward me fast or angry. He walked toward me like a man who had been pissed off for hours and finally saw what he came to collect.
“Toni,” he said, his voice deep and sharp.
“Kay’Lo,” I replied, already annoyed even though he ain’t say nothin’ yet.
He looked me up and down like he was countin’ the reasons to fuss at me. “Why you turn your location off?”
“Why you go through my location like you my probation officer?” I shot back.
“I asked you first,” he said, takin’ a step closer. “Why you turn it off?”
“Because I wanted peace, Kay’Lo. I wanted one night where you not blowin’ up my phone or breathin’ down my damn neck. I came out with Pluto to relax, not to report every move I make.”
He dragged his hand down his face and stared at me like I was speakin’ another language. “So, turnin’ your location off made sense in your mind?”
“Yes,” I snapped. “I’m allowed to go out and have fun. I’m allowed to breathe. You got your businesses. You come and go as you please. I been cooped up in that house feelin’ like a damn houseplant.”
Kay’Lo stepped closer, his chest hittin’ my shoulder. “So you think disappearing all day without answerin’ me is the way to handle it?”
“I didn’t disappear,” I said. “I went out. That’s it.”
“You ignored me.”
“You was arguin’ with me.”
“You turned your location off.”
“You stressed me out.”
He stared at me, breathin’ heavier, and for a moment we was too close, and too matched in stubbornness.
Then he held out his hand.
“Give me the keys,” he said, his voice low.
“Kay’Lo—”
“Toni. Give me the fuckin’ keys. I’m takin’ you home.”
Behind us, Pressure and Pluto was still goin’ back and forth by the truck, Pluto fussin’, Pressure fussin’ louder, and both babies screamin’ like they was tired of the bullshit too.
The whole scene was a mess.
A married-people meltdown in a parkin’ lot at one in the mornin’.
I sighed, pulled the keys out my purse, and slapped them into Kay’Lo’s palm.
“This is ridiculous,” I muttered.
