“Yasmine Lopez. Y’all kids think I be clueless, but I know all about most things. Yes, he let the girl put her mouth on his little peeter weeter… was he wrong? Hell yes, and I told him that. However, if I was a man and the girl I’m in love with makes it a point to tell me she’s not my woman every chance she gets… I might be inclined to get my dick sucked too.”
“Dawg.” Troi guffawed. She’d never heard Layla speak so candidly, and the wine flowing through her system made it more hilarious.
“I’m serious. All I ever hear is,you are not my man. I told you once before, if you keep acting like you don’t want my son, he gone call your bluff. However, Kas should have enough maturity to let you go if you’re not ready. That goes for you too. One day you’re done with Kas, the next day y’all lovey dovey. If you’re going to be done with him… be done.
But stand on business when you say it. Don’t be done then get upset when he’s getting attention from someone else. You’ll regret it if you don’t stop this toxicity. Just look at the bullshit I’m going through with my son right now… all because I let a man piss on my head and lead me to believe it was just rain.” Layla lovingly patted Yanna’s knee.
It was quiet for a moment before Yanna blurted. “You let that man pee on you, Ms. Layla?”
Troi fell out laughing, nearly falling off the couch in the process. “Ayoo, do you get a monthly check? What is wrong with you?!”
“She’s a lost cause, I’m convinced.” Layla couldn’t help but laugh too. She then got serious, scooting closer to Yanna and wrapping an arm around her. “Seriously though, whether you’re with Kas or not, you’ll always be like a bonus, irritating ass daughter to me.”
“As long as you still want me, Ms. Layla then nothing else even matters.”
“Good, now let me ask you this… did you sleep with Kalil?”
Caught off guard, Troi spat out a little of the wine she’d just sipped.
“Whaaat, Mumma Lay, why would you ask me that?”
“Fine nigga with a lot of hairsounds familiar, and y’all were acting mighty weird when he was here a little while ago.”
“Kalil is not the only fine nigga with a lot of hair,” Yanna replied, but the tone behind her words were hardly convincing.
“Okay, if you say so, I have no other choice but to believe you.”
“Because it’s true. I did not sleep with Kalil.”
As the girls’ night resumed with Troi and Layla picking their conversation back up, Yanna’s mind drifted off. The energy she felt from Kas, even though he was in another house, was overpowering. She talked a good game and put on as if she didn’t care, but it was all a farce. All she could see was the look on Kas’ face as she all but confirmed she’d been with someone else. She couldn’t help but wonder if maybe she should hear him out… if maybe this time, she’d taken things too far.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Despondency filled Yanna as she sat on her mother’s front porch catching some fresh air. The past few days had been mentally draining for her. In addition to dealing with the unfamiliarity of not talking to or seeing Kas every day, she was finding it hard to come to terms with what she’d done. While she in no way felt bad about getting her revenge on Kas, she did feel terrible for dragging Kalil into her mess. She’d made him complicit in a weird triangle, and since Trell had ties to Maya as well, it made things even messier. She wished she’d had enough emotional intelligence to stop drinking and leave when Kalil asked her to. Maybe then she would’ve been in the confines of her own home when Trell had called her. All she thought about was how much Kas loved his cousin and vice versa. Hell, she loved Kalil like family as well, so she was definitely feeling the weight of her actions. Kalil had only been trying to help, and she could only imagine how heavy everything was weighing on him. Deciding she needed to be mature for a change, she pulled out her phone and dialed Troi’s number.
“Hey, Pooh,” Troi answered, sounding exhausted.
“Dag, what’s wrong with you?”
“Kian somehow got into my purse while I was trying to clean his playroom. His little ass took all my cards out my wallet and stuck them through the vents. I been running to different rooms trying to find all of them for about an hour.”
“Oh, my God.” Yanna couldn’t help but laugh because Kian was always doing something to not even be two years old yet. “Where’s Onyx?”
“He out there with Kas somewhere doing something for the surveillance system. I’m supposed to have Kian down for a nap by the time he gets back so we can have some alone time.”
“Girl, y’all gone have Kian 2.0 before you know it. Well, I’mma let you get back to your hunt, I just need you to send me Kalil number.”
“Ah shit. Why do you need Kalil’s number?”
“Not for anything crazy. I’m trying to be mature, and I just want to apologize for putting him in a fucked up position. We’re family, and I don’t want this whole situation to estrange him.”
“And what about Kas?”
“What about Kas? He still did what he did, and the only thing I feel bad for is bringing Kalil into it. Please send me his number so I can apologize to him.”
“Okay, I’ll send it and you, and I will talk later.”
“Yay, can’t wait.” Yanna responded sarcastically before disconnecting the call.
