“He’s a liar. I don’t want it anymore. Are you able to come get me?”
“I’m checking yo’ location now to see where you are.” The line fell silent for a moment. “I’m ’bout an hour out. I gotta sendsomeone to get you. Give me a couple minutes to see who’s the closest.”
I chewed on my thumbnail as I paced the front of the store. “You look a lil too decent to be homeless, baby girl. You need some change or some?” some woman asked as she passed me. She grabbed the door handle and pulled it toward her, still keeping her eyes trained on me.
“I’m not homeless,” I shot back.
“Luxe is the closest. I’m sending her to you now. She should be there in ten minutes.”
“Ten minutes?”I was really gon’ have to stay out here that long.My eyes roamed the parking lot. There were several people here. Some were still sitting in their cars; others were pumping gas and inside the store. I’m not sure if I’ll be comfortable standing out here in front of this store for that long.
“Yeah. She might be there sooner, depending on how she drives.”
“Okay.” It was nice of her to go out her way to come and get me so I’m not gon’ complain.
“Are you lost?” some guy walked up to me and asked. He had on mix matching shoes. His khaki sweats were dingy. One of the legs were pulled up. He sported an orange and black bookbag on his back. To me, he looks like the homeless one.
“No, I’m good.”
“Tell him to get the fuck away from you,” Maniac said in my ear.
“You sure? I saw you standing out here in front of the store.”
“Please just get away from me.” I already knew how Maniac can get sometimes and I just wanted to help him before things got out of hand.
“You ain’t gotta be fucking rude. I don’t know what’s wrong with you bitches these days.”
I gasped.
“Did that nigga just call you out yo’ fucking name? That’s it, I’m coming.”
“It’s alright. Luxe just pulled into the parking lot,” I told him when I saw her bright Lamborghini turn in.
“It ain’t fucking alright. I’m gon’ rip his fucking head off.”
Luxe stopped in front of me, taking up three parking spaces. The guy looked from me and then to the car. The driver’s door let up, and she stepped out in this brown trench coat and a black dress that stopped at her knees. Her curly hair was slicked back in a bun at the nape of her neck.
“Do we have a problem?” she asked as she rounded the car. The way Luxe strutted in heels should be studied. She walked in them as if they were a pair of sneakers. She was so light on her feet like she’d been walking in them her entire life. Dangling in her hand was a small pink pistol. It may be small, but I’m certain it’s just as lethal. The guy tossed his hands up in the air and backed away from me.
“No,” I quickly said and rushed over to the passenger door. Luxe waited ’til I was safely inside before rounding the car to her side. This was the first time I’ve ever seen a gun in her hand. Normally, she was all calm and sweet.
“Luxe has me,” I told Maniac so he’d stop worrying.
“Good. I got some shit to handle, but I’ll be by the house soon as I’m done.”
The phone beeped in my ear. Luxe pulled away from the gas station. As she dipped in and out of traffic, she briefly glanced in my direction and asked, “You good?”
Despite me just finding out that my daddy is nothing but a liar, I don’t know how I feel at the moment. Disappointed was one of my feelings. Confused maybe. My emotions were all over the place. Maybe later I’d be able to sort through them.
“I will be,” I simply replied and stared out the window.
Luxe took me to the house and I got out the car. Entering the house, I was met at the door by Zilla. He brushed up against my leg, and I picked him up and then carried him into the family room. I wasn’t ready to lay down just yet, which is why I didn’t head upstairs. The further I get along in my pregnancy, the more exhausted I be. Climbing up and down the stairs was only just gon’ take the breath out of me.
As I strolled down the hallway toward the family room, Luna found me. “Hey, girl.” She followed me in there and we climbed onto the sofa. Grabbing the remote, I searched for something to watch for the time being ’til I figured out what I wanted to make for dinner. Luna looked liked she’d put on a couple pounds. Maybe she was eating good over here. Maniac had switched up their food to a more expensive brand since they’ve been here. All of them took to it well.
A couple hours had passed. I got up from the sofa and went into the kitchen to see what was in there. It was going on eight and I hadn’t taken anything out from the freezer, so we were gon’ have to settle for takeout tonight. I heard the garage let up and rushed over to open the door for Maniac. As I stood there in the doorway, he pulled into the garage, headlights beaming on me. They powered off and he stepped out of the car with something in his hand. The closer he got, I realized it was a bookbag. There was a splatter of blood on it.
“Is that what I think it is?” I asked him and he tossed it into the trash can.
