I laughed.
“Or you tired and want me to bring something in? I could do that too, but I want my chili, Rim.”
“I’ma make the chili, nigga damn. And don’t have me sitting in your house while you’re out all night.”
We spoke for a while longer before hanging up. Though she hadn’t said anything, her smile and those eyes of hers were loud.
“What, Kaydence?” I sighed.
“Oh nothing, I mean you put bass in your voice for me. But you ’boutta cook chili for that man?”
“Cook for what man?” Aro asked, walking in the kitchen mugged up.
“None of your business.”
He grunted. It wasn’t long before he was standing behind Kay and leaning down to kiss the side of her face.
“Aroyal.”
“What? I ain’t said shit. Rim knows I wanna meet this nigga before we sit at my mama’s table.” He momentarily glared at me, then gave his wife another kiss. They were so cute, even though he got on my damn nerves.
“Then how about you bring him bowling with us this weekend? Asteroid would be a great place. It’s nice and public.” Kay was sure to put emphasis on the word public.
I laughed. “Who is going to Asteroid?”
“We are for your nephew’s birthday this weekend,” Kaydence responded.
“His birthday isn’t until the week after next.”
“Next Monday to be exact and he wanted his party to be the weekend before,” Kay said at the same time my brother looked up at me.
“Same thing I said.”
She cut her eyes in his direction. “Either way, his party is this weekend and I expect you to be there, preferably with your plus one.” She then winked at me.
I waved her off. She thought she was cute with that.
My brother stood up straight and looked from me to his wife. “You know what, yeah. Bring your boy to Asteroid.”
“Um, what’s that look?”
“Nothing. Are you sticking around for dinner?” he asked, eyes searching my being.
I screamed I was grown, yet here I was, scared to tell him I wasn’t staying for dinner because I needed to be cooking dinner for my man. “Um, n?—”
“No, Aroyal. It’s just us tonight. She has to go make chili for her man.”
“Nah, that ain’t my sister. She ain’t cooking for no nigga. Shit, she don’t even like making her part during the fucking holidays.” He laughed at his own joke. “Oh and it ain’t gonna be just us, Bry is going to get the kids and Krisis.”
“Good, somebody to drink with, especially since somebody ass decided to grow up on me.”
I cackled because I knew she was talking to me.
“Nah. You promised me another daughter. Leave that wine in the fridge tonight.”
Kay’s face turned up as she rolled her eyes to the ceiling. “Another one of your bad ass kids. We’re what, four in, howcould I not? It’s not like I like having my body to myself.” Sarcasm lived in her tone.
I laughed. We all knew that after she had my nephew Arie last year, she claimed they were done. The thing was, my brother was dead set on another daughter. They had Junior, Aroaian, Arie, and Aurora. Junior was his son from a previous relationship, but the only mother he knew was Kay since she had been in his life more than his birth mother ever had, even when she was alive.
