“A little. I got caught in the rain, so my throat is sore, but nothing major.”
“Well, you need to hurry home then, so me and Relic can take care of you. We can make you the soup my grann made me when I got sick.”
Kennedy hummed but didn’t respond, making it clear she wasn’t taking the bait. Relic swept his tongue over his teeth as Jahleel shot him a pitying glance before hunching a shoulder.
“When are you coming back?” he pressed, looking at his dad to confirm he was asking the right questions. The line silenced before Kennedy sucked her teeth.
“Jah, are you playing middleman right now?”
A reverberating laugh shot from him as Relic’s mouth quirked at her catching on to their schemes. Since he was caught, Relic contemplated speaking but thought better of it in case she decided to hang up.
“I’m not!” Jahleel lied, his amusement tapering off. “I just want you to stop being mad at Relic.”
“I told you, I’m not mad at him. Why is that bothering you so much anyway?”
“Because if you’re not talking to him, then you’ll stop talking to me, too. That’s how it always happens.”
“Who the hell told you that lie? Your dad?”
“No. When my mom had man friends she introduced us to, whenever they went away, she said it was because she didn’t talk to them anymore and not to ask her about them. She told me and Jas our dads died, so we won’t ask about them, either, but my sister’s dad might be not even be dead since my mom lied about Relic. When I get bigger, I’m gon’ find him for her ‘cause she’s sad I got one now but she don’t.”
Relic reached out but caught himself from snatching the phone out of Jahleel’s hand for over talking. He didn’t put anything his son said past Jessica, but it wasn’t a topic that should’ve been aired out as if they’d been conversing about the weather.
It didn’t go over his head that Jahleel had asked about his sister coming with them, so she’d feel included like she had a father as well. Relic also didn’t miss how Jahleel had opened up for Kennedy with an ease his son hadn’t shown him when they’d met. Jahleel was comfortable with her.
“I hate to break it to you, but your mom was dating a bunch of damn clowns, Jah. Aren’t I talking to you now?” she countered as if the sensitive topic didn’t move her. “I don’t have to talk to Relic for us to have a relationship. If he has a problem with that, tell him to take it up with me and see how well it goes.”
Jahleel beamed. “Okay, but I don’t think you can beat him, Ms. Kennedy.”
“You’re right, but sometimes it’s not about beating a person physically. Remember that. I gotta run, but I’ll call you later tonight if I don’t get in too late.”
“Where are you going?”
“Out for drinks with an old friend.”
“It better not be a boy because me and Relic don’t like sharing. We’re your only boyfriends.”
Kennedy cackled before replying, “Who do you think you are, sir? It is a man, but he’s far from a boyfriend, and so is your dad.”
“Then, what is Relic to you?”
“Bye, Jah!”
Kennedy’s laughter lingered inside the truck, making Relic bite his inner jaw as the call disconnected. His thumb hit the steering wheel in frantic taps to refrain from taking Jahleel’s phone to dial her back and call her everything but a child of God. His molars grated as Joseph’s vile laughter filled his head, taunting him for being the pussy ass nigga Kennedy had turned him into. He wouldn’t have tolerated the disrespect she was giving him from anyone else.
“Have you been fishing?” he asked Jahleel, rerouting the topic to subdue his choleric thoughts. They’d surfaced the moment Kennedy mentioned a man while knowing he was tuned in to their discussion.
“No, but it looks fun on TV. You know how to fish?”
Relic nodded as he slowed in front of the green house that his son refused to leave. He parked with his attention wandering to a wolf gray, mid-size sedan idling across the street, before it drifted to the porch where Jasmine sat with her legs crossed at the ankles like his girl cousins Toot and Tima were taught to do when wearing dresses. He relaxed at the innocent habit.
It was better than the habits Joseph had embedded in him that he couldn’t shake if his life depended on it. When it crossed his mind what he might’ve instilled in Jahleel so far, he tore his eyes away from Jasmine to pin on his son.
“We’re going to hit the water this weekend. One of the best things Joseph taught me was how to fish, so I’m going to teach you.”
Jahleel’s brows dipped. “Joseph?”
“Joseph is my father’s name. Your uncle lied when he told you we didn’t have a dad. Joseph wasn’thisdad, but that’s all you need to know, so don’t ask me about him.”
