While alone in the shop this morning, I kept thinking about how I’d fucked up when I showed up at Adora’s Friday. It was my first time at her crib and I ain’t bring shit. I owe her and figure I need to get her daughters something too.
Peaches turns around and glares at Kadean when she says, “And you shouldn’t. A real man knows this.”
“Talk to him,” Kadean tells her.
She tsks then turns back to me. “It’s Easter and all little girls love Easter baskets. The Marketplace has cute ones back in the floral and gift department. And trust me, you have to get two different baskets. I have six nieces. I know,” she says with a grin.
“I don’t know shit about picking a basket.”
“We can look online. They have pickup.”
“Oh, ’preciate that,” I say, relieved.
“You got the app on your phone?” she asks before sitting on my loveseat. After pulling my cell out of my pocket, I join her and open the app. She takes my phone and searches for the baskets. She does the looking and points a few out to me. “See these two. Both are pink but very different. This pink slime and water bottle are cute,” she says, all into the baskets.
“Add them to my cart but which one for the baby girl?”
“The one with the slime.”
“Bet. Thanks. I didn’t know what the fuck to get,” I tell her.
“You welcome. I’m just glad to know that manners and knowing how to treat a woman and kids is at least in the family,” she huffs before walking over to Kadean. When she does, he pulls her down on him.
I leave them and their dysfunction in the living room then journey upstairs. Once in my bedroom, I search the app and add a bouquet of two dozen pink roses and chocolate covered strawberries to my cart. Then I hop in the shower, get dressed, and hit Adora before I leave the crib.
Me: Hey, pretty girl.
Adora: Hey We still seeing you at 4?
Me: Of course. I can pick up dinner.
Adora: Thanks but we are having takeout potluck for dinner. I’ll explain when I see you LOL
Me: I guess I can’t wait. See you at 4
When I walk back into the living room, Kadean is by himself, chilling in the same spot but eating. The table in front of him is filled with to-go containers.
“Where’s Peaches?” I ask.
“Her ratchet ass left. She still on me about my location,” he says.
“Man, you gotta stop calling her ratchet. She’s carrying your seed and you’ve got to treat her with respect. You don’t want yo’ son or daughter seeing you disrespect her. You gotta chill.”
“She ratchet. Shit! You saw her. Peaches is a lot to deal with. You just don’t be knowing.”
“She’s pregnant. She might be in her emotions but she got that. She’spregnant,” I stress. “You can’t make her angry. That can’t be good for your baby.”
“So, yo’ new chick got kids and you already converting to daddy and shit,” he says, then chuckles. “Yeah, a’ight. You got that stepdaddy,” he huffs. “Not trying to hear a Xai sermon right now.”
“It’s not a sermon. I’m just telling you what’s right. You don’t want yo’ child growing up feeling like we did. Seeing men disrespect yo’ mother, having a daddy that don’t acknowledge you or fuck with you; that shit didn’t feel good.”
“Having yo’ momma taken from you by your brother don’t feel good either,” he snaps venomously and I drop my head.
That shit always fucks with me.
A wave of guilt and regret runs through me like fire and I just walk out. His mission is accomplished. His words hurt; they gut punched me. Any mention of that always does. Even though his perception of what happened differs drastically from the reality of what actually occurred, the end result is the same—we lost our mother—and it fucks with me, heavy.
Once in my ride, I start A’so’s new music. He represents The Manor and raps about real shit. Nobody’s fucking with him or his label, Trap Killerz, with this rap shit right now and his music is just what I need to clear my damn mind. I let his shit ride all the way to The Marketplace.
