“Man, ain’t this some shit?” Denzel mumbled as he pulled another twenty out of his pocket and handed it to the employee.
“Costs to be in love, my nigga,” Boogie teased. Truth be told, if Sweetie wanted a ninety-dollar sandwich, he would fetch it without a thought.
When they finally left the store, Denzel was still grumbling. They got into Boogie’s truck and took off toward their parents’ house.
“You ain’t never told me how last night went. You thought I wasn’t gonna ask?” Denzel said once he stopped complaining about the damn sandwich.
Boogie couldn’t help the grin that plastered on his face. “What about it?”
“Don’t play dumb, nigga. I can tell by yo’ goofy ass face you still feelin’ her.” Denzel shook his head in disappointment. “Pops ain’t gon’ like this shit.”
Boogie shrugged. “When have I ever gave a fuck about what anyone else had to think? Shit, if Sweetie’s pops ain’t cage her up all those years ago, I would have been fuckin’ wit’ shorty all along. We all know that, even Pops.”
“You gonna be the downfall of this empire,” Denzel warned.
Boogie waved him off. He knew Denzel was only half serious when he said that. It wasn’t in his big brother’s nature to be cruel, at least not toward family. He meant it more as a warning, which definitely went in one ear and out the other.
“Look, I’ll take it up wit’ Pops when I’m ready. And I won’t take too long, I promise. I just want to make sure she’s comfortable with everything before I jump in and do it. She’s already tryna pull away from me.”
Denzel looked at his brother’s profile. “You serious about this? You really gonna keep her around?”
Boogie shrugged. “She moved in.”
“Nigga, what?” Denzel shouted.
Boogie’s face twisted up. “Aye, chill with all that. It ain’t that big a deal.”
“You ain’t seen her in twenty years and she’s already shackin’ up wit’ you? I don’t know, Bro. This shit don’t sound right. You sure this ain’t a setup?”
Boogie’s good mood immediately soured. He knew nobody would understand his love for Sweetie, but he didn’t need anyone questioning him or taking digs at her character. Hedidn’t even justify that with a response. He simply turned the music on as he drove and turned it all the way up. Denzel turned it down just long enough to say, “Tell Pops soon. He can deal wit’ y’all.”
He turned the music back up, and they rode the rest of the way to their parents’, just like that.
Boogie hopped out of the car as soon as he cut it off and made a beeline for the front door. He didn’t want Denzel to say shit else to him. In fact, all he wanted to do was eat real quick to pacify his mom and then get back home to Sweetie.
“There are my boys,” Tandy said as soon as she spotted them walking through the door.
“Hey, Mama,” Boogie said. He reached her first and wrapped her up in a hug.
She was short and plump and gave the absolute best hugs. Don’t get it fooled though. She was a firecracker. This was her domain, and everyone bowed to her.
She patted his back and pulled back with a smile. “Hey, baby.”
Boogie moved out of the way to let Denzel greet their mother. He moved further into the large home, toward the dining room, where Chloe and his father were already seated. The food on the table smelled mouthwatering, and he made a mental note to make Sweetie a to-go plate. There was no telling how long it had been since she had a home-cooked meal.
“Where’s my sandwich?” Chloe asked.
“Hi to you, too, nigga,” Boogie said as he leaned down to hug her and kiss her cheek.
Zander, Boogie’s dad, chuckled. “Don’t mind her, Son. She’s hungover. Apparently, the only thing that can cure it is a sub from NellanNem’s.”
“Yeah, so where is it?” she asked.
“Ask yo’ nigga,” Boogie said as he took a seat across from her.
“It’s right here, baby,” Denzel said as he and his mother entered the dining room.
“Chloe, I know you fuckin’ lyin’. You conned my son into bringing you food to my family dinner?” Tandy asked with her hands on her wide hips and her eyes cut into slits.
