The both of us went quiet for a second. She didn’t call to tell me about her date for nothing. She was clearly nervous. So, instead of mentioning the family thing to her, I just gave her some encouraging words.
“Have fun sis, aight? Don’t overthink it. Just let it flow. You’re going to have a good time.”
“You think so?” she paused. “He’s white.”
“You knew he was white before you accepted the date,” I pointed out.
“Haven’t had the best of luck with black men.”
“Don’t look at it as a color thing,” I told her. “Men are men. Don’t go into it with dawg thinking shit gon’ be sweet just because he’s white. Like I said, don’t overthink it. Just have fun. Judge a muthafucka by their merits—not the color of their skin.”
“I’m not?—”
“I’m not sayin you are. Same shit a black man can do, a white man can too. Remember that. If anything, you should expect more from dawg because he’s white and he got a debt to pay,” I joked.
She laughed. “You stupid. But… you’re right. I’m just gone chill.”
“Best thing to do, low key.” Grabbing my joggers from the bed, I slid them on. “Pops up yet?”
She stayed the night with pops last night. We switched off regularly. The other night, I stayed with him and after that, Orion. We had to. Not because he asked us to but because we felt like heneededus to. Pops wasn’t used to being alone, so we didn’t leave him to be for more than a couple of days. He was alright. All things considered. Doing a lot better than he was last year, when moms first passed away. Sometimes we still had to remind him to eat and take care of himself though.
“No, he’s sleep. I’m going to make him some breakfast and head home to get ready for my little date.”
“Aight, bet. I’ll check on him when I land, too.”
“Don’t. I just want you to enjoy yourself.”
After finalizing a couple of contracts and holding the meeting, I was in my office, getting ready to slide out before there was a knock on the door. Looking up from the stack of papers I was shuffling, I chucked my chin and told Judah and them to come in.
“‘Bout to skate, cuz?” Asked Rahmir, sitting in the chair at my desk.
“Hell yeah,” I paused and looked down at my phone. “Got about thirty minutes before I need to be at the airport. What y’all niggas want? I already said what needed to be said.”
Orion sat in the other chair and grinned up at me. “You ain’t sayenoughnigga. Fuck you got going on?”
Since losing moms, Orion had been decent. If anything, moms passing made him throw himself into work more. Reminded me of myself when Nova passed away. He was picking up extra hours, securing more contracts than ever. Last month he was even able to step up in place of me, at a meeting. He’d been doing phenomenal work. So much so that I was leaving him in charge instead of Judah sang during my vacation.
I shook my head with a laugh. “Fuck you mean? You know I’m going on a vacation, nigga.”
Judah crossed his arms over his chest, half way smirking. “With who? You a lil’ toochipperto be going by yourself.”
“We already hip anyway,” Titan said shaking his head.
“Hip about what?”
“We’ve severed ties with Coutoooour. The work they did was immaculate, but I’ve decided to permanently partner with Elevated Designs,” Judah mocked, reciting the words I used in a meeting damn near a year ago. “Even though Elevated Designs trash in comparison.” He smirked. “You locked shorty down, didn’t you? The day of the party for The House of Nova Ray.”
I was, as always, private as I’ve always been. Not because I was ashamed, or because I had something to hide. I just wasn’t the type of nigga to sit up and converse about my personal life with niggas. I wasn’t just private when it came to the romantic side of things—I was private, period. I fucked with them niggas. I mean… I fucked with them heavy but there wasn’t much either of them could tell you about me. I mean, aside from O and Rah. They knew what they knew because they were family, but I even kept them at arm’s length.
Instead of lying, or telling them to mind their business, I smirked, running my tongue over my bottom lip.
“Hell yeah,” I admitted.
“I knew it,” Rah said. “Wait ‘til I tell cuz. We bet on it that night, after you ran out the venue.”
I drew back with a frown. “Sis already hip, bitch. She just don’t run her mouth like you.”
I ended up having to tell Luna’s ass. When it came to me and Reign she was relentless, trying to get us back together and shit. I needed her to know I was super cool off girl. We were cordial. I could sit in a room with her without any hate in my heart and that’s the furthest we would go. Last month we did have a balloon release together in honor of Nova’s birthday though.
