“Well, aren’t you sweet?” I hugged his neck from behind him on my pinky toes.
“Am I now?” he reached around after a few seconds and pulled me around into his embrace.
“You can be. Now why are you sitting here deep in your thoughts like you have the world resting on your shoulders?” I peered at him.
He rubbed his hands up and down the back of my thighs while he spoke. “If you wanted to open another business, what would it be? Something that would bring in quick profit and can damn near run itself.”
What he asked took no thought at all. “Either a liquor store or gas station. I’d go with the liquor store because it would take less time and you wouldn’t need to build any type of rapport with customers. Alcohol is alcohol.”
He looked as though he was thinking about what I said for a moment. Then he nodded his head. “Good ass idea.”
“I know.” I reached behind him and grabbed a piece of his bacon from his plate.
“Yo, you don’t see that plate over there?”
“I did, but I wanted what was on your plate.” I winked.
He and I talked for a while longer before he had to leave. He said he had some business to tend to. Instead of overthinking it I agreed to see him later. We didn’t set up the logistics, but I was sure his house because today was my father’s day with Ssiah. He was picking him up from me at the shop in a few hours.
After I got my son clean and ready for the day, I did the same for myself. We rushed out of the house for about twenty minutes, because by then we were pressed for time. My father hated when I was late, but I couldn’t help it. I always started out with all the time in the world then out of nowhere it rushed off. I was horrible with time. Either I was too early, or too late.
When I walked in the door my father was standing at the counter talking to Surah. As soon as Ssiah spotted him he took off running in his direction.
“You’ve had my uncle sitting here waiting for a whole hour.”
I laughed. “My father knows that I’m always late. Why he shows up here on time I don’t know.” Seconds later I approached and hugged my father.
“That doesn’t make it any better, Avery.” When he called me by my middle name I just knew he was serious.
“You’re right, Dad. I got carried away this morning. I’ll try to get better.”
He smiled. “That’s all I wanted to hear. Now I’ll leave you to your day. Me and the little guy are gonna go by the store. Are you coming by tonight?”
“Yeah. I’ll probably be late but I’ll be there.” I leaned down and kissed my baby on his forehead. “Be good for your pop-pop. I love you, Ssiah.”
His smile lit up my whole world. “Wuv you too, Mommy.” Seconds later he planted a kiss on my cheek.
After my father and Ssiah left it was just me and Surah in the store. It took her exactly one minute, before she started her shit.
“You walked in the door just as giddy. Got something to tell me?” she asked.
“No. I just had a good morning.”
“And that wouldn’t be curtesy of a certain nigga named after a direction would it.” She asked with a smile on her face.
I smirked. “Maybe.”
“Bitch bye. Have you and him had that conversation yet?”
“No, but I keep asking myself if it’s even worth it. I mean I li?—”
“Yes, you like him and it’s damn obvious that you like him. At this point you either have to shit or get off the pot. Tell that man how you feel.”
She was right, so I had no rebuttal. I just didn’t want to say something and find out that I’m the only person feeling this way. I don’t think I could take that. Matter of fact I couldn’t take that.
“Put your big girl panties on and go tell that nigga how you feel.” Now she was batting her eyes with this big ass smile on her face.
I returned the smile. Love looks good on you.”
