“I literally talk to y’all every day.”
“It ain’t the same as seeing you.”
“That’s because he over there playing stepdaddy,” Lal jested.
I hid my middle finger from Siori’s sight and stuck it up at him. He chuckled and embraced me next.
“Uncle Baye, are you ready to go?” Siori asked.
“Yeah, go get your sister and brothers so we can roll.”
She rushed off and up the stairs as I turned back to Bilal and Sheena.
“In other news, how is business coming along?” Lal asked.
“Everything’s cool. No complaints so far, but we’ve only been open for two weeks, so prayerfully, we get nothing but good reports.”
“That’s good. I’m proud of you, brodie.”
“Thanks, man.” I gave a curt nod with a smile on my face.
“So, Florida, huh?” Sheena asked, smiling at me.
Bilal laughed. “Baby, leave him alone.”
“Whaaat? I’m just asking!”
“You’re enjoying this way too much,” I said.
“I’m just saying! You’re single; she’s almost single . . . It just makes sense, ya know?”
I shook my head at her. “I’m going to be honest. I think she’s a beautiful, amazing woman, and I’d love to court her. But she’s still going through a divorce, and I know she’s not ready to start dating again. If it happens, then you’d be the first to know, sis. I promise.”
“I pray it happens for you. She seems nice from when I interviewed her.”
“She is nice, but I won’t put the pressure on her until she shows me she’s ready.”
“You better talk it, bro-in-law!” She snapped her fingers as the kids came rushing down the stairs.
“Ready, Uncle Baye!” Sahira yelled. I smiled down at her and nodded.
“A’ight, let’s roll out. I’ll bring them back around eight thirty,” I told their parents.
“A’ight. Y’all behave yourselves,” Lal told them as they both kissed the kids goodbye. We all loaded inside my truck, and I anticipated seeing the beautiful divorcee and her tribe.
My phone rang with an unknown number, and I swiped the bar to answer.
“Basil Cassidy.”
“Hey, stranger. It’s Sharnae.”
I frowned in confusion, trying to remember the voice and the name. “Uh, forgive me if I don’t remember who are you, mama.”
“You met me atThe Lofta few months ago. The one with the birthmark on her inner thigh.”
Oh.
Yeah, I remembered shorty. That birthmark shaped like a heart on her inner thigh was the only reason I knew who she was. Crazy, but there wasn’t much else to remember her by.
