I wrapped my arms around Faith, then I felt Essex’s arms wrap around both of us. A moment that none of us knew we needed until it happened.
CHAPTER TEN
Rashawn Kentrel Williams
A WEEK LATER
“How do you think you did on the test, Unc?” Calvin, one of the young niggas in my Elementary Calculus course, questioned as we walked out of the freezing building.
“Man gon’ on with that shit. I ain’t that damn old,” I laughed.
“Shit, you’re the same age as my pops, so I’m calling you Unc,” he joked.
Ever since the first day of class when the professor had us go around the classroom to introduce ourselves with our name, age, and hometown, this motha fucka had all the jokes.
“But on some real shit. I don’t know what you did to yo’ ol lady, but you need to make shit right. Rub some feet, buy a Chanel bag, or something. We were the blind leading the blind last night in the library. We need her to lead the study group.Or better yet, give me her number. I’ll call her myself,” Calvin whipped his phone out.
“Man, watch out,” I shoved his ass out of my way and continued down the sidewalk.
“What? I ain’t complicit in whatever the fuck you did. Elise is a sweetheart. I know she’ll still help me.”
“Nigga she ain’t helping you with shit. And how the fuck you just assume that I did something to her? She fucked up with me,” I argued as we crossed the street for the parking garage.
“Nah, not Ms. Angel face. She couldn’t have done anything that bad. We just struggled through finals when your girl is our alley-oop. We had a math teacher who was always happy to help us, and you playing,” he laughed.
“Man, if you failed that exam, that’s on yo dumb ass. I know I passed,” I asserted confidently.
“You flaw as fuck, Unc,” Calvin shook his head.
“Yeah, yeah. You have a safe flight back to Cali. I’ll see you in the new year,” I announced before our paths veered off.
“I hope you have a good break and make up with teacher bae. We need y’all back on good terms before the next semester starts,” Calvin shouted, headed to the left where the sidewalk split, while I went to the right.
I waved him off and continued into the parking garage. My truck was on the second floor, and I took the stairs two by two. That was my last final of the semester, and I had a blunt waiting for me in the car to celebrate on my drive to Essex’s house.
As soon as I pulled onto Fowler Avenue, I lit the blunt and took a long pull. My mood instantly shifted, and I felt relaxed. Since the last time I saw Elise, I went from smoking a blunt a day to two. Heading to Essex’s crib, where I knew I would see Elise, wasn’t something I was ecstatic about doing, but the blunt would help lift the dark cloud from over me.
Wait For Uby Drake played on the radio, and I instantly turned that shit off. I eased up to the red light before I hopped onto the interstate and lifted my phone to change the music.Do For Loveby Tupac came on when I switched over to Apple Music. That was more like it. When I pulled up to Essex’s house, I could tell I was the last one there. His driveway was full, and I had to park against the curb a few doors down. I was good and high as I walked down the sidewalk, ready to eat some of that good food, then take my ass home.
Although my messy ass cousin, who still lived in Brooksville and went to Elise’s parents’ church, sent me a video of what went down that day at church, it still felt dystopian to enter Essex’s crib and see Faith sitting amongst the family. Faith always had it out for Elise, so I didn’t fuck with her. Now that we knew the backstory, I understood Faith a little better. Even with that said, the jury was still out on whether or not I’d welcome her with open arms like Essex and Elise had.
Faith was standing in the dining room with a red Solo cup in her hand, her long weave flowing down past her ass. The back of the head I was staring at in front of Faith belonged to Elise, Lambo by her side while she rubbed the top of his head. She loved that dog just as much as Essex did. The knotless braids she wore the last time I saw her were gone and she wore a silk press. Elise did that shit on purpose. She knew that was my favorite style on her.
Whatever topic they were discussing had Faith cackling like they weren’t mortal enemies throughout college, and Elise didn’t damn near break her hand a few weeks back. However, forgiveness was never my strong suit, so it was no surprise I couldn’t understand the ease with which Faith was welcomed to the family. I never played with people, so I expected the same in return.
It was the Friday before Elise and Essex’s birthday, and we were celebrating as a family before Essex took his wife to the mountains the next morning. He had a cabin in Sevierville, Tennessee, and they spent his birthday up there since the year they met. Since Elise loved hibachi, Essex hired a hibachi chef to come to the crib and put on the dinner for the family. It was the middle of December, and the weather was in the low seventies, perfect for the occasion. I continued across the living room with plans to head straight to the back to have a seat, but Ms. Candace, Essex’s mother-in-law, halted my stride.
“Rashawn, you are coming in awfully quiet today. Hell must be about to freeze over,” she greeted me with a raised brow.
“And I’ve known Rashawn since he was in sixth grade, that boy ain’t never been quiet,” Mrs. Nina added in. Her husband, Mr. Jordan, eyed me as well.
Mrs. Nina and Mr. Jordan were Essex’s late wife’s parents, and I’d known them since we were in middle school. They stared me down like I was an ancient artifact while their words garnered the attention of everyone else on the first level of the home. I spotted two of Nariyah’s cousins from the incident on Halloween exiting the house through the sliding glass doors that led to the backyard.
“I’m chilling. I just finished finals last week. I’m still recovering from all of those late nights and early mornings.”
“That’s what’s up, man. I’m so proud of you, Rashawn. If your father were still here, he’d be so proud. Terrell is smiling down on you mam,” Mr. Jordan dapped me up then pulled me in for a hug.
“Thanks, man. I appreciate that,” I nodded, feeling proud of myself.
