She looked up at me shy like she didn’t already spend all last night and this mornin’ showin’ out.
“Baby, stop,” she whispered, tryna hide her smile.
“Stop what?” I asked, lettin’ my hand slide down and grab her ass real slow. “You wasn’t shy when you had yo’ legs on my shoulders a few hours ago.”
She pushed my chest light, like she was embarrassed but enjoyin’ every second.
Sha’Nelle finally closed her door and shook her head. “If y’all sprung asses don’t calm down.”
I grinned and licked my lips without takin’ my eyes off Toni. “Come on, baby,” I said, takin’ her hand as we walked toward the door.
When we stepped inside, the whole house damn near erupted.
Pressure, Renza, and all our girl cousins was in the foyer lookin’ fresh as hell and yellin’ my name like I just walked in from war. Pressure had on some fresh black shit with gold jewelry and Renza was dressed like he thought he was about to perform on stage. Our cousins surrounded me with hugs and loud voices and touches to my chest and back. For a second it felt like I stepped into a wave of warmth that smacked me straight in the heart.
“Nigga, come here,” Pressure said, pullin’ me into one of them half hugs with his hand at the back of my neck. “We told Ma and Pop they gotta wait to see you ‘cause today we gettin’ fucked up and I ain’t got time for nobody talkin’ shit behind it.”
Renza nudged me. “Whole family ready to celebrate yo’ crazy ass.”
All that noise and love filled the room, and I felt good in a way I couldn’t even explain. I ain’t realize how much I missed this shit until I was in the middle of it again.
Then I saw Pluto…
She was walkin’ toward me with both of my babies in her arms. Prestyn came first with his chubby arms out when he saw me and Kaylon was right behind him reachin’ too. The second I saw them my whole chest opened up.
“Aye, come here, boys,” I said as I took both of them into my arms. I hugged ‘em tight and kissed they cheeks and foreheads. Prestyn wrapped his small arms around my neck and held on like he wasn’t lettin’ me go again. His lil’ face pressed into my shoulder, and I felt him breathe into me. Kaylon touched my chains and babbled somethin’ that made me laugh under my breath.
“I missed y’all,” I whispered against they heads. “Both of y’all.”
Pluto watched with this soft smile that she only gave when she was happy for somebody else. After I set Prestyn on his feet so he could stand with Renza, I kept Kaylon in my arm and reached out for Pluto with my free hand.
“Aye, girl,” I said gently as I pulled her closer by the hand.
She stepped in slow and I wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her into me. Her body relaxed against mine and she looked up into my eyes like she already knew what was comin’.
“I’m sorry,” I said, my voice low and real. “I was wrong for how I talked to you. Dead wrong. I ain’t never supposed to disrespect you like that. Not you.”
Pluto touched my chest with her hand. “Kay’Lo… I forgave you a long time ago.”
That almost made me drop my head ‘cause Pluto had always been solid. She never held grudges, and she never loved halfway.
Pressure stepped in with a smirk. “Aye, nigga… stop holdin’ on my wife like that.”
I rolled my eyes. “Man, go to hell. We talkin’. Stay out our business.”
Renza cracked up and Pluto shook her head at both of us. Pressure muttered somethin’ under his breath but I ain’t hear it ‘cause Kaylon tugged on my chain and Prestyn was runnin’ back toward me again.
Everybody started headin’ toward the dinin’ room ‘cause the food was smellin’ too good to ignore. Pressure slapped my shoulder and said we about to turn the hell up all day long. Renza was already talkin’ about shots. Toni slipped her hand back in mine as we walked, and I looked down at her and smiled slow.
I felt good.
Trill-Land, Jungle Estate
Hours passed and I was still at Pressure’s, drunk as a bitch and feelin’ good as hell. My stomach was full, and my spirit felt light in a way it ain’t felt since before everything went left. The sun was slidin’ down, and the backyard lights was comin’ on, the music had been rollin’ since earlier, and the smell of liquor and barbecue was sittin’ in the air.
I was leaned back in one of Pressure’s big ass patio chairs with a cup in my hand and a blunt between my fingers while Blaqson shuffled the cards slow. The nigga finally showed up earlier and showed me some love.
Pressure was sittin’ across from me with his drunk ass. Renza was on my right talkin’ loud as hell ‘cause the liquor was already hittin’ him. We had been out here long enough for the ice inour drinks to melt twice, and the more the alcohol settled in my chest, the funnier everything sounded.
