Kordai smirked. “She like you.”
I shook my head. “She likes anyone who talks to her.”
“Yeah, I bet,” he shot back. “You ain’t hear thebabyevery three sentences?”
I laughed. “Boy, if you don’t—”
“I’m just saying,” he interrupted, leaning back in the chair.
“Relax,” I said, shaking my head. “That woman been knowing me since I was in braces and football pads.”
“And?” he said.
I pointed at him. “I ain’t trying to hear all that weird shit.”
He laughed. “Hey, I’m just observing. You over here charming divorced aunties and don’t even realize it.”
“Well,” I said, standing up, “you gonna wait on Pops or come back? I’m about to head to show a client a new listing and then head in. I’m trying to make it home way before dinner today.”
He stood too, stretching. “I’ll wait a little longer. If he doesn’t show in thirty minutes, I’m gone.”
“Fair enough.”
He pulled me into a quick side hug before heading toward the door. “Proud of you, big bro.”
I patted his back. “Proud of you too, baby boy. Always got you.”
13
Khloe
The kitchen smelled like garlic, onions, and comfort. My knife was hitting the cutting board while Solange’sA Seat at the Tableplayed softly from the record player.
Cranes in the Skyfloated through and I didn’t realize how badly I needed the album until it was spinning.
I popped one AirPod into my ear before calling Coffee. Kennedi was home, and even though she stayed in her room, that girl could hear through walls like the FBI.
She answered immediately.
“Ayyyyye,” Coffee said. “That’s my song.”
I smiled to myself. “Girl, I’ve been jamming. This vinyl record player might be my favorite purchase yet.”
“Hold on,” she said, suddenly alert. “You found that album in stores?”
“Yes!” I whispered-shouted, excited all over again. “I screamed when I saw it. Like I almost lost my mind.”
“Of course you did.” Coffee laughed because we used to blast the album together.
“And Stacks was just standing there looking at me like I was crazy.”
Coffee sighed long and loud. I paused mid-chop and frowned. “What?”
“Oh nothing,” she said dryly. “Just this Tupac wanna be nigga with the nose-ring is trying to take all your damn time. He’s seen you almost every day this week.”
I laughed so hard I had to put the knife down. Thank God for AirPods. Kennedi didn’t need to hear any of that.
“First of all,” I said, “he has not seen me every day. He’s only seen me twice in person. And both times we ate breakfast and went record shopping.”
