“Regardless, play ya position and chill. I can tell she genuinely fucks wit' you and who’s to say she ain’t ready? Just ‘cause she came out of a relationship doesn’t mean shit. These niggas outchea fuckin’ over good women, women thatstillbe good women when they leave them muhfuckas. Most times, those women have already started the healing process. It’s us niggas that refuse to go to therapy or release demons that keep us fucked-up in the head. Women understand they’re broken and many of them actually take steps to heal from their brokenness. It’s when a fuck nigga come in and do more damage that creates an issue for her. You’re not that nigga to cause her damage. So, in my book, it’s a win-win for you.”
“Yeah, let me gon’ an put this blunt out,” Sin said after it went back to crickets and frog noises. He ashed his blunt and shook his head. “Zoo sounds like he talkin’ with some sense, so this shit gotta be laced.”
Brooklyn and I fell out laughing.
“Y’all act like a nigga can’t be reformed,” I defended.
“More like whipped,” Sin intoned, then quickly added, “I can’t talk, though.”
“It’s a beautiful thing to see us growin’ the fuck up,” Brooklyn stated. “Our siblings and younger cousins got us to look up tolike we did those before us. We can’t fuck up the love our family has taught us.”
“Agreed,” Sin and I mumbled.
Brooklyn was right. Our family was built on values that we had to continue upholding. We were no longer young men that could fuck off just because we could. We were businessmen, brothers, cousins, sons, and most of all, family.
“I say we take the girls out to eat. Have an extravagant ass set up to surprise my baby. Of course, neither one of y’all better tell y’all women. I want Naomi to be so shocked that she agrees to have ten more kids with me.”
We laughed so loud the wind carried our voices to the heavens.
“Why are we here? Why did we come all the way to Atlanta just to go shopping?”
Pen and I couldn’t enjoy shopping because her ass was questioning me every five minutes. We took the day trip to find her something special to wear for Sin’s proposal dinner. Sin wanted it kept on the hush, but Pen was doing whatever she could to pull information out of me. My soft ass wasthisfucking close to spilling the tea, ‘cause I was tired of her hounding me.
“Baby, you gon’ pick an outfit or question me to death?”
She blinked at me several times, before rolling her eyes and placing her hands on her hips.
“Where am I wearing the outfit to?”
“Nowhere if you’on get yo’ ass to shoppin’.”
“I can’t even have a hint?”
“Hell, no.”
“So, now we’re keeping secrets from each other?” She glared at me, thinking it was going to get her what she wanted.
“Nah. And you better not keep any from me.”
“You are keeping secrets.” We were in the middle of the mall, folks passing by us and staring. Pen must’ve forgotten who she was. A few people noticed her and stopped to speak. When she realized how much attention she was causing, she let me take her hand and continue through the mall.
Two hours later, she’d finally picked out a dress and some sexy-ass heels.
“I’m mad you won’t tell me what all this is for.” We were back in the truck and headed to the hotel.
“Can’t you just trust me?”
She smacked her teeth and mumbled something under her breath.
“You wanna suck my dick? What?”
Pen’s neck snapped my way. “Idid notsay that.”
“That’s what it sounded like to me, baby.”
“No, it didn’t. You’re just being nasty. And no, I won’t suck your dick anyway. Not until you tell me why I need this dress and these pretty-ass heels you just bought me… That we drove all the way to Atlanta for.”
“So, now you gon’ bribe me?”
