“It’s Courtland,” Levi called out.
“Sup, lil’ man?” Rayzor smiled.
“You came to see the movie too?” Levi asked.
“I saw my own movie, lil’ man.”
Levi sulked.
He had already taken a liking to him. Has asked about him since dinner, both him and Erin. They rarely ask about anyone other than family and my friends. I don’t feed into it because I didn’t want to give them the wrong impression.
“I got you next time, aiight?” He winked at Levi.
The smile plastered on my son’s face made my heart melt, but my heart also skipped; felt like it broke. The last man that promised anything to him was his daddy, and we hadn’t seen him in two years.
He gave him pound before closing his door. He opened mine smoothly, helping me inside.
“You good?” I asked him, squinting my eyes from the sun.
The glow casting behind him made him seem larger than life.
“I’m cool.” He looked down on me. “You?”
“Yeah.”
He studied me. I felt small under his gaze. He squatted down and kissed the side of my mouth.
The silence was louder than my heart.
“What’s that for?”
“Nothing. I just wanted to show you I see you.”
My stomach tossed.
“Thank you.”
“No need.” He scanned the lot again, turning colder, but still present. “I’ll follow y’all home.”
“You don’t have to do all that.”
“I ain’t ask.”
He made me pull off and walked beside us until he got into his truck not too far away.
I wasn’t sure what to make of what Rayzor was doing, but it made me feel lighter. The way he took initiative, was protective and how he was about me and my son in that moment made me realize how much I’d been missing out on doing this alone.
After hitting the gym and a few brand meetings, I had an appointment. Eris was on my mental heavy. Had been for days even though we’d been on the phone talking and texting since running into them at the movies. It was something ‘bout her that calmed a nigga down. She made me want to move slower, appreciate and sit in the moment.
With my life being on the go, it’s hard to stop and breathe. With Eris, she made it natural to fall into a flow state. Calmer. She brought a sense of peace. I liked that.
In my rearview, I noticed this car following me like it did back at the lot. I could’ve been tripping, but you’re never too careful because mothafuckas knew who to fuck with. Keeping my hand on my shit, eyes on all mirrors, I kept it pushing, butwas ready for whatever in case it had to turn into a summertime shootout.
The car pulled outside the lot behind me. I got out, and it still sat there with the daytime lights foggy. They slow rolled toward me, stopping a few feet away. I walked toward it, and they pulled off.
I stayed back until their lights were down the road before going into the building.
Everybody was minding their business. The TV was on the news, and the receptionist was on the computer with the phones ringing crazily. This must’ve been one of those busy days Eris talked about.
