“Glad you know,” Erys stepped back and watched her snatch the phone and the cord off the counter. “You’re welcome.”
“Fuck you, Erys,” she shot back, walking away into the living room.
“Gladly,” he muttered to himself, watching her limited motion as she sat on the far end of the living room.
Ernie laughed from his spot at the table. “You tore her ass up, didn’t you?”
Erys shook his head. “Not yet.”
Ernie nodded. “You gave her stubborn ass that Moore taster. You might be my boy after all. Got to give them a little taste before you fuck their life up. Pimping 101.”
“And that’s where we different, ain’t no pimping over here,” Erys shared, moving to the door. “Just a hunter and his mean ass prey.”
“Give me a grandkid before I die at least. Make me sharing worth my damn while,” Ernie said to his back. While Erys collected the food from the delivery boy, Ernie shuffled to Remedy to do what he did best, play sides.
“Why you actin’ like that?” Ernie muttered, nudging Remedy. “Looking all pretty and mean, and mean and pretty.”
“I’m not acting. I overslept. You need to eat and I need to get these strippers here for your party tomorrow,” Remedy spoke, steadily texting away.
“I heard you crying this morning,” Ernie voiced, looking at her.
Remedy stopped texting and looked at him. “This has been a lot and it’s happening too fast and I’m holding on for you.”
“You got to stop holding on for me when you got a lot more to hold on to,” Ernie shared.
Erys watched silently from the kitchen while he unbagged the food.
Remedy shook her head. “If only you knew. For real. There is absolutely nothing to hold on to. You’re literally the anchor.”
“I’m not the anchor, Rem,” he shared, throwing his arm over his shoulder. “I’m just the vessel the anchor came from.”
Remedy settled and laid her head on his shoulder. “You get poetic and shit when you stay up all night.”
“I’m Sweet Lick Ernie, baby, I’m poetry in motion. Live action art. You better know me. I’ll give you something that’ll have you all domesticated and shit. Being sweet and outside on your knees playing in mother earth’s coochie,” Ernie said with confidence.
“Ernie,” Remedy started, fighting laughter. “What?”
“You know, Rem. Crazy ass nigga meets mean ass girl with thick ass glasses. He talks sweet and shit, all that lip service in her ear, you know. He takes the panties, puts a baby up in her. Builds her a house, makes sure her mean ass is only sweet for him. House full of proof that love and shit exist and it’s beautiful. That mean ass woman makes that house a home and is outside making gardens and shit. I’d say that’s a dream worth making reality. Only thing is, your house is already built,” Ernie spoke lowly. “You better wake up and see where you at, girl.”
She squinted.
“And get your pretty ass some more glasses so you can see the beauty of this thing.”
“There is not a thing to see because nothing is happening. And whose side are you on anyway?” Remedy questioned.
“The side of seeing the only two things I got left in this world build something so what I love don’t die with me either. Hear me, girl. You need this like I need you,” Ernie shared before kissing the top of her head. “Erys, where’s our food, nigga. You can’t fuck her and not feed her!”
“Oh my God, Ernest,” Remedy huffed, pushing herself up and walking away outside on the patio.
Erys’ chuckled as he strolled out holding two trays.
“Nigga, are those leaves?” Ernis started. “Take that rabbit food to one of those skinny bitches that be switching up and down the street.”
“The salad is mine,” Erys said with a chuckle.
“Oh, I was about to say you need cushion for the pushing. You need yams for the yams,” Ernie said, taking his tray, finding a BLT and pasta salad. “Yeah, that’s more like it.”
“God forbid you don’t have your bacon,” Erys mumbled, walking out on the porch.
