“Anyway, after brunch, am I taking you home, or are you going back to our place?”
“I don’t know about going back to y’all’s spot, mama is at home and it might be boring with the babies being at your mom’s.”
“Jasmine, we have a patio with a fireplace, a full bar, TVs everywhere, a pool table, an air hockey table, and a Pac-Man machine in the game room. Stop acting like you only visit us to see Messiah and Amira.”
“I’m not acting, I do.”
“Well, you won’t be seeing them until you go and get Rj back from his broke ass daddy. I on the other hand am taking advantage of my babysitter. Because mama doesn't have a smoked out house anymore and Crew upgraded her to a better side of town, we finally trust the kids with her. So, I know you're going to let me breathe.”
“Oh I am, I get it, trust me.”
“I swear I want to tell Crew about Reggie taking Rj so bad, but I know we will be kissing him through the phone if I do.”
“Yeah, please don’t tell his crazy ass. I know Reggie is just blowing smoke anyway, so I’m not even going to take him too seriously on this. As soon as Rj starts crying for me all throughout the night, he will bring him back. This isn’t the first time his dumb ass has tried to prove a point.”
“Unfortunately, that’s a man for you.”
“Exactly why I don’t have one now. I mean, I may miss Trey for certain reasons, but that toxic shit wasn’t good for me anyway.”
P looked at me, twisting her lips to the side.
“You say that, sis, but I saw on the cameras that you got dropped off at our house last night. Now I didn’t say anything to your brother, but I think I know that car.”
“It’s not even what you're thinking, P, so don’t go there. I can’t stand his ass for what he did, but he saw me about to get on the bus and offered a ride, that’s all.”
“I didn’t say anything, I just thought I would mention that I saw y’all. Look for what it’s worth, Amir is a decent dude, he’s just a victim of the gangsta mindset because of who his people were.”
“The murderer is a victim? Okay, P.” I laughed through my nose.
“It’s the truth. Shit, I know my husband has done dirt because of his upbringing, but he’s still a great man for me. Sometimes it’s best to have a man on your arm that will pop a mutha fucka if he has to. Especially around here, girl.”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
“Know so, sister, and plus, it also helps when he is fine, and Amir is that.”
“Yeah, he's alright, I guess.” Pernelle smacked her lips at my laid-back response.She knew I was fronting.
Pernelle had slowly started to become more and more like a big sister to me, and her advice was always harsh yet meaningful, kind of like Crew’s.
I know she wasn’t lying when she said that Amir looked good because he does. Shit, back in the day or in another situation, I would’ve gotten at him.But now, I really didn't know how to feel about his ass. One minute I hate him, the next, hispretty ass hair hanging on his beautiful skin was on my mind. I'm torn in between hate and pure lust right now.
The car came to a complete standstill in the middle of the street, and Pernelle started to honk aggressively, getting her money’s worth out of her fuckin horn.
“What the fuck! I’m way too hungry for this shit! I hate driving at this time of day.” The car was jerking from her accelerating and stopping.
“It looks like there is a funeral going on. Everybody who’s been walking down that way is in black.”
“And it’s going to be another one if one more person jumps in front of my car. I’m starving.”
I lifted from my seat and looked out of the window, seeing that the line of cars was backed up all the way to East 4th Street. I saw ahead that a funeral limo had collided with a hearse, both of them sitting crooked in the middle of the road.
“Well, sis, I have some crackers in my purse that I stole from your pantry before we left. We may as well dig into those because it looks like we're about to be on this street for a while.”
“Fuck that. I’m hungry as shit, and I haven’t eaten since last night!” Pernelle complained as people cut in and out of the cars, carrying plates and commenting on the wreck up ahead.
“Me too, and I wanted something good. That’s why I suggested Marcello’s.”I replied.
“That did sound good, but you know what sounds even better? An after funeral plate.” I laughed at her.
