The place still looked solid despite sitting untouched for months. Heavy still had the lawn care people come out and take care of the grass, but the inside hadn’t been maintained. The sign across the front still readMr. G’s Community Center, but it was so much more than that. It was a legacy. It was years of Gramps dedicating himself to the people he loved and a community that had been deliberately deprived of services.
The exterior needed some work, fresh paint, and a few repairs, but the structure was still solid, much like the man who built it.
“You there?” Lisa asked.
“Yeah. Just hopped out.”
“Let me see. Turn the camera around.”
Heavy flipped the camera while walking toward the entrance. Lisa smiled once the building came into view.
“Oh, I know he would be so happy,” she whispered.
Heavy looked down for a second, swallowing around the sudden lump in his throat.
Mesha blinked away her tears and nodded. “He really would. I can hear him now. Mama, can I cuss?”
Lisa rolled her eyes. “Go ‘head, girl.”
“Gramps would be like, ‘Bout time you took your ass on up there. What you thought it was gon’ do, bite you?”
The trio laughed, knowing that’s exactly what George would’ve said. Or something along the lines of it. Either way,Heavy knew he’d be proud of him, and that’s what mattered the most.
“Aye, good morning. How y’all doing?” Heavy spoke, greeting the contractors with handshakes.
“Can’t complain at all,” one answered for them both.
“I’ma call y’all back when I leave here,” Heavy told them.
Lisa smiled. “Okay, baby. Love you.”
“I love you, too, big head. Don’t forget to pick up my baby today,” Mesha said.
“I got her, and I love y’all too.”
The call disconnected, and Heavy internally prepared himself for the walkthrough. The weight of why he was even there sat idly in his chest, but Gramps’ presence was felt even more. And for that, Heavy was grateful.
“I’m sosad this is our last night out together,” Gabi whined.
She’d finally made her way into town for Thanksgiving break, and the days had flown by too quickly. Living out of state was nice until she visited home and didn’t want to leave. Thankfully, it was only Friday. They had two more days to hang out.
Fastening her gold necklace, Cyren fixed her hair. “Not really. Just our last night out, out.”
“True,” Gabi agreed, squeezing her strip lash for the third time. “Ugh. I’m so mad my lash tech canceled on me at the last minute. These will be off by the end of the night.”
“Let me see,” Cyren said.
Stepping her way, she grabbed the tweezers made for lashes and helped her out. Gabi would’ve been even more upset had one fallen off while they were out and she had no backup plan.
“Now, stop touching them. That’s why it won’t stay,” Cyren fussed.
Chuckling, Gabi blew her a kiss. “Thank you.”
“Mhm. Should I change?” Cyren asked, adjusting her breasts. Her D-cups sat up nicely in a black sheer bustier top. One wrong move, though, and she was liable to have a nip slip.
“No. What’d you just tell me? Stop touching it, that’s why it won’t stay,” Gabi mocked, making them laugh. “I can tighten it for you. Turn around.”
Gabi untied and retied her top to fit more snugly. It cinched her waist just right, making her hips more pronounced in the little black shorts hugging her curves. Even with years of not playing sports, her glistening, toned legs gave you a hint of her past life. Sticking with the all-black theme for the party they were headed to, Cyren had on open-toe strappy heels, showing off her fresh pedicure. Something about white toes in the winter always did it for her.
