20
REINA
Agirlfriend.
Was I considered a late bloomer because my first time being a girlfriend was at 31? I didn’t know what it meant, actually, tobeone. Like, what do I feed him besides my pussy? What happens when we get into arguments? Do we just break up? Nah, you supposed to just talk that out, right? I felt like such a novice.
I just knew I wanted to be a good girlfriend, and admitting that made me want to barf.
What kinda soft ass bitch was I turning into?
Throwing my truck in park, I hopped out and walked up my mother’s driveway. Reign, her, and I had a family group chat, but we rarely talked in it. After observing how close Rae and Mama Nicole were, and even Vasiah and Poppa Hill, I decided that Reign and I should put forth more effort in connecting with our mother. The nerve-wracking thing was that I couldn’t help but think she might not want to. She was naturally a quiet woman and worked hard as a travel nurse. The older we got, the more distant our mama became, and then when Nana died,it was like she really fell off the face of the earth. Reign acted like he didn’t care, but I knew that deep down inside, he did becauseIdid. I found myself clinging to Rae’s mama more than my own. No matter what she said, I knew Mama Nicole didn’t mind, but I couldn’t help but wonder why I couldn’t have a happy and healthy relationship with myownmother. I hesitated before ringing her doorbell. She’d bought a house in the Beverly area not too long ago, and it was beautiful. The nicely manicured lawn, the black BMW truck parked in the driveway, and the rose bushes adorning the sides of the house showed that my mama was doing well for herself. Right before I pressed the doorbell, Reign pulled up and hopped out. We still weren’t speaking, but I was happy to see him.
“Yo mean ass nervous, huh?” he smirked, walking up next to me.
I scoffed. “Don’t you fuckin’ start with me, and I won’t start with you.”
He ignored me and rang the doorbell. Moments later, she answered the door, looking healthy and happy. We shared the same caramel macchiato skin tone as Nana, the same height, and the same shape, though she was more top-heavy. Her hair was done in honey blonde box braids, her signature hair color as long as I could remember. She was dressed casually in a navy blue lounge set and matching Chanel slides. Renita King was beautiful, that was for sure. “Both my twins coming to see me today- what a blessing,” she greeted us airily, giving us both a quick hug. The inside of her two-story brick home was even more stunning on the inside with high ceilings, marble flooring, and big bay windows. We greeted her back, then followed her into her family room. On one wall was a massive fish tank, making me feel like I was in a scene fromFinding Nemo, and suspended from the ceiling was a fifty-inch flat screen T.V.
“I have a Bartesian. Do ya’ll want something to drink?”
I looked at Reign. “Ummm… a blueberry margarita, please.”
“I’ll take water,” Reign replied. He wasn’t much of a drinker and probably felt that he needed to be sober because he didn’t know how this afternoon would go. She headed to the kitchen to make our drinks, and I cut my eyes at him.
“So…” she started, handing me my drink and settling into her armchair. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”
“Just came to lay eyes on you.” Reign shrugged.
“Oh? That’s sweet of you both. What’s new?”
“Umm…I got a boyfriend,” I blurted.
She smiled, and it looked like I was staring at myself in the mirror. “That’s good, honey. Is this your first one?”
I nodded shyly.
“Well… I hope he’s a good man. I don’t want you to be like me, getting caught up in the wrong men and their lifestyles.”
An awkward silence fell upon the room. I cleared my throat, feeling the room get smaller. “He’s… a great man, actually.”
“Is he really, LaReina?” Reign taunted, but I didn’t find his bean-headed ass humorous.
“Yes, and you would know that if your bean-head ass actually gave him a chance,” I snapped. “Ma, your son was so fuckin’ rude to my man, and we haven’t spoken all week because of it.”
She looked amused. “What did he say?”
I recounted the story, and Reign just shrugged, standing ten toes down on how he treated Vasiah. I guess because I took so easily to Rae, I thought Reign would take easily to Vasiah, but I was sadly mistaken. Reign has always been protective, always trying to tell me what to do, and was always there when I made a mistake, but this was different. As scared as I was, I never felt so sure about anything or anyone in my life.
“Ya daughter just dramatic as fuck, Ma.”
“No, you’re rude as fuck, and you need to apologize!”
“For what?”
I looked at him incredulously. Reign sure knew how to piss me the hell off. “Vasiah didn’t come at you disrespectfully. I know your insane ass lacks the ability to be normal, but you started with him first. And my man can fight, and could probably whoop your big ass.”
“Man… I’ll shoot the shit outta his nerd ass.”
