Page 19 of Just Like Summer

“When are you going to do something with that hair?” Dania asked with a glint of detest, as Cairo strolled through the small living room of the apartment. This had been the longest running stint of him looking like this. Dania hadn’t pointed it out to either man that the string of losses further broke something he buried deep beneath his surface.

Cairo looked at her over his hiked shoulder then touched his mane.

“When you start minding your business,” he quipped playfully. “And since that ain’t happening no time soon, get used to it.”

Her detest deepened and her shoulders bounced. “I’m not the one who has to sleep with you.”

“I’m not a deeply religious nigga but I thank God for that. Couldn’t imagine having your hot ass breath in my face every damn morning,” he shot, making Dania frown and toss a pen she was using to fill out an application toward him. “You missed.”

“Hold your big ass still, I won’t miss you again,” she huffed. “Where you been anyway?”

For as long as Cairo had known Nate, he’d known Dania. She was the girl around the way; daughter of a pastor who spread more than the word of God and ultimately went to prison for misappropriation of funds and trafficking narcotics. All in the Lord’s name, of course. Since Dania’s life was turned upside down, she’d become a little sister Cairo didn’t know he needed.

“You and Nate got that same affliction, huh? Can’t Mind Yo Black Ass Business Itis,” Cairo commented looking her over. “And you full of it.”

Dania waved him off. “That doesn’t answer the question, Cairo. Where you been, who you been with?”

“Ay, Nate! Come get this nosy ass girl,” Cairo called down the hall.

“He at La Casa Taco. I got thirty minutes to be in your business,” Dania chimed, sitting next to him and tucking her legs underneath her. “Leslie said she saw you at Gary’s donuts with some cute fish out of the water looking girl. You got a girlfriend, Cairo, and didn’t tell me? I feel some type of way.”

“Leslie needs to mind her scamming ass business,” Cairo muttered. “She’s not my girlfriend.”

“Not yet,” Dania said in a sing-song voice. “You forget I know you. You don’t like people. In fact, you’re either putting someone through the concrete, blowing something up…or being a recluse. But you’ve been all over the city, and over in CK territory. Yeah, you got her marked and that smirk on your face tells me all I need to know.”

Cairo swiped a hand over his face. “Get out my business, D.”

“So when am I meeting her?” Dania continued to press.

“Mm,” Cairo grunted. “While you’re deep diving into my shit that don’t have nothing to do with you…I’m going to get into your mix.”

Dania pulled into a deep sigh as Cairo gave her a pointed look. “I’m keeping it.”

Cairo nodded with a small smile on his face.

“But you got to keep him out of trouble,” Dania added. “And by that, I mean keep Tiny out the mix.”

Cairo’s pleasant expression was zapped from his face. “What does that mean, D?”

“It means…” Dania took a deep breath. “Tiny is a liability. I know he’s your boy. I know how this gang shit works but…he’ll have you all in prison.”

“Is he running his mouth?” Cairo questioned. There was a rule when it came to how Cairo moved around in the streets. Keep a low profile, don’t be flashy, and never tell anyone where the money came from. “Who told you that?”

“No one had to tell me anything. I’ve seen it. Up and down the block with bitches, slapping niggas with money. Talking about the jobs. He’s going to get y’all in some bullshit. I’m not going to one of those prison baby mamas yelling on the call. Like my momma. I won’t be her.”

Cairo held his hands up just as Nate appeared from the short hall. “I hear you. I got him.”

“Good.”

“You know I got him right?” Cairo posed, ensuring Dania had his assurance. On his life, he would make sure Nate would be a family man and Dania would have the stability she longed for.

“Fuck y’all in here whispering for?” Nate asked, zapping the sibling moment. “You two niggas trying to set me up?”

Dania rolled her eyes and stood up. “I would’ve just taken you out in your sleep. Don’t nobody want to conspire with this zealot of mania.”

“Got damn a zealot of mania?” Cairo jeered. “I like that.”

“See, crazy as all hell,” Dania huffed, standing up.