Page 98 of Just Like Summer

“Black coffee and a sprinkled donut. Please. My nerves are bad this morning and I don’t like public speaking.”

forty

“Aight, talk to me, how was day one?” Nate asked, as Cairo moved to his balcony to spark a blunt. It wasn’t as grand as Kamilla’s. He knew any space she was in was grand and not having that access right now because of professional obligations was an irritation to his entire existence.

“Tell you what,” he huffed, taking a seat and watching the bodies sixty stories down. “She finer than she was when I left.”

“You ‘bout to get the old thing back, aren’t you?” Nate asked, already knowing how this was going to go. However, with his insider information, he added, “I would implore you not to show your Vato-Azul ass while y’all out there working.”

“Boy, fuck you,” Cairo snipped with irritation growing, thinking about that stupid ass ring and the fact he had more of his father in him than he’d like to admit. “Who is this nigga she got?”

“Huh?” Nate asked.

“You huh you can muhfuckin’ hear. Who put that dumbass ring on her finger? I tried to get that shit off after she passed out, and the only option I was left with was cutting her finger off. My baby got pretty fingers, I’m not trying to leave her with a nub,” he stated.

Nate cackled. “Yeah, imagine your barbie missing a finger. Your niece popped the head off her barbie, made me buy three more. She got your crazy too.”

“Don’t put that shit on me, nigga,” Cairo stated laughing. “You got a little psycho on your hands. That’s her momma. It’s always those pastor’s kids.”

“Fuck you, Cairo!” Dania chimed in the background.

“First of all, no thanks. Second, I knew your nosy ass was lingering in the background. Who is this nigga giving my baby these baby ass carats?” Cairo returned to his line of questioning.

“You don’t have to worry about him,” Dania stated.

“I don’t? Yeah, miss me with that. You know how I feel about niggas being too close to her,” Cairo shared, his cool starting to slip.

“Oh, here goes the crazy,” Dania huffed. “What you gonna do? Fight every nigga at El Jefe?”

“Nahhh,” Cairo dragged out, pushing the smoke out his lungs. “I’ll be there. They’ll know when they see me.”

“I told you, you should’ve let his crazy ass sit just a little longer,” Dania fussed at Nate.

Nate fussed back. “The nigga is nuts. The time wouldn’t’ve made a difference. Let the man get his girl back.”

“Listen, I don’t have time for y’all little couple’s argument shit,” Cairo shared.

“Then take your big ass back to her room and argue with her,” Dania turned from Nate to him.

“Can’t,” he stated.

“Oh, nigga, you getting soft,” Dania huffed.

“Nah. I’m trying to show her some growth. I’m trying not to show my ass while she doing business. I come in blazing, she’s gonna pull back. This ain’t that timid girl I met. She got some skin in the game now. She knows how to tell a nigga no, now,” Cairo palmed his face. “That’s on me.”

“I’m so happy you know that. Whatever she had to go through without you is completely your fault,” Dania defended. “Now tell me your plan.”

“Can you let me talk to my brother?” Nate huffed.

“He can talk to both of us. You’ll keep him crazy, I’ll reel it back in,” Dania countered.

“I just want a name and address. That’s all I want. I got the rest,” Cairo stated. “And what she got going on with OG Fredo?”

He could hear Nate wince and Dania laugh. They were playing with him and he knew it by the next set of words.

“My bad, Dania fucking off,” Nate lied. “Go find your daughter and leave me alone.”

“You know what, you gon’ want some later and I’m going to fart and play sleep,” Dania spoke, moving away from the phone.