Page 38 of Another Night With Me

”How you feeling friend?” That was Solana asked sitting across from me holding her son Zachariah.

“I’m good. Just happy to be out that hospital,” I sighed bringing my legs up on the couch then lightly placing them under my body.

“I know you are. Sunshyne was pissed because she missed seeing her new baby cousin,” Solana laughed as she talked about her daughter, who was also Niko’s niece. Sunshyne, with her step sisters,Mason, and Mallory all were with Solana’s fiancé, Marlo at a Splash Zone, an indoor water park, for a birthday party. Since Zachariah was only four months old they decided it was best for Solana to stay home with him.

Sunshyne is Niko’s younger brother Sonni’s daughter. I think because Niko felt responsible for Sonni being in the streets which led to his death, Niko went out of his way to spoil Sonni’s kids. Al the uncles did however I think Niko did a little more for Sonni’s kids. I know Sonni had other kids but his other baby mama had cut communication off with the brothers after they jumped on her boyfriend for whooping Sonni’s son. She’d taken the kids and moved all the way to Beauville. They hadn’t heard from her in months. Which Niko was pissed about but being that he was just an uncle there was only so much he could do.

Personally, I felt like his brother Sonni was a bitch ass nigga. He did my girl Solana so dirty that I felt like death was too good for him. Not only did he have three kids on her while they were together. Sonni liked to put his hands on Solana and threatened to kill her. I couldn’t respect how Sonni moved when he was alive. He didn’t seem like my cup of tea. I kept those thoughts to myself, I was trying not to speak ill of the dead and I was trying to be respectful to how Niko felt about his brother.

“Where grouchy at?” Zaylee asked from the other end of the bright red U-shaped sectional the three of us were sitting on. Zaylee had Zuriyah cradle in her arms.

”He left earlier. said he had something he needed to take care of,” I answered with a pout.

I didn’t want to admit I had been lonely since Niko had left early this morning. I had gotten so used to Niko being around that I missed his presence. I wasn’t used to him being gone for more than two hours max without hearing from him at least. He’d never gone this long without checking in with me. I was tempted to text him but I didn’t want to seem like I was overstepping any boundaries. He wasn’t my nigga and he really could be gone as long as he wanted too.

“You see that Solana?” Zaylee snickered at me. “She like that nigga.”

“Real bad,” Solana giggled with Zaylee. I flipped both their childish asses off.

Scoffing before I said. “Of course I like him. Niko is my baby daddy. We cool.”

”Bitch byeee! You know good and damn well that’s not the kind of like we’re talking about.” Zaylee waved me off.

“Then I don’t know what ya’ll delusional bitches are talking about.” I feigned ignorance.

“Mmm,” Solana pressed her lips together, with the yeah right look. “Sooo if y’all just cool why you at his house rather than the house you just moved in. I mean this is a nice ass mini-mansion but I’m sure you could have just asked Niko to get you one of your own.”

“Cause I wasn’t finna keep arguing with the nigga about going to my house. He wanted us here with him so here I am.”

That was partly true, Niko was relentless about Zuriyah and me coming home with him. I tried to reason he didn’t have anything set up for Zuriyah at his house but he easily proved me wrong when he showed me pictures of her pink and gold princess themed room. The bassinet, dresser, changing table, and rocking chair all were made out of the same white wood, with a pink Z on them all. Then Niko had gone out of his way with all the clothes he’d gotten her it was ridiculous. What really got me was how fucking nice his house was. I thought I was doing something with my new house but Niko’s made my house look like a shack. When I questioned why he had such a big house when he was single and lived alone. He said he didn’t plan to live here alone. Whatever that meant.

“Yanna be forreal if you didn’t want to come here you really wouldn’t have.” Zaylee shook her head at me.

”I’m learning to compromise,” I replied in a matter of fact tone.

“Solana, how long do you think she’s gonna last before she falls back onto the dick?” Zaylee softly laughed looking down at Zuriyah. “You better get all the time you can because you gone be a big sister soon.”

“I give it a month maybe two if she fights it too much. I saw how Niko kept looking at you when you were in the hospital.” Solana answered and I gave her a dirty look.

“Niko wasn’t looking at me anyway besides a friendly way. I-“

“The denial is real,” Solana chuckled, cutting me off. “If you mean the kind of friendly the way Marlo and I were. Then absolutely. Cause baby Niko was looking at you like he wanted to devour you. I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t want another baby.” Solana snickered.

I hadn’t told Zaylee or Solana about Niko asking me for another baby. I didn’t want to make a big deal out of a situation that wasn’t that serious. I’m sure Solana meant well but Niko and I were anything like her and Marlo. Both of them were in denial about their feelings for each other. They opted to pretend like they were best friends when we all knew they were really in love with each other.

“Whateveeer,” I teasingly replied. I went to say something but the sound of the front door slamming shut stopped my words. I looked up seeing Niko coming through the how looking pissed.

”Whad up y’all,” He grunted as he made his way into his front room. He went over to Zaylee taking Zuriyah from her arms he quickly kissed her then gave her back to Zaylee. “I’m finna be in my man cave.” He curtly said then made his way out the room.

”Eww, what’s wrong with him?” Zaylee frowned looking over at the door Niko just exited.

”I don’t know. Let me go check on him.” I said standing up quickly.

I had never seen Niko be so short with me and I wanted to make sure he was okay.

“Go check on yo’ nigga!” I heard Zaylee call out to my back as her and Solana laughed at my expense.

Instead of acknowledging my sister I focused on heading up the spiral staircase that led to Niko’s man cave. Niko’s house was something out of a magazine. The five bedroom, four and a half bathroom, with a finished basement, basketball court in the back, this house was one for the books. The only thing he added onto his house was his man cave that had it’s own staircase in the kitchen that led directly to his man cave.