Page 12 of Welcome Home

Back To The Present . . .

As I walked behind Kee into Club Obsession, I was on her ass. I would just call her what she was, whether she acknowledged it yet or not. Mazikeen Joy Phillips was my woman.

Since I was a kid, my father taught me to make firm decisions on what I wanted in life. Once I knew what those were, to move forward in whatever way best to get those things. In this case, it was a person.

Kee was a fine-ass woman with a bad-ass body. She was the type that received double takes from men and women. Some women looked with admiration and others with jealousy or envy. I wasn’t worried about those bitches.

It was these niggas that looked at her like if they had the chance that they would take her down. Yeah, that wasn’t alright with me. I didn’t mind if they admired then moved on. The problem was that there were males in this world who didn’t seem to have any fucking home training. Couth, manners, and respect were qualities that they lacked.

That was the reason that my body was pressed firmly against Kee’s back with an arm wrapped around her waist as we walked through the club to our section.

I gave dudes the benefit of the doubt when we walked in. Less than five steps in, someone loudly professed that he would give anything to feel her ass bounce on his dick. The benefit of the doubt went out of the window. I wasn’t a man who was violent without warrant. These niggas gave me warrants on every damn level.

It didn’t take long for us to get to our section. Since it was just the four of us, we went with what the club labeled as their booed up sections. It had two comfortable love seats that were across from each other. There was a table between the seats where the waitress placed food and drinks.

“When’s the last time that you’ve been here?” I asked Kee in her ear after we sat down. She smelled good as hell. Very lickable.

Her shoulders lifted to her ears. “It’s been a while. I’m more of a homebody, but this setup is really nice.”

My arm wrapped around her shoulder tightly when her body settled into mine. She felt good against me. “Yeah, this is a nice setup.” My lips kissed her neck. “I’m happy I get to experience this with you, Kee.”

Her face turned toward mine, then her lips landed on mine. She deepened the kiss when my hand gripped the front of her neck. Her moan invigorated me.

“I see we’re sitting across from two ovulating muthafuckas.” Rome’s voice broke into the temporary world that Kee and I created for ourselves. “I’d hate to have to be the one to tell my future god baby that they were conceived in a club bathroom.”

We all chuckled. Kee shifted in my arms. “From what I know, that more than likely will be what me and Fal tells our god baby about their conception.”

Lula Ann giggled. “You don’t have to try to call me out, bestie. I already told my man that I was going to take his ass down in the VIP bathroom.” She shifted in her seat to face Rome. “You want to handle that now or later?”

Rome bit his bottom lip. “How the fuck have I gone this long without you. We can handle that now and later.”

They both got up and excused themselves like they weren’t about to go fuck in the bathroom of these folk’s establishment. “Y’all are wild as hell. Make sure y’all disinfect.”

The waitress came over to take our drink and food orders. I listened to Kee make her order for Cajun, blue cheese wings and a mixed drink for her as well as an order of lemon pepper wings and a mixed drink for Lula Ann. My head angled to the side for a beat before I gave her my order.

“Since she got the Cajun, blue cheese wings, I’ll get the mild wings, two beers, and you can change her mix drink to a water or Arnold Palmer. She won’t be drinking tonight,” I told the waitress.

Her head drew back before she glanced at Kee. “Oh, okay. I can change that if you want.”

There was a pause like she wanted Kee to say something. When she didn’t, the waitress finished tapping on her tablet before she told us that our order would be up in no time. She gave a final glance to Kee, then walked off.

“You know I can have a drink here and there. We are celebrating,” Kee whined. Her pout was cute as fuck and deserved a kiss.

My tongue requested entry, and her teeth separated to allow it. I pulled back from the kiss before it deepened. “Babe, I understand that we are celebrating, but I don’t think you should drink. That’s like actively working against yourself when you’re on dialysis. Why risk dehydration, empty calories, and potential blood pressure issues? You have fluid restrictions for a reason, and we’re not going to get into your medication.”

She gawked at me with tight eyes. It was hard to tell if she was upset or not. If I had to tell it, she wasn’t. “It sounds like someone did some research.”

She was right. I did. My mother told me that if I wanted to be with Mazikeen that I needed to understand her needs and limitations when it came to the type of lupus that she had. What my mother needed and what Kee needed could look very different. I took heed to what she said and went on a deep dive about lupus nephritis.

I chuckled while my shoulder lifted toward my ear. “A nigga has to stay on point about his woman and her health.” My lips went to her ear. In a low voice, I spoke. “In case you haven’t picked it up by now, we are in a relationship. Is that a problem for you?”

She pulled back. Her expression was seductive. “I have no problem with that at all.”

That was what I wanted to hear. The waitress came out with our drinks, set them on the table, then told us that our food was up next. Rome and Lula Ann returned to the section seconds after she left.

“Maz, did you order my wings?” Lula Ann asked her after she took a sip from her mixed drink. “I’m hungry.”

“I bet you are,” Kee quipped back with a giggle. “Yes, I ordered your lemon pepper wings. While we are all sober and chill, I want to make a toast to my best friend, Lula Ann. You are so amazing at what you do. You open new worlds to people who didn’t know that they needed them open. You are so much more than a travel agent. You’re a dream ambassador.”