Page 20 of Kisses Behind the Spotlight

“How did you give him the flu?” My mama asked Khaleesi, shoveling spoonfuls of the salmon avocado salad onto the plates on the counter.

“I might’ve coughed on him when he came up to bring those immunity juices Jameera and Amill dropped off for me on Sunday,” Khaleesi cackled.

Jameera’s lips slid ajar as she stared at Khaleesi. Her shocked gaze remained on Khaleesi for a few seconds before she slid to the side and grabbed a napkin to dry her hands.

“Q, I told you to take them to her,” Jameera scolded me.

“I went with him, but I wasn’t trying to knock on her door,” I explained. “Next thing I know, she’s damn near climbing up the nigga’s neck and coughing in his face. I was just a few steps away taking a call, and they couldn’t behave themselves for a quick juice exchange. The shit is ridiculous.”

“Khaleesi,” my mama gasped.

“Mama Marissa, don’t you dare try to act holier than thou. Your uncle kidnapped me. I know you’ve seen and done worse,” she retorted with a wide grin that went from ear to ear as my mama’s mouth slipped open before she emitted a hearty laugh.

“Yeah, I heard all about you stabbing your first husband in front of the whole family,” Khaleesi remarked.

“Who told you that? Jameera? Q?”

“Don’t matter if it’s true,” she snickered.

“Okay, let me mind my business. I ain’t trying to catch an iguana to the face next,” my mama joked.

“You know I love you. I would never do you like that. Besides, I didn’t cough on Xain unprovoked,” she started, then turned to mug me. “Do you not remember Xain saying he hopes I choke on my phlegm?”

“No, I remember exactly what he said. He said let her choke on her phlegm since you wanted to be hard-headed and still work. You, on the other hand, told Xain you hoped he choked on phlegm in his cold, lonely house. I remember exactly what was said,” I reminded her.

Khaleesi’s eyes squinted as if she was running back that conversation. “I don’t remember it that way,” she shrugged, washing her hands.

I placed the pictures on the counter and lifted my phone.

“Khaleesi, I need you to get in business mode for me. Okay?”

“Alright, I’m in business mode. What have I missed? What are we doing next?” She quizzed, animatedly running in place and cracking her knuckles.

“A team meeting,” I stated, initiating a call to Xain.

He answered, sounding like he was hacking up a fucking lung.

“So are we just going to listen to him choke on his phlegm?” Khaleesi sucked her teeth.

My lips flattened in annoyance because they both needed their ass beat.

“Oh, Xain, honey. Do you need us to bring you some tea or anything?” My mama inquired, leaning over my shoulder with her plate to peek at the phone.

“No. I’m good, Marissa. Thanks though.”

Xain sat up in his bed, lights on so there was a clear view of his face covering my phone screen. My mama’s body stilled at the sight of his contorted face.

“Are those stitches?” She leaned closer to the phone to examine.

The eye covering was gone, leaving his stitches and swollen eyelid visible.

“Yeah, one of the iguanas cut my eyelid. I ended up getting stitches.”

My mama looked up at Khaleesi, who stood across from us next to Jameera while they dug into their plates.

“Don’t look so concerned. I’ve been through worse. It ain’t shit to me,” he confirmed.

“Alright. I’ll make sure I check on you later,” she told him before going back outside with Yaseer.