Page 41 of Surrender to Love

“She’s staying at your place?”

“She says she has to because you won’t give up her car.”

“She needs new brakes. It’s on the lift, so I’m going to change them. Plus, I need the time to think this shit through and figure out how to fix it.”

“You better fix it.”

“Real shit, I am. I promise you that. I can’t lose my baby.”

“Well, I’m on my way, and I swear, Shiro, you better fix this with her. You hurt her and I’ll hurt you,” she snaps before ending the call.

My fucking mind is all over the place. This shit really just happened. I try to shake it all off and get my mind focused on her brakes. The quicker I fix them, the quicker I can head to my brother’s and fix shit with my baby.

I’ve gotten her leaking pads off by the time I see Mireya’s ride pulling into the parking lot. It disappears when she drives to the front then I see it again a few minutes later when it pulls out. She’s got Kyrah.

Thirty minutes later, Kyrah’s ride has new back brakes and I’m heading to my spot, leaving my truck at the shop. I rush inside, taking the steps two at a time, then hop in the shower quickly to wash this fucked up day from my mind and body. After I throw on jeans, hoodie, and Ones, I drive to C-Mart, fill her gas tank, then book it to Quintus’s. I hit him when I pull into his driveway, and seconds later, the left side of the two-car garage opens and I meet him inside.

“Bruh, you in the doghouse,” he says while shaking his head. “I told you this would happen.”

“I’m not in the doghouse; I’m up under that bitch,” I admit. “I real shit should have listened to yo’ ass during card night at my spot. Matika came all the way out of pocket and said some foul shit to Kyrah.”

“I heard,” he sighs.

“Kyrah beat her ass though. Dragged her from behind that front counter and fucked her up. Bruh, I had customers in the lobby; that shit was wild.”

“Where’s ol’ girl now?”

“Nigga, how the fuck should I know? She ain’t at the shop and that’s all that matters. I fired her ass.”

“Good. I know you know but it’s heated in there. Are you ready for that?”

“Yeah, I’m ready. I’m going in there and making this shit right. She can slap the shit out of me, cuss my ass out, yell, shit, I don’t care. I just need her to hear me out and forgive a nigga. I love that girl and I’m not even trying to—” I begin but don’t even finish. I’m not putting no negative shit out there. “Where is she?”

“Upstairs,” my niece’s little voice says from the door to the house.

My brother turns and says, “Niya, you’re supposed to be in your room,”

“I was, Daddy, but I came down for some water and heard Uncle Shiro,” she says. She steps down the three stairs and walks over to me. “Auntie mad at you,” she says with her little eyebrows raised.

“Niya,” Quintus warns but I want to hear what she has to say.

After leaning down, I ask, “How you know? What she say?”

“She yelling and saying a lot of bad words. You’re in trouble and Mommie mad too. They not gon’ want to see you,” she says.

“I thought your momma told you to go in your room and draw so she and your auntie could talk in the movie room. Doesn’t sound like you were in your room,” Quintus says.

“I was, Daddy,” she insists, her hazel eyes stretched to capacity, looking cute. “They was talking real loud.” She shrugs and I just laugh.

“Get your water and go back to your room,” I tell her before kissing her forehead. “And thanks for the heads up.” She smiles.

When she takes off back into the house, Quintus laughs. “She was right outside that door listening to them,” he says.

“She definitely was. She’s as nosy as Shuga.”

“Just like her,” Quintus agrees before walking into the house.

I follow and find Niya still in the kitchen. When she grabs a bottle of water, I ask, “You wanna ride upstairs?”