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“I’ll see you in a few hours.”
My mama had me at sixteen years old. We grew up more like sisters than mother and daughter. Sometimes I enjoyed it because she could relate to me. Other times, I hated it. She would sleep with men my age and it was disgusting. We could never go out and she wasn’t showing so much skin that I made sure to keep something to go across her legs when we went out. You would look at me and wonder how she raised such a wholesome woman. I did it on my own. The only thing I took from her was begging a man to stay with me that didn’t want me.
Hours later, I pulled up in my mama’s driveway and she walked out with shorts so tight that they split her pussy lips. At fifty, she was fine. As her daughter, I just wanted her to dress her age just a little bit. She could still be in fashion without catching a yeast infection in the process.
“What do you have on?” she asked.
“What’s wrong with what I have on?” I asked her.
“We’re going to a bar, Averie. Why are you wearing jeans and a crop top?”
“Because I’m dressed appropriately and comfortably. Why are you dressed in those tight shorts splitting you like the Red Sea?”
“Oh, girl, please.”
We arrived at District 12. This was our favorite spot. It had some of the best wings and truffle fries. We’re not even going to get on the drinks and DJ. By the time I paid valet and we got in line, my mama was already finessing our way to the front of the line. Being her daughter came with its benefits and this was one of them. Instead of waiting in line, we walked in with one of the nightshift bartenders. The bass shook the walls as we walked in. The smell of hookah was loud but not louder than the cleanliness of the building. The TVs were lined up around the building, showing everything from sports, reality TV, to news. Women stood around the high-top tables taking pictures and dancing.
“Can we get four double shots of Tequila,” my mama said before her ass hit the seat.
“Who is that for?”
“Us.”
“I’m only taking one shot and I’m getting some food before I start drinking.”
“On the house,” the bartender said.
“No, you can start a tab.”
“The boss said so. He’s showing love to Mr. King’s baby mama.”
“Well, tell Q we said thank you,” my mama said.
“I don’t need Q thinking anything because he’s giving us free drinks.”
“Girl, shut up and drink. I swear you would think you was raised up on the east side of town with the rich people. Stop acting green and take what the nigga giving.”
Q, whose real name was Quincey, was a nigga that flirted every time I came in here. Even if it was to pick up food. I never saw him as anything but the owner of District 12. My mind was always on Rah even when his wasn’t on me.
“Q said anything y’all want tonight is on him. Food, drinks, and hookah.”
“Shit, bring me a hookah,” my mama said.
The bartender slid me a napkin, and it had Q’s number on it.
Niggas always wanted something for the bare minimum. I could buy my own drinks, food, and hookah.
“From one boss to another,” my mama said. “A new dick to get your mind off the one you ain’t had in eight years.”
I rolled my eyes and took my shot down.
CHAPTER 7
KYENNA
It was Sunday morning, and today was my last day with the kids. Since I cooked yesterday morning, I had the chef cook whatever they wanted. Yesterday after Khari and I came back from getting our nails and toes done, we picked Kaiden up from Shameek and enjoyed the rest of the day at the house. I didn’t really bother them that much until it was time to eat. It was important for me not to force anything. Usually when they were here, they did their own thing, and I didn’t want to change their routine because Rah wasn’t here.
Khari was sitting in the middle of her bed with her television on one of her shows as she braided her baby doll’s hair and added beads to it. I smiled because she looked at peace. I wanted kids of my own, but being able to love on Rah’s kids was good enough. The only one I was missing was Ryleigh. Raya was refusing to take the test even though she said she would when she left the reading of the will. It was court-ordered, and she still hadn’t taken Ryleigh. I guess when the bills start piling up, she’ll run her dramafied ass up to the clinic.
