I tasted the grits, and they were good. This spot was popular because every few minutes, someone new was being shown to their seat. I watched as she tasted her soup and leaned back in the chair.
“That good?”
“Yes… I didn’t have high hopes for this.”
We continued to eat and make small talk. She was heavily into her meal, and I was enjoying mine.
“My cousin is an addict.” I said, barely above a whisper.
It was one thing for my family to know, but another for me to admit to Zoya. To tell her something that me and my family held close to us. Inez’s addiction was known, but we were too in denial to think anyone else knew about it.
“I’m sorry. I know that isn’t something easy to deal with.”
“Nah.”
“Why did she become an addict?”
“Kind of question is that, Baby?”
She wiped her mouth. “Every addict has a reason on why they became addicted. Sounds crazy, but every action has a reaction… what was your cousin’s reason, if you know.”
I leaned back and stared at her. “Her son was murdered by some crip niggas… your boyfriend was the one that gave them the word to do it.”
“Don’t do that.”
“What?”
“Say my boyfriend like I’m not on a date with you, possibly considering giving you pussy, and speaking about a future. Just say his name… Sigel.” she checked me, and I nodded.
“You right.”
“I’m always right. So, we have beef with Sigel for more than one reason… how we handling him? He turned your cousin into a crackhead… is it crack, Goo?”
I sat across from her, as she waited for me to answer that fucked up question. “Nah.”
“Pumpkin, you cannot get all sad and emo… don’t offer the information and pull back when I genuinely want to know.”
It was in this moment I realized that my baby wasn’t all the way there. It was always the fine ass women that had more than a few screws missing.
“Heroin, pills, or whatever will get her high.”
“Dog food… damn.”
“Zoya, what the fuck?”
She reached across the table and grabbed my hands this time. “I’m sorry, Pumpkin… I cannot imagine how hard that is. To lose your baby cousin and now trying to hold onto your other cousin. I will tell you this… you need to kill him.” she whispered.
“I’m not trying to fuck up our night… talk about something else.”
“Fair. Well, I did see a spa down the street. Maybe we can come tomorrow. I’m due for a full body massage.”
I screwed my face up. “Why the fuck would you go to a spa when I can give you one.”
“Goo, you are not qualified.”
“Damn, you ain’t even gonna give me a chance?”
Zoya started to laugh. “If you fuck up, I’m never letting you touch me again.”
