“Moolah Brooks is in the house. Y’all, make sure you show him love!”
Iskyiah marveled at how he moved through the room. It was crowded, and everyone knew who Moolah was. Not only that, but they also dealt with him with the utmost respect. Some people evenbowedto him. It was wild. He held her hand the entire time and made sure she stayed next to him.
When they finally made it to their VIP section, she felt like she could breathe for exactly three seconds before arms wrapped around her neck.
“This shit is so dope!” Sophie screamed into Iskyiah’s ear.
Iskyiah grinned. “You made it!”
Moolah kissed her cheek and moved further into the section to greet everyone.
“Bitch, of course the fuck I did! You been MIA since you found this man again, which, I’m still not clear on the details of who he even is. How else was I supposed to see you?”
Guilt crept in, and Iskyiah’s face showed the apology she was about to verbalize. “I’m sorry, Sophie. I have been kind of caught up. Lunch next week? On me?”
Sophie propped her hand on her hip. “Says the woman without a job. Let me find out . . . It’s a date, as long as you bring my god baby.”
“Deal.”
The two hugged again. Iskyiah knew Sophie was really happy for her. She had just dropped the ball on filling Sophie in on the details. She needed to get her head out of the clouds and remember there were other people that were important to her. Moolah just made it hard to remember that sometimes because he completely consumed her, and she let him.
Her eyes landed on Hassan, who was currently speaking to Moolah. They hadn’t talked in years, so she would let them have their moment. They’d never been as close as she and Moolah, but Hassan always looked at him as an older brother and was crushed when he left town way back when.
“Let’s take a shot.”
“A shot? Bitch, we are not in our twenties anymore,” Iskyiah said, though she reluctantly followed Sophie to the bar. She knew the hangover would be hell the following day.
“Iskyiah Nathans. I thought that was you, girl,” a voice called out when they made it to the bar.
Iskyiah turned around and then smiled when she spotted Teyanna and a handsome man at her side.
“Tey! Hey, girl.”
The two hugged. When they pulled away, Teyanna held Iskyiah’s arms out and looked her over. She nodded approvingly. “You look good, sis.”
“As do you,” Iskyiah complimented.
There was never any bad blood between Iskyiah and Teyanna. They were just two girls who had a hard time trusting other girls. They loved each other because Moolah loved them, but when he left, that bond kind of drifted.
“I can’t believe y’all found each other again.”
“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me about Lah way back then.” Iskyiah eyed her playfully. She wasn’t all that serious with her statement, though there was a bit of truth there. She wasn’t mad, though. She understood Teyanna better than anyone because if Moolah asked her to do something, she would do it without question.
“Uh-uh, Sky. Don’t do that. Besides, it all worked out in the end, ain’t it?”
Iskyiah had to agree with that. “It did. Tey, this is my best friend, Sophie. Sophie, this is my old friend, Teyanna.”
The two women shook hands before Teyanna looked up at the man beside her. “This is my husband, Julien. Baby, this is Iskyiah. Moolah’s girl.”
He nodded at them. “Never thought I’d see the day Moolah got into a relationship.”
Before Iskyiah could respond, a man walked up behind her and tapped her waist before he looked at Teyanna. “Aye, Tey, you ain’t gonna introduce me to your friend?”
“Benny, no?—”
Teyanna’s words got cut off when Moolah brushed by her and grabbed Benny’s hand. Iskyiah could barely keep up with what happened, Moolah moved so fast. He grabbed the Benny guy’s hand and snapped it back. Benny’s knees gave out, and he fell to the ground.
“You touchin’ what ain’t yours, Benny?” Moolah asked. His voice was calm, but the way his chest rose and fell told Iskyiah he was everything but.
