The bathroom door slammed, but a few seconds later, she was sticking her head out the door.
“You ready for round two?”
She scrunched her wide lips up. “Eww, no. Can you approve that transaction?” She smirked. “Now. Thanks.” The bathroom door slammed again.
Stepping out of my pants, I scooped them up and removed my phone. I had a missed call from Jisei, a text from Pearla, and a notification from American Express.
Did you attempt a charge in the sum of $1,000,542.76 from Xing Gao Labs on your Card ending in 83508. Was this you? Reply YES or NO. Reply STOP to opt out.
“Aye,Dasani! You ’bout to have to suck a lil’ mo’ dick for a million dollars. Fuck you buyin’ on a weekday?”
Chapter 12
Shio Cuppacio
“She straight, though?”
Tunan was swirling his glass of Hennessy while hunched over a plate of hot wings. We were at The Bottom Spot Bar and Grill, and although he hadn’t touched his food, I’d fucked up my burger. I had a lot of shit going on my damn self, but food was one thing I wasn’t going to deprive myself of.
The waitress came over and removed my plate with a grin. I returned the gesture to the brown-skinned cutie with hair so big it resembled an afro from the seventies. I hope the smile was enough for her to keep all the flirting at bay because the last thing I was up for was smiling in a woman’s face.
“Yeah. She’s up,” Tunan replied. “But she ain’t tryna leave the hospital until dey release Glee. When the brain swelling is down, dey said she can be discharged too.”
“And the baby?”
I remembered the hurt and shock on Glow’s face when it was revealed that her sister was in active labor. Shorty was straight up trying to lay her ass out in that hospital until Tune stepped in and de-escalated the situation. The fact that both werehospitalized was fucked up. I was going to send an extra prayer for them tonight because I knew how much Glow meant to the wives and how much Glee meant to Glow. The way Tunan was staring off every few words, it was safe to assume Glow had come to mean something to him too. I wasn’t judging my brother for caring for her in a matter of weeks. I’d begun to care about the little sinner in a matter of days.
“Cathy ’nem been rotating schedules at the hotel across from the hospital with the baby… You remember the nigga I was locked up with?”
On many of our outings and rides through the city, Tunan and I chopped it up about minor shit, and his cellmate had come up a time or two.
“Yeah. The one that got a book?”
He swirled his glass again. “Yeah, him. Leader.” He paused before turning to look at me. “That’s Glee’s baby daddy.”
I whistled. “Damn… I wasn’t expecting you to say that shit. She must’ve met that nigga at school?”
When Glow and I were conversing, I’d looked thoroughly into her. When I first caught sight of her pretty ass while visiting Jisei back when Ezio was in the basement, I had to make sure she was fit for this life if I’d so happened to bring her in. That’s when I found out about her sister, who was in high school.
“Yeah. He from ’round dat way. Nigga used to be deep in his feelings about his lil’ college junt. I would have never thought that she was Glee, and I damn sho’ didn’t think he’d get her pregnant.”
“Shit happens, Tune. Just because she got a baby now don’t mean her life has to stop. She just gotta go harder.”
I had no fucking plans on getting Bahati pregnant. But my having a forgiving heart spared her life and made me a father in the process. I, now having a child, was about to go ten times as hard, but I needed to see what my next move was about to befirst, and this conversation with Tunan would certainly help my decision.
“Yeah. Well, tell dat shit to her sister. Glow gone be ready to kill my ass when she find out ’bout Leader, especially dat I know the nigga.” Tune finally picked up a wing, dipped it into the dressing, and took a bite. “Dis shit ain’t got nuttin’ on Memphis wings. As a matter of fact, they need to switch that BBQ shit to hot wings. We got the best wings, hands down.”
“Ion know. The Chi got some good-ass wings and fasho the best food. Let Bella show you them TikToks everybody be making about Chicago being the best food city.”
“Chicago? Fuck dem videos. Y’all got that mild sauce shit. Dat shit ain’t hittin’ on nuttin’. Y’all best known for dem hot dogs.”
“Deep dish pizza, nigga… Hot dogs up there with it too. But I have heard Memphis BBQ is undefeated. Y’all can keep that.”
“You gotta pull up at somebody grandma’s or uncle’s crib for the fye shit. None of them food spots on Beale is gon’ getchu right. And if the uncle ain’t got sandals on with his crusty-ass heels exposed, shit gon’ be slaw.” He took another bite of his wing. “These aite doe.”
With my back turned to the brick wall that lined the bar top, I glanced at the entrance as Tunan smacked on the wings. The gloomy weather outside did nothing to slow traffic. While the bar wasn’t packed, it had a steady crowd. I turned back, facing the TV mounted above the bar. Highlights from the NBA playoff games flashed in a series of videos with Shaq and Charles Barclay arguing as usual. I was going to make it my business to catch a few games this upcoming season, but I also planned to catch some local games at the high schools.
I’d been in Jagoda Bay for a few years and hadn’t gotten the chance to really enjoy the city or my paper. I’d been on a constant run to stack my money, keep up with Don’s demands,and a keeping shit in line with my cousins. The day I could sit still and enjoy the fruits of my labor was the day I’d sleep like a fucking baby. I was hoping I’d have someone to share that time with, but I wanted someone worthy—someone intelligent.
