What, fool?
Yeah, I was tripping. Johnni wasn’t no damn kid, but I was looking for any excuse to put my mouth on her.
I was glad when Mrs. Steph interrupted my wild ass thoughts as her voice came from over my shoulder just as I was leaning down to do what I wanted.
“Oh no, Johnni, your ankle is swelling already. Damnit. Maybe we should go?—"
“Uht uht, Mama, just some ice. I’m sure it’s bruised at best. We don’t need any more hospital trips anytime soon, I’m fine.”
“You’re weeks from regionals and you don’t have this routine down, Johnni. We need to make sure nothing is seriously wrong. We can’t afford anything broken, strained, or damaged,” Mrs. Steph said. Even if her tone was calm and soothing, the nastyglare Johnni gave her told me she still didn’t appreciate her input.
“No. Right now I couldn’t care less if it was tomorrow. I said no hospitals. Please respect my wishes. Kimmie, we’re done for today.”
It got quiet before Kimmie did her best to clear the tension in the room.
“Yeah, take a day or two to ice and elevate. Slips happen all the time at the club. They’re never too serious. We’ll pick up when you’re ready. Just call me.” She offered a small smile which Johnni returned.
“I’ll walk you out, Kimmie,” Mrs. Steph said, giving one final look before following her.
“Put your arm around my neck, Lou, so I can take you in the house,” I said, already moving my hands to her waist then underneath her legs. My hands had a mind of their own as they roamed, gripping her ass as I lifted her.
Johnni yelped.
“Hey, watch your hands, Chief. Mama Steph is still here,” she said as she locked her arms around me, rubbing the back of the head as I made my way out of the house.
“What? You got a lot of ass, Lou. I had to make sure I had it all.” I grinned as I caught her eye roll as her fake pout began to spread.
“It ain’t that damn big.”
“Shit, I’m not going to lie to you, Lou, it’s nice, round, and so?—"
“Well, Kimmie has reassured me that you’ll be fine in a day or two with rest. I can’t think of anything else on the agenda today. We can run through some interview questions.” Mrs. Steph seemed to come out of nowhere, yet again interrupting my time with Johnni.
“Go home, Mama. The coach in you is coming out and I can’t deal with her today.” We had just entered the house through the back door when I heard a gasp come from behind me.
“Johnni, I want you ready for whatever they might throw at you this next round. It’s all or nothing.”
She tapped my shoulder, prompting me to stop. I turned so she could see her.
“I know, Mama, but all I want is to take a shower and do as Kimmie said, ice my bruises and rest.”
Mrs. Steph didn’t say another word, which had me continuing my pursuit to lay Johnni on the couch.
“Can you take me upstairs instead, Chief?” So far, I hadn’t been upstairs, not even during our fake, uncompleted tour.
“Naw, down here is better, Lou.” To me, this wasn’t our home. She was visiting and we could do whatever she wanted when we made it back to the house.
“Please, Chief? I need my bed.”
One stroke of her hand tugging on my earlobe had me rolling my eyes as I grunted, now making a beeline for the stairs.
But of course, I was losing the battle with my lady.
“Don’t play with me in this nigga’s house, Lou. This muthafucka can have cameras or some shit somewhere and he really will see me fucking the shit outta his wife.”
Johnni kissed her teeth as she snickered.
“Chief, there aren’t cameras, especially not in my bedroom. Trust, we ain’t them type of people off the island.”
