By the time I finally stepped out of my room, the house was movin’ like it always did. It was loud in its own way, but it was still familiar enough to settle me back into reality.
When I made it to the kitchen, the smell hit me before I even stepped all the way in. Pluto was in here cookin’ like she ain’t have niggas who was paid to do it, and she wasn’t playin’ around either. Pots was on the stove with heat comin’ up off everything, and she was movin’ around the kitchen like she had it down to a science. This was her space, and nobody ever questioned it.
I walked up behind her and put my hand on her stomach, rubbin’ it a lil’ while I looked down at her. “Damn, you gettin’ big, lil’ mama.”
She turned her head just enough to look at me, already smilin’. “Boy, get your hand off me.”
I laughed low and kept my hand there anyway for a second longer. “You and Pressure don’t need no more kids until Prestyn and Kaylon get sent off to boot camp or some shit, ’cause them lil’ niggas bad as hell.”
She shook her head, but she was still smilin’. “Leave my babies alone.”
“I’m just sayin’,” I went on, leanin’ against the counter. “A nigga can’t even sit down in peace without one of them runnin’ through here like they late for somethin’.”
She laughed under her breath, then glanced over at me again. “You hungry?”
Then she paused and looked at me a lil’ harder before shakin’ her head.
“You know what? Never mind,” she added. “I’m not trying to make your plate and accidentally give Reni a heart attack.”
I let out a light breath through my nose, already knowin’ where that shit came from.
“Man, it ain’t even like that,” I said, pushin’ off the counter so I could face her better. “If Pressure ain’t trippin’, then we straight.”
“Exactly,” she said, noddin’. “So, I don’t know why it gotta be a thing. I’m not about to be in here watching everything I do when she around.”
“You don’t have to,” I told her, keepin’ my tone even.
She looked at me like she heard me, but that ain’t mean she agreed.
I tugged at my beard for a second, thinkin’ before I spoke again. “I still want y’all to get along, though. I’mma start bringin’her around more and let that shit settle between y’all. Reni cool as hell, for real.”
Pluto raised an eyebrow at me. “Is ‘cool’ in the room with us?”
I couldn’t help the smile that came with that.
“Chill out. I’m serious,” I said. “She cool people. Y’all just ain’t got there yet. You know how y’all women be all territorial over a nigga.”
“That’s not on me,” she replied, turnin’ back to the stove. “I don’t have a problem with her. I just don’t like weird energy.”
“I get that,” I said, noddin’ slow. “I just want everybody straight. That’s it.”
She ain’t argue with me after that. She just kept cookin’, lettin’ that be what it was.
After a second, she spoke again, her tone lighter. “Toni and Kay’Lo are coming over again tonight. They talking about watching the game or whatever. You can bring her if you want.”
I nodded. “A’ight. That’s cool. We’ll be back.”
I stepped up and pulled her into a quick hug, squeezin’ her just enough to let her know it was love. “I’ll be back.”
“Be safe,” she said, already turnin’ back to the stove.
I left the kitchen and made my way out the house with my keys in hand, and my mind already shiftin’ to the rest of my day. Soon as I got in my whip, I fired that bitch up, cracked the windows, and lit a thick blunt before I even pulled off.
The music was already blastin’ with the bass hittin’ through the seats while I leaned back and let the smoke fill the car. That first pull settled me all the way in, and I let it out slow while I hit the road, headin’ toward Trill Hills. That’s where everything was.
By the time I pulled up to Trill Hills, the whole strip was alive the way it always was once the day started leanin’ into late afternoon. This part of the island never really slept. All the mom and pop spots was open, grills smokin’ out front, music spillin’out the doors, and people movin’ up and down the strip like everybody had somewhere to be and nowhere to rush to at the same time.
You could get whatever you needed over here without even leavin’ the block. We had food that had you doublin’ back for another plate, barbershops lined up next to nail techs and hair salons, liquor spots, corner stores, all of it sittin’ right here. It was loud, it was busy, but it was regular. And that’s what made it Trill Hills.
