I nodded once. “A’ight. I get that. But come on, just roll with me. Pluto want you over there. Everybody over there chillin’.”
“I don’t care about none of that, Renza,” she said, takin’ another sip. “If you wanna go, then go. I’m stayin’ here.”
I stood still for a second, then walked over and sat down, runnin’ my hand down my face.
“I had to put hands and feet on Auntie Rue’s retarded ass nephew,” I said, lookin’ at her. “That’s why I’m late, baby.”
“It don’t matter,” she replied.
She wasn’t loud or goin’ off like she normally would. She wasn’t even lookin’ at me like she wanted to argue. She just ain’t care, it seemed like.
My phone buzzed in my hand, and when I looked down, it was Pluto.
Y’all still comin?
I stared at the message for a second, then typed back.
Nah. She not feelin’ good.
Oh… I hope she feel better.
Appreciate it
I replied real simple, knowin’ damn well I wasn’t bein’ real about the situation.
I locked my phone and set it down, leanin’ back into the couch while I looked over at Reni.
She kept her eyes on her glass, and once again, I ain’t have nothin’ to say that was gon’ fix it.
Solé Gardens
“Baby…” Renza said, slidin’ his hand up my leg and rubbin’ it slow, like he already knew what type of mood I was in and was tryin’ to work his way through it anyway.
I didn’t respond. I just kept my eyes down in my glass, watchin’ the wine move while I turned it slightly in my hand. If I focused on that, I wouldn’t focus on him, and right now, that was the only thing keepin’ me from snappin’.
Because truth be told, Renza had me fucked up, and if I really didn’t have no self control, I would’ve cracked this glass right upside his head and dealt with whatever came after.
“Baby…” he said again, scootin’ closer like he didn’t feel that wall I had up. His hand slid higher up my thigh with his thumbpressin’ into my skin in a way that made me realize real quick that I was gon’ have to stand on business if I wanted to stay mad.
“I said I’m sorry,” he went on, his voice lower, but more serious. “I really lost track of time. I fucked up, but I don’t want us spendin’ our night like this.”
That right there was the problem. Everything with him was always supposed to just… smooth over, like sayin’ sorry and touchin’ on me was enough to erase how I felt.
“Renza, shut the fuck up,” I snapped, finally lookin’ at him. “You always sorry for some shit. I told you I was workin’, and you had me take off just to rush home, get dressed, and then you walk in this bitch damn near two hours late like I’m supposed to be cool with it. Are you crazy, nigga?”
My voice wasn’t loud, but it carried enough for him to hear every bit of it.
“If you not serious about me, then stop wastin’ my fuckin’ time. That’s all I’m sayin’.”
He went quiet, and for a second, he just looked at me like he was really listenin’ and tryin’ to catch everything instead of talking over it. His hand slid off my thigh for a second while he ran it over his waves, exhalin’ low.
“I love you,” he said, lookin’ back at me. “And I’m sorry. I’m wrong. A nigga gotta get better with time, I know that. I ain’t even gon’ play with that no more.”
His tone changed just enough where I knew he wasn’t just sayin’ shit to say it, but I was still mad.
“I had to handle somethin’. I couldn’t stand there and watch a piss-head nigga put his hands on a woman. That shit ain’t in me, and you know that. Then I stayed and helped Auntie Rue clean her shop up. I left my phone in the car ’cause I wasn’t plannin’ on bein’ in there that long. That’s the truth. I really got sidetracked.”
“Whatever, Renza,” I replied, rollin’ my eyes. “A nigga that really wanna be with me know how to make time.”
