“I’m serious,” I said, rubbin’ her back. “You don’t owe nobody shit but yo’ husband and yo’ child. I don’t care if you had a billion dollars sittin’ in the bank, bitch. You not obligated to nobody. Not them. Not me. Not no fuckin’ body.”
She looked down at My’Love, blinkin’ fast while she tried to keep herself together. Whenever somethin’ hurt Toni, she got quiet like this.
“And you the best cousin in the world,” I kept goin’. “You loved. You hear me? Regardless of what our stupid ass family got to say, you loved.”
Toni swallowed hard, then leaned into me again with My’Love still in her arms.
“I love you,” she whispered.
“I love you more,” I said.
I took My’Love from her and kissed all over her lil’ cheeks until she pushed at my face with her tiny hands, makin’ them lil’ irritated baby noises like I was doin’ too much.
“Girl, bye,” I told her, smilin’.
I carried her to the backseat and buckled her into her car seat, makin’ sure she was secure before closin’ the door.
Toni got in the passenger seat, and Kay’Lo looked over at her immediately.
“You good, baby?” he asked.
“Yeah,” she lied.
He stared at her for a second, and I knew he ain’t believe that bullshit no more than I did.
He leaned toward her, then just sat there waitin’, holdin’ his lips out real quiet until Toni finally leaned in and kissed him. As soon as she did, his hand came up under her chin, rubbin’ it softly while he looked at her for a second like he was tryna make sure she was really okay before lettin’ her go.
“I love you,” he said.
“I love you too,” Toni whispered.
I stepped back from the truck. “I’ll be back that way in a lil’ bit.”
Kay’Lo nodded. “A’ight.”
He pulled off a few seconds later, and I stood still, watchin’ the taillights disappear down the street before I turned and looked back at Grandma Glo’s house.
My face twisted up before I could stop it.
I loved my family, but sometimes I swear I couldn’t stand the way we was divided. Everybody always wanted to talk about love, loyalty, and family, but the second somebody made it out or found peace, here came somebody else tryna make them feel guilty for it.
And I ain’t appreciate that shit at all…
Greystone City
While we was on the way back to the resort, I sat in the passenger seat feelin’ quieter than usual.
My’Love was asleep in the backseat with her lil’ head leaned to the side in her car seat, and Kay’Lo had one hand on the wheel while the music played low through the speakers. Usually, I would’ve been talkin’ to him or playin’ around, but my mind was still back at Grandma Glo’s house, replayin’ everything TeeTee stupid ass said.
It wasn’t even just the words. It was the way she said it in front of everybody like I was supposed to feel guilty for findin’ peace somewhere else.
That’s what the fuck kept botherin’ me.
I stared out the window, rubbin’ my fingers together in my lap while old memories kept creepin’ up on me whether I wanted them to or not.
Niggas loved to scream family this and family that, but when I was little, and them niggas was touchin’ on me, where the fuck was all that family energy then? Where was all that damn protection then?
Everybody always acted blind when it came to that shit, and now, suddenly, people wanted to question my heart and what I did for people. That hurt worse than I wanted to admit.
