I stared into his eyes. I knew he wasn’t just talking. He was making a proposal. Looking away, like the passing scenery was so interesting, I swallowed hard. If he didn’t elaborate, I wouldn’t say a word, but I knew the man I was with. He was going to clarify what he meant. When his fingertips touched my chin, I knew he was about to do just that.
“If I start building my house, I want you to move into it with me when it’s done. Hendersons don’t fuck around, Iesha. If I tell my cousin that I’m ready to break ground, she gon’ be on that shit tomorrow. They built Maui’s house in like two months . . . turnkey. Royal is almost done building his house now. I get myHenderson money when I turn twenty-five, but I have enough money to start that shit now. I need you with me, baby.”
I lowered my head. “Seven, I don’t know.”
“Look at me.” When I lifted my head, he continued. “I’m gon’ build the house anyway. You have time to think, but I would love to have you be in on the planning, saying what you want in the house. You with me?”
I stared into his eyes, but I remained quiet. Closing my eyes, I searched my soul. It wasn’t like I didn’t know him. We were friends first, although he was considering us more. I knew Seven almost as well as I knew myself.
“Okay,” I said softly. “I’m with you.”
His lips landed on mine as his palms rested on my cheeks. When he pulled away, he said, “Damn. Thanks for trusting me, baby. I promise, you won’t regret it.”
I nodded as Mrs. Sidney turned in the parking lot of the hospital. Once she parked, Seven immediately got out and walked around the car to help me out. I could feel his energy. He was excited, but it seemed he was somewhat anxious too.
“You okay?” I asked as we headed to the hospital entrance.
“Yeah. I just don’t know what to expect. I’m hoping he’s still doing well. He’s finally awake, and I don’t know how he’s feeling about what he’s going through.”
Mr. Storm caught up with us and side-eyed us. I decided to mess with him.
“Hi, Mister Mayor. You didn’t give me a chance to speak earlier.”
He twisted his lips to the side. “You ain’t gotta butter my biscuit to get off the dirty side of the storm. You was finna catch all that rain and wind.”
I laughed. “I’m sorry. It was my fault.”
“Uh-huh. Apparently, Seven don’t know how to say no.”
“Look at me, Mayor. These high cheek bones and slanted eyes know how to get what they want.”
“Baby, you know it’s more than that.”
“Man, y’all get the fuck away from me. Seven, keep it up, and you gon’ be moving all yo’ shit out. You ain’t gon’ have a pot to piss in or window to throw it out of.”
“I’m a Henderson. I ain’t neva homeless. Plus, Iesha got a place.”
“Since yo’ ass so resourceful, make a fucking move. When Remy go to college, me and yo’ mama can walk around butt ass naked.”
I chuckled as Seven turned his lip up. When we got to ICU, I recognized a few people in the waiting area. Ace, Royal, Ryder J, Kingsley, Kane, and Crew came to us and greeted us. If I didn’t know any other Hendersons, I knew them. Seven was with at least one of them more often than not.
“Uncle Jasper and Uncle Kenny are in there right now, but if you go to the nurse, she’ll ask then to come out so you can go in,” Ace told him.
He nodded and held my hand tighter as he pulled me with him. When we got inside to the nurse’s station, he didn’t have to tell her who he needed to see. She smiled at him and walked off, I assumed to tell his uncles to come out of the room so we could go in.
“You okay?”
“Yeah. I’m cool.”
I released his hand and wrapped my arm around his. When he leaned over to me, I puckered my lips for him to kiss. He pecked me quickly as his uncles came out of the room. They both smiled at him, then shook his hand.
Uncle Jasper said, “You just a old jailbird ass nigga now.”
Seven chuckled as his uncle Kenny shook his head. Uncle Jasper was a mess.
“How you doing, niece?”
He’d been calling me his niece for the past year or longer. When I told him Seven and I were just friends, he called bullshit. I could only laugh at him and insist that I was right. I supposed he knew what I didn’t even know back then.
