Page 101 of 4 Corinthians

“You don’t care that our families will ask questions, assume that we are more than just friends?” she asked, and I shook my head. I didn’t point out that my family knew how I moved. That I was intentional with everything around me, so if they saw me pursuing her, they would know that I wanted something more than just surface-level. I didn’t do random hook-ups, and I didn’t bring women around them. “No?”

“No.” I stepped into her space again. I cupped her jaw; my thumb brushed across her bottom lip. “Do you?”

“I have Judah,” she breathlessly answered. “He is the most important person. I’ve never brought someone around him. He only knows family. If he sees us, he will have questions that I don’t know how to answer.”

“Y-y-y-y-y-you want m-m-m-m-me to s-s-s-s-stop?” I asked her, hoping that she didn’t. I couldn’t handle it if she did, but I’d respect the fuck out of her decision. I’d kill a few niggas to filter my anger, but that was something I’d work out in therapy later.

She looked away, her eyes watered, and I figured that was her answer. I nodded, let her face go, and stepped back. I would never pressure her into doing more than she could. Our chemistry was obvious, but that didn’t mean I had the final say-so over her life. Her mental state and happiness came first.

The door opened, and Corinthians quickly straightened, wiped her face, and crossed her arms.

“Mama?” Judah said, looking at her. “Auntie Bug asked where you were.”

“Talking,” she said, nodding at me. Judah hadn’t noticed me until then. His eyes got big with surprise, and he ran to me.

“Superhero!” he said as he hugged me. “What are you doing here?”

“Superhero?” Corinthians asked. The confusion in her voice was evident.

Judah looked at me, and his eyes ballooned when he realized what he’d said loud enough for his mama to hear. “Oh man,” he mumbled, looking up at me. “I’m sorry.”

“I-I-I-I-It’s okay,” I told him.

Judah’s eyes narrowed, then he shook his head. “It’s okay if she knows?” he whispered, and I nodded. “You sure?” I nodded again. “Okay.” He came to stand next to me. “Mama, Four has superpowers.”

“Does he?” she asked, and Judah nodded. “Like what?”

“He can't feel pain,” Judah replied excitedly. He could barely stand still.

“He… can't…feel…pain?” she asked slowly. She was pretending not to know even though she’d seen firsthand how that affected my life.

“Nope.” Judah had a head full of long curls that Corinthians took great care of. Today his hair was pulled up into a bun on the top of his head. When he shook his head, the curls flew around his head. “He told me at Madea and Granddaddy’s house. He can’t feel pain. I asked Auntie Bug to stab him, and she said yes, but Madea said she couldn’t.”

“Judah DeCorte!” she scolded him. “Come here.” She pointed to the spot in front of her, and he quickly moved to it. She got down to his eye level. “There are a few things wrong with what you said.”

“Cori-“

She quickly lifted her eyes to look from Judah to me, and I shut my mouth. She had that look in her eyes that only a mama could get. I put my hands up in surrender. She nodded, then turned her attention back to Judah.

“Now tell me what you did again when you found out Uri couldn’t feel pain?”

“Whose Uri?” his head tilted to the side like hers did when she was trying to figure something out.

“Four,” she said, shaking her head. “I meant to say Four. What did you say and do when you found out he couldn’t feel pain?”

“I asked Auntie Bug to stab him,” he mumbled.

“Speak up,” Corinthians corrected him. “You are a young man who will eventually become a grown man. You will not mumble when you speak. Use your voice.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, nodding. He cleared his throat, squared his shoulders, and met his mama's eyes. “I asked Auntie Bug to stab him.”

“Why?”

“Because he can't feel pain,” Judah answered. “Madea told me I was wrong and so was Auntie Bug because she agreed to.”

“Of damn course Bug did,” Corinthians said, shaking her head. “Listen, I know hearing that someone not being able to feel pain is exciting, but never, and I mean never, say anything like that again, do you understand?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he answered. “I know that it was wrong. I told Four that Madea told me I had to apologize and fussed at me. She said that Four’s condition was serious and I had to make smart decisions.” He put his hands in his pockets but never dropped his eyes. I had nothing but respect for how Corinthians was speaking to Judah. She was firm and direct but also didn’t belittle him for making a mistake.