Page 36 of When a Soul Cries

“What happens at nine?” she asked.

“Nothing,” Rome answered too quickly.

I grinned. “Oh, it’s definitely something.”

Mama turned fully toward him. “Is it a woman?”

Rome went quiet.

I pointed at him. “OH, SHIT!”

“Y’all doing too fucking much.”

Mama’s whole face lit up. “Who is she?”

“Ain’t no she.”

“Boy, please. I raised two lying-ass men.”

I laughed. “Damn, Sugga.”

“Are y’all not?”

I considered it.

“Fair.”

Rome reached for his keys, but I stepped in front of him.

“What’s her name?”

“Move, Kai.”

“He protecting her identity and shit,” I told Mama.

She put a hand against her chest. “Oh, this serious.”

Rome looked exhausted with both of us. “I met a girl earlier. That’s it.”

Mama and I froze.

“WHERE?”

“WHO?”

“This exactly why I don’t tell y’all shit.”

“Where you meet her?” I asked.

“At the store.”

“The grocery store?”

“Yes.”

I stared at him. “You went to get Mama some chicken and came back with a bitch?”

Mama slapped my arm.