Page 69 of When a Soul Cries

I looked at the screen and sighed. “Of course.”

I answered. “Hey, Ma.”

“What’s wrong with you?”

I laughed. “Good morning to you too.”

“I said what’s wrong with you.”

“Nothing.”

“Rome, I pushed your big-headed ass into this world. Don’t sit on my phone and lie to me.”

I laughed harder. “How you know something wrong?”

“Because I’m your mama. Now quit wasting my minutes.”

“You got unlimited minutes.”

“That ain’t the damn point.”

There she was.

I leaned back in my chair. “Hollis is fucking around with another development company.”

“I don’t know who Hollis is, but tell him I said stop playing with my baby’s money.”

“Mama.”

“What?”

I shook my head, smiling despite myself.

Then her voice changed just enough. “And this got something to do with that girl from the grocery store too, don’t it? Sol?”

My smile disappeared. “Yeah.”

“Mhm. I knew it. What happened?”

I told her the short version. Taking Sol home. The notice on the door. Hearing another woman inside and realizing what the notice was. Then I told her about the crying.

“She said she was tired, Ma. But it wasn’t regular tired.”

Mama got quiet. When she spoke again, the joking was gone. “Baby, I know exactly what kind of tired that was.”

“I wanted to knock.”

“Glad you didn’t.”

That surprised me. “Why?”

“Because that woman already snatched that notice down trying to keep you from seeing her business. Then you was gonna knock on her door and let her know you stood outside listening to her cry? Boy, she probably would’ve slammed that damn door in your face.”

I chuckled. “Probably.”

“Not probably. Definitely.”

I rubbed my jaw. “Still don’t feel right doing nothing.”