Page 72 of When a Soul Cries

“You remember Madison?” I asked.

She was silent for a beat. “Yeah.”

“The lights getting cut off. You lighting all those candles and telling us we were camping.”

Mama laughed softly. “Y’all thought that shit was the greatest night ever.”

“Because you made us think it was.”

Her laughter faded.

“Kai remembered you didn’t eat.”

Silence.

Then I heard her breathe. “I didn’t have enough.”

My throat tightened. “I never knew that.”

“You weren’t supposed to, baby.”

For a moment neither of us said anything. Then, because Sugga apparently couldn’t tolerate being emotional for more than thirty consecutive seconds, she cleared her throat.

“Now don’t have me on this damn phone crying before my stories come on.”

I smiled. “You crying?”

“No.”

“You sound like you crying.”

“Rome, I will hang this phone up.”

“You definitely crying.”

“And you definitely getting on my nerves.”

I laughed.

Her voice softened again. “I’m proud of what you and Kai built. And if you can use some of what God gave y’all to make somebody else’s road a little easier, do it. Just make sure the numbers make sense because I ain’t raising two broke developers.”

“Here you go.”

“I mean it.”

“I know.”

“And as for Sol?”

I waited.

“Leave that girl some room to breathe. If she wants your help, help her. If she tells you no, respect it. And if you decide you want more than that, remember that little girl before you start making decisions with your dick.”

I nearly choked. “Mama!”

“What? You grown.”

“You are ridiculous.”