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“You guys go hop in the truck and wait for your father,” Tameka said, turning back to the man. “You get them for a month. That’s the deal. Don’t screw this up, Rodney.”
“Whatever, Tameka. You know, I don’t give a fuck about your idle threats,” he growled at her and turned to leave. He glanced to the right and, for the first time, made eye contact with me. He nodded but didn’t speak. Instead, he addressed Tameka. “Aw, how sweet? You got you a white boy to keep you company for the summer. At least, you won’t have to cry anymore about missing me and being alone.” He winked at her and left.
She stepped up to the door and opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something but didn’t bother. She watched Rodney head down the driveway and hop in the truck with her kids. Tameka stood there for a moment after closing the door. Finally, she turned around and faced me.
“Oh yeah...” she mumbled, looking as if she had forgotten I was standing there.
“Why do you let him talk to you like that?” I asked, barely able to contain my contempt for Rodney. All I needed was five minutes to show him how a real man should behave.
“Your apology is accepted for showing up at my house unannounced, even though you didn’t officially give me an apology,” Tameka shifted the subject.
“I’m not apologizing. I had to see you again.”
“You saw me. Now, if you’ll please go, I have things to do.” She moved away from the door to allow me room to walk out, but I didn’t budge from my spot.
“You shouldn’t let him do that to you. If you were mine, I would handle that shit swiftly and painfully.”
“Jeb, I have things to do.” She held the door open wider.
“Do you have to do more packing?” I asked, noting two luggage bags were still sitting at the bottom of the stairway. “Are you going somewhere?”
Tameka fixed her oval-shaped brown eyes on mine. “If you must know, I’m going out of town in a few days. Going to Aruba.”
Channing and Kemara were headed there too. I was sure it wasn’t a coincidence. “That sounds like the getaway that you need, baby. Are you going with Channing and Kemara?” I asked.
“Yes, and don’t call me baby.”
I raised my hands in the air. “Okay.” For now. “I’ll leave and let you finish packing. As long as you know, I’m not sorry about coming to see you, even though you accepted the apology I didn’t give.”
“We’re good, Jeb,” she said on a sigh, and I could feel her eyes on my back as I was leaving, so I turned around and gave her a genuine smile.
“Have a nice trip, Tameka.”
She nodded, her lips never breaking into a smile. My next call would be to Channing. This Aruba trip was about to turn into a full-on family affair.
***
“Are you seriously trying to get me killed?” Channing asked as I sat on his couch, trying to convince him to let me tag along on the trip to Aruba.
“No, we can pull this off without Kemara getting upset. I don’t have to stay at the same house as you guys, but I need this chance with Tameka, man.”
Channing chuckled. “This is crazy, but you really like her, huh?”
“Like? The way I feel about her is indescribable. I’m ready to show her that I care about her a lot.”
“If I do this, Kemara might make me stay in Aruba, but—”
“Why should it bother her if I come? She doesn’t know about me and Tameka, right?” I asked.
“Oh, she knows everything. Tameka told her.”
“Oh, really now?” I asked.
Channing sighed. “Damn, I’m pretty sure I wasn’t supposed to say that. This intermixing of family business isn’t working well for me.”
I chuckled. “Tameka telling Kemara about us means she’s still thinking about me. I should go on this trip. I’m going crazy without her.”
Channing sat back on the couch, appearing to think about my idea.
