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Ayanna went in first, with Iris right behind her. Lily locked the main door, and they followed her to her little apartment. As soon as the door opened, Iris swallowed a gasp, stifling her horror. The place was filthy. Old beer and wine bottles were strewn around. Ashtrays full of rubbish, overflowing trash cans, a sink full of dirty dishes, and things haphazardly tossed all over the place. The place reeked of marijuana and mold. When Lily was little, she kept her room immaculate.
Lord, Jesus.
Lily cleared her throat, and began racing around, picking up things off her run-down couch. “Y’all can sit down,” she said in a low voice.
Ayanna and Iris took a seat, their hips practically sewn together. KRS-One’s, ‘Don’t Fall For It’ was playing from Lily’s old Dell PC that sat in the corner. Lily crossed her legs, shifting around a lot as if uncomfortable. An oversized light gray jogging suit practically swallowed her whole. She wasn’t cursing at them as she typically did, or whirling wild accusations. She looked… humble. Iris wondered how long the reprise of peace would last?
“Ayanna.” Lily swallowed. “You look so pretty, baby.”
“Thank you.”
They were all quiet again.
“I see Iris is doin’ your hair real nice… got you dressed real nice, too.” Lily spoke with a smile, but each word coming out her mouth seemed to be killing her.
“Thank you.” Ayanna took out her phone and started messing with it. Iris gave her a look, and the girl smacked her gums, then begrudgingly put it away.
“Mama said y’all talked a while back.”
“Mama and I always talk. Just about every day.”
“I’m talking about a conversation regardin’ me.” The woman’s tone was curt, and her eyes narrowed to black slits.
“And? Look, I didn’t come over here to be in no mess wit’ you. Mama called me and said you wanted to see Ayanna because you’re going to an in-patient facility. You blocked my number again. I could’ve been petty, but this isn’t about me and you. This is about Ayanna.” Lily crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. “Instead of tellin’ Mama that you can shove it, I said of course, and brought your child over.”
“Don’t act like you did it out of the kindness of your heart, Iris. I know you enjoyin’ this.”
“Enjoying this?! You really are out of your damn lemon tree! I ain’t been doing nothin’ but bustin’ my ass, robbing Peter to pay Paul on a cashier’s salary so I can take care of the bills, while you are doing God only knows what and—”
“Oh, shut up! You are far from a nun, Sista Ann. I heard about yo’ boyfriend, bitch! Somebody said you was datin’ The Judge. That tall, rich White boy wit’ all those damn cars, in that big ass house in the rich part of the city. Mothafucka covered in muscles and tattoos…”
Iris almost bit her tongue in two as she seethed, trying to control herself.
“Oh, you done got quiet now, huh? Cat got ya tongue? It ain’t no secret, baby! If you live out this way, everybody and they mama know who that mothafucka is, and what he does! Ms. Perfect over here datin’ a born killa! Ain’t that somethin’? A candy man! I thought about callin’ the cops on yo’ ass, so I could get my baby back, but I knew they wouldn’t believe my Black ass over him. He got them mothafuckas paid. They scared to touch him!”
“Lily, you don’t know anything about Jude, and you don’t know anything about our relationship. He’s not even involved with that anymore, so go right on ahead and call the police! Hell, I’ll call them for you!”
Lily burst out laughing and rolled her eyes. “You so damn gullible, Iris. That money he slidin’ yo’ way must be somethin’ spectacular, huh?”
“Money doesn’t have anything to do with it.”
“Oh, really?” Lily’s brow rose. “Then I guess it’s the sex. I heard he got a big fuckin’ dick, too, unlike most White boys. You out here bustin’ it open for crackers. Suckin’ pink peen.”
“You are trifling.”
“Me?” She pointed at herself with a smirk. “That mothafucka done fucked half the women in the city. Word spreads fast about his sexual prowess, just like yo’ legs when he waved some dollars yo’ way.”
“Stop talkin’ that way in front of this baby, Lily.”
“She ain’t no baby! And as a reminder, she’smydaughter, not yours! You had a chance to pop out a kid, but you decided to act a fool, and lose your man. Now, you wit’ the slave master, gobbling his nuts. He got yo’ Black ass thinkin’ you the only one, don’t he?” Lily giggled. “Like he ain’t out here dickin’ down five other bitches in rotation. He don’t want yo’ Black ass, girl! You just something to have fun wit’! I’m telling you this because I care, in spite of yourself. He ain’t gonna marry a Black bitch like you or me. You think he’s takin’ you home to his mama? I bet she ain’t even met you yet!”
“His mama is dead!” Ayanna yelled. “And he’s nice! And they’re gettin’ married! He gave her a ring!”
Lily’s eyes immediately zoned in on the diamond glowing on Iris’s finger. Her face contorted with nothing but pure hatred.
“Shhh, baby,” Iris whispered to Ayanna, and rubbed the girl’s leg. “It’s all right. I got this.”
“You ain’t got shit. He just gave that to you so you wouldn’t go nowhere while he’s playing with you. He’s gonna discard you like all the others. Jude don’t settle down wit’ nobody! Many have tried, but failed! As if someone like him, a balla, shot caller, with big bank, wouldeversettle for a heffa like you. He too trill for yo’ silly ass!”
