Down for Whateva

[22]

"It's 9:02" Nate announced from behind him. Kadeem chose not to look back, taking another sip of the brown liquor he headed upstairs.

"Thank you Doctor," Ryan smiled at the older woman that had just given her the pain medication she so desperately needed. Her arm was in a sling, throbbing, and unable to move. Doctor's orders she was to not work for three weeks, she was unsure if she'd even have a job left after the first week, "I'm so glad I finally came." She looked towards Tyler who sat next to her inside the room.

"Same here, that IcyHot wasn't doing it sista," Tyler stood holding out his hand for hers. "I was tired of hearing you whine all night." It was worse than a whine, it was a cry for help. She had a fractured clavicle.

"Not sista," Ryan gave him a look and grabbed his hand. Tyler had been a great help the last few days. When she'd gotten back to her apartment the next day after the accident to get spare keys from her Landlord Mike, she saw a box sitting in front of her door. Inside was her purse, keys, wallet, and a note. Since Tyler was with her, she stuffed the note inside her purse and hadn't touched it since. 

"Come on let's get you out of here," Everyday with Tyler felt fresh, he was attentive, patient and didn't allow her to lift a finger for the most part. She'd been at his place for the last few days, due to her shoulder getting worse. It was bruised, swollen, and she could not move it, he convinced her to go get it checked out. Tyler wouldn't let her leave his sight, he invited her to stay in his guest bedroom while she healed. When she didn't hear anything back from Kadeem after sending him countless messages and calls she figured he was dealing with things more important than her. She couldn't deny that she missed him though, she missed having his unpredictable presence around. "I was thinking," she gave Tyler her full attention as they walked out of the building, "My mom would love to have you over for dinner Sunday. Every Sunday me and my brothers go see her and she would love to meet you."

"You told your mother about me?" Ryan stopped walking and faced him, "Tyler, that's too soon we haven't-"

Cutting her off, "I didn't tell her you was my girlfriend or anything like that Ryan. Just a friend I met. That's all." Ryan stomped a foot softly out of frustration. She just knew his mother would see through her bullshit and probably call her out at the dinner table. Her mind began to vision a woman with features similar to his calling her a 'down low black heifer that's using her son for his good heart', and that's when she would toss a handful of mashed potatoes at her and leave. Tyler sighed blowing air to the ceiling, "Shit. Don't be mad at me."

"No," With her working arm she grabbed his hand, "No, I'm not mad at you," Ryan thought about everything Tyler had been doing for her. How could he not think she was feeling him the same way he was feeling her, "I'll go. I'll be happy to meet your mom." 

"You sure?," Tyler smiled when she nodded, pulling her hand to lead them home. 

Just like she expected Tyler wanted her to do nothing but relax. So she did, "Do you want me to get that?" Ryan called from the sofa towards Tyler who was in the laundry room. When he responded yes, she released off the sofa. She'd been watching the newest season of All Queen's Men and nibbling on thin mint girl scout cookies that she got when her and Tyler went grocery shopping. She had one half bitten between her teeth as she made her way to the door. Using the peephole she took a quick glance at the figure standing on the other side and quickly unlocked the bolts, "Uh, What are you doing here?"

"Talk to me baby," Karla was his only weakness. The only one the could get his world to go silent when needed, he noticed when he went into her room and laid across her bed like he used to as a kid everything went silent. It was like a security blanket to his thoughts.

"I met this shorty," he pushed the thought of Ryan to the front of his mind to block the memories of Nate trying to take over. The weight of the bed shifted, he could feel her warm body heat next to him, "I be trying not to fuck up, but-"

"What do you like about her?"

He closed his eyes, thinking back to the day he watched Ryan toss and turn in her bed, ass cheeks hanging out from her shorts, "Everything. I mean, I don't know much about her, I just know she mine ma she just don't know it."

"Kadeem you can't own a woman, and you damn sure can't claim own one that doesn't even know she's claimed. Hell I haven't even met her."

"You will, she's nice just like you. Almost too nice," he smiled letting the alcohol relax him even more, "Like she's always laughing and shit. Don't nothing be funny for real, she scary too, as hell. I see it in her eyes every time I pop up on her," his smile faded, "But like she scared of me though?"

"Now why would she be scared of my son," Karla sarcastically chuckled shaking her head.

Kadeem sat up, "Probably cause I sent that breakfast to her job huh? She ain't even tell me where she worked. I popped up at her crib after our first date cause' she wasn't answering the phone. Had some corporate nigga in her joint, so I slept on her couch. Then popped up at her job that night after she canceled our date."

"Who the hell have I raised," Karla rolled her eyes, "You want the woman, or a charge and restraining order son?"

Smacking his teeth, "Man, women like that shit. It's called pursuing, you taught me that."

"I taught you to go after what you want, but not at the expense of anyone's safety or comfortability"

"I'll keep her safe, I can promise that." Medusa came into mind, but he wasn't worried about that because he already had someone watching her every move. 

"And what has she done for you? Beside touch your peewee," Kadeem couldn't help but to laugh, the liquor in his system made him laugh harder.

"Come on ma, peewee? Really?" Karla scoff playfully, "But we haven't gotten that far yet. She's a southern belle, that good sweet tea." Karla smiled.

"Damn good," Karla stood, "Y'all lil horny asses need some discipline."

"I have discipline," Grabbing his hand into hers she examined the fresh bruises from the blows he brought to Chewy's face, and the old bruises from over the years of putting his hands on someone else's child. "I think I might've messed it up," his thoughts went back to the accident. How careless he was to not check on Ryan and get her out of harms way, but to a threat there is no logic, blood has to be shed before he could see things clearly again.

"You just make sure she gets to know Kadeem, and not Kuddie. My son Kadeem would make any woman happy, cause' I raised him to do so. Show her him, for the sake of it keep Kuddie away."