Mama's Boy

♊06♌

"Where'd she and Aiden go?" Knox asked again.

"Why you so concerned, son?"

"Because I don't want Aiden to be slackin'. She got shit to do and so does Maria or whatever the hell her name is."

"You sure that's the only reason. I mean, you 'round here buyin' 'er McDonalds-"

"That don't mean nothin'. I bought you a whole damn meal and I only bought her a frappe."

"That's probably all she asked fo'. Knowin' you, you would've gotten 'er anything else had she wanted it. What was she doin' in yo' car anyway? You pickin' 'er up in the mornin'? "

"Not that it's any of yo' business, old man, but I saw her walkin' from the bus stop and I decided to give her a lift."

"And you let 'er meet Koco."

"I let a lot of people meet Koco."

"You've never let any of your flings meet 'er. Veronica hasn't met 'er. Atleast not officially, she hasn't."

"Hailey has met her."

"And you were with Hailey fo' two years. She was pretty important to you. But you just met Aiden."

Frustrated, Knox sat Kolina on the ground and turned to Jackson with his arms crossed. "There you go implyin' shit again."

"I'm not implyin' anything."

"Yes, you are. There is nothin' going on with me and Aiden."

"I didn't say there was."

"But you're insinuatin' it."

"I was just curious. What am I supposed think when y'all walkin' in together, lookin' like a li'l family?"

Knox huffed and reached for Koco's hand. He was over the conversation. Opening the door, he bid Jackson a goodbye and stalked out of his office.

He continued to stalk down the hall until he reached the reception desk. "Veronica, I'm goin' to lunch."

"Okay, Mr. Reid," his assistant replied. "Hi, cutie," she addressed Kolina, who frowned and hid behind her brother.

Knox walked pass the front desk of the gallery and nodded to Dana, who was applying even more makeup to her face. He scowled, thinking she was gonna need more than an ugly-colored eye shadow to turn even one head.

When he and Koco got to his car, he opened the door for her and strapped her into the seatbelt. After making sure it was secure, be went and sat before the wheel. Then, with no specific destination in mind, he started the car.

•••••••

Aiden tapped her foot and sighed as Malia browsed through the rack of jeans. What was supposed to be a simple pizza run for Malia's grandfather turned into a long shopping spree for the hyper Latina. That poor old man was probably dying from hunger.

Aiden wouldn't have minded shopping with Malia if Aiden had money. She was getting aggravated because she was surrounded by pretty things she wanted but couldn't afford. Malia was enjoying herself but Aiden just wanted to leave.

Malia had been talking up a storm since they left the gallery. Even now, as she looked for a new pair of jeans, she was still yapping. She talked about anything and everything and the topics changed like the weather. Aiden simply could not keep up with what Malia was saying.

"So one time mi mama took me shopping for a new pair of jeans. It was just after Labor Day and you know how they say you're not supposed to wear white but I wanted to be a badass and wear white anyway. So there were these cute pair of white pants, it was the last pair in my size and I wanted them so bad but my mom said that they cost too much. I convinced her to just let me try them on though. So I go in the dressing room to try them on, cierto? And, Blondie, they were so gorgeous on me. I seriously loved those pants. So I go to show my mother how they look on me and as I turn and start gushing about how cute they are, she goes, 'What's that?' And I'm like, 'What's what?' She comes and looks at whatever she seen and she just gasps. I'm like, 'Mami, what is it?' And she says, 'Malia, how could you not know you were on your period?' How embarrassing is that?" Malia raved in one breath.