IF THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES Book 2

Chapter 35 Re-Upload

He looked at me, like explain why Durrell is here.

“Rell came to visit and apologize before he left for tour.” I went back to preparing dinner.

“What’s for dinner?” He put his book bag on the floor besides the sofa, and acted like he didn’t hear what I said.

“Steak and baked potatoes.”

“I got homework to do, so you can ask your guest to leave. I want a quiet house.” He took out his books and sat on the couch.

“Okay this pettiness is going to stop. Aug you’re not leaving my life, nor is Durrell so if he’s here to apologize, lets just let it go. Okay. Y’all don’t have to be friends, but you need to learn to co-exist. For me.” I had my hand on my hip, looking at both of them.

They both were silent for a moment.

“August?” I said.

“We good.”

“Durrell.”

“We good, as long as you good.” Durrell looked at me.

“Great. Now August is it okay if Rell stays for dinner?”

August sighed, “Yeah. He can stay.”

“Great.” I put the steaks and baked potatoes in the oven.

August was still pouting on the couch, doing his homework but I didn’t care. I knew it was going to take him a minute, but he’d come around.

There was a knock at the door.

“Don’t open it.” August said writing in his notebook.

I ignored him and opened it. Of course it was Travis and Stacy.

“Is our dinner ready yet?”

“Oh my God. I’m not going to be doing this every day. Only because I know Stacy is probably hungry from school all day, I’ll do it.” I threw some extra food in the oven for everybody

“Oh man, you that dude from uh, you made that “If That’s What It Takes Song?” Travis recognized Durrell.

“Yeah that’s me.”

“Durrell that’s Travis. Aug’s brother.”

He dapped Travis up.

“Stacy how you doing babygirl?”  Rell hugged her and kissed her cheek.

“I’m good. I heard you were going on tour?”

“Yeah, I am. When I come to Philly, hit me up. I’ll give y’all some free tickets.”

“Will do.” Stacy looked at him dreamy eyed.

Travis coughed. Stacy snapped out of it.

“Okay, can y’all go upstairs until its ready. Sata is sleep and Aug is trying to do his homework.”

“Why are you babying that nigga?” Travis said looking in my fridge.

I closed it.

“Goodbye Travis. Stac I’ll call you when its done.”

“Okay. Rell I want to hear about all you’re doing. You want to come upstairs with me and Trav?”

“Sure. Yeah.”

“You looking for background singers?”

“Can you sing?”

“Sing, nigga I can blow.” Travis said confidently.

“Well come on let me here you.”

They all left out the door and went upstairs.

“Can he sing?” I went to go sit on the couch with August. I handed him a Simply Lemonade with Rasberry.

He took the juice and gave me a look like c’mon.

“He is so silly.” I laughed and shook my head.

Aug put his head in my lap and read from his textbook, with his knees raised.

I rubbed his head.

“How was everything with work?”

“Cool. I start tomorrow.”

“How was the lady?”

“Mad down to earth.”

“That’s good. How was classes?”

“They alright. Now that you and Sata here I know for sure I’mma do better. My focus is different. I ain’t all depressed like I was.”

“That’s good. Anything I can do help you let me know.” I bent down and pecked his lips. “For your birthday, Stacy said she would keep Sata. You okay with that?”

“Yeah, that’s cool.”

“You want to go out or me to do something in?”

“Honestly, I just want sex. Whether its out, whether its in I don’t’ care.” He sounded so desperate.

“Oh my God August, you are a trip.” 

“I’m serious Amber. I’m fucking dying.” He looked up at me. “That’s what we can do all day. Have sex. Clock strike twelve, sex. Take a break. More sex. Take a break. More sex. Eat. Then Sex. Sleep a little bit. Sex. Take a bath together. Sex--.”

I cut him off.

“Okay, Jesus! You don’t want me to have any vaginal walls.”

“I’ll be gentle.” He smirked.

“You’re not going to break my cervix because you can’t control your little cravings.”

“Break your cervix?” He bursted into laughter. “Is that even possible?”

“Yes, I heard somebody did it.”

“That’s crazy. Breaking a cervix.”  He shook his head.

“Babe do you mind if I join a suicide support group?” He whipped his head up quickly.

“No, no, no I’m not thinking about suicide.” I chuckled. “Just to tell people Nate’s story. Since he struggled with it.”

“I was about to say.” He let out a sigh a relief. “Yeah I mean if that’s something you want to do. I think it will be a good thing. You know I support you, just as much as you support me.”

“Aww thank you babe.” I kissed forehead.

“I also think you should hang up that picture Nate painted that used to be in your office. Sevyn told me about one day when we were working on volunteer stuff. I asked her about it, when I saw it.”

“Really?” I looked at him surprised.

“Yeah. It’s a beautiful picture of you and I’m not like that. Like Salli said, Nate was y’all protector while I was trying to get it together. I got a lot of respect for him, for that.”

“Wow, thank you August. That means a lot.”

I heard banging at the door.

“Is it done yet?” Travis asked.

“Oh my God.”

We both shook our heads at his foolery and laughed.