Skipping to the trip.
"Cydney, boo. You gotta get up." Hazel said beside me. I was already awake, I was just laying in bed not wanting to move.
My stomach had been doing flips; backflips, front flips, cartwheels and all. I couldn't stand up and walk around without feeling like I was gonna throw up.
"Still not feeling good?" She asked rubbing my back. I turned my head to face her.
I assumed it was because of the flight I'd be getting on in a few hours that was messing with my body. But then it could be the plenty of drinks I had last night with Hazel at her place.
"I feel horrible actually." I sat up in bed stretching my upper limbs before slowly throwing my legs over the sides of the bed. Any quick movements would have me throwing up a mess I wouldn't want to be cleaning up.
The flight was leaving at five AM but Big T and August wouldn't be here until three which leaves me just an hour to get ready. I was already packed so it was enough time for me.
Brushing my teeth, washing my face and getting dressed in casual attire of leggings, my black Timbs and a hoodie, I began checking for anything that I didn't want to leave behind.
"Cydney, August is calling," Hazel called out in a sing-song voice. She tossed me my phone and I answered it.
"Hey."
"You up an movin' right?" He asked.
I sighed, "Yes, Dad." That's exactly what he sounded like right now.
"Cool, cause I'm at tha do'. And call me daddy next time, turns me on."
"Never." I hung up the phone, rolling my eyes.
I slipped my phone into my hoodie pocket and went to get the door but Hazel beat me to it.
"G'moanin' Haze," he looked over her.
"Whea my baybeh at," he barged through her as I came from the hallway. His accent made my stomach flip. He greeted me with a hug and kiss on my temple. "I gotchu some waffles." he held up the Waffle House carry out tray.
"Thanks," he let go of me, keeping his arm around the small of my back. I greeted T, waving at him.
"Damn, you look like shit," he finally got a good look at me. I stale faced him and he hissed, "my bad."
"Mom. I'm about to leave," I said loud enough for her to hear me.
"What's wrong wit my lil' baybeh?" He asked lifting my head up with his index finger looking for the answers in my eyes, I suppose.
The added butterflies in my stomach when he called me baybeh once again made my stomach flutter, but not in a good way this time.
"You know how I am about planes," I stated before grabbing my bags.
"You won't this bad tha last two times. What changed?" He asked.
I shrugged my shoulders. "Hazel wanted to play drinking ABC's four times in a row and I lost all four times..."
August shook his head, "Gotta learn to hold ya liquor."
T grabbed my bags that were by the door and headed out. I thanked him before he was fully in the hallway.
"Make sure you bring me back something," Hazel hugged me from behind and I nodded.
"Is a keychain fine?" I joked and she stale faced me.
"Biiiitch, don't get duffed." She said seriously before laughing, "August take care of her, and please don't lose her in Nola. She likes to wander." I glared at her for that comment. I don't wander, I simply just walk around.
"I noticed dat shit." He said eying me thinking of that one time I wandered off at Lenox Mall. That was horrible when he finally found me.
"Text me when you land boo. Bye August."
"Lata."
"Bye," I said before she was out the door.
"Na, you sure you gon' be straight?" He stepped closer to me, feeling my forehead.
"I'm just a little hungerover, dreading the plane ride. Nothing to worry about. Mom?" I called for her again, brushing the subject off.
"Yes, Cydney. I'm coming," She rounded out of the kitchen with a travel mug in her hands. "Here, drink this, before you get on the plane and you'll be good as new."
"What's in it," I took a sip, immediately cringing at the taste, coughing. She patted my back some.
"It's honey-ginger tea. With a little Hennessy too."
"Hm, na that's my cuppa tea," August said pulling the mug from my hands. I rolled my eyes while my mom slapped the back of his neck giving me back the mug.
"This isn't for you August." she scolded which made me laugh.
"I'm hungover and you give me alcohol? Mom, really?"
Over the past few weeks, me and my mom had been getting along pretty well. She even got along great with August and his mom.
We talked more and more every time we saw each other in the house and made it a priority to sit down and eat together every week just to catch up. I was able to get her a job at the studio I danced at, being a secretary for the front desk. It was a simple nine to five job and she was fine with it as long as she was making money and no one was giving her a hard time. Of course I was fine where I could check on her and make sure she's actually doing her job.
She'd missed out on so much in my life, I didn't want to let her miss anything else. No matter how much I hated her for not being there, I didn't want to hold grudges and punish her for the rest of my life or hers. It wasn't in me to be like that.
"Cyd, you ready?" August asked standing in the doorway. I nodded in reply feeling nauseous again. "You good?" He asked and I nodded again.
My mom gave me a look before excusing us from the room briefly.
"What's really wrong with you?" She folded her arms over her chest. "You been all the way around the word and you scared of a less than, two hour plane ride?"
"I'm hungover and airsick," I stuttered.
"Stop lying. If it's one thing I haven't forgotten about you is that you stutter when you lie, now what's wrong?"
I sighed, leaning on the wall of the bedroom, "I guess I'm a little scared of meeting his family." I played with my fingers.
Yes, I was scared of being in the air but not as much as I was the first time. I also was slightly hungover, I threw up once and was fine. Meeting his family was the biggest task I would face this trip.
I'd meet Sheila and she loved me, as well as Chandra, the girls, Tima and Travis. I knew for a fact that his grandmother would be the hardest to prove that I'm there for him and only him. Not the money of the fame.
"Oh, I see." She smiled at me lightly, "There's nothing wrong with that, but don't go covering it up like that." She said sternly.
"You got that boy out there thinking something is seriously wrong with you. Now just relax and it'll all work out. If they didn't like you you wouldn't be going now would you?" I nodded my head, slowly gaining my confidence back.
"Now get on to New Orleans, honey. If he didn't think you were fit to meet the rest of his family back home, you would still be in that bed sleep right now."
I nodded, smiling slightly before quickly making sure she knew what to do and what not to do. I'd only be gone three, four days at max but I wanted to make sure she had everything on lock.
"Yeah, yeah. I got it. Now go before you miss your flight." Shooed me while pushing me back out to the main room.
"Fine, be good please." I added before she kissed my cheek.
"I will. You just have fun, honey."
August Alsina
"Cyd, wake up." I slightly pushed ha. She'd fallen asleep on my shoulda and a nigga had ta pee but I ain't wanna just push ha ova onta Trav sleepin-self.
"Cydney." I said again while poking her in the neck. She jumped in her seat before realizing that it was just me and calmed down.
"Are we about to land?" She said looking around and then out the window.
"Nah,"
"Then why'd you wake me?" She mugged.
"I gotta piss," I said and she sighed angrily, leaning ta tha other side.
I went ta pee, came back and Cydney rested ha head back on my shoulda.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have just been cleared to land at the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. Please make sure one last time your seat belt is securely fastened. The flight attendants are currently..."
She groaned and sat back up, fastening her seatbelt.
*
"So we're not staying in a hotel?"
"Naw, we goin' ta stay at my Maw Maw's house since it's nearby all tha action. She'on mind havin' us all thea, she love it actually."
"Hm, why don't she move to Atlanta with the rest of you? I mean everyone else is up there, why not her too?"
"Cause she was born and raised hea. It's hard ta take people outta Nola when they ain't known nun else they whole life. Buhlee me I wish she would come wit us but ain't no budgin' with ha. That's why I'm glad ta still have my homeboys hea so they can keep check onna."
"Oh, I understand. It was like that for you when you tried to leave wasn't it?"
I nodded, "If it won't fa Mel getting killed I woulda neva left hea again. I wouldn't have had a numba one hit." I explained.
Speaking of him, I made a mental note to make sure to visit him before I leave.
"August did you hear me?" Cydney pulled me from my thoughts.
"Huh, yea" I mumbled while unbuckling my seatbelt. She said something along the lines of—
"I asked you a question big head," she smacked my arm. "What's your Maw Maw like?"
"She's cool." I said pulling both our bags from above us. "She's not your average grandma. Very outspoken; bold, savage, ruthless, whateva you wanna call it."
"Do you think she'll like me?" She asked lookin' at me.
"Shit, I hope so."
She looked at me again.
"Did I say that out loud?" I asked and she nodded.
"Uh, ignore dat." I looked out tha window ta see whea we was at. We was close. Afta a few minutes of silence, she started talkin' again.
She continued to ask different questions until I got tired of it, riding on a plane for a while then having to drive a while to my Maw Maws house was tiring and she was just making it worse.
"Cydney, have I eva told you, you ask to many damn questions?" I chuckle tryna make it mo' of a joke.
"Huh, oh. I'm sorry. I'm just curious of your family. I wanna know how to act."
"I get that and it's cool, be yaself. But a nigga mu'fuckin' ti'ed."
"I'll shut up," she said looking out the window.
I did the same before feeling a glare against my face. Looking up, it was T staring at me through tha rear view.
I gave him that what nigga? face although I already knew what he meant. He wanted me ta be nice ta Cydney but I won't even tryna be mean. I was just bein' honest.
After having a stare off with T when he should've been paying attention ta tha road, I gave up.
"Aight T. Watch tha road man." I mumbled and looked over to Cydney.
She had put ha headphones in, lookin' like a lil sad puppy, makin' me feel bad n shit.
I placed my hand on her thigh rubbin' it alil. "Cyd, we almost thea."
She nodded without looking at me. I sighed to myself. I swiftly undid her seat belt and pulled her to lay up unda me.
"Aug—" I kissed her, cutting her off.
"I'm sorry babybeh, I'm just ti'ed. We'ca talk more about my family and allat when we get settled in. Imma even show you some places aight?"
She didn't say anything so I assumed she was ignoring me.
"Ya herd me?" I nudged ha and she still didn't respond. I pulled ha headphone jack out ha phone. She won't even listenin' ta shit.
"I said... do you.. hear.. me?" I started ticking her and she squirmed around while laughin'.
"Okay, okay! I hear you!" She fought off my hands as I laughed at her. Eventually I stopped and I seen T give me that good choice look and I just nodded.
"I'm sure Maw Maw gon' love ya." I kissed ha fo'head makin' ha blush.
A few minutes later we pulled in tha driveway of my Maw Maws house. I was hea a few months and everythang looked tha same fa tha most part.
I hopped out tha truck and made my way openin' tha door for Cydney before grabbin' a few of tha bags. A few minutes lata, tha trucks that held everyone else appeared doin' tha same.
Of course, Maw Maw came outside ta greet all of us, hugging and pinching our cheeks in the process like a regular grandma should.
"And who is this lil skinny thang right here?" She said once she got to Cydney.
I walked over beside ha, throwing my arm ova ha. "Maw Maw, this is Cydney."
"And who is Cydney?" She asked nosily.
"She's... my girl." I said as confident as I could. It felt weird, havin' that roll off my tongue.
I looked next to me to see a slight frown on Cydney's face but when she seen me looking, it switched up quick. I know tha hesitation hurt ha heart but I was new ta this.
"Hi," she stuck ha hand out ta shake but instead my Maw pulled ha from unda my arm and hugged ha real tight.
"We don't do handshakes di'ne hea." She started. "And why you so skinny? You need some meat on ya bones, Aug you don't feel this hea girl? C'mon, let Maw feed you..." She said pulling ha inta tha house.
All I'ca thank was all she do its eat wit ha skinny self.
Cydney looked back at me over her shoulda fa me ta save ha but I just shook my head smiling. No matter what I did she was gonna get fed and fat as long as she was in Nola. She wanted ta be liked, so that's what she got.
"Hey bro, you wanna ride out ta tha club lata on tonight?" Trav placed his hand on my shoulder, stoppin' me from walkin' in tha house.
"You thank Maw Maw gon like that? She ain't seen us in months, she gon want us hea tha first night at least." I said pulling at my chin hairs.
"C'mon Aug, we ain't been ta tha club scene in fa'eva... you know what kinda club I'm talking about right?" He shook me alil and my eyes widened.
"Oh hell nawl, Trav." I threw my hands up, "You ain't finna get me deep in some shit."
Strip clubs are cool and everything, but with Travis, they get ta be a hot mess. Bruh can't hold his liquor for shit so he go against all the rules of a strip club: no touching tha ladies. Get both our asses kicked out inna heartbeat.
"Mane c'mon! I just wanna get my hands on some ass!" He said holding his hands out as if he really had some ass in his hands.
I shook my head, "No. Hell nawl," I walked inta tha house repeating myself as he followed.
"What are you hell naw'ing about now?" Chandra asked me.
"Trav tryna get my ass in tha strip club wit him."
"Oh that sounds fun! I'll go ask Tima if she wants to go," she clapped befo' runnin' off.
"Wait, Chandra!" I yelled but she was already outta sight. I know ha ass heard me.
"We leavin' at ten, be read' ta go." Trav said before goin' down tha hall behind ha. I sighed ta myself and made my way inta tha kitchen.
When I got innea, it was a sight ta see. Cydney was surrounded by plates of food and napkins.
Tha hell happened in hea? I asked myself.
My eyes trailed up ta ha face and it was covered in what I thank was barbecue sauce.
"Maw Maw? What you done did ta this girl," I asked turnin' they attention ta me.
"I fed ha. Something you don't be seem ta be doing a good job at." She fired back at me. "Now move, I wann go play with my great grans." She said befo' leaving out tha kitchen. I sat down next ta Cydney on tha barstool.
"You hungry orrr...?" I joked and she just stale faced me befo' grabbing another roll off her plate. Ion know whea tha hell she put allat damn food.
"Chill," she said while chewing.
I shook my head, "So me and everyone else tryna go out tanight, Y'know, kick off Mardi Gras."
"Where to?" She asked and wiped ha mouth."This food is amazing."
"Some strip club, Trav wanna—" "Nope." She said cuttin' me off. I furrowed my eyebrows waiting on ha reason but I didn't get it.
"You ain't even hea' me out."
"And? I don't wanna see half naked girls getting money thrown at them." She explained. "I don't wanna be the one throwing money at them either."
"Well it's either that, or let Maw Maw fatten you up some more." I said, standing up. The look on her face showed she was thankin' long and hard 'bout it.
*
My favorite danca walked up on tha stage. Lisa Luxe. She did ha job good as fuck.
Fun fact fa y'all: she was the homegurl that let me crash at ha spot when I had nowhea else ya turn ta. I knew ha in so many ways that none of these drooling dawgs was eva get ta find out.
She winked at me and I returned a smile. She watched me befo' turnin' around on tha pole and droppin' ta a split. I can't lie, she was good at ha job but she ain't make a nigga dick stand up. I known ha fa who she really is unlike everyone else who stay tryna hop on dat.
"I can't believe you got me up in here." Cydney plopped down on my lap. I broke eye contact from Lisa and focused on Cydney.
"I can't believe you choose ass n' titties ova food." I smirked at ha.
She rolled her eyes and sipped ha drink. I vibed ta tha song that was playin'.
"I don't see how women do it," Cydney said completely unamused.
"Do what?" I sipped my own drank and looked at Lisa doin' tricks every na and then.
"Strip." She started, "I know it pays the bills but being half naked in front of drooling dogs," She shook ha head.
I shrugged my shouldas, "Well, not everybody story is tha same," a danca came to me asking for a dance and I politely declined it, "When you got no otha choice you gotta make it do what it do."
She nodded, "I'm not judging though," she said before standing up.
Tha beginning ta Work by Rihanna and Drake played and I just shook my head at ha already moving ha hips befo' tha song even got ta boomin'.
"Aug, come dance with me, pleaaase?" She pulled at my fingatips fa me ta get up.
"Nah, not this time." I answered, I already danced wit ha twice. Na, I really ain't wanna get up and move around n' shit. I just wanted ta chill.
"August you not gon' dance with ya girl?" Chandra popped up, "I'll do it then, come on boo." She said pullin' ha off inta tha crowd.
Cydney stuck her tongue out at me making me chuckle while I just sat back and watched. Travis came up and sat down beside me.
"Whea yo ass been at?" I asked and he look like he been through hell and back. He had rips in his shirt around tha collar and a small scratch ova his eyebrow and his cheek.
"Man, lemme tell you; A stripper came ta me and took me ta tha back, and she let me touch ha!" He shouted.
He fanned himself lightly while I just shook my head.
"I mean mami was bad as fuck, like I wanted ta take ha home, but Maw Maw ain't gon have that shit so I got ha numba instead." He paused.
"But then, some nigga popped up outta nowhea. Snatched my ass up talkin bout I'm all ova his girl." He imitated tha guy in s rough soundin' voice.
"Was you?" I chuckled.
"Yeah but so what? She was on tha job, she supposed ta please customers." He shrugged.
I shook my head, "Glad ta see you still alive," I mumbled no longa interested. I was too preoccupied watchin' Cydney's hips stir in motion and wind tha air.
Thank God, I got self control.
Travis caught a glimpse of some mo' ass and like a dog, he followed ready ta get a bone.
I shook my head at him, focusin' on Cyd again. This time she was makin' ha way closa ta me. I stood up and took tha dance she was offerin' this time. I was too turnt off tha Henny ta not take it by now. Besides, who am I to turn down some grindin'?
*
"Augusst." Cydney groaned at me.
"I know, I know." I said as she tried to grab onto me. "Just stay still and it'll be over in a second." I sighed as I seen tears starting ta swell up ha eyes. I hated ta see ha cry, but this was ha dumbass idea.
"You know fa someone that was big and bold ta wanna do this, you sho' is crying like a baby." I said.
Cydney thought it would be a good idea fa ha ta walk outside barefoot. We barely made it off ta tha sidewalk in front of tha house and she already stepped on a tiny ass piece of glass. I was just tending ta ha wounds as she would call it.
"Everybody else was doing it.." She mumbled.
"Cydney you ain't from hea, so you ain't got them tough ass feet like otha people. Thea." I threw ha foot down offa my lap and she stood up hoppin' 'round.
"Cyd. stop being so dramatic. It ain't even that big a deal." I laughed.
"Yes it is, there was glass in my foot!" She shouted. "Oh my god, my dance career is over!" She fell back onta tha sofa being dramatic.
"It was a lil nick, tha glass wasn't even in ya foot." I explained and she sighed loudly. "Chill. You being ova dramatic."
She mugged me befo' tunin' in ta what was on tha TV screen. I took a seat next ta ha and she threw her legs over my lap.
After a few minutes of silence, she spoke, "Soo, what's the plan for today?"
"Uhh, prolly kick it wit my niggas soon. Then we can chill, I'll show you around and allat."
It was mornin' hea and we was all just waiting on breakfast ta get done. Tha days went by slow as hell hea so it wasn't a need ta rush tha day.
"Momma," I spoke as she walked in tha room. "Can you—" "No."
"I didn't even—" "August leave me alone." She cut me off again, causing Cydney ta just laugh.
"Tha hell is yo problem?" I said sitting up from my spot on tha sofa.
"Not a damn thing," she said sitting in tha armchair beside me.
She kicked ha feet up, grabbin' tha remote, "I just don't wanna be bothered," she said plainly. "I'm on vacation, if you need anything- just don't." She pulled out a magazine and started flippin' through it.
I mugged slightly without her noticing as Cydney held in her laughs beside me. I eyed ha too and she shut up real quick.
"Well damn." I mumbled sitting back on tha sofa. I threw my hands behind my head and Cydney leaned over on me.
Travis waltzed in along with Callie on his hip and Tima on his tail. They both sat down on tha other end of tha L shaped sofa.
Soon after, Cha and tha girls made their way into the room also sitting on tha sofa, Kay and Mya sitting on tha floor playing with Callie. And Maw Maw came from tha kitchen with a plate of food just for herself.
I look at ha, "Whea mines at?"
She ignored me, knocked my feet off tha table and walking past me.
I shook my head and looked around the room talking in tha view. Me and moms good, Trav ain't bullshitin like usual. And tha girls, all my favorite girls were in tha same room, plus I had a girl on my hip ta call my own.