AUGUST
December 23rd, Wednesday
"You wanna come wit me ta Caine spot?" I asked Tanya, my baybeh was sick as hell and I wanted to trade places with her.
"I don't wanna be around his girl." She said before coughing and I smacked my lips. "She at work, she ain't gon be dea. Plus his grandma coming ova ta cook.. she can make you some soup or somethin.."
I told her and she stared at me for a while. You could look into her eyes and see she was sick, they looked lifeless.
"Ok." She agreed climbing out the bed slowly then walked into the bathroom. I sat back down on the bed and checked a few emails.
In the process of waiting for Tanya to finish showering and shit I strolled downstairs and decided to smoke me a blunt.
I was gonna have to get her high one time, I rather she get high with me than around some goofies or people she barely know like that.
Hell I don't even trust that assistant of hers, she had to have known something about dude.
"Ready?" I asked her once she walked into the living room with her hair pulled up into a bun and she had her fitted black joggers and one of my hoodies, with her all black Nike's.
She looked dressed to beat a bitch ass the way her face was frowned up.
"You left this." She said dropping my phone in my lap not even looking at me. I wanted to see what the attitude was about but just remembered she was sick.
I grabbed the keys and slid my phone in my pocket then placed my hat on.
I opened the door and let her walk out then I locked it up.
She didn't even let me hold the car door open for her, so I knew she was upset about something.
"What I do?" I asked after I got in the car. "Nothing." She mumbled staring out the window and I stared at her for a while then just gave up.
I wasn't finna let her blow my high.
"You promise you never cheated on me?" She asked after we've been driving in awkward silence for the past ten minutes.
"I told you I tried dat one time and couldn't get it up. Otha' den dat, no Tanya it ain't no reason ta lie." I told her honestly, I don't know where all this was coming from.
"K." She said and I just shook my head. I was not doing this not today.
Once we got to Caine spot she walked up to his door quickly not even waiting on a nigga I wasn't sure what the hell I did.
"What it do woe? What you do ta sis?" He asked after dapping me up and I shrugged. "She walked in like She was ready to box a nigga." He chuckled and I shook my head.
"I don't kno why she mad." I announced stepping into his house. "Where Marie?" I asked referring to his daughter.
"Up in her room taking a nap.. she might be up now tho cuz that's where T jus' went." He responded as I followed him to the man cave.
"Ight so what's play afta Christmas?" I asked as he handed me a blunt and I lit that shit right up.
"We gotta fly ta New York for dis business meeting with one of our new connects. Dis one is gonna have us set for life." He informed and I nodded as I smoked my blunt.
"I've been looking at some businesses we could invest in and I know how you like hats and shades.. so I was thinking you look into starting your own business with dat."
He went on and I continued to listen, "I'm down.. what day we leaving? I don't want luh bit ta be hea by herself."
I asked and he grabbed out a notebook and flipped a few pages.
"Second week in January." He replied and I made a mental note to tell Tanya about it. "Bet." I said handing him the rest of the blunt.
"Guess what she wanted for Christmas?" I said as I stretched out on his sofa, shit was soft as hell.
"What?" He asked putting the blunt out. "To go visit Nina grave site." I replied solemnly. "Damn.." he added and I nodded.
"Yup." I said, "What you gon do?" He asked and before I could answer his doorbell rang.
"Prolly Grandma, come on wit yo high ass." He said and I busted out laughing.
"A nigga ready ta eat." I stated rubbing my hands together and shook his head before he jogged to the door.
I sat down on his couch and cut his tv on.
"Grandmaaaa!" He greeted and I heard her laugh then they hugged and talked a little. "Hey August baybeh." She greeted and I got up and hugged her short frame.
"How you been?" I asked after letting her go. "Pretty good.. how about you?" She asked giving me her famous look.
"I'm hanging in dea.. appreciate you." I told her and she looked me over. "Boy you been smoking dem trees?" She asked, Caine and I busted out laughing.
"Allergies." I lied and she hit my hand. "Stop dat lying, where's that pretty girlfriend of yours you told me so much about?" She asked looking around and I glanced at Caine.
"She upstairs sick and mad at me.. I think." I told her and she frowned.
"Mhm." She hummed, "Mhmm." She repeated nodding her head and I rose my brow.
"Grandma don't start." Caine said and I looked at him then back at her, she lifted her hand up then sat on the couch.
"Go get her August." She said tapping her chin, I twisted my lips but went ahead to get her.
"Can you come down stairs right quick?" I asked her peeking into Marie room.
She was knocked out with Tanya laying by her just playing in her hair.
"For what?" She asked not even looking at me. "Just come down ma.. I got somebody I want you ta meet." I told her and she took a few seconds before she eased out the bed and cane out the room.
I closed the bedroom and tried to grab her hand but she pulled away and walked down stairs.
A part of me wanted to kick her down them and another part of me just wanted to ask what was bothering her.
"You must be Tanya?" Grandma Eva greeted, Tanya nodded slowly then hugged her when she opened her arms.
"I'm Caine's grandmother.. Grandma Eva, Titi, memaw or Grandma is what you can call me." She told her and Tanya nodded again.
"Can we talk?" She asked her, Tanya glanced at me then back at her and shrugged.
They sat down on the couch and she motioned for me to sit down as well.
"I'ma go upstairs wit lil mama." Caine said and we all just nodded.
Once he left she looked at me then Tanya.
"Almost three years?" She asked smiling and I nodded. "You've been through a lot?" She asked Tanya and she looked at me.
"He didn't tell me anything sweetheart, I can see it." She informed her and Tanya just stared at her.
"I have.. I don't wanna talk about it tho." She told her as she began tapping on her knee indicating she was nervous.
"I can respect that.. what's going on between you two?" She asked her and Tanya shrugged then looked down.
"It's best to let it out than to keep it in." She assured her, "I'm confused." She said lowly then looked at her with watery eyes.
I was confused as to why she was about to cry.. that's all she ever did lately. You would swear she was pregnant.
"about what?" She asked moving closer to her and grabbed her hand. "I wasn't snooping or anything, your phone was unlocked and going off and it kept going off.."
She said looking at me with a hint of hurt and anger, "A few pictures of you and some girl together were sent from and unknown number... she was pretty naked and happy with whatever y'all were doing."
She announced as a few tears rolled down her cheek.
"What?" I asked confused as I pulled out my phone to check. "I forward it to my phone then deleted the thread from yours."
She mumbled reaching in her pocket and grabbed out her phone. She handed it to me after she went to it and I stared at the stuff.
"I thought you said you never cheated on me August?" She asked with a shaky voice, my body started heating up as I looked at these pictures, they were old.
This was one of the bitches I used to have work for me, we fucked around cuz she was cool at first.. once she started acting crazy I cut her loose and told her don't bring her ass around no more.
"I didn't." I responded tryna figure out the reason for this.
"August.." she called disappointed, "Tanya these are old, I didn't even know these were taken ma. She somebody I had sex with a few times until she started acting crazy.. I ain't neva lie before and I ain't starting now."
I assured her as I sat her phone on the table.
"Do you trust him?" Grandma Eva asked her and she nodded quickly as she wiped at her face.
"Do you love him?" She asked, "I do but it-." Before she could finish she was cut off. "I said do you love him?" She repeated wiping her face for her.
"Yes." She answered looking at me. "August you love her right?" She asked me , "Yeah, y'all know I do." I answered and she laughed softly.
"Have you ever cheated on her?" She asked , if I had to answer this question again. "I tried to once but certain things couldn't happen." I explained in the most respectable way and she snickered causing me to shoot her a look.
"How recent are those photos?" She asked, "Give or take five years old, I neva knew she took em." I assured and she nodded.
"Why didn't you ask him when they were sent?" She asked Tanya and I wondered the same. She shrugged. "I don't know.. I guess a part of me believed it and another part was trying to fight it."
She responded wiping her face some more.
"I'm just not use to things like this.. the pictures just made me believe it." She admitted and I ran my hands down my face.
"Understandable.. he loves you and I can assure you he did not cheat on you. Like he stated before he couldn't have even if he tried." She laughed at the last part and I smacked my lips.
"I'm sorry." She apologized wiping under her eyes. "I'm sorry ma, I should've checked on you betta." I told her as I went and pulled her into a hug.
"I was quick to believe it after we made a agreement to talk out any arguments or disagreements before leaving the house.. I couldn't even do that." She said then laughed.
"I prolly would've did da same or worse ma.. but thas all apart of growing and learning." I added and she stared at me.
"I'll probably get more stuff like that huh?" She asked and I shook my head. "I got you ma and I see I gotta make a few trips." I told her seriously and Grandma laughed.
"Boy you better let the good Lord handle that." She said standing up after whispering to Tanya and I arched my brow.
"Sometimes he wait too long." I called to her before she disappeared into the kitchen and Tanya giggled.
"Don't do nothing crazy." She warned and I gave her the look. "Tanya baby come in here dear." Eva called, from the sound of her voice I could tell she was finna talk her head off.
"She's sick grandma." I told her as I followed behind Tanya. "Boy hush, I been on this earth long enough to unda'stand what needs ta be done.. go and get." She stated shooing me away and Tanya started laughing.
"I ain't gon hurt her, mind yo business." She added with a smirk and I squinted at her. "Boy." She said picking up her purse and I hauled ass hearing them both laugh.
She finna talk my lil baby head off.. poor baby.
Later that day
"Do you think I'm someone he would want to marry?" I heard Tanya ask grandma. I came to grab a bottle of water, but stopped around the corner after hearing some of their conversations.
"Only he can answer dat." She told her and I shook my head. "But.." she added, "I think you're a great fit for him and he's one for you. I think he'd be a fool not to marry you." She told her and I smirked shaking my head.
She always found a way to throw shade.
"Can I tell you something? Just between us two?" She asked her and I debated on if I should walk away now or listen.
"Shoot for it." She replied as I heard her place something in the oven. "I always wondered how my life would've been like if I met August first instead of my ex.. like maybe some of the things I went through could've been prevented if I were with August instead of him.."
She told her and I closed my eyes, only God can control stuff like that. It simply was not my time to be with her then.
"Why do you think things would've been different?" She asked her and I perked up wanting to hear as well.
"Maybe I should give you my background so you'll understand." She added, I heard chairs moving and I moved back some.
"You already some of it don't you?" She asked, I couldn't hear but I'm sure she nodded. "Did August or Caine tell you?" She asked and I smacked my lips then caught myself.
"No." Grandma answered and I blew out a low breath, thankful that they didn't hear me.
"I told you." She added and Tanya laughed. "Right, ok well I've been abused by my father since I was nine." She started off, in the process of me backing up some I bumped into Caine.
"What d-." I covered his mouth and pushed him back into the man cave. After I closed the door after making sure they ain't hear he busted out laughing.
"I kno you was not eavesdropping?" He said chuckling and I plopped down on his sofa and put my feet on the table.
"Bro thas one thing you neva do in a relationship." He informed and I ignored him as I grabbed the blunt off the table and lit it.
"Mind yo business." I said before I inhaled it and let it linger inside for a while before I blew it out my nostrils then mouth.
"No nigga YOU mind YOUR business, I should go tell lil sis, but I'm sure grandma already saw you coming." He stayed and I flicked him off.
"Whatever.. I was getting a bottle of water until yo ass came behind me and made me forget." I lied puffing on the blunt and he laughed hysterically.
I couldn't do nothing but laugh as well.
"You lying ass nigga." He joked still laughing and I tossed the pillow at him.
"How much did you hear?" He asked after we both calmed down. "Not enough." I replied looking up at the ceiling as I blew out smoke.
I did that for a while then started blowing O's. "What were you hoping to hear?" He asked after taking the half blunt and I shrugged feeling my high kick in.
"You thought she would say some wild shit?" He asked and I shook my head.
Truth is I just wanted to hear her tell grandma that she was in love with me.
I heard her tell me that all the time, but it would've felt different if I heard her tell it to grandma.. hell she prolly did tell her but I missed it fucking round with Caine ass.
Damn that nigga was always in the way, nigga be popping up at the wrong damn times.
But when I need his ass to pop up, he always late.. how the fuck?
Questions I would never get answered..
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