B.
I sat in the cafeteria with Solange eating a salad.
"So you got any new dick lately?"
I nearly choked. "Lower your voice." I said feeling embarrassed.
"Girl. Yes or no."
"No..."
"You need to. You haven't got laid in 14 years."
I laughed at this. "That's a lie. It's been a while, but damn. Not no fourteen years."
"Well my man has this guy friend..."
"Not interested." I said immediately.
"You must've found someone. You not just gon turn someone else down without seeing him at least."
"Have you talked to your mother?" I asked changing the subject.
"Yeah I talked to her last night. Anyway, So this guy... tell me about him."
"I met him at a football game. It's nothing too serious, Okay?"
"Okay." She dropped it. "When are we going to visit mom?"
"Um... thanksgiving."
"Really? We only visit on the holidays?"
"You're grown, you can visit her whenever you'd like." I simply.
"Okay, smart ass."
I laughed at her.
"I hate you." She said rolling her eyes.
"Hold on its Karim's school." She nodded and I answered. "Hello?"
"Mom, you have to come get me."
I frowned. "What? Why?"
"I got into a fight. I'm in the office."
I rolled my eyes. "You know I don't get off until 6."
"I'm sorry."
I hung up on him and sighed.
"What's wrong?" Solange asked.
"I have to go pick Karim up. He said he got into a fight."
"Oh my lord."
"Right. Can you cover for me please? I don't have anyone else to pick him up."
"Of course, sis. Go ahead."
I quickly grabbed my purse from the lounge and rushed out of the building.
I hopped in the car and drove to his school.
I knew I had to go in so I found a parking space.
"Ms. Knowles." The principal greeted as soon as I walked in.
Everyone knew who I was because everyone knew who Karim was.
"Hi," I said politely.
"Karim is right in here."
I looked at him and flared my nostrils. "Let's go." He got up and followed me out.
"Have a good day." The principal said before we left.
"What the hell happened?" I asked as soon as we got in the car. "We don't fight."
I snatched the paper from his hand and read it. We had to go to a damn meeting with the other kid and his parent next week.
"This guy... he... um."
"Spit it out."
"He was talking about you." He mumbled.
"Sticks and stones. How many times do I have to tell you that?"
"Mom, I didn't like what he was saying at all. And he was saying it to be funny. His stupid friends were hyping him up and everything. I just got so mad. I told him to shut up. And he said or what? And I said say something else and you'll find out. He said something else so I jumped across the table and tackled him. Then punched him a few times and tossed him across the cafeteria."
I sighed and rubbed my temples. "This better not mess up your sports. I swear for God. What the F did he say about me?"
"I don't want to say it."
"Karim." I warned.
"He said he wanted to... 'do' you."
"Thank you for defending me, but there are certain things you have to ignore. That's one of them. It's not your fault your mom is gorgeous."
"You don't understand. That's disrespectful and he said more than just that. I just can't explain everything to you."
I nodded and just dropped it. "You hungry?"
He shrugged. "Not really."
"Well, we need to go to the grocery store. If you see something you want just tell me."
• • •
I watched Karim carry every bag into the house with no help from me.
This boy spoils me, I swear. He opens my doors and tells me I don't need to carry anything, but myself.
And I don't make him say or do these things. He taught himself how to be a gentleman.
I started putting the food away and he helped me out.
"Do you want me to make you a sandwich?" I asked.
"Please?"
"Okay, just make sure you leave the stuff out."
After he helped put everything away, he went upstairs to change.
I called Jay on FaceTime and stood my phone up on the counter.
"Hey- ooou what you making?"
I smiled. "A sandwich."
"Where mine?"
"Not here."
"Petty."
"It's not even for me. It's for Karim."
He chuckled. "You think we cool yet?"
I shrugged. "Maybe."
Karim came in the kitchen and I saw him roll his eyes.
"Get some chips and water." I said placing his sandwich on the table.
He reached to the top of the pantry to get some Cheetos. "Grab me some cheetos too, please."
He grabbed me one and squatted down into football position. "Red 88! Red 88!... hut! Hut! Knowles drops back. The pocket is collapsing. He breaks the tackle and finds the open man..." he threw me the Cheetos and I caught them. "Mommy in the end Zone! That's game!" He yelled jumping up and down.
He chest bumped with me causing Jay to laugh. "Y'all are hilarious."
I smiled. "Aren't we?"
Karin laughed too. "Thanks, mom."
"You're welcome, son." I grabbed my phone and went up to my room.
"So how is your day going?" I asked Jay after I set my phone up on it's stand.
"It's been going. I've been chilling for the most part. My homeboys been in here bugging, but they just left so I'm cool. What about you?"
"I had to leave work early." I said rolling my eyes and eating my cheetos.
"What happened?"
"Karim got into a fight."
"Oh lord." He said face palming himself.
"Right. He said one of the little boys said he wanted to 'do' me."
Jay laughed. "I would've beat somebody ass too. That ain't cool."
"That must be a guy thing."
"Um... would you want one of your homegirls lusting after your father?"
"First of all, my father is ugly. Nobody lusting after him."
"You are a mess. A petty mess."
"And don't you forget it." I winked.