Mila.
@BigDaddyMilaaaa_- Some time last yr 😭
I sniffed, wiping my tears. I was over the whole experience of being pregnant. It wasn't fun at all and I didn't get the hype. I was miserable most of the time, I couldn't fit any of my old clothing, and I felt so restricted.
I couldn't lie though, I was low key becoming excited to meet my lil baby.... the life that had been baking in my tummy for nine months. I just was ready to see if they would look more like me, more like Marcus, or a perfect blend. Would they have my naturally curly hair or his nappy ass shit? Who's personality would they take after?
I had so many questions that needed answers.
The cover was snatched off of my head. Marcus was standing over me with his hands on his hips, looking like a whole teacher. I lifted up, putting my back against the headboard and taking my earphones out.
"What?" I wiped my face again. "When did you get back?" I paused the Chief Keef I had playing.
He kicked his shoes off. "Like thirty seconds ago. As soon as I walked in here, I heard you crying. What's wrong MiMi?"
"Nothing, I'm just ready to be back to myself."
He nodded, understanding. He grabbed one of his shirts out my dresser. "We one and done man." He faced me, dapping me up. "Just hang in there a couple more weeks and then you in the green."
As soon as I drop this baby I'm getting my tubes tied. I don't wanna risk any more accidents and I don't see myself ever wanting to be pregnant again. Marcus didn't care, he respected my decision and even if he didn't, it didn't matter.
"Where you off to now?" I watched him slip his feet into his Adidas slides.
"Tae and Julio still outside. We going to WingStop before they close." I looked at the time on my phone seeing it was going on 1:30 a.m. "You want something?"
I stood up, starting to get dressed. "Hell yeah I want something and I'm going too." I quickly slipped a t-shirt over my head and put on some loose fitting basketball shorts. I put my messy hair in a low bun and slipped a hat on my head. It was officially summer time Chi so I happily put on some slides and grabbed my keys.
"You ready?"
"I will be after I pee right quick. I'll meet you at the car!" I yelled to him as I closed my hall restroom door behind me. After handling my business, I grabbed a bottle of water and headed out the door.
The Three Dumbasses started blowing the horn at me as I locked my front door. I flipped them off, continuing to take my time. "Hurry it up! I-10 by 10 Mila, I-10 by 10!" Julio clapped his hands, leaning out the window.
I laughed "Be quiet"
I opened the drivers side backseat door seeing Tae and Julio. I smacked my lips "I wanted to sit in the backseat."
Tae looked me up and down "Nigga I don't know why you on my side, telling me like ima move. Tell Julio."
"I heard her and I'm not moving either."
"Marcus!"
"Come on y'all" He immediately turned around, exhaling smoke out his nose. "It's my bad, I forgot she like to sit in the backseat now."
"Again I must say-" Tae took the backwood from him. "I'm not moving."
"Y'all are assholes." I slammed the door going around to the passenger side.
"We don't care bout you being mad." Julio told me. "This ain't Burger King, ugly. You can't always have it your way."
I flipped him off, not responding. "I'm playing the music." I hurried and connected my phone to the Bluetooth. "I just created a new playlist." I turned the volume up.
"Foreal?" Marcus looked over at me, continuing to back out of my driveway. "Share it with me"
It was no secret that I was the lit friend that stayed with the heat when it came to music. Creating playlist was a hobby of mine and I always shared them with the group. Sometimes I would post them on my social media too.
"This that new Durk?" Julio touched the back of my seat.
"Yeah"
Once we got to WingStop, they were putting the chairs on the table. One of the employees seen us walking up and said something, causing the others to look towards the door. They all looked so upset and I would've cared had I not been so hungry.
"We don't give a fuck about y'all lil young ass attitudes." Julio mugged them, holding the door open for us. "The time on this door say y'all close at 2:00 a.m. and it ain't two yet. It's summer time anyway, y'all outta school!"
"Shut up Julio before you make them spit in our food!" I heard Nicole's voice. I ran up behind Tae, trying to see over his tall ass. "You on the phone with my sis?"
He turned around so I could see. "Hey sis!" I smiled into the phone.
She smiled back, waving. "Say hey Auntie Mila" She grabbed Troi Troi's hand making her wave. She recognized who I was and immediately started grinning, showing off her two bottom teeth.
"Aww hey my fat Troi baby!" I blew her kisses. "Where bad butt?"
It was late but if Troi was still up then Taejin probably was too.
"He got mad at me because I wouldn't let him eat the whole jar of applesauce." She rolled her eyes. "He threw a fit and went in his room a couple hours ago; he sleep now." Troi stood up in her lap, jumping up and down as she held onto her shoulders. "You got too much energy at this time of night." Nicole stared at her, wiping slobber from her mouth. "It's past your night night time mama."
"No no!" Troi yelled
"Yes yes" Nicole and I said at the same time.
"No!"
"Troi" Nicole gave her a look making her sit her butt down and lay her head on Nicole's shoulder.
"Ask her do she want her usual." I looked up seeing Tae looking back at me. I forgot I even had his phone.
"Tae said what kinda wings you want?"
"See how people change your words around?" Marcus hit at Tae, catching his attention. He was standing behind him in line. Julio hungry ass went first and ordered so much shit we could've all ate with him and still would've had food left over.
Tae chuckled "I see"
"Tell him I want what I always get, but this time I want blue cheese instead of ranch."
"Ew sis" I faked like I was throwing up. "You eat blue cheese?"
She laughed "I used to think the same thing until Montana put me on wh-"
"Fuck you Nicole!" Julio yelled out of nowhere.
Tae instantly became defensive. "Aye bitch" He said in a warning manner. "Say it again and you won't live to eat the feast you just bought."
The employees behind the counter tried to hid their laughter, but he heard them anyway. "I don't know what the hell y'all laughing at!" He sat at a table by himself, sipping on his one of many drinks.
I decided it'd be best if I went and sat with him so he'd stop tripping. My heart went out to him and his situation. It was really fucked up and I loved him and Korea together, but I was with everybody else on him moving on.
I didn't realize how bad off he was until he pulled his gun on Montana. My nigga was messed up; had Tae not knocked him out he would've done something he would regret big time.
I think I understood his frustrations more than anybody else though, because I had been in his shoes with Duke. Towards the end of our relationship I constantly chased behind him and the thought of him being with somebody else made me sick to my stomach. That type of love was dangerous and had a way of making you do a lot of dumb ass shit.
I knew firsthand that it was hard to bring yourself out of that, especially if you didn't have anybody to help you.
I sat down across from him. "You alright?"
"Mila don't come over here trying to talk to me bout my problems and shit." He knocked lint off his shirt. "I'm straight"
"I'm just trying to help."
"Me too!" Nicole said over the phone.
"I ain't no nutcase. I don't need y'all help."
"You do though Julio. You pulled a gun out on Montana in front of everybody and the kids were there." Nicole told him. He was listening to her, but he wasn't at the same time. "You were knocked out but you should've seen how hard Cali was crying. She was so shook up Julio."
"I ain't mean to do all that and she was in the house when that happened."
"She still knew what was going on. She's not a dummy."
"I really didn't mean to act like that." He repeated himself.
"We know you didn't but still, it's only so much shit you can excuse before it becomes a problem." I agreed with her. "I know I don't want my children exposed to guns."
"I'm sorry sis"
"Mhm, getting yourself together is all the apology I need."
Tae came up to the table with two cups in his hands. "Give me my phone." He took his wallet out his pocket, putting his change and receipt in it.
"A please would be great." I handed it over.
He bucked at me. "Nigga I don't gotta say please when it's mine." He looked at the screen. "Nicole
what you want to drink?"
"Coke. You look so handsome baby, when you get home can we have sex?"
He smirked, laughing a lil bit. "I got you but ima see you when I get there because my phone bout to die."
"Let it die"
"What you just wanna sit on the phone with me for?"
He walked off towards the drink machine.
"Anyways" I focused my attention back on Julio. "You need a girlfriend or somebody to occupy your time. What kind of women do you like?" I went to my notes on my phone. "Ima help you out even if you don't want me to because I've been in the same position you're in."
He had his arm prompted up on the table, resting his head on it. He looked so uninterested in what I was saying. "I don't want no bitch right now."
"Well you need some hoes or something! The Julio I know does not dwell like you're doing."
He sighed "Alright Mila, my type is Korea."
"Julio"
"I'm deadass" He stood up. "Come on, our food ready."
*********
Nicole
"Come on bae, we almost there." Tae helped me up the hill.
I was breathing so hard. "I thought you said it was right down the street." I whined. "This is not right down the street."
We were walking from the car dealer ship to the closest corner store. He had to get his oil changed and I wanted some snacks for the wait. Instead of spending money on an Uber, Tae convinced me we should just walk since it wasn't that far... or so I thought.
"It's really not that far, it's just hot outside." He walked ahead of me.
"Hot? That's an understatement! The devil must be pissing on us it's so hot out here!" I said causing him to laugh at me. "Can I please get on your back?" I asked for a third time.
"I already told you no. It's too hot for me to carry you and you got on a dress anyway."
"I'm Ubering back"
He smacked his lips. "You so high class man, that shit ridiculous. You wouldn't make it not one day in the hood."
"So" I said defensive. "Excuse me for not wanting to torture myself any longer." I flipped my hair over my shoulder.
"Having money all you know. The real deal Chicago will chew you up and spit you out." He shook his head. "Can't even walk half a mile to the store."
"Are you done?"
"Yeah man, keep up. You got me walking slow as fuck." He took off on me.
By the time I made it to the store, he was already inside. I had already called my Uber. They were five minutes away so I had to hurry up and get what I wanted.
"You got everything you want?" I heard Tae behind me as I was getting myself a Cool Blue Gatorade. I had two bags of Takis, one of cool ranch Doritos, and some wild berry skittles.
"I'm paying for my own stuff." I turned away from him as he tried to grab my snacks.
"Well ok then" He followed behind me.
"Ouuuuu" I gasped placing all my snacks on the counter. I seen my favorite candy of all time, Trolli Sour Straws. They were hard to find and not every store had them. I grabbed the entire row and put them on the counter as well.
"You want me to pay for them?" Tae asked. I dug through my purse looking for my wallet. "Nope. All I know is money remember?"
He smacked his lips "If you got an attitude because
I told you the truth then you need to grow up Nicole."
I faced him as the cashier bagged up my items. "I can survive pretty much anywhere Tae. I promise you that."
"Yeah, everywhere besides the hood." He said, confident.
I folded my arms across my chest. "It's not like you ever showed me where you from."
"Shit if you really wanna see we can spend the whole day tomorrow on 75th and 79th-"
"Terror Town? Hell no!" I grabbed my two plastic bags. "Thank you" I smiled at the cashier before moving out the way so Tae could pay for his snacks. All he had was an ice cream cone, and a water.
"What you mean hell no? That's where I'm from bae."
"I know but I thought we were talking at least Englewood."
He chuckled "Why would I take you to Englewood when that ain't my hood? I'm good everywhere but if you really wanna see ima take you to my side of the city."
"Ok, I really do wanna go."
"Cool. Ima warn you, it ain't Lincoln Park or West Loop. That's all you know."
I smacked my lips "Duh Taelor, I know that."
We walked outside side by side. "You riding back with me?" I looked at my Uber app making sure the White Honda parked in front of the store was my ride.
"No, we both walking."
"Say what?"
"You heard me, how you gone make it tomorrow if you can't even walk down the street?" He opened his ice creme with his teeth, spitting the plastic out.
"I'll show you." I had to prove a point now so I went ahead and cancelled my Uber. "Give me a kiss"
"No" He smacked "Its too hot for all that."
"Tae give me a kiss." I leaned into him.
He looked down at me an I smiled, making him blush. "God you annoying" He bent over kissing my lips. "Spoiled ass brat."
"You contribute to my ways so I don't wanna hear it." I held his face in my hands, kissing him multiple times.
"Come on man, my ice cream melting." He complained as I continued my assault. We were standing on the sidewalk hugged up as cars passed us. "Nicole foreal" He put his arm against me.
"Ok ok, one more." I kissed him one last time. "You so fine Tae."
"That's you" He pat my butt, giving it a light squeeze. "Come on, my shit probably ready by now."
Thankfully by the time we got back it was. I hurried up and got inside, turning the air on full blast. "My God" I said to myself.
He got in and took his shirt off, tossing it in the back. I bit my lip rubbing over his chest. "Don't start" He pressed the command button on his steering wheel. "Call Mel" He turned in his seat, looking to see as he backed out of his spot. He had a Backup Camera that he never used.
"What up Brody?" His friend answered the phone on the first ring. "You only hit a nigga up when you in the trenches. Where you at?"
"I'm coming tomorrow nigga!" Tae yelled, guys always talked so loud when they were on the phone with their homeboys. "My girl wanna see my side of the city and shit!" He unintentionally rubbed up and down my thigh as I stared on my first bag of Takis.
"G you saying yo girl like I don't know Nicole! Y'all been together for a million years and you just now bringing her?"
"The shit never came up until now!"
"Aw man, no good Brody! Y'all gone bring the kids and shit?"
"Nah, just me and her! I was hitting yo shit to see if anything gone be popping out there tomorrow? We gone walk around so I can show her different shit, but we gone need something to do! You know the kids just got outta school, ain't nobody throwing nothing?"
"You remember Meka that stay in them apartments by that sandwich shop off 77th? I can't remember the names of them shits!"
"Juice baby mama Meka? Yeah I remember her! What about her?"
"Shit shorty suppose to be throwing a summer block party tomorrow evening!"
"Oh yeah bro, we gone slide it! We gone be out there all day, ima hit you as soon as we touch down!"
"Aight, you know I got the gas for you and yours! Your shorty smoke?"
"She pregnant nigga!"
"Oh yeah I forgot!"
Tae laughed "Alright G, ima hit you tomorrow!"
"Cool, stay safe Brody!"
"You too man!" He told him before hanging up. "You heard everything?"
I nodded, opening my Gatorade. "You cool with all that?" He glanced in my direction.
"Mhm, sounds fun" I gulped half of my drink down before putting the top back on it. "I'm excited"
"Alright, cool"
*********
I looked in the mirror at my outfit in disgust. Tae had it picked out for me this morning before I woke up. He claimed I was too flashy to dress myself. He picked me out a old distressed nude graphic tee and some nude biker shorts, along with a pair of white converse I had never worn.
I left my closet room, going into our room. He was strapping Troi into her car seat. "Tae I hate this outfit. It's so plain and ugly."
"That's the point. You can't be going to the hood dripping in designer. That's screaming rob me." He didn't look up from what he was doing.
"I'm safe with you though."
"Always, but I don't want a mothafucka to even think they can try you."
"Can I at least wear one of my Fanny packs?"
"Which one?"
"My red Gucci one." His head shot up. "What?" I shrugged. "It'll bring out the red in this shirt." I tugged at the bottom of it.
He shook his head "I'll pick you out one." I took Troi's car seat from him and took her into the living room where Taejin was knocked out on the couch. Neither one of our kids were a morning person. I sat down and waited for him.
He came out of my closet room with my black Juicy Couture fanny pack. It was just a basic black one with no words or designs on it. "Thanks" I told him deciding against talking shit.
We went to the donut shop before dropping the kids off at daycare and heading straight to Terror Town. "Ain't nobody gone mess with your car?" I asked.
"Niggas know this my shit. If they do that comes with multiple consequences."
It took us almost three hours to get to our destination. Traffic was so bad and we kept having to stop so I could pee. "This the first apartment building me and my mama lived in." He parallel parked beside it.
"Which one?" I looked out the window.
"The one at the very back. All these just one and two bedrooms." He turned his car off. "Come on so I can show you."
A bunch of little kids were running around outside, playing. They stopped and ran towards us as we walked up. "Tae! Tae!" They yelled with grins on their faces.
"Awww" I smiled, they were so happy to see him. He let my hand go and took money out of his pocket. "What's up y'all" He bent down, talking to them.
A few little girls, whom all seemed to be cool, came up to me. "You pretty, how you know Tae? You his girlfriend?" The ring leader asked while her two friends stood behind her.
"Thank you and I'm more than that." She rolled her eyes, making me look at her funny. One thing I couldn't stand was disrespect kids.
"Well Tae my man so you can gone on somewhere." She waved me off.
"Lil girl I will whoo-" Tae grabbed me around my waist, laughing. "Come on bae"
"No, you heard that little bi-"
"Don't call no little kid a bitch."
"That's a grown woman!"
"I know they bad but I was just like them." We walked down the path that led to his old building, stopping every time somebody called his name. "I wanna introduce you to Ms. Hightower when we get to my floor." He held the door open for me. "You remember me telling you about her?"
She was kind of like his guardian angel growing up. He told me they were neighbors and she kept him out of a lot of trouble when Ms. Karen would be at work when he got out of school and in the summer.
I couldn't help but hold my nose. The entire building reeked of animal piss and some other scent I couldn't make out.
He laughed at me. "I'm sorry baby" I apologized. "I don't mean to disrespect where you grew up, but it smells bad."
"You good, this what I expected. You not used to none of this." He led me down a long hallway that had trash all over the ground, the lights were flickering, and I could hear a couple in their apartment arguing.
"There's no elevator?" I questioned as he opened the door to the stairs.
"There's one but that mothafucka been broke for years. I lived on the twelfth floor so come on an get on my back."
"Yes" I smiled. He took them two at a time and let me down as soon as we got to his floor. I gasped, immediately grabbing his arm tightly as we passed a crackhead who was hallucinating in the hallway.
I felt bad for being scared of him, but I honestly was. He used to be a normal human being, but obviously something had caused him to go down the wrong path. "That's so sad" I looked back at him. He was having a whole conversation with himself, acting out everything he was saying.
"Shit like that is why ion understand my niggas not wanting to move away from the hood." We turned a corner and walked down another hallway before making another turn. "This used to me and moms."
I grinned "Apartment 1506"
"Yup"
"You know who live here now?"
"Nobody, I bought it when I was 19 just to have for memories I guess."
I was wondering why it was the only one with a pad lock instead of a key. He looked back at me. "Come here" I did as he said, standing beside him. "If anything ever happen to me and you wanna show the kids where I grew up, the code 032475."
"032475" I repeated it. "Ms. Karen's birthday"
"Mhm" We went inside. He turned the lights on. "I kept all the old furniture in here."
There was a blue suede couch with two green side tables beside it. The tv was small with antennas and dusty as hell. It was funny because Ms. Karen had a blue couch in her current home.
"Your mama and her blue couches." I touched it.
"Mannnn I had so much sex on this couch." He laughed, reminiscing. "I fucked my first cougar on it."
"Really?"
"Yeah, shit was a bet between me and Mel." He laughed again. "If I remember ima ask him when we go to his house."
I went into the kitchen. They had a yellow refrigerator, with yellow cabinets. "Who idea was this?"
"I think it came like that."
"Bout to say because my bestie would never." I was referring to Ms. Karen.
The bedroom had a queen size bed with a multicolor pinic table patterned comforter, two brown dressers, and one nightstand.
I went in the bathroom last. It was a nice size but the tub was so filthy. Tae must've been reading my mind. "The water come out brown too and it's cold." He snickered.
"What did y'all do for hot water?"
"My mama had a big pot she used to heat up water in on the stove. We'd do that at least five to six times in order to take a hot bath." He said it like it wasn't a big deal.
I stuck my lip out, feeling my face heat up. He pulled me into him. "Why you look like you finna start crying?"
"Because.... Y-you had it so rough baby." I looked up at him. "I'm sorry you had to go through all of that."
"It's cool, shit molded me into who I am. You don't gotta apologize for my past. I made it out."
"You did" If he hadn't inspired me before, he definitely had now. The man came from nothing, yet he still used what he had and turned himself into a self-made millionaire.
"Come on, let's go"
We left and went next door to Ms. Hightower's place. I stood by his side as he knocked. "Coming!" I heard an older lady's voice on the other side. The locks clicked and the door swung open. "Oh my goodness, Taelor!" She hugged him, rubbing his back. "It's so good to see you baby." She smiled, chuckling.
"How you doing Mama Hightower?" He asked as they pulled away.
"I'm good baby." She looked at me with her smile still on her face. "Nicole right?"
"Yes ma'am" I smiled back. She pulled me into a hug. "Nice to finally meet you gorgeous girl! I've heard nothing but wonderful things about you."
"Really?" I looked at Tae.
"I tell her about you and the kids every time I come visit."
"Yes he does and I'm so glad I get to finally meet you in person, Suga." She pat my hand. "Y'all coming in?"
"No ma'am" He answered. "I'm just showing her around-"
"We can go inside Tae."
"Good Good!" She laughed, opening the door wider. "I'm so happy to see you both."
I took a look around and her apartment was much nicer than Tae's. It had up to date appliances, she had a huge flat screen mounted to the wall, and she definitely didn't have those ugly ass yellow cabinets.
"Y'all two married yet?"
"No ma'am" I spoke up. "Not yet"
"Now Taelor, what did I tell you about shacking?" She gave him a stern look. "I'm getting older and older. I wanna live to come to the wedding."
"I know Mama, we working on it."
She stared at me for a second. "You pregnant ain't you?" I looked at Tae for him to respond. "I already know, I had a dream about fish last week." She put her hands on her hips, waiting on us to speak up.
I shrugged "Twins"
"Well congratulations first and I can't fuss at y'all because, you grown and you both are more than capable of taking care of your responsibilities." She went into her kitchen, taking a cake out of the refrigerator. It looked so good.
"I had a feeling you were coming so I followed my gut and went ahead and made you your favorite." She smiled carrying it to Tae.
"Aw no you didn't Mama Hightower."
"I did" I didn't know her personally like Tae, but I could tell her soul was so genuine. "Make sure you share with your wife."
"I got something for you too. Hold this bae" He handed the cake to me. It was a pound cake with what looked like a homemade icing. He took a wad of money out of his pocket that looked like nothing but hundreds. "Here you go and I put the money y'all need for Ms. Sylvia's surgery in there too. I seen the GoFundMe on Monique Facebook." He put his hands back in his pockets.
She looked at him in shock as tears welled up in her eyes. She engulfed him in a hug that held so much raw emotion. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you baby! Oh Lord, God bless him! Bless his family! Bless his spirit!" She cried swaying their bodies from side to side. "Bless him, Lord! Bless him, Lord!" She kept repeating. "Thank you so much son! You just don't know how much you've blessed me and my family!"
Of course my crybaby ass was done for. They pulled away from each other, both wiping their eyes. "Anything for you Mama. If there's anything else
I can do to help just let me know. My number still the same."
Her eyes held nothing but gratefulness. "Thank you baby, God bless you both."
"You're so special baby." I complimented him as we walked back outside.
"Thank you"
"Who's Monique and Ms. Sylvia?"
"Ms. Sylvia is her sister. She's been battling breast cancer for about a year now. Monique is her daughter. She's the same age as you, we used to mess around when I was like 22 but it never went anywhere."
"Oh ok. That's so sweet of you to pay for her surgery."
"Anything I can do to help."
"How's Ms. Hightower apartment nicer than all the rest?"
"Oh when I bought my apartment I bought hers too; she doesn't know though. I just paid to have her's renovated and she didn't even wanna accept that." He unlocked his car once we were closer. "She still thinks she's paying rent but really the money comes to me. I save it and give it back every time I visit her."
"That's it, pull your pants down. Let me suck your dick."
He laughed "No ma'am, we got shit to do." He put the cake in the backseat and locked the doors back.
"We can walk everywhere from here. You wanna get some food first or go to Mel's house?"
"We can go to his house. I'm not that hungry."
"Alright it's only like three blocks from here." He made me walk slightly in front of him so he could see everything around me. He spoke to a few people we seen along the way. I honestly was enjoying seeing where he grew up. I wasn't scared anymore and I was excited for the block party.
"What's up Tae?" A young woman grinned as we walked past some apartments. She was standing outside at the gate, looking like she was up to something. She looked strung out on something, her edges were gone, and the little hair she did have was sticking up all over her head.
"Chelsey?" Tae asked, taken back by her appearance.
"Yeah it's me. I heard you were walking this way so
I decided to come outside and wait for you to pass." She laughed it off. After a couple seconds of awkward silence she held her arms out. "Well you gone give me a hug?"
"No" He told her. "What you on man? You better than that Chelsey." She looked down. "You had and still have so much potential, get off that shit." He grabbed my hand. "Come on bae"
"So you not gone give me no money?" She asked quickly before we could walk off. "I heard you out here being the Hood Hero, but you can't give your ex no money?"
I bit my lip to keep myself quiet. She had some damn nerve. He chuckled to himself, pinching his nose. "What I look like giving you some money? So you can use it to get high? Come on Chelsey, you know better than that. Where your son?"
It took her a while to answer. "In the system" She mumbled. "I don't know where he is."
"Get yourself together and get your kid back." He told her as we started walking again.
He sighed "We were never officially together but I had a soft spot for her for almost two years when I was in middle school. She got pregnant our Freshman year; betrayed my ass." We waited on a corner for the light to change. "That's how my hoe years started, but I knew I was moving to y'all side of the city so I really wasn't too worried about it. Whenever I'd come back I'd hit her up for some pussy if it crossed my mind, but that's about it."
"She looks so stressed and worn down."
"Bae, that girl used to be so beautiful." We started walking again. "Watch your step." He warned me as we passed a deep pothole. "She was the one every nigga in the hood wanted. I mean she was up there with you type of beautiful. You know I'm a face man and she had it." He scoffed, shaking his head. "It's crazy what them drugs can do."
I instantly thought about my brother. Although he had gotten himself back on track, he would never be the same Nic. That hurt me more than anything.
We walked up on a yellow house. "This where your friend stay?"
"Yeah" He pulled his shorts up. "Him, his wife, and their daughter." We went up the few stairs that led to the front door. "You gone like Lauren, she real cool people."
I nodded in response as he knocked. "Aw shit my nigga here!" We heard Mel's heavy ass feet coming towards the door. We both laughed. "Lauren, Tae and Nicole here!" He opened the door with the biggest grin on his face.
"Yeah my nigga here!" He hit the woah causing us to all share a laugh. He unlocked the screen door. "What's up Brody!" They dapped each other up. He looked at me "It's a honor to finally meet you lil lady." He gave me a side hug.
"You too" I hugged him back.
"Damn you short G, how tall you is? 4'9?"
"Actually I'm five foot even sir."
He held his hands up in surrender. "My bad lil lady, my bad." He closed and locked the door behind us. "I already got some woods rolled for us Brody! Y'all sit down." He insisted. "Lauren! Tae them here!"
She came around the corner, rubbing her hands. "I heard you the first time fool. I was in the bathroom." She hit his head as she passed by him. He was sitting in the recliner with his feet kicked up. Their house was so cute and coordinated. I could tell she decorated the whole thing. "Hey Tae" She bent over to give him a hug. "Long time no see."
"I know, it's been a minute."
She pulled away and gave me a hug as well. "Hey pretty, it's nice to finally meet you. I've been trying to get to that spa girl."
"Aww, thank you. You'll have to give me your address so I can send you some stuff."
She raised her brows looking at Tae again. "I like her, she's way better than them past hoes you've introduced us to."
He smacked his lips, waving her off. "Aw Lauren let me make it. Speaking of the past though." He took a blunt from Mel. "Why y'all ain't tell me Chelsey was on the streets?"
"I don't even like talking about it." She sat on the other side of me. "You know that was my best friend for years."
"I know, what happened?"
"She started fucking with some nigga from Detroit and when she came back out here her ass was strung out." Mel coughed. "State took Lil Taylor from her and all."
"Wait" The three of them looked at me. "She named her son after you? You forgot to mention that when you were giving me the run down on her."
"My bad ba-"
"Yeah your bad." I rolled my eyes. "You sure he's not yours?"
"Positive" He put the blunt to his lips. "He half Hispanic, I know he ain't mine."
"Oh" Was all I could say.
"She only did it because she was all in her feelings over Tae not fucking with her no more, but they were never really together." Lauren filled me in.
"That's what I told her." He inhaled again. "She look horrible."
"Really?" Lauren asked. "I haven't seen her in a couple months."
"I was telling Nicole she used to be beautiful."
Both Mel and Lauren agreed. "Shit, drop dead gorgeous." Mel high ass stared off into space. "That shit so sad."
"Let me go get my high school yearbook." Lauren got up, snatching Mel's blunt on her way.
Tae rubbed my leg. "You good? His eyes were low and red. He licked his lips staring at my face.
"Mhm"
"Any smoke blowing your way?" He waved the air around.
"No, the fans are blowing it in the opposite direction."
"Cool" He leaned forward, slapping Mel's arm.
"Huh?" He responded, slowly opening his eyes.
Tae laughed "Wake up nigga! You high?"
"Shit, I'm somewhere in the clouds." He admitted. "I only smoked half before Lauren took it. You high?"
"As fuck" Tae laughed again.
When Tae was really under the influence he got extremely goofy and horny. I was just waiting for the horny part to kick in.
I took my shoes off, wanting to get more comfortable. "You got some pretty ass toes." He stared at them in awe. "I like when you have them painted white, that shit playa."
I giggled "Shut up Tae, thank you."
"You welcome baby. Mel what kinda weed this is?" He examined the last of his blunt.
"Ion even know, but I got bout a pound of it left. This that gas huh Brody?"
"Hell yeah, ima need some to take to the crib."
"I got you Brody."
"Ok I found it." Lauren announced as she came back into the living room, holding a red book. She sat back down looking through the pages. "Here she is, Chelsey Gramms."
"Wow, she was really pretty."
"Yeah"
"Well I'm hungry as fuck but first I need a nap."
Mel stood up stretching. "Block party start at six, but we can head out there around eight. When I wake up y'all wanna go to Portillos?"
"Oh hell yeah" Tae rubbed his stomach. "I need a nap too."
"Y'all family Brody, we got a third room. Go lay down and get you some rest G." He dapped him up again. "Third room the forth door on the left."
"I gotta go get Nomi from my sister house, but y'all feel free to eat and drink whatever y'all want."
"Thanks Lauren"
Once she left we went in the room.
"Turn the light off." He laid down flat on his back throwing his arm over his eyes.
He spooned me, kissing my cheek. "How old is their daughter?"
"Nomi five"
"Awww, that's such a cute age."
"That's a bad age" He yawned. "Bad as fuck"
"What you gone do when Taejin turns five?"
He snickered "I don't even know. He probably gone have me and you in the nursing home by then."
I laughed "What?"
"Shit we gone age fast he so damn bad."
"My Pooh is not that bad." He was though; but he wasn't disrespectful. Our kids being well mannered was very important to me. I really couldn't stand a disrespectful child or a disrespectful person period.
"Your Pooh is just like me and what am I?"
"A Menace as Mila would say."
He laughed "Alright then, my point." He yawned again.
"You really about to go to sleep?" The bed was comfortable, but I couldn't rest well if it wasn't mine.
"I'm tryna get some pus-"
"Tae we are not having sex in your friend house."
"He'd do it in mine." He said it like he already had.
"You know I'm loud."
"I know and that shit have my dick super hard." He gripped the sides of my biker shorts.
"Ok" I went ahead and gave in because I wanted it too. "From the back"
"Shit, say less baby."
I moaned into the cover as he entered me. He pressed his thumbs into my back, arching it more. "Just like that" He told me.
*******
"That's that Nicole bitch."
"Ion know what he brought her out here for. She ain't from around here."
"I don't even think she from Chicago." I heard two bitter, jealous bitches talking about me. We had been at the block party for about an hour and I left Tae, not wanting to be up under him and his friends the entire time. Lauren introduced me to her friends Angel and Tatiana. They were cool and I had been having a good time up until now.
"That fine mothafucka need a real woman." One of them said. "I could handle all of that."
I had heard enough. "Bitch I guarantee you can't." I looked them up and down. Neither one of them were ugly, but they definitely wouldn't get a second look from Tae.
"Girl you better watch your fucking mouth! I'll drag you all up and down this street!"
"Bitch what's good?" I went to step to her, but Lauren pulled me back. "Girl have you forgot you pregnant? With Twins? You can't be fighting." She looked up at them. "I'm not pregnant though."
"Lauren this ain't got nothing to do with you." One of them told her, obviously scared.
"It do now. This my friend and she can't fight, but I can so what's up?"
They mumbled something under their breath, but walked off.
"Ashanti and Ranisha always tryna start some shit." Tatiana watched them walk away. "We gone catch them another time."
"Yeah I'll be back in six months once I have my babies."