𝐀𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐋 ❷ ⓿ ❷ ❷
Carrying the cake server, her black patent Aleena 100 Mule Stuart Weitzman shut the door behind her and strutting along the hardwood floor, wearing the sage green midi dress with ultra thin straps and ribbed fabric that hugged her slender body. Her hair was wavy and hanging passed her shoulders and done her makeup nude and soft. She followed the voices coming from the kitchen.
Two women were in the sun-filled kitchen—one being her ex-boyfriend's mother, Ruth, who stood at the island and tending to the pan of food and had on a steel blue halter romper with her thick hair in a bun.
Ruth's head was shaking when she set her eyes on Anicia. "Hey, I'm glad you could make it, sweetheart."
"Aight, ion' kno' what dis is called but I kno' you'll drink it, Aunt P."
Sound of his rich, baritone voice captured her attention as their eyes locked. Anicia smiled warmly, averting her hazel eyes to Ruth. "Glad you invited me. I made Pound Cake. I didn't want to come over empty-handed."
"Mmhm, that's how you come to somebody house." Ruth said, hitting her son on the chest before accepting the server from Anicia.
"Ain't this your ex-girlfriend?" Pearl asked, pouring a glass of the red wine. "That rich one."
"Yes, and you've met me several times, Pearl." Anicia spoke.
"Mm-hmm." Pearl raised the wine glass to her lips, sipping the liquid.
Toby's tongue licked his lips, as he walked around to Anicia. "What up wit it, baby?" he hugged her close and tight, "Momma invited you?"
"Surely did." Ruth spoke, closing the oven. "We lost touch and when I seen her at the wedding, I got her number and had to invite her to this Sunday dinner. And you always invited, love."
Anicia smiled, pulling from the embrace. "And I love your food so of course I will show."
Toby faced Anicia. "You lookin' beautiful. You foreva' got them pretty-ass feet in heels tho'. Do you wear sneakers at all?"
Anicia chuckled softly. "Yes, I do. But when you come from a mother who despises sneakers and passed that down to her daughters, it's kinda hard to revert back."
"Aye, ian' mad atchu, tho'." he stared at her feet, "Those toes..."
"Are beautiful as hell," Anicia added. "Do not play."
She and Toby shared laughter. "Na' you right. I'd suck on 'em."
Anicia's laugh ceased slowly. "I'ma hold you to that."
"We can get down right now."
Anicia snickered as she hit his chest lightly. "Stop it."
"Yeah, stop it." Ruth chimed in, "Momma in the room and I do not wanna hear about you licking toes. Now, what have you been up to, Anicia?"
Anicia turned her attention to Ruth. "I have been writing music for the past few years, living in New York City. Now I moved back to takeover my mother's spa business with my sisters."
"Girl, I love Grace Healing. I travel all the way to Rodeo Drive every Friday for my facial honey."
"Oh, that's why you so rich?" Pearl sipped on her wine, "Your mother own those spas?"
"She does."
"Mm," Pearl tooted her lips, "That's why you act bougie."
"Go outside, Pearl. Gone." Ruth dismissed her sister. Pearl just grabbed the bottle and left out the patio as Tae stepped in.
"Did you check on Seona, Momma?" Tae asked, shutting the patio door behind him.
"I did just a few minutes ago."
Tae nodded and seen Anicia standing there. "What up, Anicia? Whatchu doing here?"
Ruth grinned. "I invited her."
Tae released a sharp breath, sitting on the island chair. "Here you go wit that again, Momma."
"I'm not doing anything." Ruth responded promptly.
"Hey, Tavon. Is Shantey here?" Anicia asked Tae.
"Uh, na'. She at home." Tae answered, sipping on the beer.
"Why? She didn't want to come and eat?" Anicia asked in confusion.
"Me and her relationship has been rocky since last year." Ruth responded instead, "I was only invited to the wedding because Tae."
"Oh, okay." Anicia left that conversation alone and minding her business. "Tell her I said hey then."
"Offer the girl something to drink, Toby."
"I'm gettin' to it. ." Toby snickered, "You thirsty?"
Anicia sat down her Off-White pouch on the island. "A beer is fine."
Tae reached into the black, double door fridge and grabbed one of the Corona beers that clinked with the other bottles. The fridge door shut as Tae handed it to Toby. He opened the bottle for Anicia and gave it to her.
"Thank you." Anicia accepted the bottle, holding the bottle to her lips, and taking a chug.
"How is Aleida doing?" Ruth asked, referring to Kendrick's baby sister that Tavon took in briefly until Maria's sister stepped up to take her in while Maria was finding herself.
Tae swallowed the last of his beer and tossed the bottle in the trash. "She good. I chop it up wit her every night over FaceTime. I gotta read her Te Amo, Bebé every night for her to sleep."
"That's sweet. You need to bring her by some more."
The patio door slid open and Avant came in. "Daddy, I'm hungry."
"Food warming up, Pop." Toby informed as Avant hugged his father around the waist.
Anicia peered down at Avant with a smile. "This is your son?"
"Yea' my baby boy, Avant. Say hey to Anicia."
Avant faced Anicia. "Sup? You pretty. Are you my Daddy's girlfriend?"
Anicia chuckled softly. "No baby. I'm an old friend. It's really nice to meet you handsome."
"Wanna be my girlfriend?" Avant asked, wiggling his eyes up and down.
"Boy, go outside." Toby moved Avant from in front of him as everyone laughed collectively and Avant dashed back outside.
"He's so handsome."
"Yeah, thanks to me birthing good-looking son's." Ruth smiled, "Do you have kids, Anicia?"
The question made Anicia shift. "No, I don't."
"Do you want any?" Ruth wondered.
Anicia swallowed the beer in her mouth. "I don't actually."
"Aww, why not?" Ruth poured herself a glass of wine, "You would have some beautiful babies."
Anicia was racking her brain on what to respond, but thankfully, De's pregnant wife emerging in the kitchen halted the conversation, which Anicia was thankful for because she didn't want to talk about anything pertaining to kids.
"Amaury, you okay?" Ruth queried. "I don't know what the hell is going on with De'Aundre ass."
"It's fine." Amaury dismissed her husband's behavior.
Ruth shook her head, deciding to staying out their marital affairs. "Anicia, this is my daughter in-law, Amaury. Amaury, this is a friend of Toby's."
"Nice meeting you." Anicia smiled warmly, "And congratulations on the baby. What are you having?"
"I'm not sure yet. We're gonna have a gender reveal soon. You're more than welcome to attend."
"Mmhm, bring her in closer y'all." Toby said, chugging on his beer as he looked to the side at Anicia. She smiled lightly, sipping her beer.
The sun was setting below its horizon and collective chatter and laughs surrounded the backyard. Anicia was sitting at the table with Toby, stuffed with food, and nursing another beer. She finished the bottle, leaving behind the white foam, and tossed it in the trash can not to far from her.
"You can sho' drink on beers, can't you?" Toby chuckled, leaning back into the chair.
"I drink those more than real liquor." Anicia crossed her right leg over the other, "I really enjoyed myself, though. I haven't been around your family in so long I forgot how comical everyone is. Uncle Pete still drinking."
Toby swallowed, pulling the bottle down. "Yea' that nigga ain't finna stop drinkin'. He been doin' it so long that nigga can't go cold turkey."
Anicia start to respond when bickering across the yard got her attention, along with Toby. She watched De talk aggressively to another man and it was clear he was drunk. She watched him swallow down so many beers and cups of Crown Royal Peach throughout the evening he was bound to be intoxicated.
Amaury was near the bickering, trying to pull her husband by his arm, but he kept on shrugging her off and the more she repeated the action, he became even more frustrated. De turned around, directing his aggression to her, grabbing her face, and pushing her away him. With the amount of alcohol in his system, he doesn't realize how hard he pushed her making her nearly fall on her stomach.
A low breath of surprise released from Anicia's mouth as the beer bottle clinked on the table from Toby slamming it down. He stood up and Ruth immediately followed and called after him, "Toby! Toby, hold on!"
As soon as Toby reached De, he grabbed him by his shoulder and turned him around aggressively. "Nigga, what the fuck is yo' mufuckin' problem?"
"Toby. . . come on now. Relax." Ruth said, trying to keep her older son levelheaded.
"Na', Momma, watch out." Tae took his mother by the arm and moved her back.
"You stupid or som'? I stay out everybody shit but now you trippin'. You pushed yo wife and she damn near fell on ha' mufucking stomach."
De stepped into Toby. "Dis ain't yo' fuckin' business."
Toby moved in closer. "Ion' give a fuck but if you think I'm bout to sit there and watch you push ha' and damn near risk y'all baby, you trippin', dumb mufucka. You got dis liquor in yo' system while you dealin' wit som' and it's makin' you bug the fuck out. So if you wanna get down for me speakin' up, let's do it. 'Cause you kno' wass' to me, buster. Only mark ass niggas do the shit you just done. So you gotta mufucking choice to go lay down and sleep that liquor off or we gon' get down right hea'."
De jaw clenched as he held the heated glare with Toby. He bumped his shoulder as he walked by. "Fuck you and and ha'."
"Yea' aight. Go lay yo' ass down." Toby spoke in dismissal toward his intoxicated brother, "Everybody can gon' ahead and collect they plates and get the fuck out my Momma shit. Especially you, Uncle Pete."
"Hey, hey!" Pete stood nearly falling over with the Crown Royal bottle in his hand, "Wh-what I do, grasshopper?" he slurred, "I'm chillin'."
"Don't do that, Pete." Ruth told her brother immediately. She knew when her eldest son was mad anybody could feel his raft—elder or not. "Y'all heard my son. Everybody gone. Hit the doe."
"You gon' let that young un' disrespect me?" Pete continued to drunkenly talk mess, as everyone else gathered their things to head home.
"Uncle Pete!" Tae called in aggravation, pushing his uncle towards the house.
"My fault, Momma," Toby apologized. "But you taught us betta' than that shit. She coulda fell on her stomach and he woulda woke up the next mornin' not knowin' what the fuck to do."
Ruth sighed heavily. "No, you right baby. I don't know what's wrong with him. He's been like that for the passed few weeks. He just seem so unhappy and I don't...." she paused becoming emotional.
Anicia continued standing on the patio porch, watching Toby hug his mother. She decided to give them some privacy and head inside. Everyone was gone with the sink running and Tae was in the kitchen cleaning.
"I can help you."
Tae overheard the offer over the water faucet and looked at Anicia. "If you really want to."
Anicia assisted Tae with cleaning the kitchen and storing away the leftover food in containers and placed in the refrigerator. After she was done, the sun was fully below its horizon and Anicia searched for Toby. She found him in the cozy, family room with hand hued truss open beam ceilings and a fireplace.
"Hey." Anicia spoke, slowly striding further into the family room, and approaching Toby on the couch. "I'm about to head out. I just wanted to let you know."
Toby nodded his head. "Preciate you helpin' clean. You ain't have to."
"It was the least I could do." her heels clinked along the hardwood planked floor as she took a seat beside him, "Are you okay? I know it got heated with De."
"I'm straight," he responded. "De'Aundre gon' be too once he wake up and that liquor leave his system."
Anicia nodded. "Okay, I'm gonna head out."
"Drive safe." he stared at in the eye with a smirk, "You not standin'."
Anicia chuckled softly. "Yeah, I don't even know why I sat down."
"Cause you fightin' to leave." he licked his lips as he leaned forward and touched her soft knee, "You ain't got to eitha'."
Her breath got caught in her throat at the feeling of his fingers tracing her knee and a tingle shooting through her body. "Uhm... no, uh, I have to go."
"So, why you ain't left yet?" his rich, baritone voice asked, cruising his hand slowly up her thigh. "Y'know now that you back, I'm neva' gon' leave you alone, right?"
Anicia swallowed the lump in her throat. "I. . . uhm, I have a boyfriend."
"Hm." he smirked, pulling away his hand that cruised under her dress with her being too distracted by their eye contact. "You should get on home to 'em then. I'm sho' he been waitin'."
Snapping back to reality, Anicia raised herself from the couch. "I guess... I'll see you around?"
"Na'. . . you gotta boyfriend." he repeated, sipping from the cup.
Anicia left Long Beach and returned to her parents compound in a Beverly Hills neighborhood. Abi was approaching the front door when Anicia entered with the take home plate.
"Where you been?" Abi asked immediately.
"A friends. Here, I bought you back a plate." Anicia gave her the to-go plate that Abi accepted.
Abi sniffed the styrofoam to-go plate. "Mm, barbecue. You must've took a trip to Long Beach."
Anicia was smiling, heading toward the stairs. "Bye, Abi."
"Mmhm! I know it!" She ascended up the stairs, "Landon here?"
"Nope. He at PTO."
"Good," Anicia whispered as a rush of guilt washed over her for allowing herself to become horny just by the touch of Toby's hand. She needed her hormones to settle first.
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