Page 89 of Deuce

“And?”

“I got you, baby.”

“Stanley, no. I don’t need you to take care of me.”

“Why are you so damn stubborn? It’s not me taking care of you. It’s me trying to put you in a position to do what you want with your life. You think I’m expecting something from you in return?”

“I didn’t say that… Where I’m from, nobody does something for nothing, though.”

“That’s the way it is. However, with me, if I fuck with you, I got you, no questions asked.” I cupped her face and stared into her eyes. “I fuck with you heavy. I don’t need anything in return from you,butyou. If you’re gonna be my woman, you have to get used to me doing shit. I’m not one of them lame ass niggas from your hood. I’m a thoroughbred and I stand on my shit.”

Her eyes searched mine as though she were contemplating what I was saying.

“Just… give me some time to think about that,” she said softly. “I appreciate you wanting to help.”

She pecked my lips. “Can we head back? The food was almost done when we left and I’m getting hungry.”

I nodded as I tapped her thigh to stand. Hand in hand, we headed out of the maze and back into the house. I could see she was the type of woman I was just gonna have to take charge and do shit for whether she liked it or not.

As we were walking in the front door, my people were coming in through the back. It was time to say grace so we could eat.

We joined hands as my grandfather a made his way into the kitchen. Old age and running the streets for so long had caught up to him. He moved slower these days. Taking a space next to my grandmother, he kissed her cheek and grabbed her hand as we bowed our heads to pray. When we were done, everybody started lining up to fix their plates.

I pulled Jaeda off to the side.

“Nigga, I’m hungry.”

“I just need to talk to you for a second.”

“Deuce.”

“Would you just listen? Damn.”

She folded her arms and looked at me over the glasses sitting on her nose. Just to fuck with her, I pushed them up with my finger, mushing her in the process. She balled up her fist and punched me hard in the chest.

“You play too damn much.”

“Stop wearing those shits on your nose like that, looking like a somebody’s grandma.”

She tried to walk off, but I grabbed her arm.

“I’m playing, I’m playing. Real shit, I need to holla at you.”

“What do you want?”

“I need you to get me some information.”

“What?”

“I need to know the balance of Salima’s mama’s medical bills and how much they owe on their mortgage. She wants to go back to school and that shit it a burden on both of them.”

Her face softened. “Awww, Deuce. That’s so sweet of you. You really like her, don’t you?”

“Yeah, nosy. I do. Can you get that for me? Just use my account and pay that shit off.”

“I got you.”

She smiled hard at me, and it made me frown.

---