Page 38 of 10,000 Hours With A Rich Menace

“You come home.” She looked into my eyes as I kissed her cheeks and rubbed my hands through her curls.

“Um, not yet… soon, okay?”

Greene came around the corner and smiled at Skyler. “Hey Greene, how has it been since Jeffie has been gone? You can tell me… peaceful,” she teased her.

I watched as Greene smiled. “Less tense, and I’ve been flowing through my work easier. Jeffie is tense… she doesn’t play when it comes to things being in correct order.”

“Well, you met your boss… I listened to that man throw a fit over how a woman used the toothpaste… that’s who you’re so in love with, right?” Skyler looked over at me.

“Yes, he’s my little apple dumpling butt,” I forced a smile, picking Estella up and walking further into the house. “Zip it,” I mouthed to Greene as I passed by her.

She was smart, took the hint and went to do whatever she was going to do. I led us out to the backyard where our lunch was already set up on the concrete outside table. The waterfall from the pool was going, and it was a warm summer day.

The shade from the house gave us a slight relief from the brutal sun. “I haven’t had anything to eat today. This morning, we had mediation with Keyshawn and his mama… why nobody told that lady that those braids aren’t for her… I could put four of my fingers in each part… old bitch.”

“Bad word, Mama,” Estella corrected her mother.

Skyler smiled. “Mama is upset, and I am very sorry. Want to eat your nuggets over there with the TV?”

Estella nodded her head as Skyler took her over toward the outside TV. Menace had his home set up where he never had to leave. I had been in the house for two weeks, and although I was bored, he did have everything.

I was the kind of person that never sat still for long. Sitting still for too long forced me to think, and I didn’t like my thoughts all the time. They weren’t a safe space for me all the time. It was better to keep myself busy.

Greene told Skyler she would get Estella set up. Skyler held her bag to her side and then smiled at me. “Stevie, I love you.”

“Love you more, Skyler… always will. It’s us against the world.”

She smiled at me. “Then be honest with me and tell me why you’re here… I’m not stupid. Menace is an acquired taste and the both of you are like oil and water. Jeffie has been avoiding me because she is holding something in, and Core who calls me every damn day, has dialed back on his calls which tells me that he’s hiding something too.”

I lowered my head and then looked up at her. “Promise me that you aren’t going to lose your shit, Skyler.”

She got settled into her chair. “I promise.”

“No… really promise.”

She sucked her teeth and then looked at me. “I put that on our old ass granny’s life.”

Satisfied with her reply, I took a deep breath and looked at her. “Priscilla was stealing money from Menace. The money she put into my acco?—”

Skyler shot out of her chair with that infamous pointer finger in my direction. “I fucking knew it, Stevie Raye! I knew she was up to no good and we all felt the same way… Cindy included.”

“You promi?—”

“I don’t give a fuck about that old hoe… what did she get you into, Stevie? And why are you alive and not stinking somewhere?”

I heaved a sigh. “She was sleeping with Raye.”

Skyler slumped down in the chair and looked across the table at me. “Your father, Raye? My uncle, Raye?”

“Yes. He didn’t know that she was my friend, and she didn’t know he was my father.”

“Find that hard to believe,” she snorted.

“And she offered her virginity up to toss Stevie under the table,” Greene blurted, placing both hands on the concrete table and taking a breath like she was so relieved.

I looked at her and she mouthedsorrybefore scurrying away. “Wow.”

“Wow?”

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