Page 8 of Caden's Situationship

There also wasn’t an event I attended where I didn’t have to dodge questions left and right about how long it would be until I found someone as if my primary purpose now should be to get into a committed relationship like my brothers. And yeah, I wanted that shit. However, if I knew where to find my dream woman, didn't folks think I would have locked her invisible ass down already?

All of it was bullshit, but it wasn’t as bad as Malakai and Crayson popping up at my Arkansas ranch, telling me that our brothers only bi-annual trip was now a co-ed trip. Usually, I wasn’t the type to complain about my brother’s wives and girlfriends joining us anywhere we went. That was Crayson’s job before he fell victim to the kinda love he claimed he would never have with a woman. Butdamn, why was I goin’ if I was gonna be the only single one in a sea of couples?

“Ya’ll want me to plan our bi-annual trip this time?” I asked again, for clarification that I didn’t need because I heard them loud and clear.

“Yeah,” Malakai confirmed. “Isn’t it your turn anyway?”

“It was. But that was before y’all told me your spouses will be there.” I stood from the kitchen table where we were all seated and grabbed us each a cold beer I’d placed in the freezer twenty minutes prior.

“What difference does that make?” Crayson asked.

“A big one,” I told him. “I’ll be the only one there without anyone.”

“Then bring someone,” he suggested, as if it were that easy.

“Nah, that ain’t happening.”I wasn’t seriously dating anyone, and after my last no-strings attached hook-up, I promised myself that I would hold off on the casual shit for a while. However, I also realized I was probably being childish over the situation, so although I didn’t want to do it, reluctantly I told them, “Okay, I’ll plan the trip since it’s my turn anyway.”

Malakai breathed a sigh of relief. “Thanks, Caden. I have so much going on, I wasn’t sure where I’d find the time to plan the trip.”

“And Jordyn is on my ass,” Crayson added. “I promised her we’d go on vacation this summer and here it is, already September, and I haven’t taken her ass anywhere yet.”

“Just plan something separate,” Malakai suggested.

“You’re jokin’, right?” I asked. “Crayson can’t plan trips for shit. Remember when we got stuck in Beijing for three days without our luggage?”

Malakai snapped his fingers. “How could I forget? Not only did his dumb ass make us give all our money to that whack travel agent, but then, we find out she basically pocketed the funds and didn’t do anything we asked. And wasn’t our tour guide like her cousin or some mess?”

“Ya’ll say that shit like I could control the plans,” Crayson huffed. “There may be a lil’ truth to what y’all sayin’, but that’s exactly why Jordyn said it’s cool if our bros’ trip is the trip we take for now. Then, when both our schedules are less busy, we’ll take our first trip on our own.”

“I thought you’ve taken a trip together already,” I chimed in.

“Besides visiting her hometown, nah. We’ve been all about expanding our businesses lately. And you know my woman don’t play about this shit. She needs a vacation, and like y’all said, I can’t plan shit. My black ass is tired of her holding back the pussy until I do what she wants.”

I shook my head. “So poetic, Crayson.”

He shrugged. “Bruh, you try dealing with a fine ass woman walking about the house in that damn skimpy clothing or nothing at all while not-so-accidentally bending that juicy ass over any chance she gets. The shit ain’t fair, and if I don’t get some soon, I’m BNOS.”

I frowned. “BNOS. What the hell does that mean?”

“Busting nut on sight, nigga. That’s what the fuck it means.” Crayson started pacing. “I read somewhere that a man’s dick falls off if it’s not used in a while.”

I scrunched my forehead. “Do you even hear yourself when you speak?”

“Man, you need to lay off all that reading you’ve been doin’,” Malakai told him. “Jordyn asked yo’ ass to read more, but I think you’re reading the wrong shit.”

Crayson smacked his lips. “Bruh, don’t be jealous that a nigga getting educated, while Avery got you reading all that rated PG self-help bullshit.”

“She’s helping me be more centered,” Malakai explained, smoothing out the collar of his olive suit jacket.

“Nah, more like she’s poppin’ yo’ nut sack every chance she gets,” Crayson said. “If I hear you say ‘yes, honey’ when Avery calls one more time, Ima personally cut your balls off my damn self and hand them straight to Avery.”

Some of what Crayson said was true. Malakai really was far from the man he once was. However, Avery only made him a better man. A worthy man. A man who realized the importance of having someone to share special moments with. I was proud of my brother and I knew Crayson was, too. Unfortunately, that didn’t stop Crayson from spitting bullshit Malakai’s way.

Malakai clasped his hands together before reminding Crayson, “As if yo’ ass ain’t the same way every time Jordyn walks into a room. Jumping out yo’ seat every time she yells ‘Crayson’when you done did something to piss her off.”

My brothers stared at each other for a bit before they both burst out laughing. Yeah, they were pretty much happy like this all the damn time now that they found their soulmates. Ragging on each other one minute. Laughing at their lovesick ways the next. It made me nauseous. Much like it used to be when Micah and Malik started dating the women they later married.

“Even though I’m planning this trip, I don’t want to hear anything from the peanut gallery about my plans.”

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