Page 22 of Love's Free Will

Averi smirked. “That makes sense. You seem like the type to be soft for your family.”

I just shook my head, choosing to ignore that. “You got brothers and sisters?”

“Yeah, a brother and a sister. I’m the oldest.”

“The oldest? Damn that mean you take care of everybody huh? Shit, that’s how King is. Nigga think he run shit.”

“Well, I definitely don’t try to run them. I love them, but we’re not as close as other siblings might be.”

“Why not?”

“Just aren’t,” she shrugged.

She left it like that, no further explanation but that made me curious. She was the type to be super family oriented, the goodgirl type that was all about family. I wondered what had her with this frame of mind about her own family.

As we waited for our food, I caught Averi humming to herself. I leaned in. “You sound good Shawty, why you don’t be singing your own songs?”

“Because I write songs,” she said firmly. “I don’t perform them.”

I frowned. “Why not?”

She exhaled. “Because I like being in the background. I don’t like attention like that.”

I smirked. “We got that in common.”

She shot me a look. “Nigga, you love attention that’s why you all in the videos, smiling and getting folks attention.”

I laughed. “Aight, you got me.” I paused, then casually said, “You should do the hook on my new track.”

She shook her head immediately. “No.”

I frowned. “Damn, that fast?”

She sighed. “I don’t do hooks. I don’t sing.”

I shrugged. “You be sounding good, though.”

She pursed her lips, irritated. “I…do… not… sing.”

I held up my hands. “Aight, damn. Relax.”

A short while later, I heard a familiar gentle voice approaching us. “Well, well, look who it is.”

I grinned before standing up and letting her pull me into her body. “Hey, Grandma Kay.”

When she released me, her wise old eyes flickered between me and Averi before a slow knowing smile spread across her face.

“And who’s this pretty thing you brought with you? This your new girlfriend?”

Averi immediately straightened, looking mildly horrified. “Oh, no, we’re not?—”

“We just workin’ on music Grandma,” I cut in.

Grandma Kay gave me a look that screamed I ain’t buyin’ that shit, but she let it go.

“Mmhmm.” She patted my cheek. “You be good to this one, y’hear? Food should be out soon.”

I sighed. “Grandma Kay?—”

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