Page 54 of Giving Him Something He Can Feel

“Man, I fucked one time. Got to know her and knew I couldn’t let her slip through. Course she kept me on bone for a while ‘cause I fucked her girl bu?—”

“You done fell yo’ goofy ass in love.”

I laughed at his teasing. “Swear I didn’t see this shit coming, but Jovie got a nigga in the stuck field.”

“I’m happy for you, but on me it couldn’t be me. I’m not looking for shit past some head. These females are trifling and disloyal as fuck. Think I wanna lay-up and trust a bitch when she could be holding the knife to stab a nigga in the back?”

“Not all of ‘em like that though. Nigga Trek took one of the biggest L’s of ‘em all but look at ‘em. Giving that shit a chance again.”

“Yeah, I heard about that. Fari’s sister. I seen her before, shorty look good than a motherfucker.”

I chuckled. “Don’t let that nigga hear you say that.”

He joined in on the laughter, shaking his head. “Blood gone, huh? Matter of fact both of y’all niggas is gone off this love shit.” Seconds later he pulled his phone out and started scrolling through it. When he found what he was looking for, he put the phone to his face.

“Yo, you and Shauna come take a ride with me. I need you to do something for me. I’m outside.”

A few seconds later he dropped his phone on his lap andfocused ahead. “It’s this lil’ chick that stay up the block. Bad as fuck, but different.”

“What do you mean different?” I tilted my head to the side looking at him.

“She don’t be out like that. She be in her own space, an?—”

My laughter made him look at me. “Niggas talking ‘bout me, but you borderline stalking a bitch whose name you ‘on’t even fucking know.”

“It ain’t li?—”

The sound of the car doors opening behind us halted the conversation. As a matter of fact the ride over to where Taylor lived was quite. Then when we pulled up shit happened like a fucking movie. I pointed the house out, and like hungry ass hyenas shorty and her girl went up and knocked on the door.

I watched the whole scene unfold wishing I’d gotten popcorn or something from the store. They knocked on the door, she opened it and they snatched her ass out of that house like a bag of fucking laundry. Shit was straight up action packed. All that could be heard was her yelling for help, but in this neighborhood nobody came when you called for help. The best that happened is niggas looking out of their windows, but that was about it. It was what it was.

Virtue

I’m not sure what happened today, but by the amount of times Cartrek checked in with me, I’d say it was something. Then again it could’ve been our weekend. It was eventful to say the least, but most of all it was insightful. He opened up in a way that I never expected after the whole Target debacle. It was so nice that instead of exiting our little bubble I went to get Adorie from my parent’s house and went right back to Cartrek’s house. I was sad when the alarm went off this morning, alerting us to the beginning of the week and need for us to get back to regularly scheduled program.

One could say we both had early days today from the fact that we were both out of his house by six-thirty.Well, me him and Adorie. She was still asleep, so he carried her to the car for me. Now here we were, both kind of cooped up in my office while I worked, and she played on her iPad. On days like this she and I usually got a meal here and then retired home, but in a few when I finished the grunt of my work I was going to go see about my brother. Fari said he was fine and looked fine, but I needed to make sure he was really fine … for my own sanity. Then after that we’d probably be on the way home. The thing is I didn’t know what Cartrek was on, because he said he wanted to do a late dinner tonight when he got in when he called earlier. Then he text me a few minutes ago asking my location but had yet to respond when I sent it to him then asked him why. Instead he sent another message, telling me we were staying at his place for the next few days, and that I needed to pack a bag for myself and Adorie.

I was so stuck in my thoughts that the sound of a knock at my door startled me.

“Virtue, there is somebody here to see you.” Then at the same time she was speaking there was a vibration in my hand. When I glanced down I saw that it was a call from Aylo. I hadn’t answered his phone call since that night at the club and he still hadn’t caught the damn hint. Nothing against Aylo, but everything against Aylo. He wasn’t Cartrek, and though he had personality the wavelength wasn’t the same. Even with everything I know about Cartrek, I’d still chose him over any other. That night at his place took us to a new depth, one that had me feeling more connected and in sync than anything.

“Okay, can you have chef whip up some ravioli for me?” I stood.

With Adorie’s hand in mine I walked out into the dining space, only to lay eyes on the very nigga I had been praying went about his life.

“What are you doing here, Don?” Of course Adorie stepped behind my leg afraid of the stranger who was now fixated on her. My baby was bashful sometimes and didn’t really like strangers in her face.

“Is that her? Is that my child?”

“No. You shouldn’t be here.” I backed up with Adorie behind me when he seemed to walk forward.

“Why? That is my daughter. As long as my blood runs through her veins, I have just as much a right to her as you do.” He was pointing his finger in my face speaking belligerently and causing a scene.

“Leave Don, before I call the cops.”

“Call them for what? That’s my daughter, Virtue.”

I was about to respond, but Adorie letting go of my leg and running toward the door took my attention. She only did that to me when she saw one of two people, and when I looked up it just so happened to have one of them standing at my door with the most menacing glare. Don needed to go before this went all bad for him.

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