Page 8 of Pulse of True Soulmates

He stopped pushing the cart. His face tightened, and it was a sexy sight to see. “Wait, rideshare? What the hell do you mean you’re going to call a rideshare? Baby woman, your ass was laying on a damn floor in the store. You really plan to pick up this heavy ass shit and put it in a rideshare, only to take it out and carry it in your house? You’re joking, right?”

“Um, no, I’m not. Unfortunately, I can’t drive because of my condition,” I told him. My right, upper lip was lifted with my eyebrow. “I’ll be fine. Baby woman? What is that?”

He gawked at me then shook his head. “You’re not a child, so I’m not going to call you baby girl, hence baby woman.” He started to push the cart again. “You’re talkin’ about you’re going to be fine. If you act like you’re going to pass out again, I’m going to pick your lil ass up and put you in this damn cart.” He cut his eyes downward at my dog who must have felt him, because he looked up. “I’ll put your black ass in there too.”

I couldn’t help it. What was it about people talking to Midnite like he was a human. “You’re really going to put me and my baby in the cart?” I looked down at myself. “I am not little either.”

“You damnright I’ll put your lil ass in this cart and your little dog too,” I confirmed with an arched brow. She had me fucked up. She was tripping. The girl was just on the floor, almost passed out with a dog on her chest because she overheated from her POTS. Whatever that shit is. Now she was talking about going in a rideshare.

She stopped walking to laugh hard. I smiled and was happy that she wasn’t offended by what I said to her. That meant to me that she wasn’t overly sensitive about her condition and that she could take a joke. I really would toss their asses in this cart though. I tended to be a jester at times, and so were the people around me.

“You’re silly. I don’t think anyone has ever been threatened to be put in a shopping cart like a little kid. That’s a new one that I have to tell my best friend.” She mumbled the last part.

I let out a low chuckle. We stopped so I could put two cases of wine into the cart. I side-eyed the fuck out of her. Before I put these cases in the cart, there were already two cases of soda. “What are you getting all of this stuff for? If you’re having a party, I’m invited.”

Her head bucked back before she giggled. “How do you just invite yourself to an event that you don’t even know what it is?” Yeah, she had that look in her eyes. Thehe’s crazy, but I like it. “I’m throwing my daddy a surprise birthday party.”

“Oh, and it’s a surprise party! I’m definitely about to be all up and through there. Who’s cooking?” That was an important question.

She gawked at me for a second. “We have a caterer. She just doesn’t supply the beverages.” I gave her a knowing look. “Yes, she’s black.”

I threw my hands up. “I have nothing against the mayo-sapians. I rather support black businesses. I love Mexican, Cuban food too. Once a week, I have a Mexican night at my lounge, and I have some cooks come in for that night. They cook a mix of both cultures, and I have a live band. The Hispanic community comes in droves to support.”

She put her finger up. “First, mayo-sapians, really?” She shook her head. “Next, you own a lounge? That’s cool.”

Yeah, I had to slip that in there to let her know I wasn’t an average nigga out here in these Charlotte streets. “Yeah,Ink VibingandInk Vibing Againare mine. It’s a tattoo lounge; I’m a tat artist.”

Her feet halted, and her eyes lit up. “That is so cool. I only have one tattoo, but I want more. My best friend has a lot.” Her eyelids lowered a little. “Maybe I’ll let you do my next one.”

“I’d be honored to permanently put my ink work on your skin,” I flirted back. “What do you do for a living?”

“Oh, nothing as cool as you. I’m a data analyst for Meta,” she told me. “I work from home.”

The corners of my lips lifted with my cheeks. “From what I know about data analysts, they’re smart as hell and make good money. That’s what’s up.”

“Hey, babies.” My mother’s voice interrupted our conversation. “Are you feeling better, baby?”

Aeon smiled. “Yes, ma’am, I am. Thank you for being concerned.”

“Mama, tell me why this girl came here in a rideshare. She planned to go back home the same way with all this stuff,” I told my mama. My head tilted with my side-eye.

My mother’s face contorted. “Sweetheart, that’s not what’s going to happen today. Do you have everything that you need?”

Aeon glanced down in the cart. “All I need is two cases of water, then I’m done. I promise I’m alright to take a rideshare. I’m used to it, and most of the time, the drivers are really nice.”

My mother ignored her comment and waved her off. “Let’s get your cases of water. Declan will take you and your fur baby home. Come on.” My mother was the type that didn’t understand the word no. That was partially my father’s fault. It was always whatever Princetta wanted, Princetta got. My mother turned her cart around and walked smooth off toward the aisle that the water was on.

Aeon gave me thatis she seriouslook. “Yeah, there’s no arguing with Princetta Phillips. Let’s go.”

After we finished shopping, Aeon gave me the address of where she lived. I was thankful that I drove my Tahoe today. My everyday vehicle of choice was my Charger. If it was just my mother’s stuff, it would have fit in there. With my mother’s stuff and Aeon’s, there was no way that it all would have fit with her and Midnite. They talked the whole way to her house. I couldn’t get a word in edgewise.

Her place was nice. Aeon asked my mother if she wanted to come in for a drink. She accepted the invitation happily. While I carried the things into her house, my eyes roamed around her place. The television on her wall over the fireplace. It looked like at least ninety inches. It took three trips to get all the beverage cases inside.

She and my mother sat comfortably at her dining room table with what looked like lemonade in front of them. “Thank you very much, Declan.” She peeked over at her dog that was laid out on the couch watching some cartoon on the television. “Midnite, say thank you for them bringing us home.”

Midnite climbed from the couch and went over to these buttons that were on the floor. I knew that they were those communication buttons, because I’d seen them on social media. He looked toward us before his paw hit a button.“Thank you.”He moved to another button.“Mama, food.”

“Ok, baby, I’ll feed you in just a minute.” She smiled after he pressed the“okay”button. That shit was cool to me. “Declan, do you want some lemonade?”

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