Page 46 of Lucci

“You good?” I asked as he glared at me.

“Yeah, I’m good.” Gavin stood in front of me. “The question is are you good? I know I know you busy and all that, but I’ve called you twice. You be so hot and cold that shit is funny,” he chuckled. “Ignore me for a week then let me spend money on you. Ignore me for two weeks then let me spend money on you. I’m a sucka or something?”

My frown deepened. “Spend money on me? Is you cool?” I was genuinely confused. “You took me out to eat like twice.”

“And I spent money each time.” Gavin had the nerve to look me up and down. “You can holla all that I’m locked in bullshit, but it doesn’t take much of your time to show a nigga some appreciation. You can invite me over to the crib, cook for me, or just ask me how my day is going. Y’all women swear there aren’t any good men out here but when you find one, you play in our faces.”

Alcohol and whatever else he may have been on had Gavin on one. He was being a little too aggressive for my liking, and I was ready to end the conversation. He didn’t ever have to worry about me again. “What’s your cash app? Zelle? I’ll send you your money back right now, and then you can go on about your business.” I turned my head to look for my phone, and Gavin walked closer to me.

“I don’t want my money back. I want you to act like you do for those other niggas.” I wasn’t sure what other niggas he wastalking about but when he grabbed my chin with his dry, rough, hand I shot up out of my chair and pushed him with everything I had in me.

Gavin was obviously drunk and the fact that my move caught him off guard and was forceful surely aided in him falling on his ass. I was deep in the park away from a lot of the kids, but people still saw what happened. Two of those people were Aubree and Lauren. As Gavin scrambled to get up off the ground, I could see them rushing in our direction. Despite being drunk, Gavin moved fast and got up before they reached us. He lunged at me, and I picked the chair up and swung it at him. Gavin didn’t fall that time, but he stumbled. Aubree didn’t ask any questions. She jumped in front of him and maced the shit out of him.

Gavin screamed as more people began to look in our direction. I was pissed for a few reasons. The main one being that his antics were possibly going to overshadow the positivity of the event.

“Is this the guy you were with at the gala?” Lauren looked from me to Gavin as he growled and wiped his face with the tail of his shirt.

“Yes. He’s drunk and acting stupid. Grabbing all on me and shit,” I glowered watching him and hoping he went blind.

“Oh hell nah. I suggest you get in your car and leave before I call the police.”

“I can’t see; you stupid bitch,” he yelled.

My chest heaved up and down as I tried to clear my mind and think about how to handle the situation. A slight sense of relief and a hint of fear washed over me when I saw Lucci and Maino walking my way. Lucci would save the day, but I didn’t want him getting mixed up in any shit because of me. He had already been shot on two separate occassions.

“What’s good?” he rushed toward me while looking over at Gavin.

“He showed up drunk out his mind mad and shit because he said he spent money on me, and I ignore him basically. He took me out to eat twice. I told him I’d give him the money back, and he grabbed my face. I pushed him, he fell, then he lunged at me. I hit him with a chair, and Aubree maced him.”

I damn near broke a few fingers grabbing Lucci as he made a move toward Gavin. “Baby, baby,” I begged. Restraining him was taking everything in me. “Baby, please. There are kids out here. And a lot of people. Please. If he leaves just drop it. I’m good. I’m okay.”

Lucci was practically foaming at the mouth as he grilled Gavin. Tears streamed down Gavin’s face. Crying must have been helping his vision because when he saw that it was taking all the power, I possessed to keep Lucci off him, he got the hell out of dodge.

“See, he’s leaving. I’m good. He’s drunk, and I’m not worried about him. Me and my girls were going to beat his ass.”

“Definitely the fuck was,” Lauren co-signed.

Lucci glared at me with his jaw muscles flexing. I knew he was trying to calm himself down. I wrapped my arms around his waist and after a few minutes, his body relaxed, and his face softened. “That nigga was about to lose his teeth. On my mama.”

“I know he was, but it’s not necessary. I’m good.”

Lucci and I had spent hours talking since making up. I knew all about his past, and he knew about mine. The times he’d been shot, the fact that he used to rob people, even the fact that he was sitting on two M’s. I knew it all, and I just wanted him safe. I wanted him out of the streets and doing something productive with his life. He was so smart, and Lucci had so much potential. I refused to sit back and watch him not live up to it.

“I see you had a good turnout.” He looked around the park.

“Yes, it was really nice. I really enjoyed it.”

He wrapped his arms around me and pecked my lips. “I’m ready to enjoy you.”

“I’m ready to be enjoyed.”

We stood there wrapped in each other’s arms and peering into each other’s eyes like two crazy people until Maino spoke up.

“I’m gonna need y’all to get a room.”

We separated with a laugh, and Maino and Lucci got started on breaking tables down for us and helping us to prepare to leave the event. It had been a good day despite Gavin’s antics, and I refused to let his actions take away from how proud I was.

My mother’s birthday was the next day, and I had plans to put flowers on her grave. I also planned to tell her that I forgave her. Maybe I could just go ahead and tell her because her body was in the grave, but her soul wasn’t. I could talk to my mother from anywhere. Even if she didn’t want kids, the moment she made the decision to keep me, she should have chosen to be a good mother. But she hadn’t. Dwelling on it wasn’t going to do anything except make my heart heavy. So, I was going to release it. Forgive her, release it, and refuse to stress it ever again. I had a few family members that were pissed because I got my mother’s money and according to them, ‘I didn’t even like her.’

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