Page 33 of Lucci

I rang the doorbell with bated breath. When Lucci answered the door seconds later, he had a gun in his hand. His eyes were red, and he looked stressed. Immediately, any anger I felt dissipated. “What’s wrong?” I inquired genuinely concerned.

“Just a lot going on. I’m straight though. What you doing here?”

“I haven’t heard from you, and I was worried about you. Is there anything you want to talk about?”

When Lucci leaned in the doorway that was an indication that he wasn’t going to let me inside. That made me feel some kind of way. I couldn’t even lie. “Nah. Talking isn’t really gon’ do shit. I’m missing my brother. Got other shit going on. I just have a lot on my mind, but I’ll be good. I appreciate you for asking.”

If Lucci wanted to be alone all I could do was respect it. Just as my lips parted to tell him that, he pulled his phone out of his pocket with a deep sigh. It must have been on vibrate because I didn’t hear it ring. Lucci observed the screen with furrowed brows.

“Hello?” he half barked. After a few seconds of listening, he sighed again. “Where is she? I’m on my way.”

Lucci eased his phone back in his pocket and eyed me.

“I need to run and check on Kiandra. I’ll hit you up when I get back in.”

My brows hiked as I peered at Lucci like he’d lost his mind. I was real tired of the back and forth. I understood his situation with Kiandra, but I was the one he’d been having sex with every chance he got. He’d been ignoring me all day. He was so stressed and in his feelings that he didn’t want to talk, but he was about to run to Kiandra? I had to check myself because it could have been an emergency.

“What’s wrong with her?” I hated that my tone sounded flat. Like I really couldn’t care less, but I was asking anyway.

“Her friend is just worried about her. Says she won’t eat. She’s been crying for days. Her parents want to have her ass committed. I just want to tell her to get a hold of herself. Doing all that over me isn’t necessary.”

I nodded my head. He was ready to turn me away, so he could be alone, but he was about to go do what? Kiandra’s heart was broken. The only way he could snap her out of the state she was in was to give her false hope and promises. Was he going to feed her soup and wipe her tears away? I really was over the back and forth bullshit. After he’d been single for at least six months, he could holla at me, and if I was single, we could talk.

“Alright. You drive safe.”

I turned to walk away, and he didn’t even try to stop me. Anger made my face flush. Heat radiated through my body asI started my car. I needed space from Lucci. Real space. Not the kind that I forgot about as soon as he showed up at my door with those puppy dog eyes and sweet words wrapped in his deep timbre. Maybe loyalty was better than feelings because something was telling me if he had to choose, Lucci would pick Kiandra every time. Maybe not in the sense of being with her, but in the sense of running to her rescue. He claimed he wasn’t in love with her but for as much as he cared about her and the way he treated her like a delicate flower, he may as well be head over heels in love with her. I had no desire to compete with Kiandra for Lucci’s attention. She could have it.

He damn sure wasn’t the first man to ever disappoint me, and I was sure he wouldn’t be the last. At least I knew what it was, and I didn’t have to wonder anymore. At home, I took a shower and got in bed. I needed something to focus on. My house. I was real close to reaching my goal so I could start the process of looking for a house. When I got a house, the only thing I was taking with me were my clothes, shoes, and sentimental things. For my home, I wanted to completely redecorate. That would keep me busy for sure.

I looked on Pinterest for decorating inspo until I had yawned numerous times and could no longer keep my eyes open. Finally, I stopped fighting it and let sleep take over.

My father’s mother played a pivotal part in my childhood. She watched me a lot on the weekend when my dad had to work overtime. My grandmother did my hair. She taught me how to cook and do laundry. It was her that taught me what to do when I started my period. She was the mother the woman that birthed me didn’t want to be. It was also her birthday so despite mymood, I wasn’t going to miss the fish fry they were throwing her for anything in the world. If it was one thing my cousin, Bo could do, it was fry some fish. I didn’t wake up in the best mood, but I got cute and made myself go to my grandmother’s house. For our family to be so big, there was minimal drama, and mostly everyone got along. When we got together, it was a good time, and that was what I needed at the moment.

By the time I arrived, the street was already lined with cars, and her yard was full of people. My grandmother had been living in the same house for seventeen years. It wasn’t hers, but the landlord loved her and told her he’d never make her leave. She was friends with everyone on the street that had been there longer than a year, and when she had large gatherings at her home, none of the neighbors complained about all the cars. Shoot, they came over to get plates and kick it too.

“Let me drive your car,” my little cousin, Rodney, who was only twelve grinned wide.

“Um no. You have to learn how to drive first,” I chuckled.

“I know how to drive. My dad taught me, and Jericho lets me drive sometimes.”

“Is that right?” Jericho was Rodney’s brother. He was seventeen, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he knew how to hot wire cars and strip them of their parts. He was bad as hell and had been since he was old enough to talk.

“Yeap. The other day he let me drive off the street and around the corner,” Rodney reported proudly.

“Well to drive my car, you need a driver’s license. Holla at me in about four more years.”

“Ahh man,” he groaned making me laugh.

I had been around family for less than five minutes, and I felt better already.

“Hey, grandma.” I entered the kitchen and found her sitting at the kitchen table putting icing on a cake. “Why you in hereworking and it’s your birthday?” I hugged her before handing her an envelope that contained a birthday card with $500 inside.

My Aunt Monie kissed her teeth. “Child, I don’t know why you asked that question. You know she has to be in here to watch and critique.”

“Damn right,” my grandmother nodded. “Not about to have me eating no nasty food. Y’all always wanting to try some shit you seen on Tok Tik. Messing up good food and shit. I knew how to cook before social media.”

“It’s Tik Tok,” I laughed.

---