Page 80 of Don Caselli

“Landon, I don’t know much about you. All I know is that my daughter smiles like a lunatic when she sees you. I also know that you have allowed an old man to drive your car because you know it makes him happy.”

“It sits in the parking garage, anyway. Better him getting use out of it.”

She chuckled. “I don’t know much about you, but I would love to. Getting to know you, means knowing where you come from. Your family. As you can see, we’re a tight knit family and when we accept you, you are family.”

“Word?”

“Word,” she mocked.

I chuckled. “I would like that.”

We both saw Navy turn the corner and walk down the block in her thoughts. She had bypassed Greene and Beans at the corner of the block because she was venting to herself. “Someone pissed her off.”

At the same time, a woman came from the opposite end of the block, and Avril stood up. “Cindy! Bitch, you forever late. Did you bring that?”

She waved whatever in her hand and laughed as Navy’s mom met her halfway and they spoke. I watched my baby continue to walk while ignoring everyone, but what was inside of her head. “Pooh.”

She stopped short and turned to look at me. I didn’t know if I should have called or not, because she came charging at me with her finger already extended. “You got me fucked up hanging up on me like I’m one of your bi?—”

Her words were halted when I snatched her up and kissed her on the lips. She held my face and kissed me back and then pulled back. “I got you fucked up?”

Navy couldn’t form the correct words as she remained on my lap. “Don’t be fucking hanging up the phone on me, Don!” she purposely used Don to get under my skin.

“You came, right?”

She pulled my beard. “I was coming back over here anyway, Mr. You ‘Bout To Blink and Crash Out.”

I got close to her ear. “You came, right?”

I asked the question a second time because she seemed not to understand that no matter if I hung up on her or not, she came straight here ‘cause she knew I was here. “Whatever. Why are you dressed in slacks?”

“Came straight from handling business to fucking see you and you smiling up in that nigga’s face. Should fucking punish yo’ ass.” I discreetly pinched her ass.

Navy rolled her eyes. “I wasn’t smiling up in his face. He had to talk to me about something. Why you pulled up in a damn tank, Don?”

“My ride for the night.”

“You have to ride in that?”

I laughed. “Apparently so.”

An Escalade pulled onto the block and Navy’s body tensed up. “The fuck does he want?”

The truck quickly pulled behind my whip and homie hopped out. Jett looked up from his phone, as he leaned on the truck. He watched him closely as he crossed the street toward where her family was all hanging out.

“You could have told me that you made it back.” He looked at her in my lap and then shook his head.

There wasn’t any reason for me to start shit with her family around. He was already losing because she was right where shewanted to be. I hung that phone up and she came right where she needed to be.

With me.

“Eat dirt, bitch!” she hollered across the street, causing her parents and grandparents to look at us.

“Navy Bleu Perkins!” her grandmother scolded.

“Sorry, Nana.” She winced and continued to give homie the evil eye, while he walked up to the game her grandfather was in the middle of.

When Ro came out the house, you could tell he was relieved and thought he had someone to talk to. He looked over at his daughter, and then Antwan before he walked back down the block where his friends were leaned on bikes. Avril and her friend had said something to him, but other than that nobody paid his ass any attention.

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