Page 9 of Falling Into Gravity

Aku snickered, knowing she actually didn’t need a replay of that. She got so tipsy, she found herself on top of Devin listening to him declare his love for her. Then, she watched him and Bu get into it real bad. It was a weekend night to remember, but one she never wanted to relive.

“I’ll be back in ten days. Dejanay already got studio sessions lined up and Bu has a few meetings back in Emerald City about Bumblebee Landscaping. He’s expanding.” Noodle was so proud of her husband. Bu had turned his little landscaping business into something so big that he was now looking at franchising.

“Come through power couple,” Ahvi clapped.

Noodle laughed. “Likewise, Ahvi. I can’t wait to see all the good things you do with Sunsets and Moonlights.”

Ahvi huffed. “Thanks, but it feels like I’m still dreaming. I always thought running a restaurant would be easy… calling all the shots and making all the money. No one ever told me it was harder and more tedious than that. Like damn, I feel like I barely see my son and my man.”

“Work-life balance boo,” Aku chimed in. “It’s all new, so right now you just have to squeeze your time in when you can, but once you’re secure in your business, you’ll be able to trust your staff and give yourself much needed breaks. Right now, it’s all go time.”

Noodle agreed and Ahvi just sighed.

Silence lingered between them for a few seconds.

Aku sighed. “It’s too quiet without y’all here. I be hearing my thoughts too loud.”

“Eww,” Ahvi said. “You ain’t supposed to listen to those.”

“That’s hard to do when I ain’t working.”

“Are you happy?” Noodle asked, flipping their childlike questions when they found themselves huddled in her happy den.

“I think I am,” Aku’s voice didn’t sound certain. Doubt lingered in places it shouldn’t have.

“Anyway,” Ahvi said, cutting through the awkwardness. “Let’s get to the real tea. Aku… you been back slidin’ into Devin’s bed or nah?”

Aku sucked her teeth hard enough for it to echo. “Hell no. He been calling but I ain’t been answering.”

Noodle cackled so loud it clipped her mic. “I know that’s right.”

“Like I know he loves me, but that ain’t gonna be enough for me. I want a love like my parents have…like y’all,” Aku admitted.

“What if that ain’t in the cards for you, though?” Ahvi questioned.

She fully understood how much Aku wanted something special for herself, but she didn’t want her girl to get caught up in the idea of love when everything was never as black and white as people made it seem.

Aku kissed her teeth. “I’m a descendant of Big Lunar… love will always be in the cards for me. My uncle up there with Big God so I know he ain’t gonna let his favorite niece go without.”

Noodle and Ahvi laughed ‘cause maybe she had a point.

“Like, my daddy is French. That man will build me a nigga.”

“And will,” Noodle cosigned.

A deep sigh cracked Aku’s chest. “I really can’t accept nothing other than that… even if you might be right, Ahvi.”

“Aww, boo… I’m not right. You know Ish just be in the back of my head still. Lunar ain’t fucked that all the way outta me.”

“Hoe! I ain’t tryna hear about you and Little Lunar,” Aku fussed.

She sat up straighter, the sleep finally wearing off as she remembered how her week had actually gone down. “I had to go style Zaire the other day. He was in Crescent Park doin’ a lil Nike shoot. Thought it was gonna be regular degular… but baby, the weed man?”

“Oh God,” Noodle sighed, already knowing where this was headed.

“He wasn’t just any weed man,” Aku said, eyes wide with dramatics. “This man? Whoo! Light skin, tall, long braids like he deep conditions ‘em… quiet but had that presence. I was fixated.”

“So what you do? Flash a nipple?” Ahvi asked.

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