Page 18 of Love me Like XO

“Hey Em.” It sounded like it nearly pained her to say that shit which made me shake my head. This bitch had always hated me, shit it was almost like she blamed me for being born.

Silence swept the room because I didn’t respond to her. Lil’ musty could kiss my ass. Then before my grandmother could get into her messy boots, I heard Irish’s voice before I saw him.

“If it ain’t my favorite sister.” He was on messy time too, because he walked in the kitchen and hugged me and kissed my forehead before going to our grandmother’s side.

“Hey Mama.” He greeted her, before leaning down and kissing her cheek. He’s called her mama since he was little. She was the one who raised him when our father was being true to his self. Irish’s mama decided that she didn’t want to be a mother early on. Her decision came from the realization that my father wouldn’t change. She thought he’d change his ways for her and settle down. Of course he didn’t because he went right on and made Taree six months later and me a year and a half later. Papa was really a rolling stone if you know what I mean.

“What’s up, Fi,” he greeted her quick, then focused all his attention on me. “Lemme spit with you right quick.” He didn’t wait for me to agree, because the moment he finished his sentence he was dragging me out onto the back porch.

“Yuh?” I asked when he finally let me go and stepped to the side, removing the unlit blunt from behind his ear.

“Where you been these last few days? You been on some super creeping shit.”

“I have not been creeping, I’ve just been busy. And before you get to asking what, I know Ree’s big mouth ass told you.”

He nodded. “Yeah, and I just wanna let you know if you decide to get serious with anybody, my vote is on the nigga who can secure us a suite for the Super Bowl.” He lit the blunt.

I cracked up laughing as soon as that shit came out of his mouth. Irish was stupid as fuck and had absolutely no problem spewing that stupid shit. “I cannot stand you.”

“What? I’m just saying and it’s nothing personal. Tryna cast my vote or what not. I was also saving you from whatever was about to happen in that kitchen. You know when she poke her bottom lip out, she’s about to whine. Remember last time Grandma made usApple Payher ass ten dollars each because she said she couldn’t afford pampers for that grown ass man?” He held the blunt out, which I gladly accepted. I didn’t smoke often, but when I did it was because I was in a confined space fortoo long with my sister and my grandmother or my mother’s side of the family.

I couldn’t stop laughing because the insult from his lips had a visual. “How could I forget? She came up off fifty dollars off us and still had the nerve to be begging two days later.” I pulled from his blunt twice, before exhaling the smoke from my nostrils.

“Y’all started without me?” Ree’s voice filled the back porch.

“Ain’t our fault your ass is late.” Irish waved her off, then accepted the blunt from my hands.

“You smoking with him again? Remember last time you almost got yo’ ass beat because you took a piece of the lemon cake before she was ready to cut it.”

I laughed because my grandmother was really ready to fight my ass that day. Shit she even called my mama on me. “I’ma be cool.”

“I bet you are, especially because Pops just walked in the door with his wife to be. You might ge?—”

I shook my head. “Nope. I’m not doing this with you. How about you go in there and see about your sister.” Then I walked off and left her and him there. When I walked into the living room where my brother Rev sat, I took a seat across from him and just looked.

Rev was always on the go and never in one place for too long. His mind revolved around money most of the time and the rest was about parties and how many of them he could go to.

“What, shorty?” he asked after he finally realized I had been staring as long as I had.

“You. That’s what. Where have you been?”

“Out here. Bills don’t pay themselves, baby girl.”

I pouted.

He chuckled. “That your way of saying you miss me? Because if so, I miss you too. Soon as I secure this deal, we’ll do something.”

“On yo—” I started, but I heard my sister’s voice in the background. Her ass was yelling.

“Bitch you’re dead wrong and not a soul made your tired ass have all these lil’ fuckers.” Taree was talking to Fiona.

“Five minutes. That’s how long it took for her to get on her ass.” Rev was already on his feet walking toward the back while I stayed in my seat. If Ree wanted to whoop Fiona’s ass, then that’s what was gonna happen. I knew my sister like the back of my hand, so I knew for a fact when that bitch went ape shit, it was just that.

“I can’t have you talking to my wife like that, Taree. Now I’ve told yo—” My sister’s husband had just fucked up, because before he could make it to the back, I heard a whole bunch of shit being moved around.

Finally I got my ass up and began toward the kitchen when I heard Irish’s voice roar.

“Don’t you ever hop yo’ superWalmartbagging ass up in my sister’s face. The fuck wrong with you?”

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