Page 79 of Love me Like XO

“You need to check in or go by the house before we head over here to check—” Now the nigga was trying to be funny.

“No, bitch I’m a grown ass man. I run—” The ringing of my phone broke my sentence. When I glanced at the screen I saw that it was a call from Em. I knew she’d be calling at some point, because time had gotten away from us and I was out longer than I intended to be.

I answered the call putting the phone to my ear. “My bad baby, blame this shit on Malik.” After I finished speaking, I looked over at Malik and the nigga’s mouth was wide open.

“I don’t even wanna hear you tell me that, but Ree is taking me to your place so don’t bother coming back toward my grandmother’s house when you’re done with whatever you’re doing. And before you ask I have your apple pie.”

“Good looking, and I didn’t mean to be gone this long. We should be that way in a few,” I assured.

“Oh and it was really smooth to tell me we were going somewhere then drop me off on my family.” I could hear the mug through the phone. That truly wasn’t my intention, but time got away from me today. Time had literally flown, and I didn’t get a moment with shorty. I fully intended to make it up to her, because the last thing I wanted her feeling was like I didn’t have time for her while she was forced to sit out. Even though the first few weeks of her sitting out I was with her, I knew she still needed to not feel alone. The thing is I also needed to make sure she was safe and nothing else threatened that safety. That meant none of my bullshit.

REE

I sat at the kitchen table in my grandmother’s house eating ice cream and staring aimlessly at my phone. I despised the sudden attachment I had grown to Malik. When I wasn’t looking at him, I was thinking about him, then when I was looking at him I was almost always touching him. At first I thought it was just me with the obsession, but he too had it. It was confirmed one night when we were lying in bed. I don’t know how we got on the topic, but he told me straight up that he was infatuated with my presence and when we weren’t together he always felt like he needed to be near me. Then of course I agreed, telling him how unreal this felt.

“Swear I ain’t never believed in all this shit, but you got me on some strait up stalker shit. When yeen in my face I be wanting to know what you doing. Then when I pull up to the shop I be wanting to cancel all yo’ appointments because I want your time and mind on me.”

I smiled, leaning down, and kissing his bare, tattooed chest. “You reading my mind?”

As if I spoke him up, I had incoming messages from him.

Malik: Gon be late.

Malik: We’re staying at Ro’s tonight.

Malik: You gonna suck some when I get there?

Me: Why Malik?

Malik: Why what? I’on feel like driving home and yo’ bed is as uncomfortable as the cots niggas used to sleep on as a kid.

Malik: Is that a no… cause you ‘ont feel like sucking.

Me: Boy get off my phone and find yo’ way to where I am.

“That you baby, you still here? I thought y’all had cut out already?” my grandmother entered the kitchen.

“We’re about to. Every time we get ready Em has to pee.”

She chuckled. “That’s those babies. Pregnancy will have you spending more time on the toilet than in the bed you made ‘em in.”

I laughed along with her, before I heard the toilet flush and the water come on. Before I could say anything my phone dinged again. It was an incoming text from Malik.

Malik: That’s a given.

I smiled, before looking back up at my grandmother who was now at the sink.

“Love is a powerful thing, and it can sneak up on you. One minute you having fun and out here free, then the next you know you’re out here feeling like you found your other half. Everybody doesn’t find that, baby. Lord knows I didn’t. I tolerated yo’ stank ass granddaddy. Don’t know how I laid up under him enough to get three kids but I did. Worse minutes of my life. Baby back in my day it didn’t matter if a nigga was your other half. Long as he had the funds to put food on the table and keep a roof over yo’ head he was a keeper. Never mind that, I’ma tell you the same thing I told your sister. That type of love only comes around once. Protect it and don’t be out here limiting yourself or what that kind of love can do for you.”

I looked at her and nodded my head. There was no sense in denying anything I felt for Malik because I’m pretty sure shesaw it. She had to, I mean that’s what inspired this conversation, right? This little impromptu heart to heart. “I hear you, Grams.”

“And another thing, call your mother. I’m tired of her calling me for updates on you. Everybody ain’t perfect. As a matter of fact none of us are perfect. Love folks for who they are and not for who you want them to be.”

I didn’t have a response, because when it came to my mama we were complicated. Nothing in me hated her, hell I loved her but I couldn’t deal with her husband. He was a pompous asshole who she often chose over me. Well, of course not recently but she chose him over me enough as a kid and teenager that in my adult years I didn’t bother with it. I chose not to go looking for validation and love in spaces where it wasn’t reciprocated. My father was far from perfect, but I never had to compete or be mistreated for his love.

“She’s your mother, Ree.”

“I know. I’ll talk to her,” I said that just to get my grandmother off my back. Keeping it a buck I’d probably answer her via text, just to keep my energy clean. A response was a response, but my grandmother didn’t need to know all of that.

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