Page 20 of He Thugged Me First

“Because I’m tired, and I just wanna stay in bed. Is that too much to ask for?”

He laughed. “Nah. It ain’t, but you know you ain’t even built like that.”

I giggled. “What are your plans today?”

He looked at me for a few seconds before shrugging. “Kick shit to the fellas, run by Ozzi’s, and take care of a job.”

He hated to mention his jobs to me, and I understood because what he did wasn’t traditional. We were together for about a year before he finally told me that he killed people for a living. By then, I was so in love with this man that it didn’t matter. I knew it should’ve mattered, but it didn’t because the love I had for him overshadowed anything that could’ve made me look at him different. My only requests from him were that he never bring it home and always come home to me. He had done a pretty good job of both, so I rarely worried. Quari was that for me. He took care of me in any type of way, and his love never wavered, so why wouldn’t I have faith in him?

“Well, what do you want for dinner?” I asked, changing the subject.

“Surprise me, and no, I don’t want no fucking tacos. You better not touch a fucking shell in this bitch. Matter fact, don’t even cook. We’re ordering out. Seems like every time your ass is in the kitchen, I get a plate with shells on it, never mind the meat. That’s how I should’ve known ya ass was popped off. You used to hate them.” He rested his hand on my stomach. I could tell he was so excited about this baby. It brought a smile to my face every time he talked about the future. When we’d first gotten together, he was a pure pessimist. He didn’t see things with any type of color. My baby was a gloomy Gus, and he hatedfor me to say that to him. The funny thing is we had some commonalities, but we were polar opposites. He used to tell me I was too fucking happy, but that was one of the things he liked about me. Things just fell into place, and there was definitely no other way I could see my life.

“Areyou gonna just spring it on her or are you gonna ease into it?” Lola asked. She was sitting across from me nursing her second drink. She ordered the first one when I confirmed her suspicions and told her I was pregnant.

“I don’t know, Lo.” I shrugged.

She laughed. “Girl, you’re grown enough to lay there and take the d?—”

“Look at my beautiful girls. I’m sorry I’m running late. There was an accident on the expressway.”

We both nodded in unison as my mother kissed both of our cheeks and took a seat. There was a brief moment of silence as I looked down at my menu, and I felt Lola’s eyes on me the entire time. I had seen this menu a thousand times, but the butterflies along with the little alien in my gut were doing a number.

“It’s only eleven, Lo.” My mother lectured Lola.

She giggled. “Want me to order you one?”

My mother shook her head before I felt her focus shift onto me. “How are you, my quiet child?”

“I’m—”

“Are you ladies ready to order?” the waiter asked. I was definitely saved by the bell, but right after he took our orders, he pranced off, and I could feel my mother’s focus on me. When I looked up from the straw I was stirring the water with, I froze.

“The last time you sat at a table and avoided eye contact, it was when you told me about your boyfriend. Speaking of, how is my Quari?” she asked with a smile. She took a strong liking to him, which would probably be the only thing that saved me today.

“He’s fine. We’re?—”

“Expecting.” She finished for me.

My eyes bulged from my skull as I looked at her.

“Oh, sweetheart, you didn’t think I noticed. You look like a little chipmunk by the face, and your breasts are larger. You’ve been an A-cup your whole life.” She laughed and looked across at Lola who was laughing.

“It’s that obvious?” I asked.

“Is it? The last time you kept the kids I saw it, but I minded my business.” Lola shrugged. “I just wanted to let you believe I had no idea.”

My mother laughed and shook her head. “I’m happy. With the three from your sister and this one from you, Christmas shopping is gonna finally be a hunt for the old woman.” She looked genuinely excited. I didn’t know why I believed she’d be disappointed in me or mad. She was the complete opposite.

KASAIR

“Sair, let’s stop in here. I need a few pieces for the—” Jess, this chick I’d been fucking, with started.

I screwed my face up. I didn’t know why she insisted on acting like a nigga was here with her. She asked me if she could tag along, and I was like cool, but that was about it. I didn’t like chilling with bitches because they always started to believe it was something other than it was. I cut my eyes at her as I walked toward the food court while she walked into the store. She thought she was slick and a nigga was about to foot thebill. Joke was on her. My thoughts were interrupted when I spotted a familiar tattoo. When Mecca and I first started fucking around, she was about nineteen. She was definitely young as fuck, but she didn’t act like it. She had something about her that caught me and had me. She had my ass locked in ever since. I recognized her tattoo because I had designed it, then she forced a nigga to go with her while she got it. It stretched from the back of her neck to at least a quarter of her body.

I hadn’t seen her since I rushed out of her crib a few days ago. I took the coward’s way out, and I realized it when I was pulling out of the parking garage. Before I knew it, my feet were pooling her direction. I spotted Mel standing next to her as I walked up, and that brought a smile to my face. Mazz and Mec took care of baby girl from the day she came into the world. Shit, that was damn near my lil’ homie too. She just had a smart-ass mouth like her sister.

“Sair!” She squealed, turning around and running into my arms.

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