Page 87 of He Thugged Me First

“So, I’m going to get her brother. This bitch right here, right?” Quari held up the picture of the one who had attempted to court Gayze. “These two share the same mama. That means they’re the closest, right Joy?”

It was evident in the way her eyes focused on Quari that what he was saying was true. Then the way her tears rested in the corner of her eyes let me know for sure. “Hell yeah that bi?—”

“You might share blood with my brother, but yeen shit against him. My family will see you soon y’all soon.”

“Yeah, yeah, bitch shut up. Talk that tough shit when I have your brother sitting next to you and I’m beating all the skin off his ass. Nah stay the fuck quiet before I pay a bitch to come in here and lay yo bugly ass out.” Kasair looked at shorty with the iciest glare.

“Bugly? Nigga what is bugly?” Quari asked before I could.

“The word ugly and bug mixed together. Duh, Mel taught me that one.” Kasair’s childish ass shrugged his shoulders like we were supposed to know the meaning of that word.

MECCA

“Motherhood, how is it?” I asked Love as I sat at the island holding Sophia and watched her stir the pot of her famous chili. I don’t know how Kasair called it, but that was definitely what she was making for dinner tonight.

“It’s an adjustment. Though things kind of come naturally, they still feel odd. I mean I wake up in the morning and she’s my first thought, as well as my last one when I go to sleep at night. After these three months, Quari called himself attempting to make me put her in her crib, but I just couldn’t. She slept in her crib for all of thirty minutes before I found my way into her nursery and put her between the both of us.” She turned and looked at me with a smile. Motherhood looked good on her, I just didn’t know how it would look on me.

I laughed. “Quari is waiting on number two.”

“Hell no!” She shook her head with the most serious expression ever.

“And why n?—”

“Now you sound like him. I just gotta get back to me. I’m a dancer, Mec. I can’t just keep making babies with my fiancé, nomatter how cute and adorable they come out. I miss dancing and I can’t do that with a gut full of babies.” I shook my head.

“True, I don’t even dance or anything but I like to drink. You know I like to get fucked up and I can’t do that because?—”

“Some things are blessings in disguises.” Love smiled over at me.

“Fuck you, it’s cool but I be feeling so off when I look up and want a chilled bottle of wine when Kasair makes my ass itch.”

Love laughed. “Oh trust me, I know. Quari always blamed my irritation with him on my hormones when in reality I just used to get irritated at moments. I got to a point in my pregnancy where everything he did pissed me off. This man could’ve left a fork in the sink and I was ready to square up.”

I cracked up laughing because Kasair and I were always this fucked up. The point we were at right now was actually our most boring and I didn’t even know how to take it. We didn’t argue or anything, we just had really good sex and a healthy relationship. We were damn near normal. The noise that Sophia made in my arms made me look down at her. She was smiling in her sleep, something Mel did when she was younger. Seconds later I glanced over at Mel. She was on her iPad as always. Lowkey Mazz and I did a good job. She was creative, funny and the most introverted kid that I knew.

“You know you shouldn’t worry so much,” Love said.

I looked back at her and she was wearing a knowing smirk. “Is it the same worrying you do?” I asked. I know my best friend like the back of my hand, so I knew for sure when something was in her head and on her heart.

“I feel like I’m losing myself sometimes. Like I get so caught up in Quari and Sophia that I don’t know who I am.”

I nodded my head and just looked at her for a moment. “Sometimes during moments of great transition, you don’t recognize yourself. Not because you’re losing you, but becauseyou’re settling into a new you. Get to know her.” Mecca had just finished the sentence when Kasair and Quari walked through the door.

“Owee gimme my god daughter, I don’t even like the way you’re holding her.” Kasair started his shit the moment he walked in the door. He rushed to wash his hands before he walked over to grab her from me.

“Damn nigga, you gonna dry ya hands?” I mugged Kasair.

He shook his head before grabbing the napkins and drying them. Seconds later he grabbed her from me before he kissed my forehead and took a seat. I swear he was the sweetest asshole that I’d ever met in my life.

GAYZE

I probably should’ve been tired today, but I wasn’t. If anything I had a lot of energy and my shift seemed to be going much faster than I expected. I had just left a long tedious surgery. My head surgeon cardiac had an emergency at home today, so I stepped up in her absence. Just being in the OR had me on fire. Technically I hadn’t been in one since I signed up as the head of this hospital. It was a rush that I somewhat missed. Once I cleaned up and ensured my patient was in smooth sailing, I walked toward my office. When I walked in, I noticed flowers on my desk and before the found my phone took my attention. I bypassed the flowers to go to my desk and answer the phone in my drawer. Before I could answer it, it stopped ringing and my door opened. When I looked up, a female that seemed familiar was looking back at me. She folded her arms and stepped further in, closing the door behind her. I blinked a few times recognizing the female before me. She was one of Mazzier’s pieces. Well former because I told him I wouldn’t share him or deal with outside females.

“Is there something I can help you with?” I asked.

“I think you know why I’m here. You can’t just let me have him? He’s happy with me and all that I?—”

“I know you didn’t bring this to my job. You actually brought your ass to my job to tell me about a man who doesn’t belong to anyone but himself.”

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