Page 56 of Suleem and Yahzi
I moved my hands over my stomach and shook my head. “I think I want a sub.”
He made a left and went in the opposite direction without complaining, heading toward Vic’s Pizza since they had warm subs. As soon as we turned right on Highland, his phone was vibrating with a call which he answered and placed on speaker. The phone rested on his lap so he could move his hand back to my stomach while he spoke to Kassir.
“What’s good, fam…”
“Ain’t shit, just checking in. Sis good?”
Suleem glanced at me and smiled. “Yeah, she’s straight. I’m ’bout to feed her. Y’all at the airport?”
“On the way.”
“Uncle Leem, is your baby here yet?”
I grinned at the sound of Kassan’s voice. Every time he talked to Suleem he asked about our daughter. He kept saying he couldn’t wait for her to get here so they could play. His little heart was going to be crushed when it happened because all she was going to do was eat, sleep, and shit.
“Not yet.”
“Okay, don’t let her come before I get back.”
Suleem laughed. “Aight, I’ll see what I can do.”
“Niecy said they should be good while we’re gone but I told her to hit you up if they need anything,” Kassir said, causing Suleem to nod before he confirmed, “Aight, I’ll look out.”
“’Preciate that. Let me go though, we’re about to pull up at the airport.”
He ended the call and found a spot in front of Vic’s. “You want to eat here?”
I shook my head. “My back hurts. Can we get it to go?”
The way he frowned had me rolling my eyes. “I’m fine other than I just sat for three hours getting my hair done. Stop looking like you’re ready to murder the world.”
He leaned across the seat and kissed me. “You already know how I’m coming behind you, Yah. You sure you’re good?”
“Yep, I’m good. Can you get me a pastrami on rye with extra pickles?”
His face twisted and I almost laughed. “I don’t see how you eat that nasty shit.”
“It’s good. You should?—”
“No the fuck I should not. I’ll be right back.”
While he was inside, I scrolled social media and loved a picture of Aunt Mae that came across my timeline. She was at a restaurant with a place setting for two. The way she angled the camera showed a man’s hand next to a glass of brown liquor and based on the ink exposed, I assumed she was still on her bullshit. She had been moving through a rotation of men, all younger, and according to Mae, she was having a time.
Suleem hated it because he knew some of them but no matter how much he complained and tried to shut things down, she still did her thing. They agreed to disagree and he stayed out of her business.
When he returned, Suleem came straight to the passenger side, opened the door, and placed the food on the floorboard before he kissed my stomach and spoke to our daughter.
“Your mom is about to have you all fucked up with that pastrami shit. So just know that’s her and not me.”
She started moving around and I rolled my eyes when he grinned and traced his fingers over my stomach, following the impression of what was either a foot or her elbow.
My eyes rolled so hard because I swore these two already had a bond. We drove back to the apartment and I stripped out of my clothes as soon as we made it inside. At this stage in my pregnancy, ninety percent of the time I was in just a bra and panties. The way this man kept his hands on me it was pointless to be in clothes.
Because I knew the drill, I walked to the living room and sat in the center of the sofa with my legs crossed, waiting for my food. I was very capable but Suleem acted like me and our daughter would suffer if I so much as blinked too hard. I managed to cut at the shop up until he could physically see my baby bump, then his mean mugging and hovering had me taking leave. I threatened Kassir about giving my spot away and he only laughed and told me if Suleem was cool with me coming back after I had the baby, my station would be there.
“Here you go.” He placed a plate between my crossed legs and kissed my stomach, sitting next to me with his own. My eyes went right to his food. “What did you get?”
“Turkey and cheese.”
