Page 20 of Juke
“Tired. Nauseous. I threw up yesterday ’cause Buck was eating something that smelled like ass.”
“Girl,” Mel said, cackling, “yo’ ass is good and pregnant.”
“She got real quiet when he said it last week, too,” Kasha interjected. “I think he knows.”
“He don’t know shit.” Nic huffed. “All he said was, ‘Damn Goldie, that ass getting fatter than a muthafucka’.” She rolled her eyes.
“He’s not wrong,” I teased.
“I hate all y’all,” she muttered. “I’m taking the damn test today.”
“You better before Buck packs a bag and moves in with his mama.”
“He already said he was,” Nic admitted. “Talking ’bout I’m being mean to him and acting like I’on love him no more.”
The group exploded in laughter, because that definitely sounded like something he would say. We laughed it off and changed the subject to celebrity drama and what we were planning for the rest of our day until we hung up. Not long after I hung up with the girls, my phone rang, and it was my mama.
A smile formed on my face before I answered, “Hey, mama.”
“Hey, baby girl,” she answered, her voice all sweet and bubbly. “I was just sitting here thinking about you.”
“I’m good,” I lied.
“Mhm,” she hummed. “You sound tired.”
“I’m alright. It’s been a long day.”
She exhaled. “I’m glad you’re closer to your cousins now. That’s been real good for you, huh?”
“Yeah,” I said, eyes drifting around the room. “They’ve been keeping me sane. I’m close with their wives, so that’s a plus.”
She paused for a second, then her tone dipped playfully. “So… anybody catch your eye out there yet?”
“Mama…” I groaned.
“Don’t ‘Mama’ me. You know I got to ask.”
I chuckled. “There’s this one guy. His name’s Rashad.”
“Oohh?” she drew out. “And what does Rashad do?”
“He’s a boxer,” I said, trying to keep my voice light. “He’s kind of quiet. We’re just friends, though.”
“Mhm. Just friends, but I can hear the smile in your voice when you mentioned his name.”
“It ain’t like that.”
“Well, sounds like a good man,” she said. “Ain’t nothing wrong with taking it slow. But don’t shut the door on something real just because you scared.”
She didn’t know how real the fear was. She didn’t know why I left. To her, I was just starting fresh, and moving closer to family. And that’s all I wanted her to know. I was always close to her sister, Aunt Shaunie, so it made sense.
“Yeah,” I murmured. “I hear you.”
She told me about church last Sunday, and how Miss Jean fainted trying to outshout Miss Mary. I laughed so hard I was crying, and then I heard his voice in the background.
“Is that my baby girl?”
“Hey, Daddy.” I smiled.
