Page 51 of Tangled Hearts
“Bring your ass on here. Your Titi has stuff to do too.”
“I didn’t say that, though,” Noir corrected her.
“You didn’t have to. I know you’re about to act a fool on Christian since that girl has been on social media popping her shit. Let’s go, Qua, or do you want me to call Hov?” Knycole wasn’t playing fair and knew Qua didn’t want to hear his daddy’s mouth. Hov was fun but also didn’t play the radio with his son.
Qua drug his feet to the door. “Bye, Titi No.”
Giggling, Noir waved at him as she walked towards her car. As a baby, Qua couldn’t pronounce her name so he called her, No, and it’d stuck ever since. If he stopped calling her by the made-up name, she’d be devastated.
Knycole responded to a few text messages before she pulled off. She had so much to do, including studying for a test. Running a drug empire while going to nursing school was hectic but well worth it. When the money started to pile in, she had given up on following her dreams of becoming a nurse, but, of course, Hov wasn’t having that. He was the driving force behind her finishing out high school as a teen mother, and for that, she was grateful.
Nick didn’t stay too far from her, so the ride over to his house was only fifteen minutes. Every time she pulled up to his modest home, her heart swelled. Nick stayed in rehab for a year and had thoughts of relapsing until he laid eyes on his grandson. Qua was the highlight of his life, and for him, a redeeming chance to get it right the second time around. Plus, Hov had threatened his life if he was ever caught around drugs. Nick knew all too well that he didn’t want to be on the receiving end of Hov’s anger.
“What I tell you about unbuckling that seatbelt?” Knycole fussed when she noticed Qua was making his way to the passenger seat of her matte black G Wagon.
Qua apologized. “I’m sorry.” His long lashes fluttered.
“Mhm. Don’t be sorry, just stop doing that. I don’t like you taking that seatbelt off because I don’t want you to do it at the wrong time,” she explained.
Having him so young was the scariest thing she’d done, and childbirth didn’t put it in the number one spot. Knycole feared her lack of love would put her son at a disadvantage, but it’d done the complete opposite. Qua taught her everything she needed to know about love, and he was her biggest accomplishment.
“Is that my big boy?” Nick walked out the door, still not looking a day over twenty-five. Getting off the drugs had brought life back into his appearance. At the young age of thirty-seven, he was just as handsome and turned heads wherever he went.
“Old Nick!” Qua hollered like a boy three times his age.
“I wish you would stop calling him that.” Knycole laughed.
Her son shrugged. “That’s his name.”
Nick pulled the door open before scooping him into his arms. “I was wondering when my main man was going to show up.”
“Mama was talking to Titi No,” Qua revealed as if that was the reason he was late.
Playfully, she popped him on the arm. “Boy, you so fake. You didn’t even want to come,” she snitched.
Qua’s young eyes bucked. “Ma!”
“Don’t, Ma, me while you over here flexing to my daddy.”
Nick was amused. “It’s ok. I know you like to be in them streets.”
Qua stuck his tongue out at his mama.
“I’m not about to play with y’all. Hov will be by to get him a little later.” She rolled her eyes at Qua before kissing him and Nick and leaving.
“You didn’t want to come be with your old man?” Nick asked, feeling hurt.
“Old Nick, you know you’re my favorite grandpa.”
Knycole could only smile. Seeing her daddy show up for her son in ways she wanted for herself was a bittersweet moment to witness. She was thankful but there still lied a pang of jealousy. Pushing it to the back of mind, she kissed her son one last time and left.
Posted up on the hood of his brand-new Tesla, Hov half-listened to Briana. Ever since she heard he was single again, she’d been coming back to the hood more and more, hoping to finally gain his attention.
“Are you listening to me?” she asked. Her smile was still big, bright, and complimented her round ass.
He ran his hand down his handsome face. “I told your crazy ass I was listening.”
“Why I gotta be all that?” she flirted, placing her hand on his chest.
