Page 24 of All The Smoke
Smiling, I replied, “I’m not, trust me. I hope to share what you and Daddy have with someone one day.”
“You will, baby girl,” she responded. “You most definitely will.”
I spent the rest of the ride to the party talking to my mother then ended the call with promises of calling her when I got home later. I nodded my head in approval when I pulled into the driveway of the home where the party was. I knew Bino was doing okay for himself and getting money, but seeing his home was crazy.
After shooting a text to Morgan to let her know I was outside, I pulled my sun visor down to touch up my lip gloss. I wasn’t looking for a new man, but I wanted to make sure I didn’t look a mess in case God had other plans for me.
A tap on my window made me tear my eyes from the small mirror and look to see who it was. A wide smile stretched across my face when I realized it was Bernard. I quickly let the visor back up before opening my door and climbing out of the car into his waiting arms.
“What’s good, sis? Long time, no see.”
“I know,” I replied, smiling as his cologne invaded my nostrils. Bino was a very attractive man that was well kept, even when he didn’t have money, but he was like a brother to me. “Ugh, I feel like it’s been forever for real.”
Chuckling, he pulled me away from my car and shut the door and I locked the doors.
“That’s because it has been. You went off to that private school and forgot all about me and Scoot.”
“Never.” I grinned. “You and Elijah will always be like family to me.”
The four of us were thick as thieves until I changed schools. I kept up with them as best I could from afar, but my parents wanted me in the best schools, as far from the hood as possible,so they moved me and my Granny to the house she currently stayed in on the outskirts of town and put me in private school. The only reason I was able to still talk to Mo was because our parents were friends as well.
“Yeah, aight. Let me find out that nigga was keeping you under lock and key.” He smirked. “You know the hood ain’t but so big, sis. Mothafuckas talk.”
That much I did know. I was the talk of the hood and probably all up and through someone’s group chat with all of the carrying on me and Jamal did.
“Ugh, that’s so embarrassing.”
“It’s straight. Happens to the best of us.” He shrugged then reached for my hand. “Come on, let me take you to your crazy friend.”
I groaned as I secured the coverup around my waist. My bikini was a thong so I didn’t want to walk through the house with my ass all out.
“Oh God, don’t tell me she’s already drinking.”
“You know it.” He chuckled. “She ain’t too bad right now though.”
Bernard and I continued to make small talk as we made our way inside. The house was empty of people with the exception of two women standing over the stove in their bikinis cooking. They tossed dry greetings over their shoulders when Bino made introductions then went back to doing whatever they were doing. All I did was shake my head and laugh to myself as I followed him because I was used to that. Bino was very easy on the eyes and women often mistook our relationship because we were so close growing up. I never cleared it up because I didn’t owe them a damn thing.
“Bestie!” Morgan squealed and made a dash in my direction when I stepped into the backyard. She pulled me into a tight hug. “Look at you! You look bomb as fuck, bitch!”
“You too.” I smiled, taking her in.
We both had slim-thick frames, her maybe a size or two thicker than me, so she looked fire in her bikini. I knew she had gotten the red, two-piece set that barely covered anything from Passion because of the logo on the right breast.
“Come on.” She took my hand and led me over to the outdoor chaise lounges near the shallow end of the pool to a table between the two seats with a bottle of Don Julio and two shot glasses. She wasted no time pouring us both a shot and handing me one. “First shot of the day, bitch.”
“For whom?” I giggled. “Your ass is already drunk.”
“Tipsy, but who cares. Let go.” She held the cup up so I did the same, tapping mine against hers before tossing it back.
We did that a couple more times before I told her ass to relax. Morgan would drink the whole bottle and swear she wasn’t drunk. I wanted to chill and vibe for a while. I hadn’t been out in a minute so I wanted to make the best of it.
Elijah made his way outside and over to speak when he noticed us. It was nice catching up with the two of them because we truly were tight as hell growing up. I’d even called my mom and grandma on FaceTime so they could see them too. They treated them like family whenever I brought them around back in the day.
We were two hours into the party and almost two bottles of Don deep before I finally asked where a bathroom was. Bernard did his best to give me directions but he was so engrossed in whatever Mo was whispering in his ear that they made no sense at all. Shaking my head at the two of them, I grabbed my purse and made my way inside, deciding that I would find one myself.
I journeyed through the house looking for a bathroom that wasn’t occupied. I tried the half bathroom but I heard moans coming from in there. The other two doors were locked so Iassumed the same thing was going on in them. I finally found a vacant room with a bathroom at the very end.
I hurried to handle my business then cleaned up good, washing my hands and moisturizing them when I was done before going to take a seat on the bed so I could roll up. Bernard and Elijah had rolled a few blunts up and put them in rotation in the yard, but I passed on them. I wasn’t a fan of smoking behind a lot of people, especially not any I didn’t know.
