Page 28 of Certified Pressure 3
“Only good things,” she said, and there was this warmth in her voice that made me relax a lil’. She talked to me like she had been knowin’ me longer than a few minutes, askin’ if I was comfortable. I already felt like she could be a mother figure without even tryin’.
Then she asked Kay’Lo, “Have you seen your father yet?”
He shook his head. “Not yet.”
She nodded slow. “I’ll go get him.”
We followed her back inside, through another long hall that led to some kind of office space. A few minutes later, his daddy came out.
He was tall, dark-skinned and had a strong build with some sharp ass eyes sharp. He reminded me of Pressure’s father in a lotta ways. You could tell they was brothers ‘cause they carried that same power. He looked at Kay’Lo first, pulled him in for a handshake that turned into a hug, then turned his eyes on me.
I smiled polite. “Hi, Mr. Mensah.”
He nodded once. “Hello.” His voice was deep and calm, but there was distance in it. He wasn’t rude, just unreadable.
That look in his eyes told me enough, though. He ain’t see me for his son.
Kay’Lo must’ve felt it too, ‘cause he squeezed my hand. It was that kind of squeeze that said,you good, I got you.
I held my head up, keepin’ my smile steady even though somethin’ in me felt heavy.
Treasure was standin’ close by, still sweet as ever, talkin’ to ease the tension, but I already knew this was gon’ be a long ass evening.
We had been at Kay’Lo’s parents’ house for a few hours and I was still tryna get used to how big everything was. Every corner of that place looked like money and old love mixed together—family pictures framed in gold, white floors so clean I could see my reflection, and the smell of fresh flowers comin’ from somewhere in the back. I kept my smile right but inside I was remindin’ myself to chill. Don’t get me wrong, Lo’s people was sweet, but I could feel eyes on me every now and then, like they was still tryna figure me out.
Kay’Lo sat close beside me at the table, his hand restin’ on my leg under the linen like he could feel I was nervous. His mama, sat across from us lookin’ soft and calm, askin’ everybody if they had enough to eat. She had the type of peace that make a room quiet without even tryin’, and I liked her already. She made me feel comfortable, even though I was sittin’ in a house that looked like a museum.
The butler kept comin’ around pourin’ drinks. I asked for some tequila, somethin’ I knew would loosen me up. We had just came from brunch earlier so I wasn’t really hungry, but I still fixed a small plate so I wouldn’t look rude. The food looked too good to ignore anyway. We had grilled salmon, pasta, and bread so soft it melted.
Treasure smiled at me while she buttered her roll. “So, Toni, where did you go to college?”
I swallowed and wiped my mouth before answerin’. “I didn’t finish high school, ma’am. I dropped out early, but I went back later and got my GED.”
The table went quiet for half a beat. Treasure nodded slow, her smile stayin’ the same. “That’s good, baby. Life don’t always go how we plan, but it’s good you finished it your way.”
Before I could even thank her, Kay’Lo’s father spoke. His voice was deep and low, and filled up the room even whenhe wasn’t tryin’ to. “And how have you been able to function without a diploma?”
I looked up at him. He wasn’t bein’ rude on purpose, but the way he said it made my stomach turn. His face stayed calm, but his eyes was already pickin’ me apart.
“Well…” I said, tryna force a smile. “I did get my GED. It’s still good. I mean, that’s how I feel. After that I started doin’ home health care, workin’ with elderly folk. I love it, actually.”
He nodded once, still lookin’ like he didn’t really hear me. “And how did you meet my son again?”
It came out smooth but heavy, like there was somethin’ behind it. I opened my mouth, ready to tell the truth, but before I could get a word out Kay’Lo cut in.
“We met at an event,” he said quick, calm as ever. He didn’t even blink. “She stood out soon as I saw her.”
I looked at him, and he reached under the table and slid his hand into mine. Then he lifted it up where everybody could see and kissed the back of it. I felt that kiss all through me, and I knew what he was doin’. He wasn’t lettin’ nobody mistake what this was.
“She’s cool people,” he said, still holdin’ my hand. “She help a lot in her neighborhood, always lookin’ out for other people. She got a good heart. I wanted y’all to meet her because she’s important to me.”
Treasure’s smile got brighter. “That’s sweet, Kay’Lo. She’s the first young lady we’ve actually met.”
His cousin Kynzi nodded fast. “I like her,” she said, grinnin’. “She real.”
That made me laugh a lil’, and the tight feelin’ in my chest eased up.
Treasure sat across from me with that calm smile, her eyes soft but curious. Sometimes she’d nod while I talked, then glance at Kay’Lo like she was piecin’ things together about me. She waspolite and warm enough, but every now and then when I said somethin’ that didn’t quite fit her world, her eyebrows lifted just a little like,oh… okay.She kept her grace though, but I could just tell I wasn’t really her cup of tea.
