Page 47 of Not A Homie, Lover Or Friend
“A nigga loves you way more.”
LAKIA
My eyes glanced up at the clock that sat above the tv in Fua’s living room.10:45 a.m., where the fuck is he?I hadn’t been asleep since I got here. I dropped Peanut, Mali, and my mother off and came straight here. I didn’t care about anything else but him coming through that door, and hours had passed, and he still wasn’t here.
I couldn’t sit any longer. I shot up from the couch and grabbed the keys to my mom’s rental. My phone vibrated and I answered without looking. “Fua?” I called out.
“Girl, where’s my damn car? You got me stuck at this hotel!” my mother spat.
I let out an exasperated sigh. “Ma, please. I will bring it to you in a minute. I’m waiting on Monfua. He hasn’t come home yet.”
“Who's that fine man with all that hair? Hmph. Well, what happened?”
I rolled my eyes. “His name is Monfua, and he is my husband.”
She gasped. “Kia! When did you get married? See, that’s the problem y’all are always doing stuff and don’t tell—”
I hung up. I didn’t have time to explain because I needed to find my man. I knew I’d asked for so many favors, but I really needed this one. I scrolled through my contacts and hit the call button. The phone rang more than three times. “Come on, answer, please.”
“I’m busy. What do you want?” Foe answered.
I closed my eyes as I gripped the phone tightly. “Monfua’s not home.”
“Ok, maybe he’s busy.”
“Myles, I know I ask for a lot. I know you’ve done so much you didn’t have to, and I know you don’t like him, but I’m scared something happened to him. I need your help. Please,” my voice quivered.
“Go help your sister,” I heard Harvey say.
Right then, I wanted to scream ‘thank you’ and apologize, but he jumped in. “Let me see what I can find out. I will call you right back,” he said before hanging up.
I rushed toward the door, swung it open, and was startled. Shaneice was standing there, along with a tall, fine ass man with two long braids, a thick, bulky build, and a face that resembled the man I was looking for. Shaneice smiled, “Hi, Lakia,” she greeted.
A weak smile appeared on my face. “Hi.”
“Where is Fua? I see his truck but not his bike.”
My nerves were becoming bad. I wanted to stick my thumb in my mouth and pace the floor to think. That’s when the guy with her said something. “I’m Malosi, Monfua’s father. We wanted to surprise him.”
This was not how I wanted to meet his father. I had already met his mother sooner than I had wanted; now it was his father. Fuck. I began to stutter, “He’s um. He’s—”
“Ma, Dad?” I heard his voice.
The first thing I wanted to do was push them out of the way and run into his fucking arms. However, I kept my cool. They turned to look at him as he walked up. He came into the house after giving them both hugs. When he stepped inside, he gazed at me. “You okay?” he asked me.
I wanted to scream ‘nigga, no I’m not’, but I smiled and nodded. He let them inside the house. “Ma, you’ve met Sukalati and Dad. I know this is your first time meeting her, but since you're both here. Let me reintroduce her, Ma, Pops. This is Lakia. Lakia Layoni. She’s my wife.”
My eyes almost popped from my head, and I thought a little piss left me as he shared that we were married.
“Monfua!” his mom shouted.
His father’s face had gone from confused to angry to neutral. “Lou Faletua?”
I leaned toward Fua, “What did he say?”
“He said your wife,” Shaneice repeated.
She walked toward Monfua. “I’m not mad, I’m more hurt you felt like you couldn’t tell me. However, I understand,” she paused as she looked at me. “It’s something about those Layoni’s. I ask you to treat him right. Any wife of my son is a daughter-in-law of mine.”
