Page 48 of Typa
As I stood, he grabbed my hand, pulling me back down, and kissed my lips. “I love you, baby.”
My face heated up, so I knew it was red. “I love you too, Mythic.”
I walked to the kitchen but glanced back at him before I could leave his line of vision to see him still staring at me. The chill slithered up my spine, and the goosebumps appeared on my skin as he winked at me. I joined my mama at the stove to see what she was cooking. “You need any help, Mama?”
She smiled slightly. “Can you check the cornbread?”
I nodded. I was always closer to my mama than the twins were. She was who I watched the most when it came to how I conducted myself. It just wasn’t in me to be rude like Daddy Mayor. I tried once, and it didn’t even feel right to my spirit. I was mild-mannered like she was, but I still had the aggressiveness of my daddy when it was something I wanted bad enough. I’d never had to use it until it came to being with Mythic. Hopefully, they were finally seeing what I saw in him.
I checked the cornbread then took it from the oven. Grabbing the cup of melted butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and honey, I brushed the top of it. I loved this mixture my mama made to brush the cornbread with. It made it almost taste like cake. It was so good. After I sliced it up and placed the squares on a platter, I went to her at the stove to see black eyed peas, green beans, and smothered pork chops. “This looks and smells good, Mama. You need anything else?”
She set the spoon down and pulled me into her arms. “I’m so sorry for not trusting you, baby. You’ve always been trustworthy. It was just?—”
“I get it, Mama. No apology needed. I just knew Mythic was my one. After he started making changes, I knew he wasn’t justtelling me what I wanted to hear. He put his words into action. He said me being in his life made him want something different, but I honestly believed he wanted that all along. He just needed someone to meet him where he was and encourage him along the way without being demanding and judgmental.”
She smiled at me and kissed my head. “The food is just about done. Maybe another ten minutes for that gravy to thicken up a bit. I have to take a plate to Seven.”
“Who’s up there with him right now?”
“Ace, PJ, Royal, Crew, King, Kane, and Ryder J.”
“Lawd have mercy,” I said.
She giggled. “That boy is your father made over times ten. He keeps me in communion with the Lord daily.”
I giggled as we made our way back out to where Daddy and Mythic were. The twins had started setting the dining table. We rarely ate at that table anymore, unless we were having company. I had to assume Carter Legend and Red Squared were coming over as well. Once we sat, the twins joined us. They were all staring at Mythic. He frowned, and I slid my arm around his. Finally, he said, “What I do now?”
The twins’ eyebrows lifted, and they laughed as Daddy smirked. “You made a liar out of us, Mythic. You did too, baby girl. I’m sorry for everything we did in the name of protecting you. Our involvement only seemed to hurt you. You lost our first grandbaby because of the stress. That shit fucks with me at night. Seven should have been more vocal about what the fuck was going on from the beginning.”
“How did he even find out Mythic was behind it?” I asked.
“I’ll let him tell you, because he wants to talk to y’all too. We’ll probably just let y’all take his dinner to him. Seven holds a lot of responsibility for the shit that happened to him. Who don’t know not to snitch? I’m not a thug or a hood nigga, but I knowthatshit.”
The twins side-eyed him, and Noni said, “Daddy Mayor, I would classify you as a hood nigga.”
We all laughed as he rolled his eyes. “Mythic, you proved us wrong, and you proved baby girl right. I apologize to you also. Seeing how you take care of my baby makes me proud. I know I’ve told you that already, but I’m so in disbelief about the shit, I couldn’t help but say it again. Now, this issue you got with these niggas tryna get at you . . . I got Watchful Eyes on it. They gon’ be following y’all around for a lil while until they flush all those niggas out,” Daddy said.
“But you ain’t a hood nigga. Nigga Mayor, please,” Bali said, causing us all to fall out laughing.
“Shut up, fool,” he said, then pushed her head. “Maui, Nesha is ready when you are, baby. She makes sure she says that every time she sees me. Mythic, since you selling your house, I take it you gon’ be moving to Nome with Maui?”
He frowned slightly. “How you know I’m selling . . . don’t worry about answering that. Yes, sir. I’ll be moving with Maui.”
“A’ight. I don’t want no bullshit. I’m gon’ be all in y’all shit.”
“Storm, you’re in everybody’s shit. That ain’t a threat,” Mama said.
“Big Daddy Mayor, Aspen. Why I gotta set you straight in front of company? You know good and well that’s what you call me. Don’t switch shit up now. As much as it pains me to say, ain’t none of our kids virgins anymore, except Remy. At least he better be.”
My mama shook her head and rolled her eyes as Daddy gave her a cynical looking grin. I stood from my seat and went to my daddy, hugging him tight. “I’m sorry for stressing you out, Daddy. I love you so much. Thank you for easing up on this.”
“Baby girl, I owed you an apology. You have always been our level-headed child. You think before you act most times. You are incredibly smart, as all of you are, but your sweet spirit had meworried. I thought you were being taken advantage of and was too naïve to see it. Ashanni tried to advocate for you once, saying maybe you being there was changing Mythic. I didn’t want to hear that shit. I couldn’t see past my own desires for you.”
I pulled away from him and stared into his eyes. We were practically the same height with him sitting. He smiled at me, then glanced at Mythic. “I wanna say your presence in his life did change him . . . for the better.”
I turned to Mythic and smiled as he cleared his throat. He lowered his head for a moment, and I knew he was about to give them the real.
“Mister Mayor . . .”
