Page 66 of The Prodigy

“Because it’s what you want, and I’m supposed to give you what you want when you ask for it. Or even if you don’t ask.”

She went to her tippy-toes and kissed me softly. “Thank you,” she whispered.

I nodded and brushed her tears away with my fingertips.

She smiled. “Is there anything you can’t do?”

I can’t get you to let me fuck, I thought, but all I said was, “Nope.”

Meandmybrothersrode through Midling checking on our establishments. The warehouses, the bakery, the nail salon, and the clothing store were all we could fit in for the day. There were still a few other locations I needed to see.

They expanded a lot when I was gone.

That explained all the extra cash. My pops was paying for my condo and expenses out in Atlanta. That was running him around six racks a month. Then he started sending seven, then seven-five, and by the time he passed, he was sending ten racks a month. No reason for it either. I guess he just had more to give. I was working, so I banked the money I didn’t need. There was almost a hundred k sitting in Wells Fargo. Legit money that couldn’t be linked to anything illegal.

Pop was thorough like that.

Malika was actually in the living room when I got home, which told me my mama wasn’t around. I didn’t miss how hard Malika tried to avoid being around her.

“Hey.”

She turned to look at me and smiled. “Hey.”

“You hungry? I know my mama’s cooking tonight, but I ain’t really in the mood to sit around the table with my family. Let’s go out.”

She picked up the remote and turned the tv off. “Something happen?”

“Nah. It’s all good. I’ma see them niggas tomorrow.”

She nodded. “Can I ask you something? I was gonna bring it up earlier but I got distracted.”

“What’s up?”

“Is your mom…seeing somebody?”

My eyes narrowed. “Seeing? Like, dating?”

“Yeah.”

“Where that come from?”

“I heard her on the phone today. Talking low. Laughing. She told somebody she misses them.”

“Mighta been my grandma.”

Not Noni. My mama couldn’t stand Noni. Truth be told, my mama wasn’t a big fan of her own mother, either. My Grandma Eva. But that was the only thing that made sense to me right now.

“It didn’t sound like that kinda call,” Malika explained. “It sounded…romantic.”

“Nah. You probably heard wrong.”

“Yeah. Maybe.” She cleared her throat. “So…just out of curiosity, have you ever thought about us getting our own place?”

I damn sure wasn’t expecting her to saythat.

“Me and you?”

“Yeah.”

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