Page 88 of The Prodigy

24

Malika

“Married?Areyoufuckingkidding me?”

I laughed at Dionne’s outraged face. She was teeny tiny, even smaller than me, so anger always made her look like a toddler whose toy got taken away. And cuss words coming out her mouth always sent me. She was adorable.

“Daddy didn’t tell you?”

She rolled her eyes. “No. But now I understand why he’s been all aggy.”

“Girl, it’s a long story. And some parts, I can’t tell you.”

“That’s not mysterious at all.”

I shot her a look. “Just listen. Okay, so we had to get married because of…certain circumstances. It wasnota love thing, trust me. But we’ve been kinda getting to know each other and…I don’t know…maybe—”

“You love him.”

I recoiled. “Hell, no. I mean, I like him, but love is too strong a word. We’re just…vibing.”

Her eyes narrowed. “And by ‘vibing,’ you really mean fucking.”

I shook my head at her antics. “See, I try to have a serious conversation with you—”

“Girl, shut up. Y’all are fucking. Admit it!”

“Okay, yes. We are. And it’s amazing.”

She snapped three times. “Love to see it.”

“Whatever. Did you get the rent money?”

“Yeah, it hit yesterday. How long are you planning to stay over there at his mama’s house? Cuz if I need to move, I’ma need some warning.”

“Honestly? I don’t know. For now, just assume you’re staying put. I’ll keep paying my share. I wouldn’t have you and Chase out here scrambling. You know that.”

She smiled. “So he’s ballin’ out on you, then. I see that bag and those shoes. Your hair is on point. I bet that Windermere money feels extra nice when you spend it.”

My daddy used to say,“All money ain’t good money.”I’d heard that before, but he added his own addendum:“But with that said, the bad money pays for just as much heat and water as the good.”

“It’s okay,” I said. “It’s mostly Jaz taking me shopping.”

She frowned. “I don’t know how I feel about you having another sister.”

“Nah, Jaz is cool. She don’t really pay me any mind except to fix me up. I’m like her doll or something.”

“Okay, so what’s it like over there? You get along with everybody? What’s his mama like?”

“It’s okay. I don’t really fit in yet, but it gets less awkward the more days pass. His mom is…she’s weird. Always staring at me, asking weird questions. I feel like she doesn’t like me, but not in the way that women don’t like other women they don’t know. It almost feels like she has a grudge against me.”

“Thatisweird.”

“And it’s not anything she says. It’s just a…a vibe. But the worst part is that Jakari is under her spell or something. She manipulates him.”

“That sucks. That’s supposed to beyourjob.”

“Shut up.”

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