Guy
Nova wasn’t at all kidding about needing her sleep. In fact, she had pretty much slept the entire ride over to Kaylin and Lamar’s house, only waking up to check how much longer we had to go. But her sleeping gave me time to really process what had happened between us, more importantly, time to figure out what to do next.
She was beyond fresh out of something which meant I should’ve been giving her space. But so far, her breakup really had the exact opposite effect on me no matter how much I tried to combat it. It was as if she had a way of recognizing when I was tiptoeing the fence, easily getting me to come right on over, right to her.
Tasting her the night before was one thing. But being inside of her, exploring her, hearing her scream my name?
That was the kind of shit that got a nigga addicted.
There was still a good half of summer left which meant we still had time to really go down that path if she was interested. But it wasn’t something I’d try to force on her or assume, totally aware that she could be serious about her pursuit of better company. Or maybe that’s just what I was telling myself to ensure I didn’t go overboard.
Either way, I was going to play it as cool as she seemed to be, giving her shoulder a shake to wake her as I pulled up to Lamar’s house.
“Leave me aloneeee,” she groaned since I was apparently interrupting some really good sleep.
But I had no choice but to continue annoying her as I said, “We’re here, sleepyhead. Time to get up.”
She didn’t seem too moved by that, only snuggling deeper against her threaded hands that she was using as a pillow. I took a moment to just watch her cute ass, her eyes still closed even though I knew she couldn’t have possibly fallen back asleep that fast. But then Jaxson emerged from the front door, startling the both of us when he screamed, “Daddy!”
“Glad he still remembers me,” I teased against her grunt as she finally made her way out of the car and I did the same, just in time to catch Jaxson when he leaped up into my arms.
“Miss. Cheryl let me try on her teeth!” was the first thing he shared, making me burst with laughter since I knew he wasn’t talking about her real teeth but the teeth she used as a part of the costumes she wore when she went to read to the kids at different libraries and elementary schools.
She had been a school librarian for almost thirty years before Lamar talked her into retiring, though retiring didn’t exactly keep her away from the kids. But it was the type of passion and dedication I looked up to, hoping I could achieve something similar later down the road.
For now though, I was focused on my one child when I teased, “No she didn’t.”
“Yes she did, Daddy! I turned into a vampire!”
“Were you a scary vampire? Or a nice one?” Nova asked once she finally joined us, her sleepy expression exchanged for a much nicer one that had Jaxson lighting up with excitement once he recognized her.
He shimmied out of my arms to get to her and answer, “Miss. Nova, I was so nice. I didn’t bite anybody! Not even Miss. Cheryl!”
“Your dad should probably take notes then,” she muttered, shooting a look my way before telling Jaxson, “I’m glad to hear it, sweetheart.”
Things were obviously going a little too smoothly since Kaylin decided to interrupt, “Well, well, well. Look who the wind blew in. We were expecting you a little earlier, but I understand things happen.”
“Traffic,” I piped out without looking at her, earning an unconvinced, “Mmhmmm” as Jaxson drug Nova and I past her into the house.
Lamar was lounged across the couch half-asleep watching basketball, but my senses were focused on the delightful smell permeating the whole house, the aroma leading me straight to the kitchen where Miss. Cheryl was busy cutting one of her signature peach pies.
“Mama Cheryl, you didn’t have to do all this for me,” I told her teasingly as I wrapped an arm around her shoulder in a hug.
I wasn’t at all surprised when she cocked her head back to ask, “Who said I did it for you?” Letting out a laugh as she tossed her dish towel my way and added, “I’m just playin, baby. You know I can’t resist baking with you all around, especially since Kaylin hardly lets me do it much these days.”
“Mama Cheryl, if I let you bake as much as you wanted to, I wouldn’t be able to fit through the doors around here,” Kaylin insisted with a laugh as she went to grab plates from the cabinet.
But as she passed Miss. Cheryl to sit them down on the counter, Miss. Cheryl snapped her towel against Kaylin’s butt, making her yelp as she replied, “Gotta fatten you up so you and Lamar can finally give me some grandbabies.”
“Which is exactly why we keep you in the guesthouse,” Kaylin muttered as she helped herself to a slice of pie.
Miss. Cheryl waited until Kaylin took a bite of approval, giving a thumbs up as Miss. Cheryl turned her attention to Nova and said, “I see you must be on that same silly diet that Kay’s been on. You lookin’ a little thin over there, chile.”
Nova shook her head, being a good sport as she explained, “Just trying to eat a little healthier, that’s all.”
“Well I can understand that. But I hope you can make an exception for a slice of my pie,” she replied as if she was really giving her a choice, knowing good and well she wasn’t letting any of us leave the kitchen without at least taking a bite.
Thankfully, Nova agreed to it when she made her way around the counter to say, “Smelling like that? How could I not, Mama Cheryl?”
“Yeah, I’m sure she has quite the appetite worked up… for a slice of your pie,” I added teasingly, catching an immediate glare from Nova.
But before anyone else could react, Jaxson shouted, “I want some too, Miss. Cheryl!”
“You know I have a slice with your name written all over it, sweetheart,” she gushed as she worked to cut a piece that was way too big for my baby boy, though I was sure he would devour it anyway.
Kaylin, on the other hand, was still stuck on my teasing when she turned to Nova and didn’t exactly whisper, “Worked up your appetite, huh? What’s that all about?”
Instead of answering in front of everybody, Nova gathered her plate and fork and nodded towards the other room, communicating that they needed to take their conversation elsewhere. And while I would’ve loved to be a fly on the wall to hear what all Nova shared about our time together, I focused my attention back on the folks who were left in the kitchen when I asked, “My boy wasn’t any trouble for you, was he Mama Cheryl?”
She waved a hand my way, brushing me off as she answered, “Oh no. That baby is an angel. You’ve done well, son. I’m so proud of you.”
“You know that’s a huge compliment coming from you,” I replied as I finally got myself a slice of pie, damn near moaning when the combination of peaches and flaky crust melted against my tongue.
But the second I went for a another bite, I almost choked when she added, “I must say though, he sure does have a thing for ol’ Nova. Could barely get a thought out without bringing her up.”
While I shouldn’t have been surprised to hear Jax was running his mouth about Nova, it did something to me to know she had had that much of an effect on my son. Still, I did my best to shrug it off as I explained, “They became fast friends. And she’s a nice girl. But of course you already know that.”
She nodded. “Yep. Nova’s a nice girl and you’re a nice young man. So what’s the hold up?”
A laugh slipped through my chews. “Mama Cheryl, I just formally met her when we got down here. Gimme a break,” I told her, knowing taking any time just wasn’t in older folks’ vocabulary.
If they wanted you to do something, thought something was good for you, they wanted you to make it happen as soon as it left their lips. And it was clear Miss. Cheryl was applying that same logic here when she replied, “I’m just sayin’. I saw the way she pulled Kaylin out of here for some chit-chat. I can assume it must be about you if she couldn’t share with the class.”
Even though I could pretty much assume the same thing, I still forced a bite when I answered, “Now that, I can’t confirm or deny.”
Saving me from having to say much more, Lamar emerged from the living room, his face legitimately disappointed as he rounded the counter to land a kiss on his mother’s forehead. “Mama, you already cut the pie? Why didn’t you come wake me up?”
“If you wanted some, you would’ve stayed awake to get it. And don’t be rude, say hello to your company.”
Lamar smacked his teeth, tossing a hand my way as he told her, “This nigga ain’t nobody’s company.” Though he still came back around the counter to dap me up and ask, “Yo, you good? Last night got a little hazy.”
“Better than ever, bruh,” I replied, thinking nothing of it until I watched Lamar snap his head back with an amused expression.
“Better than ever? Aww shit, I know what that means…” he trailed with a knowing laugh.
Once again, I was saved from talking when Miss. Cheryl snapped, “Boy, don’t make me have to wash your mouth out with soap!”
“Gotta catch me first ol’ lady,” he joked, earning a punch to his side before his mother slipped a plate with a slice of pie on it into his hands. He barely had his bite down when he moaned, “Damn, Mama. You really did your thing with this one.”
“Don’t I always?” she asked, clearly not as offended by his curse words when they were used to compliment her. She then turned her attention to Jaxson who was licking his plate clean. “Come on, baby. Let’s get you all cleaned up so we can go grab your things from the guesthouse.”
“Miss. Cheryl, I’m not a…” Jaxson started.
But of course, Miss. Cheryl didn’t play that, snapping her hand at him when she cut him off. “Boy. Be quiet.”
I could tell Jaxson was a little stunned, but he still followed instructions as Miss. Cheryl grabbed him by the wrist to escort him towards the bathroom. And once he was out of sight, Lamar’s face scrunched as he asked, “Nova didn’t come with you?”
“Yeah, she’s in the other room with your girl,” I said, tossing a hand in the direction they had taken off towards for emphasis, the topic of their conversation obviously an important one considering how long they had been gone.
Apparently, I was the only one out of the loop when Lamar replied, “Damn. I know what that means too.”
“Well clue me in so I don’t have to go put a damn cup to the door.”
Lamar made himself busy cutting another slice of pie as he explained, “Whatever you did is getting the homegirl treatment. So if Kaylin comes back with an attitude towards you, I’ll know you fucked up. If Kaylin comes back grinning, that means you did something right.”
With almost perfect timing, Kaylin and Nova returned to the kitchen with their emptied plates, Kaylin wearing the giddiest smile on her face. And Lamar noticed too, prompting him to reach over the counter for a dap as he cheered, “My nigga.”
“Nu uh. What are y’all all happy-happy-joy-joy about in here?” Kaylin asked as she rinsed her plate in the sink, throwing Lamar a side eye when he didn’t respond fast enough.
He leaned in to give her a kiss on the forehead, similar to the one he had given his mother when he finally replied, “It’s nothin’, baby. Just bragging about how lucky I am to have your fine ass.”
Kaylin shook her head in disbelief. But instead of pressing him about it even more, she only hummed, “Mmhmm. Cover it up all you want to, Lamar.” Catching another kiss on her forehead before Lamar turned his attention to Nova.
“Yo, Cas. You aight? I could’ve sworn I saw your eyes glowing red last night. Tattoos started flaring up, locs turned into goddamn Medusa snakes…” he trailed, making us all laugh since it was pretty damn accurate.
I mean, of course I knew Nova was capable of getting mad, and I had experienced her serve plenty of attitude my way. But seeing the way she went off on David proved that we were all much better off staying on her good side.
Since she was in a much calmer place now, she only blushed with embarrassment as she said, “Oh my gosh. Shut up.”
“For real though. You straight? I don’t need to make any phone calls, do I?” Lamar asked, always one to keep a few of our boys from back home on speed dial.
More often than not, he didn’t have to actually use them. And truth be told, it wouldn’t have been worth the trouble to utilize them in this case either since David probably couldn’t even last in a fight with my damn three-year-old. But if that was what Nova wanted, it was completely up to her.
Shit wasn’t any of my business.
“Nah, no phone calls. I’m good. Great, actually,” she finally replied, Lamar’s eyes almost immediately shooting my way as if to communicate another, “My nigga” .
But this time Kaylin didn’t let it slide, quick to ask, “Now what exactly were you two talking about when we were in the other room?”
“I’ll tell you what we were talking about right after you two tell us what you were talking about in the other room,” Lamar challenged, the thought alone making Nova uncomfortable as her eyes flashed with panic.
Her best friend was the one to save her, crossing her arms to fire back, “Not. Gonna. Happen.”
“Didn’t think so, shorty,” Lamar replied with a chuckle just as I felt something poking my thigh.
“What the…” I thought, looking down to find Jaxson in full costume with his hands - and fake teeth - digging into my sweatpants. He popped up with his hands clawed to whisper, “I’m a scaryyy vampire now, Daddy,” breaking character just long enough to let me know it was him since he was the only vampire who referred to me as that name. Then he moved onto Nova, sneaking up and taking a bite near her calf that made her yelp.
We all bursted out laughing as she held a hand to her chest like he had really scared her. And he was just as quick to explain himself to her the same way he had explained things to me which really only made it funnier. But even in his innocence, Lamar somehow found a way to let the conversation we didn’t have out loud be known when he shook his head and joked, “Like father, like son I see.”
“Wow. Would you look at the time? We should probably get going,” I announced as I hopped up from my seat at the counter to grab Jaxson’s bag, stopping to give Miss. Cheryl and Kaylin a hug and waiting for Jaxson to do the same before leading us towards the door.
I was already getting Jaxson’s car seat set up by the time Nova joined us outside, surely catching the heat that I had skipped out on. But she didn’t seem too bothered by it, wearing a genuine smile as she climbed into the passenger’s seat.
“Everything good?” I asked as I started the car, trying to find some of the casual air we were supposed to be sharing. But it was hard to ignore how natural it felt to have her riding passenger with my kid in the back after borrowing family so we could have a night alone together, even if that hadn’t been the plan going into things.
Still, while I focused on the family-vibe it seemed we were already falling into, Nova’s mind was on a family of her own when she replied, “Besides the fact that Mama Cheryl just not so secretly asked me to give her the grandbaby Kaylin and Lamar aren’t working hard enough on? Yep, everything’s fine.”
I couldn’t help but laugh, especially since I was the only one on her good side when it came to that category. “Mama Cheryl can be a little crazy sometimes. And she can’t even help it.”
“Oh, I’ve learned,” Nova replied with a laugh of her own just as my phone began to ring through the car’s speakers, Mariah’s name scrolling across the dashboard in a way that seemed to cut Nova off even more abruptly.
But I still tried to play it cool, pressing the button to take the call as I answered, “Yo.”
“Hey Guy. How are you?” she asked, her voice unusually pleasant, not to mention she had actually taken the opportunity to ask about me first instead of going straight for baby boy which meant she was really up to something.
I could only imagine what was going through Nova’s head as she listened in, even when I kept the conversation casual by simply replying, “I’m straight. What’s up?”
“Well... I was just sitting here looking at flights, and they’re actually not too bad price-wise for it to be such a hot time to travel that way. Do you boys have any plans for next weekend?”
Even if it wasn’t her intentions to exclude Nova since she didn’t really know much about her outside of the times Jaxson mentioned her during his rants, I had a feeling Nova would feel a way about her speaking towards just the boys. But she didn’t show it on her face, distracting herself with her phone instead as I answered, “Not that I know about. You comin’ by yourself?”
“Yeah. Howard has to work that weekend, so I figured it would be a good time to come check y’all out.”
If it was just us talking, I probably would’ve made a joke about Howard’s old ass, or a joke about Jaxson and I coming second, or even a joke about Howard being worried with her coming down here even though we both knew there was nothing between us. But since I had extra ears around, I simply replied, “Well I’m sure Jax would love that.”
“And you too, Daddy?” he asked from the backseat, always in tune with how his parents felt about each other.
While I wished I wouldn’t have had to answer that question in front of Nova, to satisfy my son, I agreed, “Yeah. Me too.”
“Then it’s settled. I’ll be there next weekend,” she announced excitedly as if she was purchasing her flight at that exact moment.
I kept my voice as plain as possible when I replied, “Cool. See you then.” The silence in the car borderline deafening once I ended the call.
And when the silence was finally interrupted, it was only with some bullshit as Nova said, “I can umm… just stay at Kay’s house or something. So you all can have the place to yourselves.”
“Nah, Nova. It’s just as much your spot as it is mine. I really should’ve been asking you for permission,” I told her, feeling a little bad for even agreeing to plans without her approval.
If push came to shove, I would be fine shelling out a little cash for Mariah to crash in a hotel room nearby. But of course, Nova made it seem as if it was really no big deal, brushing me off when she insisted, “It’s the mother of your child, Guy. You don’t need my permission. And besides, it’ll be good for Jaxson to have both of his parents around. I mean, it’s clear how much he loves the both of you.”
While I knew that was a fact, I couldn’t help myself in finding a way to also include her when I shared, “Well according to Mama Cheryl, he couldn’t stop talking about you. So maybe that love extends beyond just his parents.”
“Yeah. Maybe,” she replied shortly, her expression nonchalant as she turned towards the window.
I hated to see the way the conversation seemed to change her mood, so much so that I wondered if she was telling the truth about how she felt about it. I mean, she really didn’t have anything to worry about when it came to Mariah and I. But she also didn’t have a reason other than my word to believe that. Then again, the only way any of this could’ve mattered to her was if I mattered to her. And since she had already made it pretty clear that the only thing she was interested in with me was something physical, I figured it was best for me to continue following her lead.