Page 2 of The Smoke Hour

“Don’t call his ass that. Makes me think of that nigga from that old eighties TV show,” I muttered.

“Hell, tell that to his mama. I’m not the one who named him Terry Thompson,” Tamara stated.

“Well, if there’s anything to be said for marrying him, your ass won’t want for shit. He’s wealthy and willing to give you whatever you want.”

“Yeah, in exchange for carrying his name, flaunting me on his arm, and giving him a damn baby.” I shuddered.

“The hell is that about?” Tamara snickered.

“That’s gonna be one ugly ass baby if it comes out looking like him,” I explained.

Tamara screamed with laughter while Christina gasped. “Don’t say that, Kai. There’s no such thing as an ugly baby.”

“Heffa, please. You know some of these kids walking around here with a face only a mother could love. Shit, some of them ain’t even loved by their mothers. They trying to push their ugly asses back in the womb,” I replied.

“You’re wrong for that, and you need to ask God to forgive you,” Christina remarked after she’d spit out her drink on the counter, laughing.

“God already forgave her drunk ass. He knows that the Kaifiya we’re dealing with tonight isn’t his normal child. How many drinks have you had anyway?” Tamara asked.

“I don’t know,” I replied with a groan.

“At least six at this point. And you know she’s a lightweight,” Christina stated.

The bartender returned to our end of the counter and wiped up Christina’s spill.

“Ladies, can you keep it down just a little?” she asked.

“It’s a bar. Gahdamn,” Tamara stated.

“Come on. Let’s go,” Christina remarked.

“But we’re just getting started,” I whined.

“Girl, please. This is our second bar. But it is boring as hell,” Tamara replied and smacked her lips.

“Come on,” Christina stated and grabbed my purse as she tugged on my arm.

I hopped off the barstool and headed out the door. The cool late winter air hit my face and immediately relieved me of the drowsiness that had come over me when I’d started drinking.

“Where are we going?” Christina asked, looking up and down the strip of downtown Cherokee Springs.

“Let’s crash The Smoke Hour,” Tamara declared.

“Why?” Christina asked.

“Why not?” Tamara replied.

“Because it’s for gentlemen only,” Christina commented.

“Historically, yes, but there’s a first time for everything. What the fuck are they going to do? Toss us out?” Tamara asked.

“I feel like getting tossed the fuck out of somewhere. I’m mad that I let my ass get into this stupid shit. I feel like clowning. Let’s go,” I stated and ran out into the street.

“Kai! Wait!” Christina shouted.

I kept moving, and Tamara was right behind me, giggling her ass off. I knew that Christina would catch up. She wouldn’t allow us to do anything without her because she always worried about the shenanigans we got into.

I pushed open the charcoal glass doors of The Smoke Hour.

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