Page 52 of Standing In The Sun

“Red velvet waffles, shrimp and grits, potatoes, and fresh fruit. I’m talkin’ bougie brunch,” she laughed, proud of the idea.

“You tryna make folks fall in love with you.” The corner of his lips rose.

She laughed. “Maybe I’m tryna remind folks I got more to me than just being Kamari’s mama,” she giggled. But most of all I wanna show my appreciation for how y’all accepted my baby.”

Bu nodded. “I feel that. You do got something to you, though. Lunar noticed.”

That made her blink. “What you mean?”

Bu smirked like he said too much, but didn’t regret it. “Just sayin’…he’s observant. He ain’t been around a woman in a minute who ain’t expecting something from him. He don’t gotta shrink around you…he can be his true lover boy self with you.”

Ahvi looked out the window, lips pressed tight. That meant more than she wanted it to. Still she wanted to ask about Apple…wanted to know if he saw something in her too.

“But what about you?” Bu asked, cutting into the silence. “Whatyouwant? Like… after this? You gon’ stay in the city, go back home, or what?”

She thought about it. “I don’t know. I was just tryna breathe again. It’s startin’ to feel like I want more than just air. I want stability…peace…a family.”

Bu nodded. “That’s real. Trust me - you got time. Just make sure when you choose, you ain’t choosing outta fear.”

They pulled into the lot and headed inside. She grabbed a cart and Kamari sat in the front like he owned the store too. Bu followed her down every aisle, tossing in things she didn’t even know she needed.

“Lemon pepper?” she asked, holding up the bottle.

“Trust me.”

She smiled. “You cook?”

“Nah, but I eat good.”

They were halfway through the frozen section when a voice called from behind.

“Ayo, is that Ahvi?”

She turned around and instantly regretted it. It was Moe, one of Dro’s homeboys. Grimy energy in a white tee two sizes too big.

“Moe,” she said, forcing a smile. “What’s good?”

He looked surprised. “Damn, ain’t seen you in a minute. You good?”

“Tryna be.”

Moe nodded, eyes flicking to Bu then back to her. “You heard about Dro?”

Her brows furrowed. “Hell no. I been looking for his ass though.” She wanted to say more, but like she’d said, Moe wasn’t someone you went telling all your business to.

He leaned in like he had the hottest tea in the state. “Heard he met some chick and moved in with her.”

Ahvi’s heart dropped at the idea of Dro turning his back on Kamari for some random girl. She didn’t care about him finding love but he promised to never be a deadbeat like his own father but she guessed, the apple didn’t fall too far from the tree.

Moe kept going like he ain’t just shift her whole reality. “Yea, I thought you knew. They say he might’ve even gotten hemmed up that way. Ain’t no telling, though.”

“I ain’t never seen such a gossiping ass nigga,” Bu stepped forward.

Moe put his arms up. “Ahvi, this you?”

“Nigga, I’m a grown ass man standing in front of you. Ask me!” Bu’s voice was calm yet cold letting Moe know, he was willing to air the whole store out about Ahvi.

She swallowed hard, nodded slowly, then turned away. “Umm, okay...thanks for letting me know. If you see him tell him I’m looking for him.” Her lashes fluttered fast, as she took a step back. Her chest felt heavy. How could Dro do that to them? She’d never had any type of fantasy about the three of them being a happy family. Dro wasn’t the most reliable, but Ahvi never thought he would go missing like he ain’t have a son in the world that needed him.

---