Page 3 of Honey's Special Roux

My heart ached at the details Dedra shared about her nephew. He’d gone through so much pain, and child protective services forced him to leave his home. He’d have to adjust to a new environment while also battling the grief of losing a parent.

Granny opened her arms wide, and Dedra didn’t hesitate to take the hug. For a long moment, Granny held the woman in her arms and allowed her to cry softly. I stood awkwardly to the side, wishing I would have walked away once Dayari had disappeared into the house.

“You do not have to do this alone, baby. We’re right next door. If you needanything,all you’ve got to do is knock on that there door, and I’ll do my best to assist you. It takes a village to raise a child, and I’m your village.”

Granny Janie was everyone’s support system. Since Pawpaw died, she’d made it her duty to extend all her love to everyone she could. Her presence in the community was damn near legendary. It was beautiful to see so many people gravitate toward her and love her and all she did.

The garage lifted, and a tall, tattooed figure emerged. He had a stack of empty boxes in his hands. He wore a pair of black boxers and gray Nike shorts. I could read the brand on the waistband of his boxers because his shorts hung dangerously low around his hips.

Damn!

He was fine as hell. He had a smooth face and a low-cut fade. He had freckles on the bridge of his nose and around his eyes. He had pierced ears and a chest tattoo. Red flags waved in my head, but I didn’t care to listen. He looked dangerous, which only piqued my interest even more.

“You’re staring, Honey.”

“I… um… Sorry…” I pulled my gaze away, reluctantly.

Granny raised an eyebrow at me but didn’t push further. We walked in stride back to the house. Before I opened the door, Granny grabbed my arm to stop me. I looked up at her concerned features. She furrowed her brows downward as she softened her gaze when our eyes locked.

“That boy is trouble, Honey. Please don’t get caught up in his looks. Protect yourself from that can of worms, okay?”

“But Granny, I didn’t even?—”

“Promise me you won’t let that boy ruin your life.”

I gulped. “Y-yes, ma’am. I promise.”

The heavy basson the Bluetooth speaker rattled the table in the garage. I had pulled my car out to change the oil and give it a good wash. The Houston highways were rough on my car with the back and forth to get all my stuff. Aunt Dee said it would be cheaper to load up the cars and make a couple trips instead of renting an overpriced storage vehicle since they charged by miles driven.

Lil Wayne’sTha Carter IIIwas a classic. I could listen to that album for days without ever getting tired. I bobbed my head to “Got Money” featuring T-Pain. I removed the cap on the oil and let it fall into the bucket underneath. While the oil fell, I scooted from underneath the car and admired my baby. I grabbed a seat from the garage and sat down.

The black-on-black Dodge Charger was a menace in the streets. I was sixteen with a Hellcat, and couldn’t nobody tell me shit. I’d gotten my first six-figure deposit when I hit a lick for my uncle Merlot.

Uncle Merlot was my mother’s brother. He had an infamous business in the hitman business. I joined the business when I was thirteen, and child protective services sent me to his home when my mother had her first overdose. Unfortunately, Uncle Merlot was deemed unfit to house me when I’d missed more than thirty days of school. The state ordered me to be sent to Uncle Chance’s house instead since they were the only other option.

Marquita Lennox had a gentle heart, but the drug addiction was too strong—especially when the man who supplied the drugs had given her a child and kept her high and useless.

The smell of somethingcitrusyfilled my nostrils and interrupted my thoughts. I looked up to see the neighbor standing a few feet away from me. I took in her appearance. She was young as hell, but she was thick. She had a decent sized bra size and some thick hips.

She had deep brown almond-shaped eyes that did not look at my face. I could tell from the stupor she was in, she’d gotten tongue tied ogling over my shirtless frame. It wasn’t uncommon for women of all ages to fall victim to my physical appearance. She tucked her bottom lip between her teeth as she fiddled with her fingers. She wore a pair of shorts and a graphic tee. Her hair was in braids that fell down her back.

A breath released from my lips. “What? You need something?”

“I, um, I…”

I chuckled and leaned forward. My arms rested on my knees while I licked my lips. “Spit it out.”

She cleared her throat. “Hi. I’m Honey.” She waved shyly.

“I know yo’ name, ma. What you want?”

She laced her fingers together and shrugged. “I know you’re new to the area, and I wanted to make sure you’re settling in good. Um, your aunt shared a little about your situation. Although I don’t know the pain of losing my parents, I know the pain of losing a father figure. When Pawpaw passed, I took his death kind of hard because he spoiled me bad. I know grief can be a cruel bitch sometimes, so I wanted to let you know I’m here for you if you need a friend.”

The silence after her small ramble session was deafening. I stood up, and my six-foot frame towered over her. Her head tilted back to look into my eyes. My tongue slid across my lips.

“No offense, but I don’t give a fuck about what you got going on. I don’t need no young ass girls being my friend.”

Her smile fell into a hard frown.

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