Page 51 of Dr. Bell

“Mm, hm,” Bianca added.

Their assumptions made my face heat. “Well, now that I do work for him, he understands why not hiring me was a bad idea.” We all giggled.

“Adrian is happy that the staff isn’t calling him every five minutes for something,” Bianca mentioned. “Many people think Adir’s mouth is too much, but Adrian is on another level.”

My mouth dropped. “Really?”

“Girl, yes,” Bianca replied to which Minnie snickered. “He learned from Adir and added some to it.”

In disbelief, I shook my head. “Not sweet, Adrian.”

“Hm.” Minnie’s lips pursed. “Sometimes, I think that son of mine is heartless. He’s just stern is all.”

“Stern?” Bianca questioned. “Mama… He had the whole office afraid to even look at him.”

I cackled while Minnie playfully popped Bianca’s hand. “Oh, don’t say that. Adrian’s not that bad.”

“Oh, but he is. Now that Pretty is the director, everyone comes in with smiles and stuff. With Adrian, you would’ve thought they were working in a morgue or something.”

Minnie and I died laughing at the face Bianca made. It sounded like she was glad to be free of working with her brother.

“Well, you should know that I love my job. Patient care is imbedded inside me,” I said.

“Aww… Enjoy it while you can,” Minnie suggested. “The minute you pop up pregnant, Adir is going to shut all that down. He won’t even let his sons work while they’re in school. You think he’s going to let you parade around the dangers of Dr. Bell & Associates while you’re carrying his baby?”

My eyes nearly popped out of my head. Bianca fell over laughing as I snatched my gaze Adir’s direction. As if to amplify what Minnie said, he winked at me.

“I’m going to go grab another water. Either of you want one?” Bianca declined while Minnie said, “Sure.” Standing from the table, I took a deep shaky breath and walked over to the table where the drinks were set up.

“Hey,” I spoke to DJ, who was by the drinks making himself a glass of tea. He added something extra to it. I giggled because he was trying to sneak and do it.

“My mama see me, she gon’ cut up,” he said. “By the way, you look fine as hell in that dress, cuzzo.”

The smile on my face dimmed a little. It wasn’t because he complimented me. It was becausehecomplimented me.

ADIR

ChuckingmyheadatAlli, I said, “Watch the grill for a minute.”

My lady was across the yard talking to DJ. That was cool and everything until the smile she had on her face dimmed a little. I was by her side in mere seconds. She beamed much brighter when I stepped into her space and kissed both of her cheeks.

“You good, baby?”

Her eyes said ‘no’, but her mouth uttered, “Of course. I’m just grabbing water for myself and Minnie.”

“Aight. The food will be done in a minute.” I kissed her again before she sailed off back to the table with my mama and sister. Turning to an unbothered DJ, I asked, “The fuck did you say to her?”

He choked on his drink and chuckled. “The fuck you checkin’ me for?”

Chuckling as I glanced around the lively backyard, I gave him a minute to remember who the fuck he was talking to. Nervously, he glanced around, too, as my humor fizzled out.

“Start over… Address me like the demon you know takes but a split second for me to become.”

He grinned and threw his empty hand up. “Come on, mane, we’re cousins.Firstcousins to be exact. I simply told ya wife she looks good in that dress. Ain’t no harm in what I said.”

My jaw flexed from how deeply I skewered into my back teeth. I advanced on him and took pleasure in the way he took a step back.

“I could give a fuck about first, second, or third anything, nigga. I’on give a fuck if she’s prancin’ ‘round here ass fuckin’ naked. Find you somebody else to play wit’ before I rearrange yo’ trachea and esophagus.”

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