Page 12 of Honey Sugar
“This shit is amazing.” I held my hand out for another one and she placed it in the center of my palm. Her fingers grazed mine and I felt sticky honey on her skin. “How did you manage to still get messy when you were wearing gloves?” I asked, unwrapping another candy.
“It’s a talent I have.” She shrugged. “So you like the candy?”
“Oh yeah. I’m halfway to being drunk from having two of them,” I told her.
“Maybe I should ease up on the whiskey then.” She tapped her cheek with her finger and spun around to grab a bottle of liquor from deep in the back of a cupboard above the stove.
“Nah. Don’t ease up on it. I like it strong. I need whatever I can get to take the edge off.” Ivy slowed her movements and looked at me with a frown.
“Titan, what’s going on? Mama told me that you needed to lay low but that’s all I really remember before I fell asleep. Are you in trouble?”
“We’ll talk about it later. This ain’t the time or the place.”
“Promise?” She aimed her finger at my chest and I nodded.
We spent the day ringing up customers and flavoring moonshine whenever it wasn’t too busy in the front. “Ivy, can you get Mr. Jeffries four strawberry delights?” Aunt Liv called into the kitchen from the front of the store. Ivy rolled her eyes but responded with a saccharine tone to mask her true feelings.
She boxed up four mason jars of strawberry moonshine and sealed it in a box from Amazon. “I can carry it for you,” I told her, taking the box from her hands.
“It’s okay, Titan. I’m used to it.”
“So? I’m here now. Let me help.” I took the box from her stubborn hands and opened the back door. A man with not enough height to balance out his belly stood there with a grimace on his weathered face.
“Who are you?” He grunted as I handed him the box of moonshine.
“Family,” I told him. He looked around me at Ivy and lingered on her for a while.
“You need security now, Ivy Lynn?” I hadn’t heard anyone call Ivy by her first and middle name for a long time.
“No, Mr. Jeffries. This is my cousin, Titan.”
“Titan. What kind of name is that?”
“Myname,” I said eyeing him.
“We need to talk, Ivy Lynn.”
“I’m busy, Mr. Jeffries. Can you pay for the moonshine?” She asked quietly. Her words were whispers compared to how they should have sounded. I didn’t like the vibe I got from that motherfucker and I definitely didn’t like the way he looked at Ivy like she was property.
“I’m not paying for this shit. Liv knows you owe me this after the way you acted last night.” He snarled like he was reprimanding a child but the accusation sounded far too deep for child’s play.
“You got a problem paying?” I asked, stepping in front of Ivy with my arms folded. I walked down several steps until I was outside looking into Mr. Jeffries’ bloodshot eyes.
“This isn’t a matter that concerns you, son.”
“If it involves my cousin or my aunt, it is. How much does he owe, baby girl?”
“It’s fine, Titan. If Mama said he doesn’t have to pay then he’s good.”
“Nah, he’s not. I guess you won’t be getting your moonshine.” I took the box back from him with little struggle. He sputtered a bit, stumbling backward. Ivy rushed to my side, tugging on my arm.
“Titan, cut it out.”
“Nah, fuck that. He can’t pay then he can’t get the moonshine.”
“Titan, let it go,” she grumbled at me from between clenched teeth. Fear was pushing her though. She was scared of Aunt Liv finding out she didn’t give this man his shit. I didn’t care about him or whatever deal my aunt was trying to let slide. I saw the way Ivy looked at Mr. Jeffries and I saw the way he looked at her in turn. That’s all I needed to see to know some fucked up shit happened between them.
Ivy wrestled the box of moonshine from my hands and I saw Mr. Jeffries’ eyes drop to my waist. He blinked rapidly then fished a battered wallet from his wrinkled slacks. Six twenty-dollar bills magically materialized in his hand. He shoved it at me and I snatched it from his meaty fingers before handing over the box, shoving him in the process.
