Page 44 of On Everything
“I hate what happened to you, Ciara, for real. I know how much seeing shit like that can fuck with someone’s head.”
“Yeah, especially with all the drama it came with.”
“What other drama you mean?”
“Nothing really, just dealing with the realization that someone wasn’t the one for me.”
“Of course he wasn’t.”
“And how do you know?”
“Because his broke ass wasn’t me.”
He glanced over in my direction before back to the road.
Hov’s phone started to ring, and the dashboard lit up with a picture of Cashmier under the name ‘My love.’
He forwarded the call and then adjusted himself in his seat as if it made him antsy. It’s funny he was just dissing my ex and then his current girlfriend calls.
“You can answer your Love, Hov. I know you’re still with her. I won’t say anything.”
“I’m really not. There is just some shit going on with her right now that I have to deal with. Trust that’s not effecting the plans I have for you tho’, mama. I wouldn’t give a fuck if the world was ending, I’m taking your fine ass out tomorrow for your birthday.”
“If you say so.”
When I glanced out of the window, I saw that we were passing up Castle Hill projects continuing past Lacombe Ave, so I was quite confused.
“Where are we going, Hov?”
“Sit back and enjoy your sandwich on the ride. I just thought of somewhere we need to go.”
“Where, I look horrible? My hair isn't done. I'm in my work clothes.”
“Calm down Ciara. Clothes don’t make or break you, Ciara. Just enjoy that sandwich baby. You know those hot sandwiches ain’t shit once they get cold.”
He was right, so I unwrapped my sandwich and went in on it because I hadn’t eaten all day since that small bowl of cereal I had this morning before work. I often worked through my lunch to try and get all my work done for the day. Especially when I knew I wasn’t coming back the next day.
This sandwich was so good that I didn’t lift my head from the paper until I was done eating. I’ve never been too shy to get my grub on in front of anybody, and I was never a girl that tried to eat cute in front of guys. I’m sure Hov eats much more than me with his big stature. Still, for some reason, I feel like he’s the type that doesn’t eat just anything all the time. I peeped the case of water in his backseat with a few bottles missing, one in the cupholder next to us.
When the car came to a stop, I couldn’t quite tell where we were.
“Where is this?”
I asked when he killed the engine.
“The gun range.”
He jumped out of the car before me and walked all the way around to my side.
“Come on.”
He knocked twice before grabbing the handle. He helped me get out of the car, and then he grabbed my hand to walk inside.
“Hov, I don’t want to go in there. I told you that I’m scared of guns.”
“That’s why we are here, so come on. I’m not letting anything happen to you.”
For some reason, his extended hand in front of me and him calling me mama made me feel like a little girl again. I stood up and exhaled through my shoulders, hoping me following in his footsteps wasn’t about to be a bad thing.
