Page 72 of Defending the Post
He laughed as his eyes diverted over to Erin. “But you left your pussy unattended chasing another piece of pussy,” Barry said.
I pushed his ass, and his body stumbled backward. I lifted my fist to knock him down, but Pops caught my hand.
“Cool off!” he yelled in my face.
Pops moved me backward to get my attention by snapping his fingers. I couldn’t see anything but Barry and how I should’ve knocked him out.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Jefferies,” I heard Erin apologize, but I was enraged.
“It’s okay, Erin. Malcolm, take your brother outside for some air,” Pops instructed.
Malcolm pushed me out the door, and I knocked over a highboy table with my hand.
“Bro, I have never seen this side of you. You should’ve hit him when he grabbed your shoulder. I had your back,” he said.
I gave Malcolm a heated glare before I saw Pops comforting Erin through the glass. Malcolm blocked me from going back inside.
“Quise, you are not calm. Pops got it,” he said.
Pops handed Erin to my mother before walking through the double doors.
“Marquise, what was that about?” he questioned.
I exhaled before answering. “I went to get Erin, and he got disrespectful toward my woman.”
Pops ran his hands over his beard. “Erin said he owned an event space, and she was getting his number for Jhae. That’s what she tried to tell you before you flew off the handle.”
I walked away from Pops and Malcolm as remorse punched me in the mouth.
“Marquise, what is going on between you and Erin? Son, you moved foul in the party grinding on another woman and in front of her face,” Pops said.
I sighed. “Before I came to the party, I wanted to go public, but she rejected me.”
“What did she say exactly?” Malcolm asked.
“Why does it matter?” I questioned him.
“Because you hear what you want to hear,” Pops interrupted.
Malcolm and Pops stared at each other and then back at me.
“Exactly what I thought. She didn’t reject you, Marquise. She asked you to slow down. Once you post y’all are in a relationship, dick pics, videos, and text messages gon’ wear her inbox out. Y’all need to be solid first,” Malcolm said.
Pops lowered his eyes, but he didn’t disagree.
“Son, she didn’t reject you. Didn’t I tell you to move slow? And at her pace, Marquise. You’ve got some serious making up to do with all the women. Niecy is pissed off and in crisis mode. Erin is ready to leave yo ass, and Jhae is her cheerleader. I convinced Erin to stay but give her time to cool off before you approach.”
I trekked three fingers across my forehead, stressed and ashamed of my behavior.
“Let’s enjoy the party. Give her time, Marquise,” Pops said.
I followed him back into the party. He kissed Mom, pulling her onto the dance floor. Erin and Jhae sat in the lounge area on the white leather couches. Today did not go as I envisioned. The wrong emotions had ruled me all day. Every woman I cared about was upset with me. I rested my back against the bar, waiting for an opportunity to get to Erin. Malcolm sat next to them, eavesdropping on their conversations, giving me head signals. I ordered a can of soda from the bartender and caught Toni and Caleb tucked in a corner laughing.
I secured my drink and focused on Malcolm. Once we made eye contact, I tilted my head toward Toni. Malcolm stood, moving in their direction, and I followed with my drink in hand.
“Hey kids, what’s going on?” Malcolm asked.
Toni gave a nervous smile as her eyes danced from Malcolm to mine.
