Page 56 of Off the Charts
“What about her?” Her voice raised. “She can’t whip my ass! Old wanch!”
We hollered. That was the Grove Hollow Brenda talking and I knew she wasn’t lying either.
“Ma, so what’s the tea? Teddy’s daughter and Victor are together?”
“Mhmm.” She pursed her lips. “Victor comes over to the neighborhood every other night. You know Teddy house on the other side of the road, but I can see who comes in and out. I be on the porch just watching. Him and that girl be in that living room getting down. That’s why I don’t go over Teddy’s house. He comes to me,” she palmed her chest. “I don’t want to sit in or smell nothing.”
This was tea for me, and I was eating it up. “Wait, Ma are you sure it’s Victor?”
“How old do you think I am Jersei Monroe? I ain’t but thirty years older than you,” she pointed. I chuckled. “I know Victor. The negro been up and through my house eating all my oxtails up. He’s the one that looks like that actor with the cock eye,” she lowered her right eye. We were screaming and it was funnier because she never cracked a smile. “That’s him right?”
“Yeah, Ma,” Jade chuckled.
“Alright then. I know what I’m talking about. Dreka, Teddy’s daughter, is carrying Victor’s baby right now. Apparently, he likes both. What they calling that now?”
“Bisexual,” Jade answered.
“Yeah, that’s it. Like you call yourself liking girls and boys. Victor do too. Teddy says he thinks he loves Dreka, but he don’t want to lose his job. Say that boy is an opportunist and has been all his life. I tell Teddy he needs to tell his daughter the truth, but he says that’s young folks’ business. I just keep my mouth closed and catch my ride to the bingo hall. That’s they life.”
I was floored. I didn’t wish bad on anybody. Well, that’s a lie, because sometimes I do depending on the situation, but for Solomon the tables turned as I knew they would. He was pouring his all into a man that was living the same double life he once lived. It was sad, but God has a way of humbling you. I would love to be a fly on the wall when that secret is brought to life.
“Chileeeee,” I shook my head. “I love mess when it ain’t my own. I hope it was fun while it lasted or as grandma used to say, or not,” Jade and I repeated together.
“Right. That’s on him.” Valen added.
“All I know is he better not come in here with no shit. I do know that.” Jade sassed.
“Better not ‘cause I fight niggas too,” Valen added.
“Me too!” Mama said and we all fell out laughing.
The party wasin full swing. Upon entering, there was a large balloon arch that readWelcome to Zion’s July Madness. The colors were orange, black, and white. In the center of the floor was a large basketball goal made of balloons and a 360 camera with a basketball base with his name on it.
On opposite sides of the room were reserved tables for his friends as well as their thank you gifts. Our hard work was not in vain. Since Zion was a chicken wing fanatic, The Chicken Hut catered the party. Mama did amazing on the dessert table with popcorn buckets that looked like basketball goals, cupcakes with basketball toppers that read his name, and so much more. In the gym, we kept the decorations basic outside of the DJ booth and a backdrop for pictures. Each ball for the tournament had his name and party theme engraved in it.
I’d cried happy tears seeing the pure joy on my baby’s face when we walked in. He had no clue and was so thankful. Every break he got, he would run over to hug and thank me. The turnout was amazing and honestly, I wasn’t aware that we knew this many niggas, nor did I know he had these many friends. It was perfect.
Zion’s favorite player was Allen Iverson, so I got him a custom Sixers jersey with the number ten on the back with his name. Vayce and I wore matching jerseys with green and white Dunks. I knew very little about the players, so he got us Boston jerseys with the name Russell on the back with the number six. He’d told me countless times that he was a legend, and I simply smiled and nodded.
The DJ was amazing, and I was feeling good with this tequila in my system. Currently, we were in the last free throw tournament and Devon was our referee. To keep confusion down, each round was elimination, and we were down to five contestants.
“You see that lil’ nigga right there,” Vayce pointed across the gym to a kid that was practicing his layups.
“What you finna say? Sum crazy I know,” I pulled my shorts down. “That’s Etta son.”
“What’s your point? Nigga sorry as fuck. Coach Bishop helps with basketball sometimes and had me sit in on tryouts,” he shook his head. “He missed every throw, but you’ll never be able to tell ‘cause he’s so confident. I put the biggest X through his face. Just big, lanky, and trash. Nigga need to go play the clarinet or some shit.”
I could hear that my laugh was ugly, and I attributed it to the shots we’d taken. “He sholl walked out on the court like this,” I got up and mimicked his walk. Vayce laughed. “Don’t tell me he finna get up here and not do nothing.”
“That nigga ain’t about to do shit.”
I laughed and sat back down. “How was it earlier with Zion? Did y’all have fun or what?”
He sucked his teeth, looking at me out of the corner of his eye. “You gotta stay outta grown men business, baby.”
“Grown men?”
His brows raised in amusement as he smirked. “You heard me,” he discreetly pinched my ass cheek. “It was good. Natural. He is the same amazing kid I knew he was when he first walked into my office. I can’t wait for more connections with him. He cool as fuck, just like somebody else I know.”
