Page 36 of Mafia Kings & Wedding Rings 2: The Finale
“That shit kind of sexy.”
“What are you talking about?” She pouted cutely and picked up her drink.
“How you read people, but don’t say nothing. Shit a skill, mama.”
“I don’t mean to go into therapist mode. I just can’t help it sometimes. I’m cool with going to hang out if you want though.”
“You sure? This nigga putting us all in a position where we have to lie.”
“Tell him he better practice some discretion with his niece and nephew around then.” Cambrie gripped her straw between her fingers and brought it to her lips for a sip. “We are not responsible for what comes out of their mouths.”
Ivo
“Ivo, I think you read these instructions all wrong.” Six was now seated on the floor beside where I’d started the vanity I bought for Emerald.
I thought she might appreciate it, and I wanted to put that shit together for her. A nigga was trying to show her more than I could tell her, and here she was keeping me on my toes. It didn’t take a whole lot from Emerald because shit with us was just organic. I felt guilty about Jordan every single day, but my baby made up for that every single time I was around her. I knew she might have needed a minute alone after that phone call she got, so I joined Six and Brick in the living room.
“Six, that nigga don’t care. He was just trying to make himself look good. Staten is the technical-minded brother. So don’t ask me to put together shit.”
“Speaking of, Stat said he was going to slide by with Cambrie and two of the four pack. Y’all good with that?”
“It is what it is. Did him or Ma talk to you about that whole Cambrie shit?” Brick leaned back on the couch and pinched the blunt between his fingers before passing to me.
“Ma got some shit going on with everybody right now. If you on her good side, try to stay that way,” I warned, dropping into the couch beside my brother.
“You know how tight she get about us.” Brick exhaled and held the blunt in my direction.
“She still need to learn how to mind her business sometimes.”
Brick choked on the weed and started beating on his chest.
“I dare you to say that shit to her face.” He passed the blunt my way.
“I ain’t trying to lose my life, or an eye. You know that chair don’t stop her from shit.”
“Facts,” Brick agreed. “What’s up with Emerald though? She cool? Maybe you should go check on her.”
“I just want to give her a minute. Them hormones she taking for the surrogacy got her all over the place.”
“Shit is crazy that after all these years, that’s who’s giving you a baby. Can’t make this shit up.”
“I like her,” Six declared. “I know you’re married and everything, and you don’t have to worry about me saying anything to your wife, but . . . I get it. You and Jordan don’t really fit. Now I see why.”
“This shit right here the proof.” Brick leaned forward and tapped the top of the art set she’d purchased.
“Emerald remembers a time where all our dreams and shit was all we talked about. I used to sketch hella pictures of her when we would sit by the creek and have picnics. She would be reading, and I’d be watching her, wanting to carve every part of her face in my memory.”
“Aw, that’s so sweet,” Six gushed.
“That nigga’s a simp.” Brick waved me off.
I flipped him the bird and puffed on the za a little longer. When I got up to hand it to Six, I ended up joining her on thefloor to help finish putting the vanity together. Brick was going to help me carry it upstairs whether he wanted to or not. About forty-five minutes later, the groceries arrived, and Emerald came down with Six to unpack everything in the kitchen. When Staten arrived with Cambrie, Piaget, and Rogue, my niece and nephew ran inside like they had no fucking home training. I peeped Staten’s arm around Cambrie, trying to cuff her before he pecked her neck and nudged her ahead of him.
“This place is nice,” Cambrie declared, eyes roaming around the room.
“Hell yeah. Side chicks up two hundred points,” Brick kidded.
“Boy, shut up,” she cackled, swatting his arm while hovering behind the couch. “Rogue, do not touch that,” she warned as he admired a statue of an elephant nearby.
