Page 74 of The Mob: Shio Cuppacio
I was happy to be cut off because conversing with Tunan in front of everyone made me sweat, and the sun was about gone. Mama Payne stepped down the porch to face me. Cuffed under her arm was a Coke Zero, and in her left hand was a foldable table. Even though the food looked amazing, that was way too much food for me. My plan was to try a quarter scoop of my favorites once they let me up from the braid removal. I was most excited to taste the greens and mac and cheese.
“That’s my plate, Mama?” Tulen asked in what I assumed was his sweet voice.
She kissed her teeth before saying, “And ain’t!” causing most of us to snicker.
Mama Payne set up the medium-sized tray in front of me. When she placed the hot plate on the tray and the ice-cold drink beside it, my scalp began to prickle, and it had nothing to do with the people tugging at my scalp. She couldn’t expect me to eat all this food. There was no damn way I could.
“Wanna go live while you eatin’? It will bethe bestbirthday gift.” She batted her lashes while her hands were propped on her hips. She’d removed the apron, revealing a flowy, navy dress that looked so good on her. She had her feet stuffed in Coach sandals, and I’d seen the matching purse sitting on her couch.
“Sure.” Reaching inside my purse that was crossed around my body, I pulled out the portable phone stand that I carried everywhere I went.
Once I had the contraption set up on the tray, I placed my phone on it and hit the plus button for the live. Tunan reached over and removed the hair bag from my lap.
“You want Tuscany to put it up in a ponytail while you eat?” he asked.
“No, it’s fine. Unless you all don’t want to be on camera?”
As my reflection looked back at me from the camera, I wasn’t looking too crazy. It wouldn’t be the first time my followers had seen me looking a mess. I’d had a few videos on my page showing me taking my hair down, and they all did well. Who knew Black girls doing Black girl things would be widely romanticized all over the net these days?
Peering at the siblings and Kassie through the phone’s front lens, which showed our every movement, I paused before hitting the live button. “Y’all cool with me going live?”
Tulen excused himself, saying he was ready to go inside and eat. Tuden had his phone resting against his ear with his shoulder, so he didn’t hear the question. He’d been showing every tooth in his mouth for the last few minutes, so I assumed he was flirting with a woman. Tuscany nodded excitedly, andKassie said she was cool with it. I didn’t bother asking Tunan because my followers loved him. I still hadn’t edited and uploaded our video, and didn’t really have an explanation as to why.
Their mother was out of view and nodded for me to start while she held up her own phone. I had no doubt she was recording me to show her grandbaby later. The screen counted down as Tunan slid another braid out of my hair, dropping the weave in the bag now on the ground between his legs.
Steam rose just as the live populated, and all of a sudden, I’d become camera-shy. I felt everyone’s eyes on me, and viewers hadn’t joined yet. Clearing my throat, I pulled hand sanitizer from my bag and drenched my hands. By the time I had the clear bottle back in my purse, I’d had four hundred viewers. Comments from those who’d joined began to pop up, but I was too chicken to read them, so I just stared at the camera.
“Hey, guys! Y’all missed me? I missed y’all.” I had to pause, having to catch my breath because it sounded shaky. Only then did I read the comments that were scrolling across the screen.
“You stay on an adventure… Hey, Glow…”
“Heyyy, boo!”
“Where you at, Glow?Who all them people behind you, Pretty Eater?”
There were too many comments to read at once, so I went back into my spill. “Today, I’m with my… friend’s family. This right here,” I leaned aside so they could get a glimpse of Tuscany, “Is my boo, Tuscany, and this,” I leaned in the opposite direction, “This is Kassie.”
“Hey, y’all!”
“Hey, Pretty Eaters!”
Both the ladies smiled in the camera. Tuscany removed another braid and let it fall to the floor in front of her.The comments continued to rush the screen, but instead of interacting, I proceeded with the purpose of the video.
“It’s Mama Payne’s birthday today. She’s Tuscany’s mommy and Kassie’s mom-in-law. She threw down in the kitchen, as y’all can see.”
Lifting my plate, careful not to let the juices spill over, I angled it so that the camera could catch it.
“Hey, y’all! I’m not tryna get on the camera, but heyyyy!” Mama Payne giddied.
Tunan took another braid out and removed the dirt from my scalp. When he began massaging the area, my thighs tightened, and I did a long blink to try to compose myself.
“Oh my God! They said, ‘Happy birthday, mama. The food look good, but who dat in da bacccck?’” Kassie sang the comment, and I hid my smirk.
Tuden leaned forward and smiled at the camera while keeping the phone up to his ear, while still taking out a braid.
‘“Damn he fine.Let us see the other one.’ Ughh! Y’all please… do not hype these fools up.”
“Nah, don’t listen to my sister. Hype ya boy all the fuckin’ way up,” Tuden boasted.
