Page 18 of The Hellcat Barbies: Zora
“Not jokes,” she corrected. “Observations. You don’t bring women around, so when I hear about one… I pay attention.” She put a hand on her hip. “This Zora girl… how is she?”
“She’s aight,” I said simply, cutting it off before she dug deeper. “Ain’t nothing for you to stress about.”
Mama gave me that like she knew was lying. “Boy, if you’re spending time with her, it’s my business to stress about. You don’t need nobody halfway in your life when you’re already raising a daughter after letting the last hussy in.”
Before I could respond, Semerah popped up, sliding her arms around my waist. “Love you, Daddy.”
I bent down, kissing the top of her head. “Love you too, baby girl. Be good for MeMe.”
“I always am,” she said with a grin, heading toward the back.
Mama watched her go, then turned back to me. “That’s all I care about right there.” She pointed at my daughter. “As long as Semerah’s good, I won’t get in your way. But if this woman ain’tright, you cut her loose before my grandbaby gets attached. You hear me?”
I nodded. “I hear you, Ma.”
“Good.” She softened her voice a little. “And Semi… don’t block your blessings being stubborn either. If she’s right, don’t let her slip away just ‘cause you’re scared to need somebody.”
I kissed her cheek again, cutting her lecture short. “Aight, Ma. I’ll be back later.”
By the time I hit the road, her words were still sitting heavy. She wasn’t wrong. I didn’t bring women around, or give her reason to even ask questions. But Zora wasn’t just anybody. That woman had a presence I couldn’t shake, even when I told myself to keep it casual. Mama saw it in me before I admitted it out loud, and that was the part that had me stuck.
I was in my head the entire ride to Zora’s house… lost in my own thoughts. By the time I pulled up to her house, the weight in my chest shifted. Mama’s warning was clear, but all I could think about was Zora on the other side of that door waiting for me. Once I pulled into her driveway, I parked beside her bright green Hellcat. I smirked and shook my head at the thought of her little ass driving a car that damn fast. As soon as she opened the door, I didn’t waste time with words. I kissed her like I missed her… because I did. She didn’t hold back either, like she’d been waiting to do the same.
“I wasn’t expecting that as a hello, but I appreciate it,” she said when we pulled apart.
“You cooked?” I asked once I stepped inside her place.
“You sound surprised.”
“I am,” I grinned. “I didn’t think you were the domesticated type. First you bring a nigga lunch, now you cooking me dinner? What else you got for me?” I swaggered toward her and pulled her small body into mine.
“I guess you’ll just have to wait and see.” She smirked before pulling herself away from me.
“What you make?” I asked as I watched her move around the kitchen.
“Baked barbecue chicken, rice, and smothered green beans,” she said.
“Shit… sounds good to me,” I countered, taking my seat. “I appreciate your effort, shorty.”
We held a conversation as we ate, letting it flow naturally and smoothly. Being around Zora was easy… too easy, but surprisingly I wasn’t complaining.
After a while, I leaned back, watching her. “So tell me more about that car club of yours. You mentioned it, but that was about it.”
Her eyes lit up a little. “We call ourselves the Hellcat Barbies. We hit up races, shows, and even do charity runs. It’s not just a crew… it’s a sisterhood,” she affirmed.
I nodded. “That’s wassup. You racing at that big event you invited me to?”
She shook her head. “Not this one. But sometimes, yeah.”
“I need to see that. Something tells me you’re a whole different person behind the wheel.”
“Maybe one day you’ll find out.”
“I plan on it.” I smirked.
Her laugh lingered as she set her fork down, eyes glinting. “You keep talking like you wanna see me race, maybe I should give you a test ride first.”
Before I could answer, she got up from her spot at the table before climbing right into my lap. My hands went straight to her hips, locking her in place as she smirked down at me.
