by A'zayler
Demoto grabbed the rubber band from his desk and wrapped his dreads into a ponytail at the back of his neck.
“I don’t know. I just don’t have a good feeling about this. The first reason being why the fuck didn’t they get her when her people’s died? Versus stepping up to the plate, they let her go to the fucking system.”
“Yeah, I feel that. So how much family did you find?”
Demoto flipped open the manila folder lying on his desk. “Not many for real. Just an aunt and uncle on her mother’s side. I ain’t find shit on her father’s people.”
“Which side of her family is the black side?”
“Her daddy’s.”
Jacko sucked his teeth and shook his head.
“What?” Demoto asked.
“I was just thinking if it was the black family you had found it would probably be good because you know black people will welcome anybody. I don’t know about those damn Ethiopians.”
Jacko smiled and showed all the gold in his mouth. Demoto couldn’t even keep a straight face after that. He and Jacko laughed for a few more minutes before he looked back at the papers in his folder.
“So you gon’ tell her?”
“Yeah, I was gon’ tell her tonight, but now I don’t even know if I’m gone have time.”
“You want her to know those people? Because you can act like you never found them.”
“Shit, you my nigga for real, I swear because I thought about that shit. The only thing is she’s not necessarily looking for them. She just wants to visit her parent’s graves and in order to find out where they’re buried we might need them.”
“Damn.” Jacko shook his head again. He looked to be in as deep of thought about the situation as Demoto.
They were both still thinking about everything when Ayo ran around Demoto’s desk holding his pants.
“Daddy, I have to potty.”
Demoto jumped up and grabbed him, unbuckling his pants on the way there. They ran down the hallway to the restroom so that Ayo could relieve himself. When he was finished, they went back to Demoto’s office. He grabbed the paperwork and the two folders for the jobs he had that day and stuffed them in his backpack. It was getting close to the time he had to drop Ayo off to Taryn, so it was time for them to go. He told Jacko he would hit him back later and left.
Chapter Four
The sun shined bright across the courtyard as Taryn walked from her class to the library at the front of the campus. She’d told Demoto to meet her there with Ayo. He’d just called her and told her he was about to turn in, and to be looking out for him. Not that she could miss him anyway. He nor his car looked normal. She was almost positive nobody at Columbus State could afford the Audi Demoto was driving.
Dressed in a pair of blue jean shorts that hugged her thighs, a black For the Culture shirt, and her all black twelve’s she moved her purse around on her shoulder so that it was going across her body. Once she had it situated, she stopped and stood in the middle of the sidewalk. Taryn had worn all of her hair down and she was wishing she hadn’t because it was blowing all over her face and into her eyes. She pushed it back so that she could see the people around her. There were students everywhere. Some were just chilling, sitting around, while others were hurrying to get to class.
“You coming to the study session, Taryn-Lee?” Tony stood next to her.
He was in her class and always extra nice to her. She tried not to assume that he liked her but she was far from a fool. She knew when someone was checking for her.
“Yeah, I’m coming. I just have to grab my son first.”
“Oh, for real? I ain’t know you had kids.”
“Not kids, kid. Just one.” She smiled at him.
As soon as the words left her mouth she wanted to take them back. Soon it would be kids. The little one growing in her womb at the moment wouldn’t be in there forever.
“Oh, that’s what’s up. I bet he’s a cutie.”
Taryn turned toward him and smiled. “Oh my God! He isssss! You should see him. I mean he has to be the world’s cutest kid.”
Tony laughed at her excitement. She couldn’t help it though, she loved herself some Ayo Youngblood. He was her whole heart and then some more love on the side. The only other thing she loved like that was walking toward her with a smiling baby in his arms. Demoto strolled down the white cement sidewalk looking extremely out of place.
This time it wasn’t even the fact that he was taller than everyone, or that his hair and skin didn’t match each other. The scowl on his face and the weather contrasting attire definitely took the cake. It was a little under ninety degrees outside and he was dressed in black jeans, black boots, and an all black hoodie. It was zipped up to the neck and tied.
Some of his dreads were pulled back while the rest were down and hanging around his chest and just about at his waist. It had grown so long since the first time she’d seen him.
She loved them and him. Taryn smiled at him, hoping to ease the frown on his face, but that didn’t happen. He kept his stride and made it to her and Tony quicker than she would have liked. Tony looked over his shoulder when he noticed Taryn was no longer paying him any attention. He was greeted with a glare so murderous he should have died on the spot.
“Mommy!” Ayo yelled with his arms and his body outstretched toward Taryn.
“Hey, Yo-Yo.” She grabbed him from Demoto and kissed all over his face.
Ayo laughed and giggled as he held onto her head. She placed a few more kisses on his eyes and forehead before she looked back up at Demoto. She wanted to look over at Tony to see if he was going to take the hint, but she didn’t need crazy ass Demoto flipping out. He was still standing there looking mean as hell. His hands were now in his pockets since Ayo was no longer occupying them.
“Tony, this is my boyfriend, Demoto. Moto, this is Tony. He’s in my study group.”
Tony stuck his hand out to shake Demoto’s but Demoto nodded instead. Taryn snuggled her face into the side of Ayo’s neck. She was so embarrassed for Tony. Demoto had just played him like a straight fool. He dropped his hand quickly and grabbed Ayo’s hand instead.
“What’s going on little man?”
Taryn wanted to just scream for Tony to walk away because clearly he wasn’t getting the memo. Ayo pulled his hand away and wrapped it around Taryn’s neck.
“Like father like son, huh?” Tony laughed and Taryn’s heart stopped.
She stepped toward Demoto so that she was standing in front of him. Too bad her body didn’t stop Demoto’s mouth.
“Boy, you better take your ole preppy ass down to that damn library before I beat yo’ ass.”
Taryn looked at Tony and smiled. “I’ll see you in a minute.”
Tony looked from Demoto to her before walking away. Taryn and Demoto both heard him mumbling things as he walked away.
“Tight ass pants.” Demoto yelled after him. “Nigga can’t even fuckin’ walk straight. Nuts probably suffocating like a muthafucka.”
Taryn turned around and punched Demoto in the chest. “Will you hush? You don’t see all these white people out here while you calling that boy a nigga?”
“I wouldn’t have had to say shit if that nigga would have took his ass on when he first saw me.”
“Demoto, that boy is my friend. You can’t come up here acting a fool on these people. I don’t come to Double O showing my ass.”
Demoto looked down at her with his eyebrows raised and still frowning. “Your friend?”
“Yes, Demoto. My friend.”
“Aiight, bet.”
Demoto leaned down and kissed Ayo’s head before turning to walk away.
“So I don’t get no kiss?”
“Kiss your friend.”
Taryn followed Demoto down the sidewalk. “Demoto, don’t act like that. Give me a kiss.”
“Go head on and study.”
“Not until you give me a kiss.”
“Girl take your ass back down there with them damn people.”
&nbs
p; Taryn sped up and walked in front of him. She stopped and placed her hand on the front of his chest. She could tell he was trying to avoid eye contact with her so that he could stay mad. She eased closer and grabbed the bottom of his face.
“Give me a kiss and tell me you’re not mad.”
Demoto leaned down and pecked her lips quickly and stood back up. “You happy?”
“For now. Tell me how much you love me then I’ll let you leave.”
Demoto fought the smile that was threatening to light his face up and Taryn could tell, so she pushed further.
“Because I love you.” She moved her hand so that her arm was now circling around his waist. “I love you so much it makes me crazy.” She smiled when he smiled. “I love your hair, your face, your body, your son, your profession, and guess what else I love?” Taryn stepped closer to him and inhaled his cologne. “Guess what else I love, Moto?”
“What, Tee?”
“Lean down and let me whisper it to you so Ayo don’t hear me.”
Demoto looked down at her smiling. He licked his lips before leaning down some so that her mouth was near his ear.
“I love the way you moan my name when you’re hitting it from the back.” Taryn stuck her tongue in his ear and licked it slowly before pulling her tongue away and breathing on it softly. “And when you tell me I’m the only person you’ll ever love when we’re having sex.”
Demoto sucked air through his teeth and sighed in her ear. Both of his arms wrapped around her body, pulling both her an Ayo to him. Ayo wrapped one of his arms around Demoto’s neck and one around Taryn’s. She giggled when she noticed what he was doing. Her laughter quickly ceased when Demoto grabbed ahold of her neck with his mouth and sucked hard then soft. His tongue flicked around it for a second before he was in her ear again.
“Be good for me, baby girl.” He kissed the side of her forehead. “I love you.”
“I love you too, Moto. Call me when you can, but text me now.” She backed away and shifted Ayo on her hip.
“I will. Go study.” Demoto walked around her and headed back for his car.
Taryn watched his long bow legs as he walked further down the sidewalk. “Moto, wait. Let me get your rubber band.”
Her hair was getting on her nerves and she was ready to get it out of her way. Demoto pulled his dreads free of the black rubber band he’d had some of them tied back with. He walked toward her with his hand out to give her the rubber band.
“Put my hair in a ponytail for me.”
“Come on, Tee. You do it.”
Taryn sucked her teeth. “You do it when we’re at home. Plus, I’m holding Ayo.”
“Daddy, do my mama hair.” Ayo frowned at Demoto and pointed his finger at him.
“That’s right, baby. He better do your mama hair.” Taryn boosted.
“Come here lil boy.” Demoto grabbed him and tickled him as Taryn stood back on her legs and gathered all of her hair up into a ponytail.
Demoto stood by holding Ayo in one of his arms as he watched the way her dark skin glistened beneath the sun. His eyes traveled down to her thighs and how thick they were. Her hips sat out just as her legs did. With her arms above her head, her breasts were pushed up and out as well. Demoto made sure to take full advantage of the view. He looked her up and down and pushed his hair from his face.
“I got something for you later on,” he told her.
She smiled and grabbed Ayo back from him. “You nasty.”
“I ain’t nasty, you just too fucking sexy.”
Taryn blushed and started to walk away, but not before his hand slammed against the right side of her butt. She didn’t even bother to turn around. Demoto slapping her ass was nothing new. She couldn’t stop smiling as she headed for the library with her little boo. He was looking around at everybody as they walked. Taryn noticed a few people looking at her, but she didn’t care. She had to get her work done no matter what. If that meant taking her baby to school with her then so be it. On the way down the stairs she checked around in her purse for him some food because clearly his daddy had forgotten. When she didn’t see anything but a pack of fruit snacks she hit the vending machine before going to the library. Hopefully he would behave.
*****
Kia sat at her desk staring at the collage of pictures she had plastered to the wall of her cubicle. There were some of her and pretty much everybody she loved. Buck, Taryn, Izzy, Ayo, Demoto, and Jacko. The ones of she and Jacko pretty much covered the wall with a speckle of everyone else here and there. She rolled her eyes to the ceiling as she listened to the caller complain about not being able to afford health insurance.
Kia worked in the call center at an insurance company called AFLAC. She’d only been working there for the past few months and she was already hating it. People complained too much, the building was always cold, and she didn’t even want to start on how many of her high school classmates worked there as well. She hadn’t been very social back then, so she most certainly wasn’t feeling it now.
Outside of the customers getting on her nerves, every other day she had somebody in her face speaking and talking to her like they were friends. She was nice, so she spoke back, but anybody that knew her for real knew her friendship went no further than Taryn. The lady on the phone was still blabbering about her money and how her social security check had gotten cut off when Kia’s cell phone lit up.
It was a picture message from Taryn with the caption come get this lil nigga. She was sitting in a library with Ayo standing behind her with the hair from her ponytail sprawled over his face. Kia chuckled to herself as she smiled at the picture. She texted her right back letting her know she would be by her house to get him as soon as she got off work. Taryn didn’t text right back, so Kia made herself focus back on her call.
It took over ten minutes to get the lady to finally calm down enough to handle her claims. She was so happy when that call ended.
“Hey, Kia,” a voice said from behind her.
When Kia turned around, she rolled her eyes and spun her chair right back around so that she was facing her desk again.
“Oh, it’s like that?” Ace asked
“Girl, get away from my desk.”
“I know you ain’t still bitter about some shit that happened years ago?”
“Ace, I asked you nicely to carry your bald headed ass on away from my desk, nih.”
She heard Ace suck her teeth before walking away. That was a prime example of why she hated working there now. Fake bitches couldn’t take a hint. Ace knew she didn’t fuck with her. She had fucked over her best friend with a nigga she was feeling. Ace could kick rocks. That was some foul shit she’d done to Taryn. Kia wanted to slap her every time she saw her. She had better be glad they were at work right then.
After taking a few seconds to calm herself down, Kia tried her best to busy herself doing more work, but her phone began flashing again. She thought it was Taryn finally texting back, but this time it was Jacko.
Forever Love: How’s your day going? I miss your lil sexy ass
Kia smiled at Jacko’s text while tapping away on her screen.
Kia: It’s cool. I miss you too.
Forever Love: Snapchat me that pussy
Kia: Bye Nasty ass
Forever Love: Is that a no?
Forever Love: What I tell you about disobeying me?
Kia: I’ll make up for it later. Love you daddy
Forever Love: I love you too baby. Hit me up when you get off
After telling him that she would, Kia went back to work. She sat at her boring cubicle for another three hours before it was time for her to clock out. When five o’clock hit she was on the first thing smoking out of there. She’d gotten to her car so fast it wasn’t even ten after when she pulled out of the parking lot. She cruised down the street and was headed to Taryn’s house to get Ayo when her phone started ringing. It was Jacko.
“Hey, baby.”
“What’s going on, sexy? Where you at?” He soun
ded like he was in a rush.
“Just leaving work. What’s going on?”
“You think you can swing by Kerry’s house to pick up Izzy for me?”
“Yeah. Is she there now?”
She could hear Jacko talking to someone else before getting back on the phone. “Yeah, she there.”
“All right. I was about to get Ayo too.”
“That’s cool. I’ll meet you at the house in a little bit.”
Kia and Jacko ended their conversation as Kia headed toward Izzy’s mother’s house. Izzy, whose real name was Isabelle, was Jacko’s five year old niece that he would go to the moon and back for. She was his twin brother’s daughter, but ever since he’d been killed, Jacko had taken over responsibility for her. Being that her father was his twin, she was mistaken as Jacko’s all the time because she looked so much like him.
Izzy was the sweetest and smartest little child Kia had seen in forever. She spent a lot of time at their house because for one she was Jacko’s heart, and because they didn’t have any children of their own. Kia wanted children and she and Jacko had been trying for a little over two months, but just hadn’t had much luck yet. Between Ayo and Izzy, it wasn’t like they had much time for a child of their own anyway.
It was Friday, so Kia looked forward to a weekend filled with children. She ran her hand through her hair as she drove slowly through the project complex that Kerry lived in. Kerry worked as a janitor on the night shift at one of the local hospitals. She was a really sweet girl and had been doing very well holding everything down for herself and Izzy since the passing of Jacko’s brother. With Jacko’s help, she and Izzy were beyond straight, which was one of the things Kia loved about him.
She had to admit in the beginning she had been jealous of the way he talked to Kerry on the phone or gave her money on the regular, but once she grew accustomed to their relationship she noticed that it was nothing more than friendship. He and Kerry even visited Izzy’s school together when it was time to check on her grades or for parent-teacher conferences. Most people probably wouldn’t understand their relationship because she hadn’t in the beginning either, but she’d learned it wasn’t for other people. They had to do what was best for Izzy, and that was it.
