Morning of kickback

Strolling down Aubree's stairs I followed the smell of food into the kitchen. Every counter was covered with stuff for tonight. She reminded me of my momma and granny up this early cooking for parties or holidays.

Ro and I have been over here since Wednesday night after that while situation. Aubree has been kind of stand offish but I understand. Everyday I've been watching her fill out applications and I pray something comes through because she doesn't deserve to keep going through what she's going through. I know it's going to be harder on me not having her as my PO but I'll just have to step up and do what I have to.

Or I could just snitch on my dad.

Nah, as much as I hate him I can't go out like that.

"Hey baby." I said grasping her attention.

"Hey." She puckered her lips and I quickly kissed them.

"How you feeling?" I asked while rubbing her cheek.

She shrugged and went back to focusing on the food. "I'm okay I guess. Just hoping one of these jobs call me."

Wrapping my arm around her waist, I pulled her to me. "Somebody will, don't worry."

"If I get another job that means that you're going to get a new PO and I swear if it's one of those bitches that always start with me, ima fuck somebody up."

I chuckled before kissing her cheek. "If it is you ain't got nothing to worry about. I'm all yours and you know that."

"You're not who I'm worried about."

"Don't even worry about them. Everything gone be good."

She nodded then went back to the food.

"What you cooking?" I asked.

"Baked Chicken, Macaroni, Yams, Green Beans and cornbread. I always over do it." She laughed.

"Baby you can't be cooking for my friends like that, they might try to marry yo ass."

"I'll tell them no." She winked at me while carrying a pot over to the sink.

I just stared at her, biting on my lip. How can someone look so damn good all the time? Ive never seem Aubree look bad, there's never an off day. I hate that I can't show her off. "I really wish I could take you out on a real date. Show you my romantic side."

She smiled. "Me too baby."

"Ima figure something out. I gotta let the world know that you're all mine."

After rinsing her hands she walked over to me and wrapped her arms around my torso. Our lips touched and she slowly pulled back. "It doesn't matter what we're doing, as long as I'm with you I'm good. A date would be nice but I know how risky that would be and I don't want you to go through the trouble."

"I don't mind though. You know I like a little trouble."

"Well my job is to keep you out of it."

Groaning, I tossed my head back. "You're going to make this difficult aren't you."

"No. If you want to go out, we can."

I stared in her eyes. I knew she didn't mean that. She's scared. I really like Aubree and chilling with each other all the time is cool, but I want more and I know she does too. Maybe I'll have to fly her somewhere.

I'll figure it out.

"What you thinking about?" She asked while rubbing her thumb over my lips.

"Us.....I just don't want things to get complicated."

"Chris they won't."

"Sitting in the house all the time is going to get old and you know it."

She sighed. "Chris you knew what it is was when you got with me, you knew that this wasn't going to be easy."

"I know but........forget it."

Aubree walked away and back over to the stove. "We're only a month in and you're already thinking negative."

She was about to spin this into something that it wasn't and I didn't want that to happen tonight.

"Ima go drop Royalty off to my mom, who's watching Ariel?" I asked.

"She's going over Jeremiah's house with Jermaine."

"You made up with Jeremiah?" My eyebrow arched.

"Yeah, He was just upset with me about my mom."

"What about her?"

"She's getting out of rehab soon and I told her that she could stay with me but that was before she basically said fuck me when I went visit her a couple months ago. I pay for her to be in rehab, I took care of her before she went, Jeremiah just feels like she doesn't deserve anything from me."

"How do you feel?"

"I'm torn, she's my mother, I love her and the last thing I want is for her to be on the streets, that'll lead her back to drugs and I don't want that. But when I saw her last, she seemed like she was focused on going back to the person that put her in this predicament. She doesn't need my help."

"Well that's your answer right there. Don't hold on to toxic people just because you love them."

"I know you and your dad don't see eye to eye, but would you stick your neck out for him even though he treats you the way he does?"

I chuckled while rubbing the back of my neck. "I wish we could've had this conversation a year ago."

Her eyebrows furrowed. "Why?"

"I'm not trying to be secretive it's just something that I'm not ready to talk about. One day though, I promise."

"Okay."

"Well I'm going to get going. I'll be back in a few hours."

She nodded and we kissed. I hurried upstairs to slip on my clothes and got Royalty then we headed out.

I pulled up to my house and my mom was already there. I don't take Royalty over to her house because I just don't want to deal with my dad.

I've been avoiding him ever since our big fight. I don't want another one.

Walking inside, I sat Ro's bookbag by the door then walked into the living room. "Hey ma."

She was on the phone, she turned and looked at me and smiled. She told whoever she'd call them back, hung up the phone and got up. "You'd never guess who that was."

"Who?"

"Your brother."

My eyes grew. My brother calls like once a year and that's like on my moms birthday. We used to be so close but once he turned 18 he dipped. Went to college in New York and never came back while I was stuck here dealing with my dad's bullshit. I was hurt when he left because that left me all alone. We used to stand up to our dad together but when it came down to me doing it alone, it's like I failed every time. "What did he say?" I asked.

"He's coming here in a couple weeks. He wants to see you."

"Dave coming back to Cali? The world must be ending."

"Are you excited?"

"Excited?" I laughed. "We ain't kids no more Ma."

"He's still your brother. I know it's been years since you two have talked."

"Yeah cause he's always trying to preach to me, I don't want to hear that."

"He just wants to help."

"Nobody can help me. Im stuck in a situation that I shouldn't even be in."

"Christopher, your father just wanted to make sure you were able to survive in this crazy world."

"My world is crazy because of him. He rui-." I exhaled, running my hand over my face. "I'm not about to have this conversation again, thanks for keeping Royalty for me tonight."

"Okay it's been a month and you're obviously getting more serious with this girl, Will I be meeting her soon?"

"One day, I promise." I kissed her forehead. "Ima go jump in the shower then head to the barbershop."

She nodded and I hurried upstairs.

After a quick shower I got out and slid on a jogging suit, then headed back downstairs. "RoRo." I called out.

"Yes." She came running to me.

"You be a good girl alright?"

"Okay."

"If it doesn't get too late, I'll come back and get you so that you can hang with Ariel, cool?" I held my hand out.

"Cool." She gave me a five then I kissed her cheek.

"See you later baby, Ma I'm gone."

"Okay, be safe." She responded.

"I will." I headed out and made my way to my appointment. Gotta fly for tonight.

The Kickback.

Okay, so I love Chris's friends and their girlfriends are cool. Well Hoody said the girl he brought is his flavor of the week.

That's none of my business though.

We were having a good time, the only one that gave me a bad vibe was Sinko, whatever his name is. He walked in rude as hell, he didn't want to speak, Mijo had to force him to.

Chris told me to pay him no mind but he not to sit up in my house being like that. If it's a problem he can go.

Anyway, we were sitting around finishing up dinner. These niggas are human vacuums. All of them were on their second plate, including Chris.

I couldn't eat too much or I'd be knocked out.

"Damn man, I got it itis like a muhfucka." Mijo said while unbuttoning his jeans and lifting his shirt.

"What the hell is the itis?" His girl Courtney asked.

"It's when black people eat too much and get sleepy as hell." He explained.

"So I'm guessing y'all liked the food." I glanced at all the empty plates.

"Liked?!" Keeis asked. "You cook like this all the time? Cause I'm moving in. Chrez, marry her ass and make sure she cook for the reception."

I smiled. "Thank you Keeis."

"HOODY WAKE YO FAT ASS UP BITCH!" Chris yelled in his ear, causing him to jump and everybody to laugh.

"Damn nigga, I should knock yo ass out." Hoody rubbed his ear. "I'm sleepy as hell."

"Let me guess, the itis?" His girl Tori said.

"Hell yeah, you put sleeping pills in this shit Bree?"

I chuckled. "No, over eating slows you down and makes you fatigue."

"She just called you fat in French bro." Mijo said.

This nigga is too funny. "No the hell I didn't! Fatigue is tired, sluggish, sleepy all of that."

"You a dumbass." Keeis said to Mijo while shaking his head.

"So Aubree what do you do?" Sinko asked."

"Why?" Chris spoke up before I could.

"I just want to know. She live in this nice ass house, drive a S500, she gotta be doing something good."

"I work for the government." I answered.

"You ain't the feds right?" Keeis asked.

"No I'm not the feds. I work in an office downtown, a bunch of paperwork."

"Is that okay with you Sinko?" Chris asked.

"Ain't we here to get to know her. Why I can't ask what she do?" Sinko questioned. "The way you acting she might be a fed."

"She ain't But you seem to have a problem with her so I'm tryna make sure you ain't on no crazy shit."

"Man I ain't worried about her ass." He waved his hand at me.

"Obviously you are." I said. "You seem a little salty, I must've rejected yo ass before."

"You ain't my type sis, you barely his."

I laughed. "Shiiiit, the way he Fuck me, I gotta be his type."

"Pussy is Pussy."

I was about to respond but Chris covered my mouth. "Shut up Aubree cause he getting crazy and I'm about to knock this nigga head off his shoulders."

"Why you come if you was gone be on some bullshit?" Hoody asked.

"I ain't on nothing, I asked what the Bitch do and this nigga got defensive!" Sinko said.

Chris stood up but I grabbed his arm.

"Nigga you not about fight him. He obviously in his feelings about something. Let him be mad. I don't even know this clown so he ain't got no reason to be so fucking uptight." I pulled him back in his seat.

"Just leave bro, we don't need that negative shit tonight." Keeis said.

"Yeah do that." Chris said.

Sinko chuckled while standing up and grabbing his things. "The food was good Aubree." After that he walked out.

"Let me go talk to this nigga." Mijo said while getting up and walking out.

"I'm sorry about him." Hoody said.

"You don't have to apologize, it's cool." I said.

"Ima make that nigga apologize." Chris said.

"Baby no, I'm good." I got up and started grabbing our plates.

"I'll help you." Tori said.

I gave her a smile then headed in the kitchen.

After everything was cleaned up we all went into my basement. They had music blasting, bottles open and blunts in rotation. Chris avoided both, I'm proud.

I sat up on my pool table and Chris stood between my legs.

"Thank you for this Aubree." Chris said.

"What?"

"Putting this together, showing these niggas hospitality."

"They're cool, they can come over any time."

"Aubree family now." Hoody yelled.

"Yeah." Keeis added. "So if you get a new a bitch and bring her around we ain't gone like her."

I smiled. "Aww you guys are so sweet."

"Well y'all ain't gotta worry about a new bitch." Chris wrapped his arms around my neck, pulling me into his chest. "This my baby." He kissed my forehead.

I felt my face heating up. This boy got me blushing.

"You my baby?" He asked while lifting my head.

"Yes I'm baby, all yours."

We shared a few kisses.

How did I get so lucky?