34. Asif

HOME SWEET HOME…

“Aight, nigga,” I said to Low as I got out of the car.

“Need some help?”

“I definitely don’t. Stay out of trouble, nigga.” I shut the door and made my way into my building then up to my penthouse.

Entering, the smell of something well-seasoned danced its way up my nose as Anastazia and Sophie came out into the living area.

“Sif!” Sophie wiggled to be let free from her mother. Once she hit the floor, she ran to me.

“Sophie, not too rough, remember?” her mama scolded.

“Hey, pretty girl.” I kissed her face.

“We have cake!” she said excitedly.

“Oh word?” I felt my stomach grumble as Anastazia neared me to lean onto her tiptoes and kiss me.

“Yes, cake and steak topped with garlic butter, shrimp stuffed baked potatoes, and a side salad because you need to eat vegetables.” She took my hand to lead the way.

We all washed our hands in the kitchen, then made our way to the living room where Anastazia had everything set up so I could eat my food on the couch comfortably. I was pretty much back to normal, but the area where a nigga had been hit was a little stiff and tender.

We sat down, two tray tables in front of me and Anastazia, and a small mini tray for Sophie. The former brought the food out to us, but instead of steak on Sophie’s plate she had chicken.

“Yummy!” Sophie shouted, making me and her mother snicker.

We ate while watching Encanto because I didn’t really watch TV, and that was what Sophie wanted to see, so I was cool with it. After that good ass dinner, we had some strawberry cake that Sophie let me know she baked all by herself, and then her mother gave her a bath before she passed the fuck out.

Anastazia and I took a shower together, nothing too crazy since I needed to recover, then brushed, flossed, and rinsed with mouthwash before lying down in my comfortable ass bed.

I didn’t know what the fuck she washed my sheets with, but they always smelled good and felt even more like butter than usual every time she did.

“You are so sexy.” I commented my inner thoughts as she straddled me. My hands couldn’t help but to caress her thighs, hips—one side bearing a tattoo of my name—that plump ass, and eventually, her breasts as I made my way around.

“You too.” She smiled. The fireplace illuminated her supple brown skin in the otherwise dark ass bedroom.

“Time to house hunt,” I said.

“Right now? You sure?”

“Very.” I reached between her legs to feel the warm ass wetness living there. My eyes latched onto that landing strip.

“I wouldn’t get rid of it.” She smirked, clearly knowing what I was thinking. “What’s the budget for the new house?” She moaned as I continued to move slowly against her clit.

“I don’t do budgets, love, but we need enough room for a nice size family.” I removed my hand and placed my dick at her opening. As she started to press down on me, biting her lip, I said, “That pussy feel different. We gon’ need a lot of room and a backyard.”

“Wh-what are you try-trying to say?” She sputtered a bit as I filled her up, making her body tremble a bit once I was all the way inside of her.

“My baby boy in there.”

“gnx” by Kendrick Lamar played through the yacht’s speakers as everyone dabbled in the refreshments, alcoholic drinks, and weed. I was keeping an eye on Anastazia from across the room, who swore she wasn’t pregnant but wouldn’t take a test to prove a nigga right.

Currently, I was with my brothers while she was with their wives, and girlfriends in Unique’s case, on the other side of the boat. Some people were up dancing, others like Free probably using one of the rooms, to do God knows what, as Low chopped it up with some big booty bitch older than all of us.

“Oh, this my boy AJ.” Unique introduced us to the nigga who’d just been let onto the boat before the captain started to unlatch us from the dock.

“How y’all doing?” he asked, nodding his head up to us. Everybody with the exception of Unique bobbed their heads upward.

“Oh, and this is Kabrina.” Unique smiled at the girl on AJ’s arm. She was pretty, lighting up at Unique mentioning her name.

“Brina, why don’t you go over and meet the ladies.” AJ rocked his head in the opposite direction.

“They don’t bite,” Khari let her know, and we laughed lowly as she strutted off.

“Whew.” AJ plopped down, and though the nigga hadn’t been in my face but for two minutes or maybe less, I didn’t like him.

I’d seen him before, from watching my brother’s show the few times I was able to sit down and catch it with Anastazia, but had never met him.

Judging from his energy, he seemed like one of those niggas who thought he was hot shit but wasn’t aware that he wasn’t. Nigga didn’t even know his girl was low-key crushing on Unique. Only time a female ever lit up like that when I spoke was when she wanted to get fucked.

“I’m glad y’all got this separate shit going, because I fuck with Kabrina, but I still be needing a break.” AJ laughed, and a few of my brothers offered up fake chuckles, but I kept it stoic.

“Sucks for you, nigga,” Cemone told him.

“You don’t ever get tired of yo’ wife?” AJ asked him skeptically. “Then again, Yolani is?—”

“Don’t do it,” Unique warned him.

“She wouldn’t be my wife if I did,” Cemone replied, and I could tell by how he was looking at AJ, he wasn’t feeling him either. In fact, nobody was. Unique was the only one indifferent, which made sense.

“This nigga got a wife and a girlfriend,” Unique exposed, making us all whip our heads in AJ’s direction as he snickered like he was the man.

“You one to talk.” He scoffed at Unique.

“Nah, my shit is honest, bitch nigga.” Unique lit his blunt. “Yo’ wife don’t know shit ’bout Kabrina and vice versa.”

AJ was cheesing hard like he’d won an Oscar or some shit.

“Shit gon’ catch up to you, nigga,” Lequay spoke facts.

“I doubt it.” AJ leaned in like he had a secret. “See, I told my wife I gotta present single for my career, so she keeps her distance when I’m out of town. As for Kabrina, it’s easy for her to believe I’m single because my wife don’t hound me and lives across the country in Connecticut.” He was still grinning. “That’s how you do it, fellas, if you wanna have your cake and eat it too with women less understanding than Unique’s. Because?—”

“We don’t get down like that ’round here.” I cut him off, tired of hearing his ass talk.

“Maybe for you and a few others but, Uncut, man?—”

“Don’t speak on shit you don’t know ‘bout unless you ready to run a fade ’bout it, nigga.” Khari cut him off. “You ain’t ever heard shit ’bout me fucking around on my wife.”

“No. I just meant you were a player once, but I feel you. Don’t want a rumor being spread.” AJ nodded, and I could see he wasn’t feeling us the same way we weren’t feeling him. “Let me get a drink, fellas. Be right back.”

“Why the fuck he keep saying fellas?” Shakur quizzed, and for some reason, the shit was hilarious.

As our laughter died out, Bashar asked, “That’s who you keep company with, nigga?”

“He a work friend type of a nigga. He too corny for me to kick it with just because. I honestly only invited him because I was talking about ya last yacht party, Sif, and Kabrina said it sounded fun. I knew he wouldn’t let her ass come by herself.”

“She feeling you,” Shakur said.

“I doubt it. But even if she was, she a good girl, and I don’t deal with those types. She wouldn’t be down for what I got going on,” Unique said as I watched that AJ nigga.

Standing, I made my way over to him. I didn’t want his ass here witnessing what I was about to do any-fucking-way.

“Aye, you gotta go,” I told AJ, turning him to face me.

“Huh?” He laughed. “We’re in the middle of the ocean.”

“So.”

“And what if I don’t?”

“I can put you in it later, but you gon’ be a lot less alive.”

He looked off, back at me, over at the water, and then yelled, “Kab?—”

“Nah, she can stay.” I nodded over the ledge.

“You cannot be serious right now.”

“I look like I’m joking?” I frowned. “You got five seconds ’fore I decide to put yo’ ass down.”

Huffing and puffing, he stood there for a bit before finally climbing up onto the railing. The sight got everybody who was seated onto their feet, to watch what he was doing. He looked back when Kabrina called his name, before jumping into the water, causing gasps and small screeches.

“You made the muthafucka jump off?” Unique questioned, laughing. I knew his ass wouldn’t give a fuck, but I could see the shock in his face.

“I ain’t like him.” I turned away as people were on stuck, confused. “Now that I got everybody’s attention, baby, come here.” I waved for Anastazia to come over.

She looked around to see if anyone else knew what the fuck was going on, then started toward me. She looked good as fuck in the short, crochet material type dress. It was orange and yellow, a perfect ass color against her brown skin.

“What are you doing?” she asked with a smile, moving her curly hair from her face since the wind had blown the shit there.

For a minute, I didn’t say shit, just taking her in, realizing how different she looked. She’d always been beautiful, a sight to see, but now she looked happy as fuck, and I wasn’t gon’ lie; the shit had me internally popping my fucking collar.

“I been wanting you for a long ass time, and for a minute, I ain’t think the shit was gon’ happen. Had I known you wasn’t happy where you was at, I would’ve made this shit happen a lot sooner.

“Anyway, I’m in love with you, girl. You bring me a lot of fucking peace, and I never knew I would meet a woman that wasn’t family, that would be so trustworthy and loyal. I would give you anything and do anything for you. Like I told you from day one, no other nigga would be willing to go to war for you like me, and if he did, I promise I would be the last muthafucka standing.” I got onto my knee, making my sisters-in-law and everyone else screech loudly with excitement as Anastazia’s eyes widened. I couldn’t read her expression, but she’d better say yes. “I only wanna do this ‘til death do us part shit with you. I know what I want, and I want you, forever, so will you marry me?” I revealed the ring from my pocket, lifting the top of the velvet box.

“That shit is huge!” a woman yelled.

“If she don’t say yes, I will!” Bambi called out. I recognized her voice by this point. As always, her comment rendered laughs from the crowd, even Anastazia who’d been frozen up to that point.

“Yes, of course,” she finally said, nodding. “I don’t think you even needed to ask.” She giggled as I slid the ring onto her finger.

Standing to my feet, I hugged her body, lifting her up so we could be face-to-face for a kiss. After a while of being watched while kissing, I put her down so my brothers could come up and congratulate me, while the ladies surrounded Anastazia to look at her ring.

“Damn, man, you really out the game,” Unique joked. “Nah, but I’m happy for you. I actually like, love , all the females y’all chose. I honestly can’t see you with nobody else.”

“I appreciate that.” I nodded before Lequay came in to slap hands and then hug me. The rest of my brothers followed suit before we chuckled, listening to Analicia and Scotland explain to my fiancée how they would help with wedding plans.

Once the ladies all came to hug me, the party went back into full effect well into the night.

Afterward, I kicked all of them muthafuckas off, took Anastazia to the master bedroom of the yacht, and enjoyed the fuck out of that in denial ass pregnant pussy.

ONE WEEK AND A HALF LATER…

Sophie had dozed off in the middle of our fourth watch of Moana , and I was thankful. The fucking songs were in my head, and I was sure one could guess that a hood nigga walking around mumbling “How Far I’ll Go” didn’t look right. I’d body a nigga if he witnessed that shit.

My phone buzzed on the couch cushion beside me, but I didn’t recognize the number. Just as I was about to hit the lock button to silence it, something told me to pick the shit up.

“Hello?” I sank into the couch, enjoying the smell of whatever Anastazia was whipping up.

“Hello, is this Asif St. Thomas?” a chipper woman asked.

“Who’s asking?”

“This is Danielle from Hillside Memorial. I’m calling in regard to Nori McDaniel-Davies.”

Sitting up, I asked, “What about her?” Silence hung in the air, so I said, “This is Asif.”

“Well, Asif, I am sorry to tell you, but she suffered from a stroke last night. Her husband brought her in, and though we’ve been monitoring her, things aren’t looking good for her. I was advised by her husband to give you a call, in case you wanted to come see your mother.”

“Umm, right.” I stood up, wondering why I even gave a fuck. “Yeah, I’ll come down today.”

“Okay. Just check in at the front and let them know who you are. See you soon.” She hung up.

I stood there for a beat, pondering and wondering if God was punishing a nigga for how I’d treated Nori. I said a silent prayer that she recovered, despite what them niggas were saying, and then ventured to the kitchen.

“Aye, baby, Nori is in the hospital, so I’m gon’ go see here.”

“You want me to come?—”

“Nah, I’m good. Plus, Sophie is finally asleep.” I pulled her in and kissed her face. “I’ll be right back.”

She nodded, so I left out, hitting my father up on the way. To my surprise, he agreed to meet me there, which brought a nigga a little bit of comfort.

When I got to Hillside Memorial in Torrance, I waited out front until I witnessed my dad’s custom Maserati pull in and park.

“She gon’ be aight, Sif,” he said to me once he got close enough, walking alongside me into the hospital.

We checked in, and once I explained that he was my father, they allowed him up. The floor of the hospital she was on smelled like death, making me queasy as fuck as we approached her room. Brian stood outside of it looking distressed as hell.

“You came.” His head popped up upon hearing me and my pops’ footsteps.

“I did.” I nodded. “Where is Blaire?”

“With my mother. This was too much for her,” he explained. “Brian.” He reached his hand out to my father, and he shook it.

“Chianti.”

The three of us entered the room as Brian said, “Baby, Asif is here and, um, Chianti.”

She was laid up in the bed looking like a fucking rag doll. I could tell by the way she looked that Nori was no longer in that body; it was a fucking shell.

The door opened, and a nurse walked in, giving us a sympathetic smile before tending to Nori.

“The stroke unfortunately affected large parts of her brain, so she won’t remember a lot,” the nurse explained as Nori’s eyes flickered open.

She stared at the four of us with a puzzled expression, letting me know she didn’t recognize a nigga. Moving closer, I took her small hand into mine, peering down into her empty ass eyes.

“I’m sorry, Ma,” I said. “If you come up out of this shit, we can be cool. I don’t know about close and me calling you mom and shit, but we can be… something. Shit, I don’t know.” I felt my dad’s hand on my shoulder once I finished speaking. “Crazy as it sounds, I love you,” I admitted embarrassingly. How I loved a woman that never loved me was insanity.

“She loves you too,” Brian answered, making my father look over at him.

We stayed there with her for about half an hour, but when they were about to clean her, my pops and I decided to bounce.

“I shouldn’t have cut her out,” I said as soon as we got outside. I took a seat on the metal bench, needing a moment.

Sitting beside me, my dad replied, “This ain’t got nothing to do with you, Sif. You was upset with her, as you should’ve been, and she ain’t do shit to make it better. She came around thinking she could hit a quick lick, and you peeped the shit, even before I could. The fact that you even give a fuck shows what type of man you are, son.” He huffed, rubbing his beard a bit. “While I never want you to hate ya mama, she didn’t deserve ya effort. It was her time to show you , not the other way around, and she didn’t step up. I hate what’s happened to her because, believe it or not, at one point, I was in love with the woman, still care for her because she gave me you, but I won’t allow you to blame yaself for shit that’s happened to her. You understand?”

I nodded, so he patted my back.

“Aight.” I rose up, and he followed suit.

“Let’s go have a drink.”

“A drink-drink?” I smirked.

“Nah, not for me, but for you.” He shoved his hands down into his pockets.

“Man,” I sucked my teeth, and he guffawed, “I would’ve went to see you even take a shot, but I’m good. My lady making ribs.” I started walking.

“Ribs?” He followed. “We can have the drink at yo’ crib.”

Laughing, I said, “I ain’t say you could come over, dog.”

“I don’t give a damn. I fed yo’ greedy ass for years and still sometimes do. I’m gettin’ some of them muthafuckin’ ribs.”

We cracked up as I bobbed my head to agree before we got into our own cars. That nigga wasn’t playing either, because he, Banks, and moms showed up to my crib about fifteen minutes after me, ready to eat.

Anastazia didn’t mind at all, was even happy to have them over, and it was simple shit like that, that made me love her.

She was home to a nigga, a comforting feeling like bundling up on Christmas and shit. She provided something even a nigga as coined up as me could never pay for. And I would never let her go.