Under The Influence: N 2 Deep

89. A Keeper

Shawnie's POV

Shortly after Joe left, I was just cleaning up the house a little bit, just busying myself until it was time for me to meet my friend. Mercedes and Dori walk in. Dori walks over to me and hugs me but Mercedes comes and sits directly in front of me at the island. I ignore her for a few seconds and I talk to Dori.

"Heeey!" She says with a huge smile on her face.

"What's up?" I ask confused. Why is she so happy?

"Nothing....I just heard some interesting news this morning."

"About?" I ask

"You and Joe..." she says, still smiling big.

"Huh? From who?"

"Well, you know Jey is in love with me. He told me that Joe told him that you guys are entertaining each other."

"Um....we are?" I look at her confused.

"Why did you say it like it's a question?" She asks

"Because I don't know how to answer that. Entertaining each other? What's that mean?"

"What is the deal with you guys?"

"Nothing."

"Oh...well maybe Jey got it wrong." She shrugs.

"Get more info out of him." I say intrigued.

"Okay." She says and I look over at Mercedes. She's just looking at me.

"What?" I say to her.

"Still on the subject of Joe, I heard you guys this morning." She says

I laugh. "I'm sorry. We'll keep it down." I say

"So you guys are a thing?" Dori says

"No. We're not a thing..."

"But...?" My cousin says,

"But nothing. We're not a thing."

"So you guys are just banging?" Dori asks

"We have a couple of times."

She starts jumping up and down and clapping. "Yay! I'm so happy for you."

"Okay but why do you have to use the word banging? It sounds so...nasty."

"Nasty is good!" She smiles. "Joe seems so gooood for you. And he don't play about you." She says

I smile. I never thought about it like that. He doesn't. I like that.

"And he's always there when I need him."

"Except for when he left." Mercedes says. "I'm okay with this but only as long as you're being smart about this. It seems like you're putting too much into Joe. He literally left you when you needed him and now he's back and you guys are just good?"

"Yes." I say. "We talked everything out and now everything is fine."

"Aight.... I was okay with you going to Vegas—."

I cut her off. "No you weren't. You didn't want me to go." I say. I'm not buying her bullshit today.

"I mean...I didn't want you to go but I know you guys care about each other and although I advised against it, I'm happy you followed your own advice. It worked out for you." She smiles but I think it's fake.

"So what is this conversation about? I said we'll keep it down." I'm over this conversation now. It seems like she's trying to install some damaging thoughts about Joe and I ain't going for it.