Secrets Between Bois

Now what?

"Don't forget to tell em about my sinks!" my mom reminded me as she scurried out to her awaiting cab. She was on her way to meet with her siblings to go over the funeral arrangements.

"Yes ma'am" I called after her. "Tell Auntie Nette & Uncle Charles 'nem I said 'Hello'"! I waved as the taxi sputtered off.

I went back into the house & ventured off to the back of the house where the contractors had been working. I traced the measurements on the walls and tried to imagine my mother's vision for the edition to her house. I thought back to the days of my childhood...Before dad passed..When the four of us lived in the one bedroom apartment in the city.

He always promised her a house in the country. He promised my younger sister and I that we'd have our own rooms & a play room in the basement. He promised Momma a big ol backyard for her vegetable garden. And he worked himself to death for it.
He was a cable technician. He had a heart attack while on a job & fell off a roof about seven years ago. The company paid his burial expenses & bought us this house. Mom used his pension to send me to Spelman-where I attained my M.B.A.- and to set up a college fund for my 17 year old sister Milandra.

Mom spent her days as a substitute teacher for the school district. She was well taken care of but got bored sitting at home all day so she went to work. I worked as a project manager for a company in town.

"Ayooo!! Anybody home?!!" Kyng's voice interrupted my flash back as she let herself in the front door.

"Back here Boi Boi!" I called out guiding her to the back of the house.

"Wdup son? Whatchu on this morning?" we dapped each other up as she came in.

"Shit. Waiting on the guys to get to work in here." I answered. "What about you? How long you in town?"

"I took two weeks." She replied. "Yara has to go woo some European chic out in London. I was gon go but-" She shrugged her shoulders.

"Right." I nodded "Well moms jus left a few minutes ago...she'll be back later this afternoon."

"Aw Damn! It's coo. I'll see her later."

We both fell silent.

"So what's poppin witchu Playboi? I see ya doin ya thang on tv Bruh!"

"Ehhh!! I do a lil som'n!" She bounced her shoulders and popped her collar. "I gotta couple projects in the works though." She continued.

"Jus did a joint wit Yaz & Drezzy. Bout to do a Dice Prenzel movie." she boasted of her accomplishments & endeavors. As she spoke I wondered if she was trying to convince me of her happiness or herself...

We hadn't spoken in the years we'd been apart but we kept up with each other through social media & family. She was raised by her grandmother along with her cousin Taesean.

"Ay how's Tae?" I interrupted her midsentence.

"He good. I jus bought his gear for football season." Her eyes twinkled when she spoke of her little cousin. He was the only blood she had left after her grandmother passed.

"That's wassup. Glad to see he's doin' better yo."

"Yea man.. My lil Brody was trippin on sum depression type shit.." she leaned on the wall near a window. Her diamond stud earrings along with her honey hazel eyes gleamed in the sunlight a bright contrast to her dark chocolate skin.

"Soooo is this a thing now?" I scooped her chains with my thumb. "I never thought you were the flashy type."

"Shiiit things change man. People change." she responds readjusting her necklaces.