The HU$TLE {FIN}

thirty

B.

"I think I'm going to fry this chicken." I mumbled to myself as I cleaned the wings. I was trying to plan dinner on the fly because I hadn't really planned on cooking tonight, this was last minute as hell.

"Put some grease on the stove for me, little boy."

"Can I get a please or something? Sheesh."

"Put a frying pan of grease on the damn stove like I said."

"I won't tolerate this." Karim joked as he did what I told him to do.

He promised me some mother-son time so right now he was "helping" me cook. He was mostly on his phone and providing some half-ass conversation. But it was still nice to have him around.

"Karim, pass me the adobo." I told him as I seasoned the chicken.

He sighed. "You Putting me to work."

He reached up into the cabinet and passed it to me. "Thanks, shut up."

He leaned on the counter and continued to use his phone.

"You know it's not really mother-son time if you're on your phone." I told him with a slight eye roll.

"Sorry, mother." He mumbled putting his phone in his basketball shorts pocket. "How was your day?"

"It was great! I love my job and I love where I work. How about you?"

"It was cool I guess. I just been chilling."

"Mhm... and your girlfriend?"

"She's okay." He said plainly.

"What, I don't get to meet her?"

"You can meet her Whenever you want, mother."

"Do y'all be having sex?!"

"I really wish you'd stop asking me that." He chuckled while rolling his eyes.

"You know you can tell me everything... you're 18 and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't having sex or thinking about having sex at your age."

"Mommmm." He groaned.

"What?! Do you love her?"

"Maaaaaa!" He groaned again and waved me off.

"I'm just asking!" I smiled.

He sighed. "I don't know, maybe! Why you hounding me? Let's talk about your boyfriends! With an s! How are they doing?"

"First of all, I don't have a boyfriend let alone two. And second of all, I'm your mother. It's my job to hound you." I shrugged. I placed the chicken in the grease and went to wash my hands.

"Now you don't have no boyfriends? I'm sleep. What happened?"

"Boy... I was just messing with Trevante for a little bit, but-"

"But then ole dude came back." He interrupted as a matter of fact.

"No... Shut up. It's kind of about Jay ... but not like that. I was just focusing my attention on him and my daughter and Trevante felt like I forgot about him." I said trying to explain myself.

"Mhm. You don't have to lie to me. I see through you."

"Nobody lying, boy. Shut up."

"Look me in my face and tell me y'all not going to get back together."

I looked at him and rolled my eyes. "Do you want rice or macaroni and cheese to go with the chicken?"

"Don't try to change the subject." He teased.

"I think I want rice, so rice it is." I decided.

"Y'all getting back together."

I glared at him. "So hypothetically speaking... IF we got back together, which I'm not saying will happen, would you care?"

He chuckled. "Of course I would care. I care about everything you do. I wouldn't be mad though, that's your choice."

"Oh okay."

"So y'all are getting back together?"

"Karim Nasir Knowles, leave me the hell alone."

He busted out laughing in my face. I swear this dude was so annoying. "Go sit down."

"Yes ma'am."

I finished cooking dinner around 6, I knew Jay and Blue would be back any second now.

"Can you and Jay play nice, Karim? You don't have to be his best friend, but it would mean a lot for y'all to be cool."

"I'll try, ma. But You really need to be telling him that."

"I will. Don't tell me what I need to do." I said playfully pushing his head.

I heard a knock and decided to get it. "Don't eat anything when I walk away. I'm not even playing." I told him with a straight face.

I was not joking, he always think he's slick. Sneaking food whenever I walk away.

Karim threw his hands up and pulled out his phone to distract himself.

I opened the door for Jay and Blue and gasped with a smile. "Oh Hi, mommy's baby. Did you miss me?"

"Yeah I miss you mommy." She smiled back at me.

"Awww. Give me a hug, you had fun?"

"Mhm." She nodded.

"You ready to eat?"

"Yes!"

I laughed. "Go ahead to the table, Karim is in there."

"Yay! Keem!!!" She yelled his name looking for him.

"Do I get noticed now?" Jay asked.

"Oh, yes. Hello. How was she? Did she behave?"

"She was fine, Bey. Very well mannered."

I flipped my hair. "What can I say? I taught her well."

He laughed. "Well Why aren't you well mannered then?"

"I am... except for sometimes." I smirked.

"You're disgusting. I'm ready to eat, what did you cook?"

"Who said I had any for you?"

He chuckled. "You ain't have to. I already know you got enough for daddy. Come here."

He pulled me towards him and gave me a nice warm hug. "Why you always smell so good?"

"I don't know." I blushed in his chest so he couldn't see me. "Come on and let me go so we can eat."

He did what I said and followed me to the table. He sat down and I made everyone's plate.

"Thanks, mommy." Karim said before he starting eating.

"Thanks, mommy." Blue said copying Karim.

"Yeah, Thank you, mommy." Jay added.

I rolled my eyes at Jay. "Y'all are all welcome."

We all ate and talked about different things. It did actually feel like family time. I could see the growth between Jay and Karim. They weren't buddy buddy, but they weren't making it awkward either.

A small smile formed on my lips as I looked around at them. My three hearts. My son, my daughter, and the man I imagined spending the rest of my life with.