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“You sitting here upset ‘bout the shit so tell me what the fuck the issue is now.”
“You!” She barked. “You’re the fucking issue Julius. And the fact that you can’t see it is very telling.”
“Very telling of what? How I’m the issue though Nariah? I’m trying to respect your wishes. You wanna get married before we have another baby, and I respect that.”
“You don’t respect shit Julius.” She snorted, low key calling me out, but I wouldn’t tell her ass that.”
“On Juju I do.” I argued.
Licking the corners of her mouth Nariah narrowed her eyes at me before a sinister smirk spread across her face. “You don’t. If anything, you just confirmed what I already knew.”
“Which is what?” I challenged.
“You got a bitch on the side. Prolly been fucking that hoe raw and shit. Pop up with a baby if you want Julius.”
Sucking my teeth I shook my head. “You gon’ keep saying that shit until you believe it. Ain’t a bitch out there that can say I stuck my dick in ‘em raw. And if somebody do say it that bitch telling a muthafucking lie.”
“Oh, they lying if they said you fucked raw but not if they say y’all fucked. Got it.” She nodded her head like she had solved a mystery.
“That ain’t what the fuck I meant Nari and you know it.”
“Hey.” She shrugged. “It’s what you didn’t say, love.” She winked.
Instead of arguing with her I went to my side of the shower and washed off. The two of us showered without uttering another word to one another. Once I was done, I hopped out, dried off, and got my ass in bed. It was clear that Nariah was still in her feelings, and she had it. Instead of baiting her into another disagreement I was gone wait for her mood to shift. Maybe then the two of us could come to some type of understanding.
Dropping my phone down on the table I sat in front of the mixing board and replayed the track. Shit at the crib had been sticky for the past three days and I needed a moment to clear my head. Nariah’s show was in a few days, and I knew it would be all hands on deck so I’d had my assistant clear my schedule for the week.
I tried on a few occasions to help Nariah out, but she kept saying how she ain’t need my help. Her ass needed some kind of help cause all week muthafuckas had been in and out of the crib. Hell, even my niggas had been over helping her get ready. It was clear her ass just wasn’t fucking with me.
I could’ve forced myself in her mix, but I let her have it, instead I left the crib first thing this morning and had been held up in the studio. My plan was to stay busy until she decided she was ready to fuck with me.
Folding my arms across my chest I leaned back in the chair and bobbed my head to the track I’d just laid down. One of Nariah’s favorite songs was “Gonna Love Me”by Teyana Taylor so I thought it would be a cute gesture to spit a couple of verses over the track. Ya know, to let my girl know just how much I loved her. Hopefully I could get Teyana’s camp to approve it before the fashion show. If they did, it would be an ode to Nariah and I would have the DJ play it.
I was busy listening to the track when the studio door was pushed opened. When I tossed my head back and saw who the uninvited guest was, I cut the song.
“You must love me?” I joked. “You don’t never pull up on this side of town.” Rising from the stool I took the few steps and met Ma Dukes in the center of the room. “What you doing overhere?” I asked, and wrapped my arms around her, pulling her into a hug.
“Was at your house and noticed you were missing.” She let me know after reciprocating my gesture.
“Yeah.” I sighed. “Nari ain’t fucking with me like that right now.” Tossing my body down in the seat I folded my hands behind my head and gave Ma Dukes my undivided attention.
With raised eyebrows she confirmed. “I heard about Miami.”
“Ma.” Her raising her hand put an immediate halt to what I was ‘bout to say.
“I also heard about what happened the other night between the two of you.”
“Mayne.” I groaned childlike. Nariah had to really be in her feelings if she was confiding in Ma Dukes. Early on the two of us made a conscious decision to keep our folks out of our business. We ain’t wanna blur the lines and give nobody any preconceived notions ‘bout each other. So, for my OG to be sitting in front of me giving me that “you know better look” my ass really was in the doghouse.”
“Julius, I done told you plenty of times before if you not ready to step up and be the man Nariah needs and a positive example for Juju then you need to let her go.”
“That’s just it Ma. I am ready.”
“Not ducking out of the hotel while she sleep you ain’t.”
“That was a one-time thing.” I sucked my teeth. “And I was at the studio.”
“Julius, you must’ve forgotten that I gave birth to you. I raised your lil ass. I know when you’re lying before it rolls off your lips.”