Page 8 of Always Been You

I bought her a nice four-bedroom in Flint Township.

She was tucked away in a nice neighborhood.

She told me what I bought was too big, but I wanted her to have something nice for once.

I didn’t even get a chance to knock on her door before she swung it open and threw her hands on her hips.

She had on a housecoat, but her short hair was styled perfectly.

Her brown tone was glowing and radiant, and her eyes were bright.

My mother had always gotten up early since I can remember.

“Hey ma,” I said, leaning in for a kiss. She dodged me and grabbed Junior from my arms.

“Now what does your daddy want? The only reason why he comes to see me is cause he wants something. You ain’t gone do granny like that when you get grown, are you?” She said, rolling her eyes, and set Junior on his feet to run through the house. I didn’t even realize he had woken up.

“I ain’t here cuz I want nothing,” I said, walking into the living room.

“Boy, shut the hell up! So, you ain’t here, so I can watch my grandson?

You know, I would like to take him when I want him sometimes.

Not just you dumping him off on me. I love Junior, I do, but I have raised my child, and alone at that.

You and that girl need to get y’all’s shit together.

Y’all have a child to raise.” She scolded me with her regular verbatim.

“Well, that's a done deal, so it ain’t no getting that together.” I walked past her and sat on the couch.

“See, that’s your problem. It ain’t no done deal when you got a baby with somebody, Marcos.

Rather, y’all together or not, you have to deal with this woman for the next fourteen years.

So you better figure something out or some type of schedule, cause Momma is gonna be living too.

But just for my sake, humor me. What happened? ”

“I come home, and she is gone and her best friend in our house fucking some nigga. Momma, you know that’s foul as hell! She is an irresponsible parent.”

“I ain’t going to make no excuses on that, but I ain’t making no excuses for you either.

It’s more to being a parent than making sure everything is paid for.

I know you know I disagree with you out here running the streets, Marcos.

You have a son, and as messed up as it was, I’m sure she has way more nights in with Junior than you do.

You need to think about it. If y’all break up, you're going to have to change your life and be a parent to this boy, meaning spending time with him, because you bringing him over to me every morning you have him, ain’t gone work baby. ”

“I hear you, Ma.”

“Umm hmm. You hear me, but you ain’t listening.

I ain’t no damn bed and breakfast either.

You need to take us out this morning. Let me grab my shoes.

” She disappeared into the back. My mom could cook her ass off and didn’t have a problem doing it.

That let me know she was a bit more concerned about me than she led on.

She wanted more time to get into my head.

She’d call my ass out. I would spend a few minutes here, but after dropping Junior off, I would get back to my business. It was always something to do. Perhaps going out to breakfast and telling her about the new venture would help calm her down.

We ended up at Bob Evans. I wasn’t much of a breakfast eater, but Junior tore up his pancakes while my mom and I talked.

“I’m going into business with Chubby,” I announced.

“Really. What are y’all doing?” She perked up.

“A new restaurant in the area. You know Chubby has been cooking like crazy since we were teens. We're throwing some money together, and we should be opening in the next few weeks.”

“That’s so good to hear. You have always been great at numbers, so I am sure y’all would match. You tell Chubby to— Oh my God!”

“What?” I sat up quickly.

“Dyami! Dyami! Sweetheart!” My mother said her name, and I felt as if a cool bucket of water had washed over me. That name. That girl.

My mother was out of her seat first, and I was damn near almost scared to follow or turn.

When I got up, my feet locked in place. My mom hugged her so tightly I couldn’t see her face.

They rocked back and forth momentarily. That was proof of the relationship they built.

Once I became aware of Dyami’s situation growing up, my mother was aware of it a few weeks later.

Dyami would’ve been at my house every damn day if I had it my way.

“Marcos? Marcos, is that you?” I heard a voice call me from over to my right.

I tensed up immediately hearing my government name.

I laid my eyes on her. It had been years, but I could spot her anywhere.

Dyami Taylor. She still looked the same with brown skin, 5’5, those sexy pouty lips, and black hair.

Those pretty ass brown eyes shot a dagger through my heart.

But that body, it wasn’t anything immature about it.

She had filled the fuck out and was thick as hell.

I felt all the memories flooding back to my mind.

One in particular stuck out, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

I used to follow this damn girl around like a puppy. I liked her so much. I could call it my first crush. Crush felt immature for what my feelings were for her at the time. Damn, it had been a long time since I had seen her, but she put a smile on my face so damn big I thought my face would crack.

“What don’t you remember me?” she sassed with an eyeroll. She was wearing a short black dress and black heels that brought her right up to my chin. My possessiveness of her kicked in like it had been back in the day. I pulled her into me and looked down at her, inhaling her sweet scent.

“What up, Dyami?” She smelled good as fuck. There was an awkward silence as we looked at each other and my mom.

“Well, I’ll let you two catch up.” My mother slinked away and headed back to the table with a Kool-Aid grin. I wasn’t going to hear the end of this.

“Damn, Marcos, you got tall as hell,” Dyami said through a smile.

“And you still fine as fuck,” I never hid the fact that I was attracted to her, even when I was a young dude. She would blow me off, but that never stopped a nigga from trying or making sure no one else did

“You are crazy as hell still,” she laughed at me. “When did you get back in town?”

“Shit, not too long ago.” I wiped my hand over my hair.

“And damn, you couldn’t say anything? You must have forgotten all about your back in the day bestie, huh?” she teased.

“Hell naw, shit just been crazy.”

“Ooh, and you still make that face when you lie.” She pushed me softly on the arm before continuing. “You know I’m just teasing, but it was good seeing you,” she said, flashing a smile, trying to walk away, but I kept a grip on her.

“You know yo’ ass ain’t getting away from me that easy. I ain’t seen you in years.”

“We are in the middle of the restaurant, Marcos. You gotta move,” she said, lifting up on her toes to whisper in my ear.

“Let’s step out here for a second,” I said, pulling her to the foyer.

We got a bit of distance away so I could hear her without all the chatter of the restaurant.

She was bringing a nigga back to my teenage years when nothing else mattered but trying to get close to her.

I remember being devastated when my mom told me we were leaving here for good.

Dyami and I at that time had been friends for a minute, but she always brushed me off.

I was the flyest nigga around even then, but she wasn’t sweating that shit at all.

We did build a tight ass bond. Something I unknowingly had been trying to replicate since.

“What are you doing up here so early?”

“It was a company breakfast thing. Only a few people showed up, and I was thinking about leaving anyway. Ms. Lyn saved me. It is so good to see her!”

“Yeah, Ma, cool. When you get back in town.”

“A couple of years ago. I graduated from WMU, and now I am working at Hurley Hospital in the HR department.” She beamed, and I stepped back to absorb her. I couldn’t believe I was talking to her.

“You always were smart.”

“You are just as smart, too. Just always easily distracted.” She rested her hand on my arm. It was all that little shit she was doing that if it were another woman, I wouldn’t have second-guessed it. My nerves told me not to read too heavy into it. At least not now.

“I may have been back then, but not now.” I locked eyes with her, and she quickly turned away, but not before I saw her cheeks redden. That small display hit my chest. I cupped my hand under her chin to turn her face to me.

“You heard me. Ain’t shit distracting me now. Let me get your phone.” She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, and I wanted to free it from that grip desperately. I dropped my hand and stepped forward. She gave me her phone, and I entered my number, texted myself, and handed it back.

“Uh, I should go. They are probably looking for me.” She pointed over her shoulder.

“I got you. But you have my number now. I know you here, so don’t make me run your pretty ass down.”

We hugged, and when we walked into the restaurant, we split in two different directions. My eyes followed her until she disappeared, then I turned to see my son looking straight at me.

“Now that is the type of girl you need to be with. I just know Dyami got her head on straight.” My mom said.

“Who is Dyami?” Junior asked.

“Aht! Lil boy. What I tell you about grown folks' business.” My mom caught Junior before I did.

“She is doing well for herself. Eat your food, baby boy. We're about to leave soon,” I said, coming to my senses. Damn, I just saw Dyami Taylor, and she was more beautiful than I remember.