Page 20 of Certified Pressure 3 (Certified Pressure #3)

Meridian Estates in Nzuri Hall

While Kay’Lo was drivin’ us to his people house, I stared out the window, thinkin’ about how wild life had been lately.

Everything looked different out here. The streets was cleaner, the air was fresh and even the houses was sittin’ big as hell like they was watchin’ you ride past. My stomach was tight, but I wasn’t necessarily scared.

I was just tryna wrap my head around the fact that this man I been layin’ next to for weeks really wanted me to meet his family. That shit wasn’t small to me.

I glanced over at him while he drove. He had one hand on the wheel, the other restin’ on my thigh, his thumb movin’ slow against my skin. He always did that when he wanted me calm, and it worked every time.

“Stop worryin’, baby,” he said, his eyes still on the road. “They gon’ love you like I do.”

“I ain’t worried,” I lied, playin’ it cool. “I’m just thinkin’.”

“‘Bout what?”

“‘Bout how this some real fancy shit you got me comin’ to.”

He laughed under his breath, that deep laugh that always hit my chest.

“I’m for real,” I said as I looked out the window again. The gates in the distance was tall as hell, lined with cameras, and marble lions sittin’ out front. “Look at that, Lo. That don’t look like no regular house.”

While we rode, I kept thinkin’ about how far we done come since that night everything flipped when Ka’mari tried to play me with that video.

I can still feel how hard my heart was beatin’ when I called him from the airport.

I didn’t even know if he’d pick up, but he did, and the very next day, that man was there.

There wasn’t no talkin’, or questions. I just gave him the location and he came.

He got us this big extended-stay suite like we was already livin’ together, and that’s how it had been since.

Those weeks with Lo changed me. He met my grandma, and sat at her table like he’d been there his whole life. My cousins loved him too. They said he was cool for a rich nigga, but they ain’t see what I saw. They ain’t see how he made me feel.

One night I was layin’ on his chest, just listenin’ to his heart.

I told him everything about what my own brothers and uncles did to me, and how I been carryin’ that weight since I was a lil’ girl.

He ain’t say nothin’ at first. He just held me tighter.

Then he said, “Toni, I’on give a fuck how long ago that shit was.

If I ever see them niggas, I’m knockin’ they ass out on sight. ”

I knew he meant that too. I could hear it in his voice. From that night on, he been my safety. I ain’t never had a man that made me feel soft before him. Kay’Lo made me forget I ever had to fight for everything.

He always kept his gun close, even when we was just ridin’ somewhere small. I would tease him for it, but lowkey I liked that shit. My hood ass felt safe as hell knowin’ he was built like that. He was gentle with me, but dangerous to the world.

The car slowed as we got closer to the gate. My palms was sweaty now, but I kept it cute, fixin’ my hair in the mirror.

“Damn, this house big as hell,” I whispered when the gate opened.

We rolled down a long stone driveway lined with palm trees and fountains that sprayed water like we was pullin’ up to a resort. When we stopped, two valet drivers walked up quick. One opened my door while the other took the keys from Kay’Lo.

The second my heels hit the ground, I had to blink a few times just takin’ it all in.

The house… no… the estate, was massive. The white walls, glass windows stretchin’ up high and balconies wrapped around the sides looked like a damn shoppin’ mall with flowers everywhere.

It also had that fresh, expensive smell floatin’ through the air.

Inside was even crazier. It was decked out with marble floors, gold accents and art hangin’ on the walls that looked like it cost somebody a lifetime of checks. I heard laughter and voices from deeper in the house.

Kay’Lo’s cousins and aunties was scattered through the space. Before I could even process all that, this lil’ girl, maybe sixteen, came runnin’ full speed. “Kay’Lo!” she screamed, throwin’ her arms round him.

He laughed and hugged her back. “What’s up, Kynzi? You get taller every time I see you.”

Kynzi pulled back, smilin’, then looked right at me. “Oh my God, is this your girlfriend?”

Kay’Lo nodded, and slid his hand into mine. “Yeah, this my girl Toni.”

“Your hair is so pretty! I keep askin’ my mama can I dye mine red like that, but she say no.”

I smiled back at her. “Girl, when you get grown you gon’ do whatever you want with it.”

She laughed, and Kay’Lo squeezed my hand like he liked how easy I was with his people. We moved further in, sayin’ hi to everybody, and I could feel the love they had for him. It made sense though ‘cause he carried himself different, and he really was a standup guy.

After a while, Kay’Lo said, “Come on, let’s find my mama.”

We walked through a wide hall that opened up into the kitchen. It smelled like herbs and fruit and somethin’ sweet bakin’. I looked around and saw big glass doors leadin’ to the backyard. When we stepped out, I spotted his mama, standin’ by a flower bed, clippin’ long stems to put in a vase.

She was beautiful in a calm kind of way, with the prettiest caramel skin I had ever seen. She moved like she was never in a rush for nobody. Her skin glowed, her clothes was simple but clean, and her energy was peaceful as hell. She gave me the vibe of a woman who prayed and meant it.

Kay’Lo smiled soon as he saw her. “Wussup Ma.”

She turned, smiled wide, and opened her arms. “Hey, baby.” She hugged him tight, kissin’ his cheek. Then her eyes found me, and for a second she just looked, like she was takin’ me in. Then she smiled and stepped forward. “And this must be Toni.”

“Yes ma’am,” I said soft.

She hugged me, and I swear she smelled so good, like fresh flowers and clean linen. “He’s told me so much about you,” she said.

I didn’t even know what to say. “I hope it was good things,” I joked, and she laughed.

“Only good things,” she said, and there was this warmth in her voice that made me relax a lil’. She talked to me like she had been knowin’ me longer than a few minutes, askin’ if I was comfortable. I already felt like she could be a mother figure without even tryin’.

Then she asked Kay’Lo, “Have you seen your father yet?”

He shook his head. “Not yet.”

She nodded slow. “I’ll go get him.”

We followed her back inside, through another long hall that led to some kind of office space. A few minutes later, his daddy came out.

He was tall, dark-skinned and had a strong build with some sharp ass eyes sharp.

He reminded me of Pressure’s father in a lotta ways.

You could tell they was brothers ‘cause they carried that same power. He looked at Kay’Lo first, pulled him in for a handshake that turned into a hug, then turned his eyes on me.

I smiled polite. “Hi, Mr. Mensah.”

He nodded once. “Hello.” His voice was deep and calm, but there was distance in it. He wasn’t rude, just unreadable.

That look in his eyes told me enough, though. He ain’t see me for his son.

Kay’Lo must’ve felt it too, ‘cause he squeezed my hand. It was that kind of squeeze that said, you good, I got you.

I held my head up, keepin’ my smile steady even though somethin’ in me felt heavy.

Treasure was standin’ close by, still sweet as ever, talkin’ to ease the tension, but I already knew this was gon’ be a long ass evening.

We had been at Kay’Lo’s parents’ house for a few hours and I was still tryna get used to how big everything was.

Every corner of that place looked like money and old love mixed together—family pictures framed in gold, white floors so clean I could see my reflection, and the smell of fresh flowers comin’ from somewhere in the back.

I kept my smile right but inside I was remindin’ myself to chill.

Don’t get me wrong, Lo’s people was sweet, but I could feel eyes on me every now and then, like they was still tryna figure me out.

Kay’Lo sat close beside me at the table, his hand restin’ on my leg under the linen like he could feel I was nervous.

His mama, sat across from us lookin’ soft and calm, askin’ everybody if they had enough to eat.

She had the type of peace that make a room quiet without even tryin’, and I liked her already.

She made me feel comfortable, even though I was sittin’ in a house that looked like a museum.

The butler kept comin’ around pourin’ drinks.

I asked for some tequila, somethin’ I knew would loosen me up.

We had just came from brunch earlier so I wasn’t really hungry, but I still fixed a small plate so I wouldn’t look rude.

The food looked too good to ignore anyway.

We had grilled salmon, pasta, and bread so soft it melted.

Treasure smiled at me while she buttered her roll. “So, Toni, where did you go to college?”

I swallowed and wiped my mouth before answerin’. “I didn’t finish high school, ma’am. I dropped out early, but I went back later and got my GED.”

The table went quiet for half a beat. Treasure nodded slow, her smile stayin’ the same. “That’s good, baby. Life don’t always go how we plan, but it’s good you finished it your way.”

Before I could even thank her, Kay’Lo’s father spoke. His voice was deep and low, and filled up the room even when he wasn’t tryin’ to. “And how have you been able to function without a diploma?”

I looked up at him. He wasn’t bein’ rude on purpose, but the way he said it made my stomach turn. His face stayed calm, but his eyes was already pickin’ me apart.

“Well…” I said, tryna force a smile. “I did get my GED. It’s still good. I mean, that’s how I feel. After that I started doin’ home health care, workin’ with elderly folk. I love it, actually.”

He nodded once, still lookin’ like he didn’t really hear me. “And how did you meet my son again?”

It came out smooth but heavy, like there was somethin’ behind it. I opened my mouth, ready to tell the truth, but before I could get a word out Kay’Lo cut in.

“We met at an event,” he said quick, calm as ever. He didn’t even blink. “She stood out soon as I saw her.”

I looked at him, and he reached under the table and slid his hand into mine. Then he lifted it up where everybody could see and kissed the back of it. I felt that kiss all through me, and I knew what he was doin’. He wasn’t lettin’ nobody mistake what this was.

“She’s cool people,” he said, still holdin’ my hand. “She help a lot in her neighborhood, always lookin’ out for other people. She got a good heart. I wanted y’all to meet her because she’s important to me.”

Treasure’s smile got brighter. “That’s sweet, Kay’Lo. She’s the first young lady we’ve actually met.”

His cousin Kynzi nodded fast. “I like her,” she said, grinnin’. “She real.”

That made me laugh a lil’, and the tight feelin’ in my chest eased up.

Treasure sat across from me with that calm smile, her eyes soft but curious.

Sometimes she’d nod while I talked, then glance at Kay’Lo like she was piecin’ things together about me.

She was polite and warm enough, but every now and then when I said somethin’ that didn’t quite fit her world, her eyebrows lifted just a little like, oh…

okay. She kept her grace though, but I could just tell I wasn’t really her cup of tea.

Kwame didn’t say another word. He finished his food, dabbed his mouth with a napkin, and said he had a phone call to make. Before he left, he looked at Kay’Lo. “You’ll have to call me later, son.”

It sounded polite, but somethin’ about it felt like a message I wasn’t supposed to miss. He gave a short nod at me, then walked off.

The room stayed light after that, but it felt different. I kept smilin’ and laughin’ when Treasure said somethin’ funny, but part of me knew I wasn’t gon’ fit in.

After a while, lunch wrapped up and Kay’Lo stood, thankin’ his mama before we headed out.

Treasure came around the table and gave me another hug.

It wasn’t like the first one though. This one felt a lil’ more careful, like she was tryin’ to figure out how she actually felt about me.

She was nice about it, still smilin’ and tellin’ me it was good meetin’ me.

When we got to the car, I finally let out the breath I’d been holdin’. Kay’Lo laughed low, startin’ the engine.

“You did good, baby,” he said, reachin’ over to pull my hand to his lips again.

I smiled, but my mind was still on his father. “I don’t think your daddy liked what I said about school.”

He shrugged. “So what. It ain’t about what he like. Pops gon’ be a’ight.”

I looked out the window, watchin’ the driveway stretch behind us. “He just seemed like he wasn’t feelin’ me.”

“He don’t gotta feel you,” Kay’Lo said, his voice calm. “I do.”

That shut me right up. I looked over at him, admiring the way the sunlight hit his skin.

The rest of the ride stayed quiet, but it was that kind of quiet that felt safe.

Even with the way shit went at his people house, I knew I’d never forget how he looked at me when he kissed my hand at that table.

It was like no matter who doubted me, he was gon’ keep remindin’ everybody that I belonged right next to him.