Page 3 of In Too Deep

“I don’t know what you call it, but c’mon on. I need to handle some moe’ shit. Gone ahead and head home.”

She removed the towel from her face and placed it on the counter.

“Throw that shit in the trash. Don’t leave it out for them kids to find and make sure they eat and clean the rest of this nasty ass house before you dip out.”

Trecee put her hand on her bony hip. “Do I look like the maid?”

“Naw, but yo folks sleep here. Make sure they clean this nasty ass shit before you dip. Where ya mama at?” I dipped my head around the corner after stepping out of the bathroom. It was a three-bedroom, two-bathroom duplex.

“I don’t know,” she shrugged.

“C’mere man.” With my hand, I motioned her towards me and grabbed a handful of her ass as I pecked her forehead with a kiss.

“Don’t be getting into no more fights, bruh.

” The baby pink Gucci polo style dress had specks of blood on the front.

I’d be sure to make a note to send it to the cleaners tomorrow morning.

“Fuck you.” She shot me the finger before I staggered through the small hallway and back into the kitchen, where her little brothers and sisters were still cleaning up their mess.

Moriah was on the couch, sleeping, so before dipping out, I picked her up and carried her to the cleanest room in the house, pulled the covers back, and laid her down on the bed, while making sure to tuck her money from the tooth fairy under her pillow.

Mimi had busied herself with cleaning up the glob of blood on the porch like her life depended on it—scrubbing the steps with a sponge like it was crime scene evidence.

“Aye Mimi, don’t give yourself a hard time getting that shit up, you got a ride home? Where yo nigga at?”

Standing up, I gripped her arm to help her, so she could balance herself to keep from falling.

“He should be just now getting off work.”

I nodded. “That fight, keep it a hunnid and tell me who started that shit.”

She raised her brow and popped her tongue.

The tongue ring was plain to see. “Who do you think? I don’t blame Synthia though.

She battles through a lot of shit by herself ya know.

She doesn’t take handouts from nobody, not even me.

She knows that she’s big. Trecee didn’t have to throw that in the air.

It’s bad enough she throws it up in the air now that she’s well off.

I remember a time she used to eat the butt of bread and cup noodles. ”

Stroking my beard, I nodded my head, letting her words sink in.

This wasn’t the first time Mimi said some shit of this caliber.

Trecee had it made, but if I kicked her broke ass to the curb tonight, she’d be back here at her mom’s place, flicking roaches off her face and shit, living in filth.

Taking the girl out of the ghetto ain’t always a good thing.

I rode around in my car, taking back streets, in search of Synthia.

There was no point in looking on Lamar, scoping the main roads, but I backtracked and did it anyway.

I ended up finding her walking on the sidewalk after crossing the street.

Like a fool, I swerved in traffic and turned on my emergency lights as I crept down on her.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

Lightly tapping on my horn, I needed to get her attention.

Her fine, thick ass was power walking and shit.

When she glanced back, shielding the blazing sun out of her face, her eyes landed on me, and I motioned for her to get in the car.

Still keeping a stank ass attitude, she kept walking.

Sucking my teeth, I put my car in park, and looked behind me to make sure there weren’t any incoming cars coming before getting out.

Synthia was a good distance away from me now, so I had to do a light jog to reach her because she wasn’t bulging.

That was a good thing but a bad one because she was treating me like she ain’t know a nigga.

Gracing my presence, she always gave me those vibes that she didn’t fuck with me.

I guess morally it was off the strength that I was her cousin’s man.

Chuckling, I shook my head as I staggered after her, watching her hips sway back and forth in the skin tight sun dress with spaghetti straps.

It was a peach color, complementing her butterscotch skin complexion.

On her feet were a pair of black thong sandals, and draped across her ankle was a rose gold anklet.

A subtle peach fragrance, carried on the breeze, unexpectedly impacted my senses.

My gaze focused back on that big ass wagon she was toting back there.

Synthia was plus sized, but she wasn’t sloppy.

She had a little gut that jingled when she walked, but it wasn’t a beer belly or worth frowning upon the way Trecee had done earlier.

Synthia has always been pretty to me, way prettier than her leeching ass cousin.

Niggas in the hood gawked over her all the time when she’d pull through with Trecee to kick it in the hood.

So, I hate that for her if she ever second guessed that.

“Aye mane,” I called out as I caught up with her and gently grabbed her arm. “Damn, ma, why you walkin’ so fast and shit? A nigga ain’t trying to kidnap you or no shit like that.”

I’m sure her aggravation stemmed from horns beeping at her prior to me doing it, as good as she looked, out here walking in the heat, pretty as hell, I don’t blame them.

Jolting her neck, she curled her top lip while trying to yank her arm back. I let it go, I wasn’t holding her shit hard enough for her to be being dramatic like she was now.

“Let me the fuck go,” she barked.

“I ain’t holdin’ yo shit no more. You out here actin’ like a nigga ‘bout to kidnap yo thick ass or sum.” Briefly, I pulled up my joggers that were slightly sagging off my ass a little bit.

“I don’t know what the fuck you’re planning on doing. After I beat your bitch’s ass you might be pullin’ up on me for payback.” Rolling her neck, she folded her arms across her ample breasts.

I licked my lips and scrunched my face up in confusion at the thought. “Nah, I don’t get in between family matters and shit.”

“Then why are you here, stopping me, looking like a damn creep?”

Lifting my hand, I rubbed it through my wavy hair, feeling the soft texture against my fingertips. “I saw you walking and I wanted to offer you a ride. It’s too fuckin’ hot out here to be walking and shit. Then niggas be acting frisky, they might fuck around and try something.”

“Thank you, but no thank you, and as far as that goes, I know how to protect myself.”

“Yeah, I know that.” I stepped to her. “But you shouldn’t have to, where yo nigga at? Why he lettin’ you walk out here all by yourself?” I asked, trying to feel her out.

“I don’t care to entertain niggas right now, but I have options,” she responded.

“And them niggas got you out here walkin’ on them pretty ass feet? If that nigga ain’t got a car, he a bum. I put my girl in that big body Benz. Your nigga spoilin’ you like that?”

Synthia pursed her full lips and rolled her eyes. “Look, enough of this back and forth ass shit, it’s too hot to be doing all of this and I—” Her voice carried as she prepared to walk away, but I grabbed her hand again, jarring her attention back to me.

“What the fuck,” she scoffed, while glancing at the hold I had on her arm.

“Just let me give you a ride. Quit actin’ so fuckin’ stubborn, mane.”

Pondering on it for a second, she interrogated me. “Do you need to call and ask Trecee for permission?”

“I’m a grown ass man. I don’t have to ask Trecee shit, and Trecee ain’t my bitch, she just a piece of in house pussy. It ain’t that deep, but I tell you what, you can get yo fine ass in the car and let me take you home.”

“Look Rome, I’m only doing this because it’s hot as hell outside,” she stated, finally giving in.

“What other reason would you be doin’ it for?” I mumbled.

“Huh?”

“Nothin mane, c’mon.”

Naturally, I let her walk ahead of me and when we neared my car, I sped up and opened the door for her. She jolted her neck back and gave me a weird ass look.

“What? Niggas don’t open the door for women no more?”

“That’s not it, it’s niggas like you who I don’t expect to do it.”

Instead of responding, I shook my head and waited on the sidewalk for a few cars to pass by until it was safe enough to get back in the driver’s seat.

Cool air wafting from the vents cooled me down the moment my ass hit the seat.

Momentarily, I glanced over at Synthia, and she looked relieved, despite all the bitching and bickering she was doing prior.

“Don’t this shit feel good?”

“Yeah, it does,” she answered with a slight head nod.

I could smell the sweat permeating from her body, but the scent of peaches oozed from her skin, like it wasn’t a fragrance, but as if it was cloaked around her flesh permanently.

“What’s that shit about you saying I don’t look like the type of nigga who opens doors for women?

” I grinned. One hand was on the steering wheel, and the other arm was resting on the armrest. “I’m a lil’ offended.

Because what you mean by that?” We shared a chuckle.

I was breaking the ice, trying to get her to crack a smile.

“I hear a lot of things about you, Rome. A lot of bad things—more than good.”

“You stay off Lamar and Semmes, right? How far you had to walk?”

Prior to moving from the curb, I carefully surveyed the road for approaching vehicles.

“Not too far, probably about fifteen more minutes on foot,” she let me know.

“Yeah, I know, just tell me the house, I know the area though, but those bad things you heard about me, where they come from?”

I momentarily took my eyes off the road and glanced over at her.

“So, I suppose to tell you who said those things about you and what they said?”