Page 17

CHANIYA

The O’Neal Chat

Nana: Who’s ready to celebrate?

Mom: What are you talking about, Mom?

Aunt Velma: ??

Turquoise: Please stop with the edibles, Nana. *slapping forehead*

Gina: *side eye emoji*

Kenyatta: A real nigga is out and ready to turn up.

Nana: One time for the free nigga. One time for the outta jail nigga. One time for the real nigga.

Me: Nana, what is happening right now? Have you been watching BET?

Nana: Tubi. No, when are we throwing this kickback for my grandson?

Mom: Tuh.

Aunt Velma: Easy on my baby, Vernise. I’m down for whatever, Mama.

Gina: *giggling* Ma stay ready to defend Yatta’s ole trifling ass.

Turquoise: Facts. What were you in jail for, brother?

Nana: Stop being nosy, Quoise. The rest of y’all have your narrow asses here later today. Oh, bring that man with you, Chaniya.

“ W ell, damn, Nana.” Shaking my head, I exit the family group chat so I don’t have to see how my family is going to react to the information Nana dropped like a bomb.

The out of the blue information from Nana and Kenyatta’s statement also let me know why he’s been silent.

It also makes me wonder if his jail stay has anything to do with the woman he’s been dealing with lately.

Kenyatta tends to engage in toxic love over stable love, so I wouldn’t be surprised.

I’m also grateful that I no longer have to worry about Kenyatta being the primary person handling Caleb’s grooming needs.

“What’s up, Cha-Cha?” My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth when Germayne reenters his bedroom with a towel around his waist and droplets of water on his toned chest. “Taking another shower after I make us dirty is lightwork. Say the word, Cha-Cha.”

My middle pulsates, my eyes glaze over, and my body temperature elevates when my gaze shifts to Germayne’s hungry and lust-filled expression.

In a rare instance, Mom called for Caleb to spend the night with her, allowing me to stay with Germayne.

Thankfully for me and my neglected libido, Germayne had worked the day shift, allowing him to be off overnight to fulfill both our needs.

Like the tormentor he is, Germayne unwraps his towel before stalking toward me with his hard, thick, and veiny dick swinging.

An unapologetic moan slips from my lips as my mouth waters with each step he takes toward me.

“Let me help you out, Cha-Cha.” Kissing my lips, Germayne lays me flat on the bed while spreading my legs apart with his.

“Please,” I whine when he releases my lips.

“I’m right here.”

When Germayne starts sucking on my left nipple, I melt further into the mattress, unsure if my family will have the pleasure of seeing me today.

“Where your nappy-headed ass at, Chaniya?” Nana snaps once I answer her incoming call.

The power of good dick will have you sliding down a shaft one minute and falling into a post-multiple orgasmic sleep coma within the next thirty minutes.

I’m here to testify because that’s exactly what happened to me.

Although I might have decided to shuck my family obligations, clearly, Nana isn’t about to let me slide off into the sunset on Germayne’s dick.

“Chaniya Katia O’Neal, I know good and got damn well you ain’t ignoring me,” Nana snaps, which causes Germayne to stir from behind me.

Both of us fell asleep after our last round of intense sex, which means we’ll have to shower before attempting to get dressed to head to Nana’s house.

“Sorry. I was sleeping. It’s at your house, right?” I respond finally.

“Climb off that young man’s strong arm and get your ass here.

You know it's at my house because Yatta bedhops too much for a residence, Velma’s house is no bigger than a mouse trap, and Vernise ain’t going for it.

If you’re not here in the next hour, I’m having someone track your phone.

” With that threat, Nana disconnects the call.

“So, I guess all that yelling means we have to get up, huh?” Germayne’s voice is heavy with sleep as he pulls me into his chest.

“Unless you have a way for us to skip town,” I suggest.

“Nah, there’s no time like the present.”

“I know. I just wanted a small and intimate way for you and Caleb to become acquainted with you being my man.” Pouting, I cross my arms, unsure about how this is going to go with all of my family in the same place.

Introducing Germayne to Nana and Caleb seemed like small potatoes, yet doing it this way has my stomach flipping and twisting with uncertainty.

“Chill. I got you, and everything is gonna be cool. The only people who matter in this thing are you and Caleb. Everyone else’s opinion won’t shift my mind, nor will they be able to run me off.

You handled the introduction and co-mingling of my family effortlessly, so trust me to do the same.

I ain’t worried or scared. Now, let's move on before someone else hits your line.”

“See, this is why I’m becoming addicted to you. You always say the right things to calm me down or shift my mood.”

“That’s one of my purposes in your life. Now, move your ass. I need to make a good impression.” Germayne taps my butt, making me giggle before getting out of the bed and heading to the shower while mentally praying for a good outcome.

“Do you think having my grandbaby around another one of your temporary men is a good idea? Whenever I think you’re on the right track, you give me another reason to wonder who I raised.

” Mom’s voice and her aggressive tone sour my stomach, and I dump the plate I’m about to fill in the neighboring trash can.

Turning to stare into Mom’s eyes, I fight the shiver in my spine from the hateful expression shining within her gaze.

My family, including Caleb, have been nothing but welcoming and open to Germayne’s presence.

Yet, here comes the devil throwing a monkey wrench in my warm and bubbly feelings.

For the first time since our arrival, I left Germayne alone to go fix me a plate.

I should have known better than to think today would go without a glitch while Vernise O’Neal is around.

“To answer your question, Germayne and I have been dating for some time now, so I don’t. Thanks for your opinion, though.”

Providing Mom with the exact timeline of my relationship is something she isn’t entitled to know.

Ultimately, I am Caleb’s only parent, so I’m the only opinion on this and every other equation my son is concerned about.

Today nor tomorrow will be the day I let Mom guilt me about the mistake she isn’t willing to release me from.

With that thought in mind, I prepare to walk away before Mom grips my arm tightly, lowering her tone so only I can hear her words.

“Don’t get cute with me because you decided that being a slut was the ultimate way to repay me for my sacrifices.

Like I’ve said before, don’t bring another bastard baby for me to help you raise because that buck stopped with Caleb.

” Snatching away from Mom, I grimace when her nails puncture my skin slightly, yet my feet move quickly to the nearest bathroom without making eye contact with anyone.

I’m sick and tired of taking her fucking verbal abuse. However my existence came to be between her and whatever pitiful nigga she laid down with, if she felt so strongly against the blessing of my life, she should have chosen to have an abortion.

Pacing the floor of Nana’s half bath ten minutes later, I angrily swipe at my tears while my thoughts echo loudly in my mind. I’m thirty-fucking-two. Why am I still letting Mom’s hateful ass get me off my square? You have to?—

*Knock, knock*

“Somebody’s in here,” I inform whoever is knocking on the bathroom door.

“It’s me and Mr. Germayne, Mommy. Are you okay?” Caleb’s sweet voice sounds through the closed door, bringing me an instantaneous smile.

“Open the door, Cha-Cha,” Germayne probes.

“Why do you call Mommy that?” Caleb laughs.

“You have a unique name to call her, and I needed one so I could be cool like you are,” Germayne tells Caleb, melting my heart.

“Give me a second,” I say, turning on the water to wet my face in hopes of removing the evidence of my emotional display so I don’t worry either of them.

Once I’m semi-satisfied with my appearance, I turn the lock and open the door, and a wide smile bursts upon seeing Caleb and Germayne patiently waiting.

Both of them are displaying concerned expressions and somewhat standing in the same protective posture.

Caleb’s little body moves quickly, surrounding my bottom half with his little arms, hugging me tight.

Patting his head, my bottom lip trembles slightly, causing me to bite it to contain the sob in my throat.

“Come on, Mr. Germayne. I can’t reach Mommy’s top half,” Caleb urges.

“I got you, little man.”

“Can you give me a unique name like Mommy, Mr. Germayne?”

“What if I call you C?”

“I like it. Thank you.”

“Say less, C.”

Tears slip from my eyes when Germayne hugs the top of my body with one arm while locking his other around Caleb and me.

“We got you, Cha-Cha. Fuck anybody trying to destroy your peace,” Germayne whispers so only I can hear.

Seeing how well Germayne was fairing with the rest of my family, I asked Nana if it was okay if I invited his grandmother.

I told her that Germayne’s grandmother and her would get along great and provide her with someone to hang with when she didn’t want to be bothered with us.

Nana happily allowed me to extend the invitation through Germayne, so we await Grandma Jolene’s arrival.

“Are you sure you didn’t need to go pick up Grandma Jolene?”

“Nah. She’s straight. Picking her up would have offended her since she knows I’m already here. She swears that Dad’s trying to prevent her from driving, although she’s only seventy-two,” Germayne informs me, and something in his statement has my eyebrows hiking.

“Wait, she’s not your mom’s mom?”

“Nah. What made you think that?”

Scratching my forehead, I recall what she said about Mrs. Adele the day of the wedding.

“She called your mom her daughter, so I just assumed.”

“Oh. That’s because she and Ma have a close relationship despite Grandma Jolene saying Ma had Dad sniffing her pussy like kitty litter.”

“She’s a mess.” I giggle before lifting my phone to see what time it is due to my anxiousness about her arrival.

“Okay, she’s here. I’m gonna go get her so she doesn’t have to walk through the crowd alone,” Germayne tells me before I can say another word.

Nodding, I rub my moist hands up and down my pants to relieve myself of the nervous energy coursing through my body. My pulse is racing, and my temple vein is thumping wildly, causing my stomach to twist into knots. My eyes roam the backyard in search of Caleb, who’s playing with Turquoise’s kids.

“I know y’all didn’t bring this loose-neck biddy to my house,” Nana says, causing me to turn to see Germayne and Grandma Jolene coming through the front door.

“What the hell did you say, you cotton-mouth floozy?” Grandma Jolene asks with her lip curling.

Germayne quickly jumps between our grandmothers, taking several steps toward each other.

Wait, how the hell do they know each other?

“What slithering rock did your wrinkled ass come from Jolene loose-legs Malone?” Nana questions with a deep grimace.

“Say another word and watch me slide that wig, you baldheaded, chlamydia-lingering pussy having whore,” Grandma Jolene returns.

“What the hell is going on here?” Germayne asks.

“Of all the houses in Ribax, how the hell did you allow me to pull up to this tramp’s house, Germayne?” Grandma Jolene asks, shifting her gaze to Germayne, who’s giving her the same puzzling expression I’m positive is on my face.

“Well, beat your dick grabbers out of here, ho.” Nana interjects before Germayne, I, or anyone else in the room can utter a word.

“Gladly. The next time won’t be so friendly, bitch.” With that, Grandma Jolene turns on her heels and exits, leaving everyone momentarily speechless.

Thank goodness Mom’s miserable ass is outside, or this would be fodder for more of her bullshit.