Page 17 of The Hood’s Finest: Jersey & Mylani

Jersey

I didn’t think I would enjoy having a girlfriend as much as I did, but I was loving this shit.

Like now, she had me walking in the mall holding bags for her and her sister.

The only woman I did that for was my mom, and she had my pops for that.

Today would be the day that I introduced her to my parents and son.

I told my mom about her after Shanna pulled that stunt, and she’d been hassling me about meeting her ever since.

Mylani was nervous as fuck, which was why we were in the mall.

She kept saying she didn’t have any clothes presentable enough to meet anyone’s parents.

I tried telling her that my people were cool, but she wasn’t having it.

“Lani, can we go in Footlocker?” her sister asked.

“For what, Trin? I just bought you some new shoes a month ago.”

“That was a month ago, and the new Jordans just came out,” Trinity whined.

“Don’t be like that. Come on, Trini. I got you.” I winked at Trinity, and Mylani rolled her eyes at me.

“She’s already spoiled as fuck, and you’re not making it any better,” she said.

“That’s alright, though. I was gonna cop me and Jerz a pair, anyway. I might as well buy two more.”

“Two? She doesn’t need two pairs of shoes, Jersey.”

“Don’t insult me like that. If I wanted to buy her twenty pairs, I would. You think I’m about to go cop three pairs of sneakers and leave you out?” I looked down at her pretty ass, and she was trying to hide the smile that was forming on her face.

We walked to Footlocker, and I went to the counter as they looked at the shoes displayed on the shelf.

“Aye, Ricky here today?” I asked the dude behind the counter.

“Yeah, hold on.” He went to the back to get my boy Ricky. See, what Mylani didn’t know was that I already had her shoes put up with mine and Jerz’s. I only called Ricky to see if I could get another pair for Trinity.

“Wassup, Jersey. You came to pick up your shoes?” He greeted me and slapped hands.

“Yeah, but I need you to get me another size six. My girl’s sister wanted a pair. I don’t know why I didn’t think of the shit when I put in the order for ours.”

“That’s a common size. Let me go check in the back to see if we have any extra.”

I waited patiently as Ricky went to the back to check on the shoes, when Mylani brought her lil’ nosy ass over to see what I was doing.

“We can go. We already asked for her size, and they’re out,” she informed me, not realizing who her nigga was.

“You let me worry about that,” I said just as Ricky came back with four boxes in his hand.

“You lucky I like you, nigga. I found a pair that somebody never came and got. Here’s the ones that you already had reserved plus the other size six.

You need anything else?” Ricky said all that in one damn breath, causing me to chuckle at his ass.

I looked over at Mylani and Trinity, and they both had astonished looks on their faces.

“You already had these reserved?” Mylani asked.

“Yep. I don’t know why I didn’t think about Trinity in the first place, but I got lil’ sis straight,” I beamed.

“Oh my gosh, Jersey! Thank you!” Trinity shrieked, jumping on me.

“Aight, chill. I told you I got you.” I laughed at her enthusiasm.

“Thank you for this. That made her day. I was gonna figure out a way to get them, anyway. She would’ve just had to wait,” Mylani explained.

“No need to thank me or have her wait. Your nigga got it, so y’all got it.”

I paid for the shoes and got us all some socks and headed out.

I invited Trinity to dinner at my parents’ house, but she declined.

Mylani side eyed her, but I told her to chill.

I stopped and got her something to eat before dropping her off, then Mylani and I went back to my house.

We had a few hours before dinner started, and I planned on utilizing my time wisely.

***

We pulled up at my parents’ house, and everybody was already here.

I was late because Shanna thought she was gonna show her ass because I was taking Jersey ’round Mylani, but I cut that shit short when I informed her that my son told me she had that nigga staying the night.

I didn’t give a fuck what she did and who she did it with.

As long as they stayed out of my son’s way, I was cool.

What I wasn’t cool with was me footing the bill that another grown ass man was benefiting off of.

“Chill. If my mom senses your nervousness, she’ll attack like a Pitbull,” I joked, and her face turned beet red.

“I knew this was a bad idea. Tell her I got sick or something. I’ll even come back for you and your son,” she pleaded.

“Girl, bring your ass on. She already knows you’re out here, because I know Jerz took his peanut head ass in there and told everybody.

Besides, didn’t Asia tell you she was coming with my brother?

You’ll be fine.” I pecked her lips and escorted her inside the house, where everyone was sitting around in the kitchen.

“Wassup, people. I want y’all to meet my girl, Mylani.

Bae, this is my mom, Charmaine, and my pops, Kenneth.

You already know my brothers, Memphis and Houston.

This is Memphis’s girl, Nisha.” I introduced her to everybody.

They took to her just like I knew they would.

Even Nisha acted like she had some sense.

I guess since she knew neither one of them wanted Memphis, she was fine.

“So, Mylani, is my son treating you right?” my mom asked.

“Yes, ma’am, he is.” She simpered. “You have a beautiful home, by the way.”

“Thank you, sweetie.”

“Boys, I need to talk to y’all for a minute. Excuse us, ladies. We’ll be right back.” My pops led the way to his office, and I already knew what this was about.

“So, who wants to explain this shit to me first?”

“Pops, I’m on it. Whoever this nigga is, is smarter than I thought. I had Maceo unscramble the footage, but the person was dressed in all black and wore a mask. I had him trace the tag from the getaway car, and that shit hit a dead end.”

“Y’all ain’t had no beef you’re not telling me about?” my pops asked. He knew that we always kept our hands clean unless it was necessary. Shit had been cool, so this shit was baffling.

“Nah, shit been quiet. It’s like this shit popped up outta nowhere,” Memphis chimed in.

“Alright. I want y’all to be extra careful and keep your eyes and ears open. I may not be on y’all’s level, but I don’t have a problem showing a muthafucka that I came out the same hood y’all did.”

“We got you, Pops. We’re on it,” I assured.

We finished going over a few more business details with our pops before we rejoined the ladies.

Dinner went by smoothly, and I was happy about that.

I hadn’t brought a girl home since high school.

Shanna hadn’t even been to dinner with my parents.

I just brought her by because my mom wanted to meet her, and that was it.

Making Mylani my girl seemed to work out in both our favors, and I was cool with that.

As long as she was solid, she’d never have to worry about a thing.