What Kind Of Ride
1012 Words
Sweat dripped from my forehead as I pulled the pie out of oven. Tera pushed the door open right on que, and greeted my mom where she sat in the living room, watching EWTN.
"Look at someone's hot mama," she greets, dropping her keys on the table, "word on the street is, you've been a bad girl."
"b***h stop talking like that, you sound worse than the men I sleep with." She cackles and I place a hand on my hip.
"No not foreal, what's this I hear about you getting into Roman's car earlier today?"
"He was just giving me a ride," I shrug, pouring the mixed veges into the potato salad, and she hums.
"What type of ride?"
"Go home," Tera laughs loudly, and continues to terrorize me for another give minutes before finally giving herself some work to do.
Time passes by quickly and soon we were almost done. Tera phone chimes and she whistles when she picks it up.
". . ... can't pick up the kids, I've got to go get them,"
"What? No. How will I get all the food over there?"
"I- Should I leave Sorayah and Jadee on the other side of town?"
"I mean. . . They won't die."
"Bye, I'm gone." Tera picks up her keys and I sigh.
"Call an uber or something, you'll be fine!"
She leaves as I stand in the middle of my kitchen, hand on my hips.
#
"One more," I huff and finally pulled the remainder on my Jean's on, easily buttoning it. I threw on a pretty but plain blouse since I would also be service the food, and I let my installed wavy wig lay down my back. Black vapormax complimented my pretty feet, as I stepped into the living room.
"Do you dress like you're making your debut as a rapper all the time?"
"That's hilarious," Roman rolls his eyes. I turn my head as soon I notice him eyeing me, and I motion to the food.
"Just grab these carefully, I'll bring out the rest."
He does as I say, and we carefully walk down the stairs, packing the food into his ginormous truck.
"Wheres your car?"
"I switched it, I had a feeling you'd call me," he winks, and I snort.
"Real smooth, Roman."
I notice my mother standing in the doorway, and Roman does too. Ignoring her, I climbed into his truck, literally, and secured the food platters.
I had no other choice to call Roman because you know how awkward it would be cramming into a car, an uber?
"So where are we going?"
"Joe's garden, just drive, I'll give you directions."
We drove in a bit of silence, his music playing through bluetooth while his phone slept on his lap. It was something about the way he mumbled the words of the songs, his head nodding as he turned the steering wheel. It had me hot.
I cleared my throat, shifting in my chair.
"Where's the beauty?"
"Huh?"
"Your daughter," he elaborates.
"Oh, Tera's picking her up," I answer.
"From Bayside preschool?"
"Nah, she doesn't go to school here."
Roman raises an eyebrow, "really?"
"Yea - oh, take a left here."
He does as I say, then returns to the topic at hand.
"Why is that?"
"Why is what?"
"Why doesn't she go to school here?"
I scrunch up my nose, turning to look at him, "why so many questions?"
"Just curious, Bayside is pretty close to your building, also really affordable -"
"Also very ghetto, very unsanitary, very un safe, very. . . No," I scoff, looking away.
"Okay, I feel you, I love that you're so concerned about it."
"I mean, she's my child, who wouldn't be?"
"You'd be surprised actually," he mumbles under his breath, and I turn to look at him confused.
"What do you me -"
"Where do I go now?"
I didnt realize we were practically here, i pointed at the house and he sparks behind a red Toyota.
"You don't need to come in, I'll jus-"
"I'll help you, it's no biggie."
He kills the engine before I could protest and makes his way to the back of his truck. He grabs two foil containers, then makes his way up to Joe's backyard.
I stare at him in disbelief but nevertheless grab some containers as well. When I made my way up to the backyard, everyone was embracing him. It left me a little confused, but I greeted all of my family member before setting the containers down.
When I was done, I walked over to him, and greeted Joe himself.
"Hey Sweet girl," I smiled as Joe leaned in to hug me.
Joe was a blessing to everyone who met him. He made these barbeques a regular thing after his wife died, and we ensured that we never missed a beat because this was sort of his way of coping. He was getting older, like the rest of us, but death really took a toll on him.
"How are you, Joe?"
"Good, obviously." He lets out a hefty laugh, doing a little spin and we couldnt help but chuckle.
"I see you've brought along a little long lost guest?" He winks at Roman, and I smile, but stare at Roman confused.
"You two know eachother?"
"Know eachother? This boy is practically my nephew. His father and I were as tight as my asscheeks back in the day."
"Oh, w-what a comparison," I needed a drink.
"Honestly though, who doesnt know Roman? Biggest mover of the west coast." Joe gloats on about Roman, while Roman shoves his hands in his pocket, and basks in it.
I resist the urge to roll my eyes, and instead slip away when Joe started talking about the weather tonight.
I returned to the food table, and sent a quick text to Tera.
Hey, is everything okay?
Hey sis, yes going to get them all dressed up now.
Great, see you soon.
"Hey Honey, everyone's practically starving, are you helping to serve?"
"Oh yeah, definitely."
- Writer
