Page 4

“Baby, this shit was so good. You can sell plates. I know I’ll buy one.” I looked at Peanut like he was crazy.

“Well, buy one now then! You sound bout dumb as hell.” Shrugging he laughed as I finished the rest of my plate. I had made baked potatoes with steak, shrimp, broccoli, and alfredo sauce on top. I had to admit it was good though. Getting up, I washed our dishes before grabbing a container. My mama had already called and told me to bring her a plate by when I was done.

“Who that’s for?” Peanut was looking at me with the side eye.

“We gotta run this to Juanita. Who else is it going to be for?” Wrapping his arms around me, he kissed me on my neck.

“Damn, Bubbles. Why you so snappy? You acting like I did something to you.” It’s not that he did anything wrong. Peanut is Peanut and always has been. I just felt overwhelmed and exhausted and he wouldn’t understand that. His answer would be to stop hitting licks, but the minute I ask what we are going to do for money then, his ass won’t have the slightest idea. After five minutes, he would be over the conversation altogether and acting as if it’s nothing wrong. A bitch was tired, and I knew the only way I could get a mental break was if we hit a big lick. These small ones only lasted so long. I thought the money we got from the out of towners would hold us off, but those niggas were fake ballers. They had the money wrapped like it was stacks, but it was a hundred on the top, a hundred on the bottom, and ones in the middle. Our asses did all of that just to walk away with two thousand dollars that we had to split with Taffy. I was annoyed to say the least. His hand trailed down to my ass as if he was ready to fuck, and I was not in the mood. Nothing about being broke got my pussy wet.

“Not right now, Peanut. I got a lot on my mind. Besides, Juanita waiting on us.”

“I only need five minutes,” he whined causing me to push him off me.

“And I only need the rent.” Grabbing the container, I walked off and slid on my Crocs. He followed behind me as I made my way out the door. Once we got in the car, he looked at me like he had something to say. “What?”

“I know you want me to come up with some master plan to get us straight, but I’m not a street nigga. I do my part in anything you ask because you’re asking. I don’t have the capability to think of a scheme and then plan it out.” I heard what he was saying and had to admit he was right. Peanut has never tried to portray something different nor has he ever changed.

“I know. It’s just hard being the one that always have to think of what we’re doing next.”

“So, we good? You been mad at me lately because you’ve been waiting on me to do something.” Glancing over at him, I had to realize this shit wasn’t in everybody. I was raised by two people with the same mentality. I had no other choice but to be the way that I am.

“We’re good.” Smiling, he grabbed my hand. We drove the rest of the way to my mama’s house holding hands both in our own thoughts. Turning on Hamlin, I pulled in front of her house and parked. Climbing out of the car, we headed up the stairs. Unlocking the door, I stepped in. The entire downstairs smelled like weed causing me to shake my head. I walked towards the front room since the TV was playing loudly.

“Really, Juanita. You sitting here smoking a blunt with the ash tray on top of the bible?”

“The bible is on the table, and the table is where you supposed to put things. Is it not?” She looked at me dead ass serious and I couldn’t do shit but laugh. That was how my mama was. Her logic always had you like what the fuck, but the more you thought about it, the more it made sense. Me and my dad called them Juanita’s Proverbs. It was a running joke since I was a kid.

“Hey, Mama Juanita.” Peanut finally spoke. She only looked up to grab the container from me.

“I ain’t ya mama, but I’ll rob you like she should have.” He looked over at me as if I could help him understand her logic.

“Why would my mama rob me?”

“Because if she would have, your ass wouldn’t be soft. You be in your feelings every time I pick your pocket. Your first thief supposed to be somebody that love you. That way when a stranger does it, your feelings ain’t involved.” Juanita took a pull of her blunt while Peanut stared at her in disbelief.

“That shit is insane. Why not just don’t take people’s shit?”

“If I got away with it, God’s okay with it. Bubbles, you staying to watch Family Feud with me? Your daddy supposed to call in a lil while.” I looked at my mama and wondered if it bothered her knowing my daddy was locked up because of her. They were in the house, and she wanted some liquor and blunts, but daddy kept telling her he hadn’t made no money that night. She told his ass she didn’t care if he had to make it with a bucket, ass juice, and a tree his ass better have her shit in thirty minutes. He went and robbed the convenience store and got caught. They gave him ten years, and he had one left to do.

“I’ll stay for a little while. Oh, and Taffy said she need you to pay a bill for her.”

“Did she send the money?”

“No.”

“Then Taffy ain’t told you to tell me nothing.”

“Juanita, you want her to give you the money before you even do anything?”

“You think I’m about to let a scammer scam the scammer? I ain’t taught you shit in all these years.” Her ringing phone stopped me from going off. It sounded like she just called my ass a dummy. She pressed the button and put it on speaker before talking.

“Hey baby, before you lay down tonight, can you send me some more bread for calls?”

“What the hell you need more money on the phone for? I just sent your ass some money yesterday. You better tell whatever hoe you wasting them minutes on, put up or shut up.”

“You know damn well I ain’t got no hoes. I was talking to my pops. He said Mama not doing too good.”

“Well, if she ain’t doing good what you making her talk for? Let her preserve the lil breaths she got left.”