by Tiana Laveen
Majesty sucked her teeth and grimaced at her son. Viper placed his hand over his mouth to keep from laughing, then pulled out one of the breakfast bar stools and sat down, getting comfortable. Majesty put her hand on her hip and twisted her lips.
“Okay, Majesty. Fine.” Viper threw up his hands. “Just let me do it. I can go. I’ll buy a pre-made crust. Let me get my keys.” Viper started to head to the grocery store.
“No, no. I’ll go. It’s not far.” She waved her arm, then grabbed her purse from the kitchen island. “I can’t believe I forgot the flour to make the crust.” She glanced at her watch. “Yeah, it’s getting late, so I guess I will just pick up one of the pre-made ones at this point.” She was making a homemade pizza and didn’t realize her mistake until it was too late. “I won’t be gone long. Troy, behave. Don’t you talk this man’s ear off or try to do anything slick,” the woman warned, wagging her finger at him. Majesty was very protective of her child, with whom she shared a beautiful bond. He respected that. Viper stood up, wrapped his arm around her waist, and drew her in for a kiss. He could feel Troy’s eyes on them, but the kid remained quiet. It wasn’t long before they heard the sound of the front door closing behind her.
“Well, it’s just you and me now, Troy.”
“Yeah, finally! Mama treats me like a baby, Viper, but she don’t even know I got a hair growin’ on my left leg now.” Yet, he pointed to the right one. “For you know it, I’m going to have a beard and mustache and uh bunch of muscles just like you. Probably in a week or two.” He spoke with such seriousness.
Once again, Viper fought the urge to laugh.
“Help me cut up these green peppers for your mother’s pizza. Let’s save her a little time.”
“Okay!”
Troy seemed eager to help, donning a big smile as he rounded the kitchen table. He watched as the dark-chocolate-skinned boy turned on the faucet, then washed his hands. Damn. She’s got him coached well. Viper chuckled inwardly. Troy had big dimples that reminded him of his own mother. His thick, jet black hair was like Majesty’s, only his was faded on the sides and in the back, and he had eyes that appeared naturally sad, but a smile that was something magical, balanced things out.
“All right, first, are you allowed to use a knife?”
“Hell, yeah! I’m a G! A ninja, too.”
Viper realized that not laughing at Troy’s antics would prove more difficult than he’d initially hoped.
“Cool. This cutting board here is ready.” He reached for one of her boards sitting off to the side, then grabbed a couple of knives, one that was rather dull for Troy’s safety. “Now, when you cut these peppers, you want to make them thin, and you do that by—”
“Are you bangin’ my mama, man?”
Viper turned the pepper lengthwise and cut off the stem. Then split it open to remove the seeds.
“Am I bangin’ your mother… Hmm…” He cut the pepper in two, then shoved half of it towards the kid, handing him one of the knives. “No, that’s too thick. Cut like this. Nice ’nd easy…”
Troy began to watch how he was doing it, then followed suit.
“Perfect. You’ll be a chef before you know it.” Troy smiled, his dimples super deep. “So, what you really want to know is if your mother and I are serious, right?”
Troy nodded and kept on cutting.
“Yeah. We are. We’re in a relationship, and I really like her.”
“That’s good. She likes you, too. Mama doesn’t like a lot of people. She says most people are assholes. Don’t tell her I cussed. I’m just repeatin’ what she said is all.”
“I won’t. She told you that?” He tossed some of the chopped peppers on a plate, then continued to slice the rest.
“She ain’t say that to me, but I hear her all the time on the phone with her friends. Mama hates people, but that’s okay. She loves me, and that’s all that matters.”
He laughed.
“I don’t think your mother hates people, I just think she’s frustrated sometimes with how some of them act and so she stands up for herself. I think she likes people a lot, actually. Isn’t she nice to your friends and their parents?”
Troy shrugged. “Yeah. She’s nice to a lot of people, but that don’t mean she likes ’em. She had a boyfriend before you.”
“Yeah? Was he cool?”
“Nope. I ain’t like him. I don’t like a lot of guys Mama has went out wit’. The one I hated the most was this guy named Ashton. She was with him for a little while. I was young, but I remember him.” He noted how Troy’s voice trailed. Sadness tinged his words. “He ain’t treat my mama right.”
“Let’s cut these mushrooms, too.”
“I don’t like mushrooms on my pizza.”
“Well, we don’t have to put them on the entire pizza. Let me wash them here in this bowl. Mushrooms are dirty.” Viper made haste, washing the vegetables in a colander. He then dried them off and divided them up between the two of them, to cut into pieces.
“Somebody popped my daddy and killed him.”
Viper kept chopping. Troy said the words out of the blue… but perhaps, it wasn’t out of the blue at all.
“How old were you when your father passed away?”
“Um, I forget. I was young though. I don’t remember him. I’ve seen pictures of him. Mama gave me his wallet, his jewelry, stuff like that. I still got a teddy bear Mama said he bought for me when I was born. My grandmama said he wasn’t a good man. She said he was a no good nigga. Mama said he was a good man; he had just made some bad choices. She said he loved me, too. Loved me a lot. Said she didn’t want me to grow up and do the same things my daddy did, so she moved us out here.”
They kept cutting, and Viper let the boy talk. He wanted to hear what he said, as well as all the things he wasn’t saying. He had a feeling the boy didn’t get to talk freely like this much. Besides, there was so much one could learn from speaking to children.
“You got a lot of tattoos, like my daddy had. Why have you got so many tattoos?”
“It helps remind me where I’ve been. Where I am. And where I want to go. I like them.”
“Don’t they hurt to get ’em?”
“Eh, it’s different for everyone. I guess I have a high pain tolerance, so for me, not really. Tickles a little. I like the way the art looks.”
“That was kinda confusing, you know, what you said about them helping to remind you where you wanna go. But I think I understand. Like, they tell a story?”
“Exactly.”
“I wanna get a tattoo, too.”
“Do you? Of what?”
“It’ll be my mama’s name, and my daddy’s, too.”
“That sounds like a good first tattoo, little man. I’ve got my mother’s name, too.”
“Do you? Wow. Where?” Troy stopped slicing, his eyes lighting up.
“You can’t see it right now, but it’s on my chest surrounded by roses.”
“That means you must really love your mama.”
“Yeah, I do. We only get one mother. Majesty really loves you, Troy. She talks about you all the time to me.”
Troy smiled, showing all his teeth. Viper imagined the boy felt like now, they had something in common.
“I like you, Viper. You seem cool. I bet you act like my daddy did. I heard he was big time. People were scared of him, too. That’s what my auntie said.”
Viper swallowed… but kept working on the mushrooms.
“You’re doing a great job, Troy. We’ll leave the onion for your mother.”
“Good. Onions stink. I hate onions.”
Viper grinned at him, then they both went to the kitchen sink to wash their hands once again.
“Viper. Can I have one of yo’ dogs? Mama likes dogs, too, and if you give me one, I bet she’ll let me keep it!”
“Come on, we can talk in the living room. Let’s go watch cartoons together.”
“You like cartoons?! This night is just getting better and better!”
Viper cracked up at this.
When they settled on the couch, he handed the boy the remote and the kid chose to watch Teen Titans Go.
“So, can I have one of your dogs?”
“A pet is a big responsibility, Troy. You’d have to talk to your mother about that first, and—”
“Awww, come on, man! I’ve got experience. My grandmama got this ugly dog, Beijing, that she makes wear little sweaters, and it’s always throwin’ up. It must take this little doggy pill every day, and that thing look like one of my grandmama’s wigs. Grandmama said she don’t wear wigs, but I saw one sittin’ on her dresser one night. At first, I thought it was the dog, but it didn’t have no tail or ears. She was in the bed asleep, and her head looked like a big brown Q-tip with a little gray fuzz on it. Like when a lollipop falls on the carpet and you pick it up, but you can’t lick it, ’cause see, it has dirt and lint on it. She was lyin’. That thang I thought was her dog is her hair.”
Viper burst out laughing, but quickly put on a straight face. Troy sported a serious look as if for the life of him, he didn’t see what was so funny.
“Were you nice to the dog, even though it looked funny?”
“I was really nice to it, Viper, and I like to play with it when I go over there, but I want a big dog! Not one that could be mistaken for a wig. I want a dog like you got! You got Pit Bulls, I’ve seen ’em, and Mama said you train dogs.”
“I do.”
“That’s cool!”
They sat in silence for a while. His gaze rested on a framed picture of Majesty and who he knew now was her mother. He appreciated the times they shared here after that first night. Majesty would arrange it for them to spend some private time together, though with her finishing school and work, and his schedule, too, sometimes it was difficult to make plans. Still, they managed to go out on dates and make love as often as possible, one time on her lunch break, a quickie in his truck in a deserted parking lot. But, he yearned for more.
“Viper?”
“Yeah?”
“Did you want to be a dog trainer when you were a kid? Like, did you always know that’s what you wanted to do?”
“I did, actually. I just didn’t know what it was called.”
“I don’t know what I want to be yet. Maybe a doctor. But I like music, too, so maybe a producer.”
“That’s normal. You’re young. You might change your mind many times. I wanted to work with dogs, but sometimes I wasn’t sure where I’d end up. I’m glad it all worked out.”
“’Cause you could be dead like my father?”
He stared at Troy for a spell, then nodded.
“Yes. I believe I could’ve been.”
“I think sometimes, people make bad choices, like Mama said about my daddy, not because they want to, but like, they feel that they have to or somethin’ worse will happen.”
“I think you’re probably right.” Viper sat back and crossed his arms.
Sometimes, people are like onions. We must look beyond that first layer of skin to see what’s really going on.
“Viper, I wish people would stop lookin’ at others and thinkin’ stuff that isn’t true. Like… judgin’ ’em, I guess.” The boy shrugged.
“What do you mean?”
“Like, my grandmama judges my mama all the time. Mama don’t tell me anythin’ but she always looks sad and mad after she get off the phone with Grandmama.”
“You seem to overhear a lot of conversations.” Viper playfully pushed the boy into a side pillow, making the kid laugh.
“Mama tells me a child should stay in a child’s place. But I learned a lot about her from hearing her on the phone. I learn how she really feels.”
This kid is smart. Real smart. Look at the words he uses and how he talks. How he pieces things together. Troy is a bright child, and I know that is due in part to Majesty. He’d seen the boy’s room. She had an entire bookshelf in there, full of books about space, great Black inventors, math workbooks, and Biblical tales. His room was decorated nicely, with a big world globe on the desk, as well as framed art on the walls with inspirational sayings. Viper’s love for Majesty grew in part due to her love for her son. He found it sexy. Admirable.
Just then, he heard the front door unlocking, and they both turned to see Majesty walking through it.
“It was crowded in the store tonight. I decided to get a couple liters of pop, and some chips and ice-cream, too… Thank you,” she said when Viper got to his feet and took the bag from her grasp.
“Troy, did you give Viper any problems?”
“No, Mama.” Troy then burst out laughing as he pointed to the television.
“He was great, Majesty. He even helped me cut up some of the toppings for the pizza.”
He kissed her on the cheek, then headed to the kitchen with the bag. As he removed the items and set them on the counter for her, he heard Troy say, “Mama, guess what? Viper said I could have a dog if you say I can! He also said you’ll probably say no, ’cause you’re real mean.”
“Boy, I know you lyin’! He ain’t say that about me!”
Viper shook his head and chuckled, his heart light and content…
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
On the Eve of Awakening
South Inlet Park on Ocean Blvd, in Boca Raton, was a scenic, secluded beach off the beaten path that many didn’t seem to know about unless the secret was given away by a generous local. Majesty’s feet sank in the soft sand as she observed her man putting in work on her behalf. She couldn’t wipe the big smile on her face, even if she wanted to.
Viper placed a large white wicker picnic basket inside the bulky tent, then disappeared for a spell inside of it. Free National’s ‘Beauty & Essex,’ featuring Daniel Caesar & Unknown Mortal Orchestra, played from his phone. She moved her body to the music, swaying back and forth, left to right. It was a definite bop. He re-emerged, focused as ever. She’d offered to help twice, but each time he refused her assistance. As she watched him, bare-footed, his well-built torso bare above loose white cargo shorts, she felt her pussy clench at the mere sight of his muscles flexing as he maneuvered about. His amazing physique was the result of a habit stemming from routine prison workouts, and somehow it didn’t bother her one bit.
She turned away, her hair blowing in the wind and her new Target bathing suit still wet from their romp in the ocean. He’d thought it silly that she didn’t want to get her hair wet and had made it his mission to terrorize her by threatening to dunk her under. So, they’d spent most of the time chasing one another back and forth and splashing water like children. The crazy man had even brought a water gun and blasted her with no warning. Although she’d cussed his ass out, she’d secretly loved it.
It’s been so long since I’ve been to the beach. This is nice.
It would be getting dark soon, and she loved this time of day when the air was sweeter, and the sky stretched in enchanting pastel hues.
“Come here,” he beckoned. “Lie down with me.”
Wrapping her thin white coverall around her shoulders, she crawled inside the tent.
“Oh, my goodness,” she gasped, placing her hands over her mouth. “This is so pretty!”
He’d lit two small tin can candles, and the basket was open, revealing two champagne glasses, a bottle of bubbly, chocolate covered strawberries, a veggie tray, cold cuts, and slices of rye bread. Viper popped the cork and poured them both a glass. He raised his glass in the air, a sexy smile on his face, and she followed suit.
“To many more days like this.” He gave her a peck on the lips, then they clinked their glasses together.
“Cheers!” The bubbly made her throat burn oh so good. Rich, a bit sweet, and of good quality. She lounged on her side, feeling comfortable.
“Romantic… That’s another way to describe you,” she said flirtatiously, then took another taste. Mmmm.
“Don’t tell anyone that. Might lose my street cred.” He winked, teasing her.
She sat up to kiss him and in that
moment, she felt herself falling harder for the man. If I go any deeper, I’ll be in the land down under.
Neither of them had uttered the ‘love’ word. Yet, she recognized the signs. She hadn’t felt this type of connection with someone in a long time. She’d liked several men after the death of Troy’s father, even had strong feelings for a couple of them, but never as strong as what she was experiencing now. Viper slipped his tongue inside of her mouth, jarring her from her pondering, working it in and out, making her hot and bothered all over. She exhaled when he wrapped his arms around her waist and squeezed her to him with strength and possession. In a flash, she drained her glass and set it aside. He got on top of her, grinding between her legs in slow, hard gyrations, and kissing all over her neck. Their moans overlapped as they held one another, rubbing all over each other, and she craved his touch, his kiss, and that thick, long, big snake that was tucked away in his shorts, pressing against her.
Then… he stopped.
“What’s wrong?” Her heart was beating like a clock as she looked up into his gleaming eyes. She grabbed tight onto his wrists, not wanting him to move until he answered her. Her chest flooded with warmth, making her restless, and every damn inch of her craved him. She’d do anything to get him to keep going.
“Nothing is wrong.” He scooched away from her, then began to plate up food. She stared at him, confused.
“What’s going on, Viper? Why did you stop all of a sudden?”
“I just remembered that I don’t have any protection with me. I was just planning to bring you out here and have a nice time. Eat. Talk. Shit like that. Then I saw you in your bathing suit…” He grinned and shook his head. “Anyway, you want a lotta strawberries, baby, or just a few?”
“…Just a few.”
She bit her lower lip and smiled. Something about the way he spoke and looked while explaining himself made her feel special. It was in moments like these that she was gently reminded he wasn’t going to fit into her little box of expectations and disappointments. More than once they’d fallen asleep together on her couch, and he hadn’t tried to have sex with her. In fact, just the week prior, she’d woken up in her bed, with the sheets wrapped around her, and realized he’d actually carried her in and laid her down. When she got up and moving, she noticed a note on her dresser that read: