EGO

HONEY

Graduation was next week, and I was ready to get things over and done with. I finished my final tests for all my classes, my college classes and dorm room have already been assigned, and I’m looking forward to my five hour drive to Langston University. My parents told me they would drive me, but I don’t see the point. I think they’re going to miss me but are trying not to show it….it’s kinda sweet. After graduation, I have the whole summer to just lounge and have fun. And by fun, I mean doing nothing….absolutely NOTHING.

“Hi Devin, did you get your notebook I gave to your mom?” A tiny voice spoke.

What a pleasant surprise. “Hey Sophie, yeah, she gave it to me, thanks. How have you been?” I asked her, and she smiled. 

She is so pretty, in a sweet disney princess kind of way. When I met Sophia Mills last year, she was so quiet and shy, and I didn’t see her hanging with anyone in school. She was very smart, so she was in a lot of advanced and college prep classes. That’s how we got better acquainted. She was one of three freshmen in my class that year. I’m really good with numbers, so any type of math was a breeze for me, and I started helping her with her math classes. 

Oh….I just noticed she’s not wearing eyeglasses anymore.

Her eyes are so bright with long lashes, and her mahogany skin looks smooth to the touch. She was short and always had to look up at my 6’0' frame. A single black long french braid hung over her right shoulder, the end of the braid falling over her right breast. Her breast... she was filled out in all the right places, too. I need to stop staring at her like that….she’s so sweet and innocent.     

“I’ve been great and look….” Sophia gave me a piece of paper. It had A- written on it, and wow, she passed her geometry test. I tutored her for two weeks so she would be prepared.

“Well alright! Great job, Sophie.” I gave her a high five. I was so proud of her….so proud that I wanted to kiss her. But I could never do that…...at least I think I couldn’t.

“Devin, hey baby,” Natalia interrupted, thankfully. I was really close to getting a hard on. Sophia, of course, started to instantly get quiet and walk away.

“Good job again, Sophie!” I yelled at her. She didn’t look back and continued to walk.

“What happened to you yesterday? You were supposed to come over for dinner.” She had her arms wrapped around my waist, her hands playing with my locs hanging down my back.

“I fell asleep. It was a busy day for me.”

She looked at me skeptical... she knew I was lying, and I really didn’t care.   

“You are so full of shit. If you didn’t want to come, Devin, you could’ve just said so. I mean it’s not that serious,” she said, but her sky blue eyes said something else.

Can we get rid of this chick now or what?

“Natalia….I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you, ok?” I kissed her pink lips.

Tch, pussy….

She smiled. “Ok baby.” She kissed me back and flung her blonde hair over her shoulder as she walked away.

***

I walked into the house, ready to shower and chill for the rest of the day. That’s what I usually did when I got out of school and didn’t have to work. My last day of work was yesterday, so I was free for the rest of the summer.  But then I heard a familiar voice in the kitchen.

“Cocoa bean!” A raspy female voice shouted. It was my mom’s favorite aunt, who happened to also be my favorite. 

She’s my favorite too!

“Hey, Aunt Honey!” I went and gave her slim figure a hug. She and I were the same height. 

“Ooooh chile, my nephew is fine as frog hairs, you hear me!” She said as she held my hand.

“Aunt Honey wanted to talk to you about your summer plans. You know it’s been a while since you’ve visited her,” Mom said, refilling her glass with wine.

It really has been a while since I’ve been to Begonia. That’s the name of the brothel slash ranch my Aunt Honey owns. She’s been running it for 30 years, and it was never a dull moment in that place. I used to go stay with her in the summer when I was thirteen then helped at Begonia with auditing her books and getting her money in order when I was fifteen….yeah, yeah I know I was too young to be in that type of environment. But hey, I said I was good with numbers.

By the time I was done with getting the finance sheets in order, Honey would fire at least three or four women from the ranch. I never understood why people wanted to take advantage of her. She was already so generous and had a mean pistol aim. She reminded me of a slightly younger Dionne Warwick with shoulder-length roller set curls and light honey colored eyes….hence why she was named Honey. 

On my mom’s side of the family, light eyes seemed to jump around to one person each generation….My great-grandfather, to Aunt Honey, to my mom, then me. 

“So what are you doing for the summer, nephew?” Honey sipped her tequila. 

“Nothing,” I answered.

She looked surprised. “Really? I thought you would be working, going away or something. Don’t you have a little girlfriend you wanna spend time with?” Her west indian accent lightly covered her words.

“Girlfriend? I don’t have one of those. So what are we doing this summer, Auntie?” I gave her a smile.

She laughed at my response. I could always confide in Aunt Honey about everything. I even told her about Jackson when I was younger, and she told me it’s a good thing I got him before she did. After a few more hours of eating, laughing, and talking, Aunt Honey left with the plans that I would come to Vegas and stay with her for the summer. I was excited. It was going to be like old times.