Time

II

Aris Matthews
Charlotte, NC
May 18, 2019

I pull up to the block party and get Hari out the car.
As soon as I started walking the sympathetic stares, the pity check ups and the "love you, let me know if you need anything" remarks started.

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate all the love, I just hate being reminded that he isn't here.

I also don't like when people pity me.

I finally made it to his mothers house and walked inside. The door was already unlocked since people were running in and out to put the food and drinks out on the tables.

"I know that ain't my TT Bear" I looked to my left and seen Mama Harris sitting with her two sisters, my mom and some of the other neighborhood mamas.

I don't think I mentioned Tyliq's last name is Harris. So Mama Harris is.... well it's obvious bye - mary

"Hey GG, I missed you" Tahari ran to her giggling.

"And what about me?" My mom said.

I looked over at her seeing she wand curled her afro and wore a cream sweater over a white shirt, some black dark blue jeans and her tory burch sandals I bought her for her birthday.

"I missed you too, Nana" Tahari jumped out arms to go hug my mom.

My mom was a thick brown skin lady with a a head full of hair and an attitude straight from hell.

I loved that lady but she was batshit crazy and everybody knew it. That's why nobody fucked with me and my brother when we were growing up.

We'd deal with the petty bitches who don't like you cause you're a good person or just nice to people so they feel intimidated, but I smacked one of them one time for pushing my brother and they been keeping it cute since then.

"Hey ma, hey ma number two" I cheesed walking further into the living room. "Hari iPad and charger is in her suitcase with her clothes and her toiletries. I'll bring it in before I leave, and I scheduled an instacart to deliver some groceries for y'all tomorrow"

My mom and Tyliq's were the best of friends, which is how we met.

Ever since they were little they'd have sleepovers and wanted Hari to experience what they were like.. but until she started to make friends, they would get her for a week every month and hang out with her.

" Girl, how many times do we have to tell you to stop doing that. We hardly cook when we get her, we just go out" my mama shrugged her shoulders.

"Mmcht, that's why she so spoiled now. That little girl gone ask me to get crab legs fresh off the wake-up, she shouldn't even know how to crack a crab at 3" I rolled my eyes

My mama mugged me.

"Don't do my baby, she be hungry. It ain't like you wasn't walking around with snacks in every pocket at her age. She get that greedy shit from you"

"Mhmm, whatever you say sweetie" I said to my mom laughing.

"Alright well i'm about to go find Kerian and them, i'll see y'all later. Bye bug, mommy loves you" i said as I kissed Tahari's cheek and then walked out the door.

I started walking toward one of the bar trucks knowing that's where everybody was.

There's a group of us. It's me, Tyliq, Kerian, Renni, Asayah, Jacobe and Nautica A.K.A Nauti. All of our parents grew up with each other and were bestfriends so we all ended up growing up together.

Me, Renni, Kerian and Asayah are the closest and then it's Jacobe, Naughty and formerly Tyliq. We all still have a big connection it's just how we roll separately.