Baby Mama

23.

"Mercedes' gon' come through in a lil bit." I say to Kasey once she joins me in the kitchen after her shower.

"Aww, okay. I thought we could have a lil' baby mama time later." She smirks and then swats at my chest playfully. "I'm just kidding, 'Phire. I just like to mess with you."

Kasey laughs and walks off to make our plates and I stand there stuck, smiling like a fool.

"When you gon' be more than my baby mama, though?"

I chuckle when she drops the serving spoon and glances at me quickly.

"What?"

"You heard me."

"I mean...yeah, I heard you but still...what?" Kasey fumbles nervously while scooping up spaghetti from the pan. I smile because she's cute and I love watching her when she's nervous.

"I'm not gon' pretend like I don't want you. I wanna make you mine."

"Easy tiger. You're not even finished with Riah yet. I don't wanna get hurt messin' with you, girl." Kasey hands me my plate and then finishes plating two more.

"How many times I gotta tell you I'm done with her?" I ask.

"As many times as it takes 'til I believe you. Sapphire, I'm not one of those girls that jump just because you want me to jump. I don't care how fine you are."

"So you think I'm fine then, huh?" My smile makes her grin and then she finally joins me at the kitchen table.

"Obviously you're fine. Fine as hell, actually." She smirks and licks her bottom lip seductively.

We sit across from each other, both too occupied with staring at each other to enjoy the steaming plate of food in front of us.

The tension is so thick between us, I could cut it with a knife and serve it for dessert.

When Mercedes calls to let me know she's outside, I get up to let her in. She has on black leggings, a black hoodie and a black beanie on her head.

"Damn girl, who we finna rob?"

"Shit, you tell me. I'm on go mode whenever. Y'all in here eatin'? That shit smells good." Mercedes walks past me, straight to the kitchen.

When I join them both at the table, Kasey sides a plate in front of Mercedes and then sits back down.

"Whatchu doin' here?" She asks her cousin.

"What, I'm interruptin' family time? Where my baby at?"

Kasey shakes her head but giggles.

"Somethin' like that. She's upstairs sleep. Where else would she be?"

"Ooouu, y'all was finna get nasty?" Mercedes laughs and then takes a sip from Kasey's cup of kool-aid.

"Girl, no! And why would I tell you that?"

"You act like I didn't used to fuck her."

I choke on the food in my mouth the same time Kasey groans.

"You make me sick." She says but the laughter behind her words lets me know they're just joking.

Even if it does make me uncomfortable as hell.

"Nah but foreal, best friend." Mercedes puts her attention on me when Kasey gets up to get another cup of kool-aid. "Whatchu wanna do? 'Cause I'm down for it all."

"I don't want Sapphire to do anything about that situation. Is that why you came here tonight?" Kasey questions after she's sitting back down.

Mercedes shrugs her shoulders.

"Like I said, best friend...whatchu wanna do?"

Kasey catches my eye as she twists her lips into a disapproving scowl, just like my momma.

"Uhh...I uhh."

"We can spin around her block a couple of times. Air that bitch out. Shit, we could fuck her ride up like she did yours. It don't matter."

Kasey scoots her chair back and grabs her plate. She empties it in the trash and then goes upstairs without saying another word.

"She'll get over it." Mercedes says and rolls her eyes. "We gotta let that bitch know you're done with her and her bullshit. Throwin' bricks through yo window when you got the baby in here is mad corny. You need to either fuck her shit up or let me do it again. Either way though, Riah finna get what's comin' to her bitch ass."

Mercedes is right. But damn, I know Kasey gon' be mad as a bitch if I don't let this shit go with Riah.

"Lemme go talk to her."

Mercedes smacks her lips but nods her head.

"Kasey finna have you sprung as a bitch, already. I might as well go home."

I brush her off because she's most likely right.

When I get upstairs to Kasey amd Zaylee's room, the door is already cracked enough for me to see inside.

Kasey's standing in front of the mirror attached to the oak dresser. We make eye contact through her reflection before I push through the door.

"Wassup, mama? Why you walk out like that?" I ask as I take a seat on the edge of her bed. She turns around and folds her arms.

"Don't ask dumb questions."

I smile and open my arms for her to come closer. When she does, I gently pull her on top of me.

"Y'all leavin'?" She asks as I leave soft kisses on her flushed skin.

"How mad you gon' be if we do?"

"You could find out when you get back and we're not here."

Damn.

I bite the inside of my cheek and sigh loudly. Kasey lifts my chin and gazes at me like it's the last time she's going to see me.

"I don't want anything to happen to you, Sapphire. I already told you she's irrelevant. You're lettin' my cousin make you mad all over again when I just wanted to ease your mind tonight...but whatever. Go with Mercedes. I don't care anymore."

I try hard as hell not to reveal the smile I so badly want to release just hearing how soft and tender Kasey's voice is. And when our eyes meet again, I know she's being foreal. She really doesn't want nothing to happen to me and I can feel it.

"Aight." I tell her before kissing her forehead. "I'll be back."

"Yup." She mumbles and then climbs off my lap.

I know Mercedes is gonna be irritated if I stay in with Kasey but I would rather her be mad at me than her cousin. So I go downstairs, ready to get my head bit off.

She smiles when she sees me coming though.

"Yeah, aight, 'Phire." She laughs and finishes what's left in her cup before standing. "I'm dead as fuck. Baby cousin done put that thang on you and gotchu sprung already."

"Girl, whatever." I smack my teeth but she's right. Damn it, she's always right.

I probably am sprung already.

"It's aight though, y'all cute so it's whatever." Mercedes grabs her phone off the kitchen table and calls out for Kasey.

"I'm finna go." She says when Kasey comes downstairs and wraps her in her arms in a brief hug. "Lemme know when my best friend can come outside again."

We all laugh and I catch Kasey rolling her eyes just like me. After Mercedes walks off, my heart starts thumping hard as hell.

"You stayed." Kasey says when we're alone again.

I swallow hard and nod my head. She reaches for my hand and then leaves a feathery kiss on top of my knuckles.

"Good. Now you can have your way with me tonight."