King of Queens (a Nas Story)

SIX

Gia | 3:03pm

"How did you find out about this place?"

The intricate flavors of blended sweetness and spice danced along my tongue and around my mouth. This was my first time eating Indian cuisine and it was Nasir's suggestion.

"I've been coming here since middle school. The owners are cool people." He said with his mouth full. I noticed that he talks with his mouth full a lot. Almost as much as I say sorry.

"This is really good!" I gestured my plastic fork in the path of where my plate was placed on the table in front of us.

"This is why I wanted to take you here. Show you there's more to Queens, you know?" He said while mashing on the food in his mouth.

This block of Queens in particular was busy with kids exiting school buses and city buses alike. Some people were headed to work or getting off early. It was busy with foot traffic and loud noises. Some cars honking at others.

The food was delicious and the staff offered us an extra serving on the house because I was with Nasir. I never realized how popular he was around the neighborhood. I didn't turn down the free offer and pushed my plate towards the shop owner's wife.

"Nasir, tell Ms. Ann I said hello, you hear?" Said the beautiful Indian woman with a beautiful, thick native accent. Her skin was tanned and her hair was straight and long. Her long sleeve shirt was rolled up along her forearms that were decorated with gold Cuban link bracelets and a gold wrist watch.

Her wedding band was simply gold. Not as fancy and flashy as the jewelry on her wrist. She was younger than her older husband who owned the place. Probably around my mom's age or younger. Her husband had to have been over fifty.

"I got you, Riya." His hoarseness promising that he'd deliver the message was strong. He swallowed the food that was already in his mouth before clearing his throat, like that would help any.

She took our plates to add an extra serving of curry on it. We sat at the table and conversed amongst ourselves about what we were doing earlier before he met me in front of the complex. We walked here together.

The front door to the establishment swung open, letting a gust of cold wind rush inside. "We'll be with you shortly!" Said Riya from behind the counter as she was tending to our plates first.

The bell clanked against the bulletproof glass installed inside of the metal door.

"Word."

My stomach dropped instantly hearing his voice. I looked at Nasir and kicked his leg under the table. He kissed his teeth at me.

"What you doing, Gia?" He said out loud. Instantly, Ron turned his head towards the commotion and began to step towards our table.

"Giana?" Ron's soft voice traveled through the banging of pots and pans from behind the counter.

Nasir broke his neck to see who it was that new my given name besides he and my father. He sized the man up and looked back at me.

"Yo, who is this?" Nasir twisted his face while asking me.

Ron stood firm in his stance with his arms overlapped in front of the other. His red North Face jacket made him stand out in his empty restaurant. His light denim jeans were Guess and cuffed at the seams of his hemming.

Yellow construction Timberlands were loosely laced on his feet. He wore a red Yankee fitted over his fresh Caesar. His skin complexion would be compared to a brown paper bag from the bodega. He flashed a smile that was covered in gold fronts.