King of Queens (a Nas Story)

ELEVEN

Gia | 2:28am

"So, how did your tooth become chipped? I'm curious." I ran my thumb cross his bottom lip and looked at him. We were laying on the couch as we waited for the bedding to be finished drying. 

"Oh, so you noticed?" He said sarcastically as he cuddled up close to me, his chest pressed against mine.

"I think it makes you look cuter, if I'm being honest." I planted a kiss on his jaw and pulled back to wait for the tale of the chipped tooth. "I want to hear it."

"I was a kid, right? A dumb ass!" He lowered his head recounting the event that lead to this cosmetic accident. "My brother was on the toilet and here I was, swinging off the shower rod like I was your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man or some shit!" He laughed from his stomach.

I placed my hand on his chest and laughed along with him. "Wait a minute! So you're telling me you chipped your tooth by swinging off of the damn shower rod?" I hit his chest and bursted into a laughing fit. I was struggling to find my breath.

"I told you, Gia. I was a dumb ass boy." Nasir shook his head and laughed once more before the laughter died down.

"Gia, can I ask you something?" Nasir's tone was more serious. "Sure. Anything." I said as I laid my head on his bare chest. The apartment was too hot for clothes after our shared shower together.

"What was your pops like? If you don't mind me asking. You hardly talk about the man." Nasir rubbed my back slowly.

"Oh. Um, well. He was a man's man. You know what I mean? It was family first, money immediately after." I tugged on Nasir's chain while recalling the man my father was.

"My mom and dad met while he was stationed in North Carolina. She was visiting her friends while on vacation. They hit it off immediately." I said as I held his Virgo medallion between my fingers.

"My dad was from Harlem. Born and raised. He was running the streets since thirteen. Selling rocks, weed sometimes. He was a heavy weed smoker. My mom hates the smell to this day." I laughed lightly.

"My mom is from Chicago, originally. She moved to Harlem after he discharged to be with him. They married as soon as they moved into their apartment, where I was raised." I ran my thumb across the etched lettering of his medallion as I spoke.

"My father was heavily respected in his borough. I was sort of untouchable on the block. He was the man then. Everyone knew I was Rome's daughter."

"So your pops was the man, huh?" Nasir's fingertips traced patterns along the flesh of my back.

"Yeah, you can say that. He put a lot of people on when it came to making money. He wasn't proud of it, nor did he brag about the shit he did. But, he was honest with me. I respect honesty of men because of my father." I answered honestly.

"I see where you get your character from. If only he could see how beautiful and wise you are right now." Nasir kissed the top of my head after his sweet compliment.

I rubbed his stomach and thanked him before replaying the day he died in my head. It was bittersweet and stung my heart.

"My dad's right hand man gunned him down." I said bluntly. Nasir's fingers stopped tracing my skin. "Put one in the back of his head out of jealousy." I said without tearing up this time.

"He was like an uncle to me. He looked after me like I was his own. Still, that wasn't enough to keep him loyal." I continued toying with Nasir's chain, tapping my acrylic nails on the gold metal.

"Nas, I know what you and your brother do. Well, at least what you were doing before your deal. I'm not naïve." I said straight up.

"I know what drug money looks like. What it feels like when you get it. How it feels to spend it. I lived that life as a drug dealer's daughter." I traced his name with my fingertip on his chest as he listened to me quietly. I felt his chest rise and fall with every breath he took.