"So Joc drinking again, huh?" Nana asked, stirring honey into Brooklyn's tea.
Malia sipped from her own tea, nodding her head. "It was just once but yeah."
"Malia, if you'on let that boy live his damn life." Her grandmother. "Ain't nun' wrong wit' a lil' drink drink. Shit, when I was 23 I was drinking rubbing alcohol if I ain't have no money."
Brooklyn bursted into laughter. "Nana. That's not funny. Like at all."
Malia narrowed her eyes. "Didn't you have 2 kids when you were 23?"
"Sho' did." Nana sat the tea in front of Brooklyn, before taking a seat herself. "So, whea' Joc today?"
"Ja is with his daughter." She told her grandmother, not taking much notice of her insensitive comments like usual. "I think I'm seeing him later."
"When you seen him last?"
Malia picked at her nails. "I saw him yesterday morning but it's weird. I don't know... I think I freaked him out."
"You ain't scare that boy, Malia." Nana said. "He dealin' wit' a couple things and he gotta get 'em together."
Ja was taking time to think because despite his lack of words at the time, he was thinking heavily of what Malia said. He was still thinking about being a better person, so he was going to start. Ja still wanted to be himself but a better version of it.
Just as they were talking about it, he called her phone.
Malia answered, standing up from the table in the process. "Hey."
"What's good?" Ja's voice came smoothly through the phone. "What you up to?"
She ignored the kissy faces Brooklyn made at her, focused on her phone call. "I'm just with Brook at my Nana's house. How was breakfast and stuff with Kaari?"
"It was dope. I'm startin' ta' think she like you mo' than me. Talked about yo' ass the whole time." The guard joked, steering his car. "I wanna see you, tho'."
"Well.." Malia looked at Brooklyn who was into her phone. "I'm with Brook right now but I can see you after?"
"Go 'head, Malia." Brook says. "Go see your boo. I got a hair appointment."
"Nevermind. She's about to get her hair braided." She said into the phone. "So, I can meet you somewhere or something. I don't know what you wanna do-"
Ja cut her off in gentlest way possible. "Meet me at my crib. I just wanna see ya' face. We ca' figure the rest out lata'."
"Alright." Malia said after a few seconds. "I'll see you in a bit."
When she hung up the phone, Malia retrieved her purse from the chair. She disregarded everything that her grandmother yelled after her about wearing protection and left, not taking very long to get to Ja's house.
The guard was already outside with his photographer, taking pictures that he wouldn't post any time soon. Ja was taking a break from social media after scaring Instagram half to death with suggestive and cryptic messages to his family members and daughter.
He was alright of course, and didn't mean to scare anyone.
"Hi, Mama."
"Hey." Malia walked up the steps, waving at the photographer. "I'm gonna wait inside."
Malia walked into the house, taking a seat on the couch and opening her phone. She wasn't sure what they would be doing today. Especially since she was dressed in Nike spandex and an oversized T-shirt.
