Jug and Finesse

Cosmetic

Shantii

I pulled out a few pots and pans to cook. I heard Keshina and Quinn in the living room asking for food but I ignored them, they know that if they're in my house, they'll be fed. I wasn't all that hungry myself, seeing Quinn and Keshina together made me lose my appetite quickly.

They rarely argue and when they do, it never lasts for a whole day. Jaylon and I, however, are always in an argument. The things he does, the way he acts, it shouldn't be this damn hard to keep a relationship healthy. I want him with every part of me, but my needs outweights my wants.

I feel like if you can go a day without talking to me, and you're wrong, that says a lot. Almost everyday now I feel under appreciated, and this isn't something I plan on getting used to. I know what I deserve, so if he can't step up to meet my standards, love or not, I'll have to leave.

I understand if I was asking for much. But I'm not. I'm simply asking to be treated as his equal, to be loved. That can't be that hard.

Pushing that to the back of my mind, I reached into the freezer and grabbed two packs of thawed chicken wings and drumsticks. It was about fifty pieces so I pulled out a big silver bowl and tossed all of them inside. I pulled out my seasonings and a bag of flour and started cleaning the chicken.

I seasoned them with a little salt and pepper, and several coats of lemon pepper. I placed them in the oven on 375 degrees for about 40-45 minutes and then placed them under the broiler to make them crispy since I didn't feel like frying them.

When the wings finished, I tossed in some pre-cooked seasoned French fries. While those finished off, I prepared Keshina a fruit salad. I topped it with grapes, pineapples, strawberry and bananas, whip cream on the side for dipping.

"Shantii you taking forever man, I smell food!" Keshina yelled and I rolled my eyes. She is always so hungry, this baby has her craving foods that she knows she can't eat.

I walked out to the livingroom and handed her her fruit plate. "The fuck is this? Oh hell no, I smell chicken but I'm getting this?" she snapped and tried to get up. "Doing too much," I pressed her back into her seat.

She grabbed it, and very reluctantly, started eating. I walked off into the kitchen and waited a few minutes before calling Quinn in. I handed him half of the wings and gave him some of the fries. I took my half and started dipping the wings in bleu cheese.

"Where you learn to cook?" he sat down and ripped the meat off of the bone. I laughed and poured me a cupful of pineapple Fanta. "Where y'all at? Why'd y'all just leave me?" Keshina's voice was muffled with tears.

"Bae I'm in here," Quinn stuffed his chicken down his throat. "If you choke, I am not taking you to the hospital," I creased my forehead. "Nah 'cause if she sees this food, she gon' be begging for some and you know she can't be eating this type of food," he wolfed down his fries.

"True," I spoke but refused to eat any faster. It was true, Shina would have a fit if she saw us eating but as a mother now, there would have to be sacrifices, she had to understand that.

Shina started paddling her little ass into the kitchen and stared at us. She looked down at her plate of fruits in her hand and stomped over. "How the fuck yall gon' be munching on wings and shit and gon' hand me some fruits. And it's lemon pepper too!" she crossed her arms.

"Because we aren't pregnant," I laughed. "Man fuck you," she slid into Quinns lap to beg for food.

"Please."

"No."

"Just one."

"No!"

"Okay, a bite?"