Thug Lovin'

•34•

That Night

     "You tryna talk to Papi?" I asked. "Yeah, if he not sleep." Meek said. "He might be. Last time I saw him he was playing with Rika. Ever since he got introduced to her they been next to each other." I said.

      There was a silence. "How long now?" He asked. I looked at the top of the screen. "We've been on FaceTime for 2 hours and 23 minutes." I said.

     "Damn. It seem like 30 minutes." He said. He said. "I mean, when you're talking to me..." I said. "Stop flexing." He said. "Says the one that does it all the time." I said. "But I'm sexy when I do it." I shook my head. "You're just proving my point idiot." I said. He shrugged. "I'm still a sexy ass chocolate nigga." He said. "I remember I called you a chocolate nigga in the beginning of our relationship." I said.

     "You mean when you waited forever to even consider a relationship with me?" I asked. I rolled my eyes. "I'm with you know, aren't I?" I asked. "Don't make me take a personal trip down there and tear ya lil ass up. Roll your eyes one more time." He said. I bit my lip and laughed. "Why you so cute?" He asked. I folded my lips in, creating deep dimples, and shrugged. "I don't know. Just be happy you got a ride or die like me." I said.

     He smiled. "You know, you don't smile that much, Meek." I said. "Stop lying. Laughing counts." He said. "I guess." I heard a door open on his side. "Who is that?" I asked. "Probably Mel. I asked him to come over so we could talk a few things over." I said. "But I gotta go, talk to you later." He said. "Wait, wait, wait... Stay on the phone till he get up there." I said.

     "Why?" He asked. "Because you rushing off the phone like its not Mel." I said. "Nicki, do you think I'm that stupid?" He asked. I shrugged. "I don't think so. But I have to make sure." I said. He smacked his teeth and showed me Mel as he walked through Meek's office door. "Oh, okay. No problems here." I said. He shook his head. I laughed. "Bye baby. I love you." I said. "Love you too." He said. He hung up and I put my phone on the charger.

      "Rika! Is he sleep?!" I yelled downstairs. "Yeah!" She said. I heard her coming upstairs. She walked into the room with Papi in her hands. "You're going to school tomorrow right?" She asked as she put him in the bed beside me. "Yeah, why?" I asked. "Because I'm taking Papi somewhere with me tomorrow." She said. I scoffed. "So you're just kidnapping my child now?" I asked, laughing. "That's what it looks like." She said. I shook my head. "Goodnight Sherika." I said. She laughed and left the room.
**********
Wednesday, November 9
Nicki's POV

     I was driving home from school when I got a call. It was from Meek. I answered it. "Hello?" I put it on speaker phone and sat it in my lap. "Hey baby." He said. I realized how I still blushed when he called me baby. "Yeah, hey. Wassup?" I asked. "Nothing. I called to talk to Papi, but if he not with you..." I sighed. "Um, he's with Sherika but they might be home. I'm almost there, just stay on the phone for a sec." I said. "Oh, aight."

     "How you holding up with no head?" He asked. I laughed and shook my head. "I'm not addicted Meek. I can go a few weeks without it." I said. "Well, damn. I can't." He said. I chuckled. "What I can't do is go a 3 weeks without seeing you." I said in all seriousness. "Nic, we was just on FaceTime last night." He said. "I mean in person Meek. That's different." I said. "Nic, I'm not going through this again." He said.

      "You don't have to. I'm just saying." I said. Silence fell over us. "I'm home now and Sherika's car is here so I guess they're here." I said, getting out of my car. "Aight." He said. I unlocked the door to the house and opened it. Papi came around the corner, peeking. I smiled and he ran towards me. "Hey, baby!" He hugged me. "Hey mom." He said. "Somebody wants to talk to you." I said. "Who?" I handed him the phone. "Hello?"