Acknowledge Me

Knowledge

***Nimiko in the media***

"The same thing that made you laugh will make you cry"-IDK

I can't believe this is really my life right now.
This shit between Nisha and Shine is crazy. I told that nigga he needed to stop fucking around on Nisha or eventually she was going to snap or leave his ass. Not to say that Nisha is justified in doing what she did but when a person takes you there shit gets  illogical.
As much as Toya accuses me and gets on my nerves I'd never disrespect her like that. I love her enough to leave her rather than to have her out here looking crazy.
Also, Toya ain't no Nisha.
Nisha put up with Shine's shit for years before she snapped off. Toya already has one foot out the door with her distrustful ass; even an inkling of cheating would send her packing.
Speaking of Toya, I can't believe she just up and left like that with that silly-ass ultimatum. If it's one thing I am it is firm on my word when I give it.
I will not marry Toya if she doesn't trust me. She may think the ring will wash all her distrust away but the shit I deal with now, I'm not going to be able to handle when Toya is my wife.
I'm a man's man and I take care of home first and foremost. It's important to me that Toya knows I have her financially, physically, mentally and emotionally.
The constant checking up on me, going through my shit and being sneaky is annoying especially when I think I earned at least the benefit of the doubt.
"What you over there thinking about so hard bro?" Shine asks, absently flipping through channels from his hospital bed.
"Thinking about these crazy ass women bruh." I say shaking my head at the thought of the changes Toya's constantly taking me through.
"I feel you man. Nisha won't even answer any of my calls. Have you talked to her?" Shine inquires making me shake my head at him.
"Nigga, you really worried about Nisha right now with where you're at? You better hope that lil thug don't come out the woodwork to finish the job." I laugh. Shine joins in but you can tell that shit's forced, "You good Shine like for real?"
For the first time ever, my boy Shine cries. I don't mean no one or two tears either, Shine's body is shaking by the strength of his tears.
"She's gone for good man, ain't she?" Shine asks as if I can answer that. "I don't know man, maybe she just needs some time." I say not really knowing what to tell him.
"Nah Keem," Shine says calling me by my first name, "You didn't see the way she looked at me man, you didn't hear the way she was talking to me. I lost her."
I get up and wrap Shine in a brotherly hug, shit that's all I can do for him right now. As much as I'd like to tell him that him and Nisha are going to be fine the reality of the situation is he fucked up to a point he may not get her back. We all warned Shine that one day me she was going to get tired of his shit. I kept telling him he needed to do better by her but he wanted to be hard-headed and now she's gone.
"Call her for me man," Shine sniffles.
"What?" I ask Shine, looking at him like he's crazy, "I'm not getting in the middle of y'all shit."
"Please man," Shine begs. "She ain't answering none of my calls or texts. I just need to hear her voice man."
"Well get yourself together first," I say referring to the fact that this grown ass nigga is really sniveling like an infant. I'm aware that real men cry too but it's just weird seeing Shine like this being he's the man to see in the streets of Georgia, not to mention he's always playing around.
Shine wipes his face and straightens himself up, "Aiight man, give me your phone."
I hand him over my phone and Nisha answers on the first ring cussing me the hell out, "Knowledge I ought to shoot your ass for letting me think that dirty dick nigga was dead. That shit was cruel and I don't want to hear none of your weak-ass apologies-"
"Baby," Shine cuts her off, "Nisha baby, why aren't you answering my calls? Baby I'm sorry and if you'll forgive me this last time I promise I won't fuck up no more."
"You damn right you won't fuck up no more you community dick bitch! I'm done Miko, you don't get no more chances with me. If you know like I know you'll move the fuck around because God might not have been through with you yet this go-round but I promise you the next time I won't fuck around!" Nisha screams Shine's head off.
"Aye, you better calm your ass down. Now I let you have this one because the shit I did was foul but you're not going to keep coming at me like I'm some bitch made nigga. Watch yo tone and ya muthafuckin' words when you talking to me Tanisha!" Shine says losing his cool for Nisha to come back twice as hard. I shake my head and decide to give him some privacy so he can handle that.
Still shaking my head and chuckling at the way Nisha be handling my boy I accidentally bump into someone.
"My fault," I say catching the woman before she falls. "I didn't mean to-" my voice trails off as my eyes land on Nimiko; the first girl I ever fancied myself in love with and the one that was a big key in me becoming myself.
"Knowledge?" Nimiko questions, obviously shocked to see me.
"Meek?" I pull her into a bear hug, "Damn girl, I haven't seen you in forever. When did you come back to the States?"
Nimiko smiles, "My brother, Lee, move back about 3 years ago. He and his wife just had their first baby so me and my parents came to witness the birth. Apparently, he is a bit more squeamish than anticipated because he passed out and bumped his head which is why I'm down here."
I laugh thinking about all the pranks me and Nimiko used to pull on Lee because of that very reason. Every little thing used to gross him out. "Now y'all know y'all should have had a bed ready for him." I laugh while taking Nimiko's appearance in. She's still as beautiful as I remember: long jet-black hair, porcelain skin, almond-shaped brown eyes, round face with the cutest nose and lips, toned body, just barely a handful of breast and Asian girl booty. I mean of course her butt doesn't rival Toya's but for an Asian girl Nimiko got cakes. My favorite thing about the Nimiko is her height. I'm a big dude at 6'4 and Nimiko's 5'10, which is refreshing.
I peep Nimiko giving me the once-over as well, "I am so happy I ran into you. I was so sad when we had to go back to Japan."
"I was too, you know I was. I tried every trick in my fifteen-year-old book to get you to stay." I say chuckling at the thought of how relentless I was in getting Nimiko to stay. I even asked my mama if she could move in with us. "But anyways, how have you been? How long are you here for?"
"I'm staying for the next 3 months. I'm considering moving back being that I do a lot of business in the States anyways. With my nephew just being born I kind of want to be around for that." Nimiko elaborates.
"Well I'm glad you're back. I'm up here visiting my brother right now but I definitely want to sit down and catch up with you."
"Which one is it? I missed Hassan and Haseem. It's probably Haseem, he always was the daredevil out of the bunch." Nimiko laughs as her eyes glitter at the fond memories of spending time with me and my brothers.
I clear my throat, "Actually Haseem died about a year after you left."
Nimiko's eyes widen as her mouth forms an O. "Oh my gosh Hakeem, I'm so sorry, I didn't know."
"It's good." I say sadly as Nimiko pulls me into a hug to comfort me.
"I am so sorry Hakeem, I know how much you loved Haseem. I'm sorry I wasn't there." Nimiko cries.
I pull back wiping her tears, "Hey, hey there's no way you could have known. Shh, it's okay, I'm fine."
I grab Nimiko back into a hug, comforting her as she grieves for me and my big brother Hassem. When she gets herself together she pulls back wiping her eyes. Chuckling, Nimiko says, "I never imagined our first meeting after all these years would be like this."
"You good baby girl, I smile, "But aye, put down my number and call me so we can catch up."
Nimiko grabs her phone out of her back pocket and I read off my number to her. "It was good seeing you Knowledge. I look forward to catching up."
"It was good seeing you too Meek. Make sure you call me tonight so we can hook up." I say as I pull her into a final hug.
"I knew this shit was too good to be true." I hear from over my shoulder.
I turn towards the voice and come face-to-face with Toya.
Damn.