New Native Land (The Next Step) (Book II)

Chapter 10 (He Knows Better)

We got to the apartment #917, and he knocked on the door. His mom yelled "I don't want any chicken today. I swear you always coming over here." She swung open the door and she looked shocked. "Ma, why you yelling about chicken?" He asked embarrassed but she swung her arms around him and pulled him into a giant hug, I couldn't help but smile.

"Baby! ¿Por qué no me dijiste que ibas a venir?" (Why didn't you tell me you were coming?) She said to him in Spanish and he sighed "Cause I wanted you to meet my girl." He answered and she let him go and noticed me. She reached and hugged me and now I see why his hugs are so strong, hers are too, but hers are full of love "Aw! She's so scrawny!" She said with her thick accent and he smacked his teeth "Ma!" But I laughed.

She let me go and looked at me some and said "Come in, come in!" She practically pushed us in the door. "Would you like something to eat?" She asked me and Ahm said "Ma!" Trying to check her but she ignored him. "Sit, sit." She told me and I sat down. I looked around and she had top of the line furniture in here, it looked cozy.

"She don't eat Ma, leave her alone." Ahm said still very embarrassed. "Hush, where are your manners talking to your momma like that?" She berated him, he rolled his eyes and she got up and smacked him and came back and sat next to me again. "I'm Lolita Jordan, but you can call me Mom! What's your name honey?" I smiled "My name is Reagan Smith." She smiled. "That is such a cute name! I love it! Reagan and Ahmed! It's so perfect!"

Ahm sat down on the couch on the other side of the coffee table and he glared at his mom "What yo boss doing messin wit you? Do I gotta go up there?" He asked her and she sighed out in frustration "No, he's a man. Men are idiots, he told me I was doing something wrong and when I proved it was right, he was embarrassed and then gave me a hard time." He sighed out loud this time and told her "I'ma handle him." She laughed out loud "Don't be trying to front in front of your girl. Leave my boss alone, he ain't do nothing to you."

"I ain't a front, I don't want people thinking they can mess wit you ma." He explained to her and she shook her head at him disappointed. "I'm alright aren't I? That's what happens when you work, sometimes you have a disagreement with your boss, it's normal." He gave her this blank stare she ignored him. She turned to me "Does he give you a hard time like this too?" I nodded and he sucked his teeth "No, I don't." He defended himself and we both gave him the same look which caused him to smacked his lips and drag his hands over his face.

"Where you from baby, you don't sound like you're from here." She said to me. "I'm from Houston, Texas." I told her and the realization set in "Texas? Long way from home huh?" I nodded "Yeah, but it's not that bad. I've adjusted somewhat." I said honestly and she grinned. "You go to Manhattan Prep?" She asked still trying to get to know me and I nodded "Yes, ma'am." She looked up and said "Thank you God."

Ahm made a face and said "What that mean?" She looked back down at him "I'm just glad you didn't bring me no chicken head home." She out right said and he closed his eyes in embarrassment. Her attention went right back to me and she asked "You gone marry him?" I laughed and joked "Yeah, if you want me to." She beamed "Yes, honey please! I'll pay for everything!" She made me laugh even more, she was so funny, light and full of energy the opposite of Ahm.

"He treating you right, right?" She got serious. "Uh, for the most part yes ma'am." And his head went into his hands once again. She made a face and turned to him and said "Yeah you know better. You knew I was going to get on you for that, I raised you better than that. You better treat her right from now on." She schooled him, saying the last part through gritted teeth and turned back to me "I taught him how to treat a woman and how to respect a woman. And if he gets out of line, you call me. I will get him straight." I nodded "Yes, ma'am."

"That ain't necessary." He said to her and she just glared at him "How's school?" She asked him and he sighed "Fine." She threatened to smack him by raising an arm, he quickly raised his to defend himself but she rolled her eyes at him cursing in Spanish. She dropped her arm and turned her attention back to me "How's school for you Reagan?" I answered "It's alright." I smiled. "She takes college classes ma. She's real smart, they think she's a genius." He boasted and she beamed at me again "You're magical girl! I'm so happy for you, you keep working hard you hear me, it'll pay off!" She encouraged and I nodded and glared at him. He gave me an amused face.

"You eat yet baby?" She asked me and I smiled embarrassed "Yes, ma'am." I answered "Oh you're one of those lucky girls who eat but don't gain weight huh?" Ahm yelled out "Ma, why you making her uncomfortable. She might be insecure about that." She made a face at him "If she's insecure why you putting her business out there dummy?" She clapped back at him and he smacked his lips at her. "I let you get by doing that for too long. Do it again and I'll beat yo ass. Just because you're eighteen doesn't mean you're too old for an ass whooping." She told him and he just glared in another direction.

She turned back to me "You see; you just check him. He thinks he's big boss man but he's not. He's just a big ol baby." I smiled warmly. "He doesn't listen to me, so I don't know if it will work for me." I admitted and she made a face "He listens, if he knows better he listens. How old are you?" She asked me and I said "I'm fifteen." She opens her eye wide "Oh baby, you need to hurry and turn sixteen. You young." She said and she turned to Ahm and said "How long y'all been going out?"

"Since September." He answered and she nodded "Oh, well then it's okay. What are you doing for Valentine's Day?" She asked excitedly. I almost forgot that was coming up. "Ma!" He said hinting for her to stop. "Girl he ain't got nothing planned for you. Mm, mm, mm." She said trying to stir up something.

"Why you wanna start stuff? You gone make her mad at me." He said to her and she made a face "I'm surprised she ain't mad at you every day. I know you get on my nerves; you probably get on hers too." She said to him and then she sighed turning to me saying "Bare with him please, cause I need you two to get married." I nodded. "Why you ain't ask me if I wanna marry her first Ma?" He asked offended and she looked at him and then turned back to me with desperation in her eyes "Promise me that no matter what happens, you will marry him?" I laughed and I nodded comically.

"That's messed up." He said and we continued to ignore him. "You play cards?" She asked me and I nodded. "No, ma. She got homework, and I gotta get her home." Ahm said and she looked sad "Aw. Alright, I understand." She said disappointed. "Keep working hard, and rub some of that off on him."

We stood up and she hugged me first "Call me if you need to check him, and come over any time you want so I can feed you." She said and I laughed "Yes, ma'am." She let me go and hugged him. I could tell how much he cared about her. "Don't worry about me, I'm okay." She assured him and he nodded. "Me gusta mucho ella, mantenerla alrededor." (I really like her, keep her around.) She said to him in Spanish and he sighed "Intentaré mi más duro." (I'll try my hardest.)