Antril part 2
"You don't have to play strong with me. " He looked at me softly. I could feel his eyes reading me. Boreing into me. I recoiled mentally and physically. He must have knew I would run, he grasped my elbows and held me gently. I looked into his eyes. Those eyes. He stepped closer and my eyes fluttered down. Instead of kissing me he pulled me into his arms and held me tightly. I relaxed and let me ear rest on his chest. His heart beat calmed me and the scent of his cologne wafted lightly in the air.
"You know I've been watching you, the way you carry yourself, how you talk to people, what makes you smile.." His voice was as rich and deep as his complexion.
"Really? " I asked,comfortable in his arms I hadn't moved yet. My mind raced with what I should be doing upfront, I should probably apologize to Pack of Tracks, I did try to sleep her ass. Nah, I thought we could apologize to each other..
" Yeah, and I really.. " he paused searching for the right word. " respect you."
My heart dropped to my feet. I hesitated fir as long as possible before gently withdrawing from his embrace. "Respect?" I thought to myself. Damn, I don't know what I expected but damn sure wasn't anything platonic. Shit, I must have misread the signs directing me to the fucking friend zone. I shook my head to clear it of the intruding thoughts. I headed to the employee restroom and washed my face with cool water his words echoed in my head. I felt like a victim, I had let my guards down to have my feelings stroked and discarded. Oh well I shrugged, he wouldn't be there long any way.
Over the next couple of days we kept busy preparing for the outside company to come in and do our counts.
Saturday
I walk in to the store and raise my eyes in surprise to see Tril in my cockpit. Joey the store manager daps me down and hauls ass out like always. I count down the safe silently and without a calculator as always. Everything's straight so I exit the cockpit and do my walk through, I feel his eyes boring through me.
"Sassy? " He calls the nickname he gave me.
" Yeah," I ask fronting my chemical wall.
"You should take my number in case you need some help over here. " He shrugged.
" Needing help ain't up to me. " I responded, shit he wasn't even about to trick me out the friend zone again.
" Yeah, you right. I'll get at Joey. " He walked off into the warehouse.
All in all the day went smoothly. People stole shit, tried to return stuff they had used and got mad with me. But, the climax didn't happen until this particular customer came in. I had made it painfully clear to my coworkers that if she did something else I didn't like I was going to tell her EVERYTHING that I didn't like.
She was the over built mother of 4 stair steppers. The oldest a little girl that was about four was always responsible for her two younger brothers of about 2 and 3. The boys were bad as barbedwire. The little girl wore the constant look of stress coupled with tiredness young mothers often wore. She usually held tight to the 2 year olds hand while trying to reign in the 3 year old.
The four year old let go of the 2 year old to run and grab the three year old who was climbing the candy display.
"Shay-Shay bitch, if you don't get my baby Imma knock you ass out. " BayBay herself said.
I instantly lifted my head and turned towards the sad case. Sharon looked at me and said, " Leave that lady alone, guh. I see that dumb shit on your face. "
I looked at her and responded loudly," IF SHE SLAPS THAT BABY I'M GOING TO SLAP HER. SHE SHOULDN'T HAVE HAD ALL THEM KIDS. "
"Oh, Lawd" Tril chuckled from a few aisles over.
He passed by the cockpit and said, "I don't want to have to hog tie her ass because I don't think you got that, Sassy."
"Stop calling me that shit," I glared.
He grabbed a buggy and brought it to the struggling hood rat. Instead of simply asking her did she need it he picked up the terrible three year old sat him in the buggy and said, "If you get out or give your sister any more trouble you gonna have to see me, you understand?"
Bih, I got pregnant. Right there. Right then. But, as usual. I wasn't the only one. BayBay turned around and smiled brightly at Tril, "See that's what they need, a real man in they life." The bitch had the nerve to bat her eyelashes. Misty, another cashier and I literally had no choice but to die laughing.
Shay-Shay her four year piped up, "Because us ain't got no daddy."
"Shut the fuck up!" BayBay implored.
"That's not how you talk to a child especially a little girl. " Tril said.
" And ain't. " I consigned.
Tril shot me a look that shut my ass right on up.
" You right, " She agreed." I be so depressed and I put too much on her. " She lowered her head and continued," I'm struggling, I can't give her shit she want out here, I gained so much weight I can't even handle my boys. " she started to cry and my heart softened towards her somewhat.
" You have somebody to watch them in the daytime? " He asked BayBay.
Sharon and Misty both looked at me with raised eyebrows." He's about to hire her? " I mouthed confused.
" Yeah, I live with my mom. " She choked through tears.
" If you get up every morning and call me I'll work out with you, and I'm about to but that baby some toys. " He smiled down at Shay-Shay and she beamed up at him. I realized I had saw her for months and never once saw her smile.
My heart swelled with pride. I realized he wasn't mine to be proud of, but I was just proud to know him. He came to the register with a baby doll, carrier, color and coloring books and even a couple outfits. But, what really made us all look at him with the "awwww" look was the umbrella stroller for the baby she always carried on her hip.
When she left out he looked at us, "What, bruh?"
"That was so sweet... "
" You are so sweet.. "
" I ain't shit," I admitted.
"What? Why? " He asked honestly confused.
" Here I am ready to put the punches on the lady and came in and finessed the lady to tears and a lifestyle change. " I said.
" If it wouldn't have been for you being outraged at the situation I probably never would have noticed. But, since I know you a hot head... "
" You gots me fucked up. " I cut him off laughing.
Time flew by and before I knew it it was almost closing time.
Tril walked back up to the register, I was leaning against one counting it down. He stepped behind me and I leaned back to hear what he was going to say." I'm about to get out of here", he said.
"Awww," I exaggerated a post and turned to face him.
He looked me seriously in the eyes, "I'm going to miss you."
My heart fluttered wildly in my chest. Then, he my feet. "Like a friend, duh" I told myself repeatedly.
"I'll miss you, too. " I responded.
He kissed me know the forehead and walked out into the night.
