Gumbo.

3HREE.

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"What you looking at?!" Shay, a neighbor hollered over. She tugged on the sleeves of her children's worn-out jackets as she tried getting them settled inside of her van.

"Nothing." I smiled.

"I oughta go over there and wipe that smile off your face."

"Leave her alone." Baron, the baby's father, said gaining a quick punch from her.

"Did I fucking ask you?! Booboo, Rita, Arnell get back in the house. Look nigga what you out here defending other bitches for when you can barely defend your own damn self." Spit started flying from the corners of her mouth as she started another attack on him.

I jerked my head then slipped on my earphones, still hearing her gravelly voice even though the volume remained up. Soon I made my way onto the local bus and got off an hour or so after—at 6: 41 AM meaning I made it here early.

The manager flipped the bright red 'open' sign on the double glass doors as folks started to show up one by one. "Are you working the register today?" someone asked. I nodded while tying an apron around my uniform. When I walked back out, there he was taking a seat in his usual spot over in a booth by the window.

He wore a suit again, actually, I'm positive that he constantly wore one each time that I saw him. Which had me thinking where exactly did he work. It's not every day around here you see a brother looking dapper in a suit.

He always looked smart, focused, and sophisticated.

I had to get to know him to be certain. And couldn't just go jumping to conclusions based on appearances. Because from all people, I should know better.

"This is Selina, she's new here. And will be job shadowing until the end of the month." The manager notified. The new girl waved at everyone then turned to me specifically as I grinned which vanished once she leaned over my shoulder asking questions about him. He had already caught her eye not even 60 minutes inside of this place.

I couldn't even blame her, though.

The man was something special and anybody with functioning eyes could see that. Ines and Dawn kept quiet as Selina drooled over what was supposed to belong to me—only.

"Oh! I should take this over." She perked up her chest then carried a tray of breadsticks over to his table.

I watched with lowered eyebrows as he took one and they started talking. Selina even took a seat across from him. She and I were complete opposites so no wonder he liked her.

I could tell he did from the way his mouth turned up.

Some part of me wanted to be angry that Ines or Dawn didn't tell her that he was off-limits. But this wasn't high school and they didn't have to speak for me. I should've held my own.

He left after their conversation as she swished over.

"I'm gonna go now, nice meeting you ladies." She twirled her long ponytail our way before leaving.

Later on, I scrubbed the dishes and tried to get that scene out of my head. That was when Dawn pushed her head into the kitchen. Her keys were hanging from her index finger by a Jimi Hendrix keychain.

"Well..."

"Okay." I cleaned my hands with a hand towel. Not believing I agreed to this. This was a new type of desperate—a new form of stalking.

But I couldn't back down now while I sat in her passenger seat.

She clicked on some rap music. The usual message of sex, greed, and violence blared from the speakers hidden under attractive beats. We pulled out of the parking lot. "So do you have an address, number, license plate or anything I can work with?"

"No, I thought you did," I said in all honesty.

She turned the volume down some. "Are you serious? How are we supposed to follow this guy with no information on him."

He really was a mystery.

"Beats me this was your idea." I felt the need to remind. "Remember?"

I had her drop me off at home as clothes occupied the sidewalk from across the street. Shay sat by the window tossing Baron's clothes. Crack head's rummaged through for their next item worthy to pawn. "My kids ain't get no school clothes, yet here you are with all this name brand shit!"

"Gina." a raspy voice flew from the crowd.

My sister stood there frail and sickly looking. By this time Dawn had already pulled off which was somewhat of a relief because I didn't need word getting out that this was my relative. She followed me to my home reciting my name in a song.

Gee—na!

"What?"

"What you got in the bag there?"

"Not your crack rock." I replied, observing her thin-faced expression. She now looked like someone from the Feed the Children commercials. "It's food..."

"Nubia still got that restaurant of hers."

I nodded then took a seat on my porch as she followed. "Yeah," my voice was husky as I split the gyro between us. She coughed as she tried eating with what little teeth she was left with. "It's still up and running the last little Black business in the area too."

"You look really good." She told me as she chewed funny. I kept from laughing at the way she was eating. "You was the best choice that ole Ricky ever made."

"Too bad he was the worst choice that I ever made." I wiped my mouth merely thinking.

"It's not your fault about what happened to Kelvin."

I went through my pocket and counted $50 then handed it to her. Recognizing the sole reason, she was sweet-talking me was that she wanted something.

Afterward, I left.

"Have a great day." She sat there for a minute before counting.

"Love you, Gina."

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A/N: Make sure to add this story to your library and/or reading lists