Deceit

11 - First Kiss

Harlem:

I made sure to wake up early and grab the keys to the truck from Ghost. It was my night to make dinner and I wanted to impress Yamaris more than anything. The local markets tended to open up early and I preferred to use the freshest ingredients possible. Not too many people thought I could cook based off appearance, but my parents made sure I'd never go hungry after moving out.

Julio was also awake and wanted to tag along so I waited for him to get ready before rolling out.

Cooking was another creative outlet for me but I was no Gordon Ramsay. Every now and then I'd try to make different cultural dishes for a change. For tonight's dinner, I was going to marinate the Whiting in North African flavors like nutmeg, cinnamon, and all spice before frying, then drizzling a cayenne pepper gravy while it was still hot from the grease. I hadn't quite figured out the sides yet and was hoping to get a little inspiration once at the market.

Driving through the streets of Bluemill was nostalgic yet unfamiliar for me. The city had undergone a complete transformation over the past five years and it was nothing compared to the stories my mom told me. I guess the city officials got tired of the high rate of violence, crime, and drugs being pushed. It seemed like most, if not all of the housing projects were bulldozed with new developments and parks in their places.

I was proud of the progress that was made and was looking forward to coming back and visiting my family more often. With Derrick gone and Tyra still recovering from the news of that, she was going to need a lot more help than our aging mother could provide. The thought was still fresh in my mind, but I was considering popping in once a month to see them. Getting the chance to see Yamaris would be a bonus too.

I pulled up to the Hanover Street Market and surveyed the area for a good place to park. Some things about city living just didn't change and the shitty parking was one of them. As soon as I saw a curbside space open, I quickly parked, fed the meter, and went inside. The smell of seafood, meats, and freshly baked bread hit my nose. It was amazing.

My favorite fish stall was still open, with piles of fish laying on ice for my choosing. I whistled at the worker to come over and weigh out the fish I was pointing at. I picked out 12 plump fish and requested them to be filleted without the head. It was only a few dollars more and would save me some time. I also bought two combos for Julio and I so we could get a little grub in us before walking the rest of the market.

"Thanks for getting me out of that house," Julio smacked in between bites of his fries. "I'm tired of hearing Ghost and Biyanca through the wall."

It seemed as though Julio was the only one who wasn't booed up, and I could feel his frustrations.

"Ain't no thang, bruh. Vacation's over this week anyway and we can get back to making that money!" I turned to my fish sandwich and began chowing down too.

"On the real, what's up with you and Yamaris?"

"What you mean?" Yeah, I liked her but it didn't know it was obvious.

"I mean y'all been getting close, right? I ain't gon tell Ghost, I just think the shit is mad foul."