HARDAWAY | trilogy

V3 - Chapter Sixteen.

𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐖𝐍 𝐖𝐀𝐓𝐒𝐎𝐍

My veiny hands held around the handle of the shopping cart, pushing it further into WinCo Foods; overlapping of indistinct conversations from customers and beeping from the registers surrounded the employee-owned supermarket. I had on a solid black, short sleeve T-shirt and dark slim-straight jeans while footing in two-tone Givenchy sneakers. Platinum Diamond studs in my ears and Gold rope chain around my neck. Nine-month-old Boogie was buckled in the shopping cart, trying to snatch the Nike cap from his head.

Beside me walked Carmen. Sticking to incognito, she wore a oversized Nike Sportswear short-sleeve top and light wash skinny jeans with Birkenstock sandals; revealing her naked toenails. Dark lenses on the oversized round sunglasses and a black Nike baseball cap covering her low ponytailed hair.

We just left Boogie's nine month appointment and decided to stop by the supermarket since Carmen wanted to cook dinner later tonight, while the twins stayed home with Ashanti.

"What should I cook?" Carmen asked as I leaned my arms down on the handle of the cart whilst pushing it at the pace of our walking. "I was thinking I could make whatever Ashanti likes. I at least want to try and get her to like me."

"I already told you 'Shanti different than the twins. She standoffish and just not open like them. You gotta give her time and not force."

"Okay. . ." She sighed, and I could tell by her demeanor she was feeling sad about me not giving her something; at least to try helping her to get to know Ashanti.

"Blackberry cobbler; it's her favorite dessert," I inform as she looked at me. "And she love shrimp with a good red meat. You can try piecing those together."

She beamed, rubbing her hand down my back. "Thanks. I can make those work. Then, I was hoping the girls and me could go get our nails and hair done. That's a good way of bonding too."

I nodded as Boogie tugged softly on my chain while sucking on his stuffed elephant attached pacifier. "You should bring it. I know Aurora gone be game. Ashanti the one who will need convincing, but I'll help you out there."

"Thank you, baby."

Boogie started fussing and reaching for Carmen. We switched places; her leaning on the cart handle as Boogie leaned his head onto hers with droopy eyes and I walked alongside them as we stopped in front of the freezer meats.

"Thin or thick?" I asked, referring to the choice of Steaks.

"Thin."

Grabbing two packs of Beef Sirloin Tip Steaks, I place them in the cart and asked, "when you going to see yo peoples?"

"I have no plans to." She replied, pushing the cart to the freezers, "It's best I stay away from them."

"I think they should at least know you alive." I pulled open the door of the particular freezer where the pack of Shrimp is located, "Small or Medium?"

"Medium." She answered; I grab a pack of the shrimp and toss it into the cart, "And you can tell them, simple and easy."

"Best they see you. They already met Boogie. Shit, Giovanni gave him the nickname."