Page 43 of Standing In The Sun
Ahvi scoffed, shaking her head. “You tryna be funny?”
“A lil’ bit.” His lips curved, but there was something else behind it…something deeper. He pushed off the car, walking toward her. “C’mon, let’s go.”
Ahvi stopped short. “Go where?”
Lunar looked at her like she was slow. “You homeless, right?”
Her jaw clenched. “I wouldn’t call it that.”
“What would you call it then?”
She didn’t answer.
Lunar sighed, rubbing a hand down his face. “Your mom already said you can’t stay there. You ain’t got nowhere else. You ain’t ‘bout to be dragging Kamari from couch to couch. So, you coming with me.”
Ahvi hesitated, her eyes darting around the parking lot.
Living with Lunar was stepping into a whole different kind of situation. She’d already placed too much on his shoulders with Kamari and she wasn’t trying to be nobody’s charity case.
“I’ll figure it out,” she mumbled. “I always do.”
Lunar scoffed. “Yea? And what, let the judge catch you jobless and couch-hopping? You tryna go back?”
Her stomach twisted. “No,” she admitted.
“Then stop being hard-headed and get in the damn car, Ahvi.”
Why did he have to say her name like that? Ahvi had never loved her name more than when it was escaping from Lunar’s lips.
She wanted to argue, wanted to tell him she had it under control, but the truth was— she didn’t.
So, she exhaled sharply and pulled the car door open. “This is temporary,” she said, sliding in. “And where my baby?” she asked, finally looking in the backseat. Her heart galloped when she noticed the new and seemingly expensive car seat. She wondered if he had someone that knew what they were doing, put the car seat in the car ‘cause Lunar didn’t look like the type to know much about car seats. There were also a few scattered toys like Kamari really belonged. She got choked up for a moment but kept her tears to herself.
“At the house with Pimp.” Lunar responded again, like that was where Kamari was supposed to be. “Put your seat belt on.”
Ahvi kissed her teeth but did what she was told, ready to love all over Kamari and get her life back on track. She had no interest in living with Lunar for longer than she needed to. That and the judge would be on her bad if she didn’t show a job at her next check in.
* * *
The second the car turned into the circular drive, Ahvi’s heart dropped into her stomach.
The scene before her didn’t look like one of Sheena’s get togethers. The cars alone cost more than everyone she knew combined, multiplied by ten. No, these wereluxury cars -Bentleys, G-Wagons, Range Rovers, even a few foreign cars she couldn’t name but had seen once or twice on social media. These were the kinds of cars you didn’t park on curbs, the kind of cars that didn’t belong in her world.
“Lunar…” Her voice was low as she ran her hand down her puffy edges. Her mind raced thinking about all the luxury her baby had been around and how much they’d poured into him and her whenever she called. Tears misted her eyes from nervousness.
“Ahvi,” he said her name so cool while he cut the engine. Lunar turned towards her, giving her his undivided attention. “You good?”
She turned toward him slow. “Why it look like a damn awards show out here?”
“’Cause this family don’t let you do nothing that ain’t grand,” Lunar laughed. “It’s a little party or whatever Stephanie took upon herself to throw for you like you been locked up for years.”
“All this for me?” Ahvi blinked like Lunar was speaking in tongues. Why would they do anything for her when they’d already done enough by letting Kamari into their world without second guessing?
“Ain’t that what I just said?”
“Oh, don’t get smart with me, nigga!” Ahvi punched him in the arm.
Lunar rubbed it. “That shit hurt…keep your hands to yourself.”
