I followed Ronald out of the kitchen, across the house to his office. I looked around the room as I stepped in and he walked over to the far wall where there was a line of different bottles. He plucked one out and popped the top off. I watched him pour two half glasses and he walked over and handed me one. I watched him take a sip before I took one of my own. I hissed as the liquor burned its way down my throat.
“So, what’s up?”
“I’ve looked into you, Stone.”
“I’ve met your son, so I figured you would.”
“Well.” He chuckled and took a sip from his glass.
“So, what do you want to know, Ronald?”
“What do you do?”
“Part-time hours at a mechanic shop and full-time hours at a bar.”
“And how’d you meet Kiano?”
“Through Jiselle.”
He nodded and took another drink.
“Can I ask you a real ass question?”
“Yeah. Go ahead.”
“Do you care about my son and does my son care about you or do y’all both just care about Jiselle?”
“I’d like to think we care about each other.” I swished my liquor.
“Have you ever outwardly dated a man?”
“Nah, but I’ve never secretly dated one either.”
“So Kiano would be the first?”
“That’s right.”
“And how does your family feel about that?”
“I haven’t told them but it doesn’t matter honestly. I’m grown and I’ll be damned if I let mothafuckas I raised tell me what I am and am not going to do.”
“And your father?”
“I don’t talk to him.” I exhaled. “How are you and Mika taking it?”
“We’ve known for a while that Kiano likes what he likes.” Ronald took a drink. “We didn’t think he’d want to spend his life with two people but…” He shrugged. “There are much worse things our son could be than someone dating two people, especially when they know what’s going on.”
“I feel that.”
“What do you want to do with your life, Stone?”
“I don’t know. I’m cool at the mechanic shop for the time being and honestly I’m probably going to see it through until my youngest sibling is at least twenty-two.”
“You ever think about your own shop?”
“Nah. I’m in so much debt I don’t think I’d get approved for a bicycle right about now.”
“At least you’re honest.”