"Kitchen!" Yah-Yah called back, giving me a look that said our conversation wasn't over.
Yatta strode in, his imposing frame filling the doorway. At six-foot-three with shoulders like a linebacker, my big brother had a presence that commanded respect without him even trying. He nodded at Yah-Yah before his eyes settled on me.
"So, Rah really came through for a nigga huh?" he asked.
"Like I told you on the phone. Everything is set for Friday." I kept my voice casual, He nodded slowly, then walked over to the fridge, pulling out a bottle of water, he took a long swig then stared at me.
"Aight. We'll go over the details after dinner." He said and I only nodded.
"Aight y’all the food is almost ready," Yah-Yah announced.
An hour later, we were all gathered around our parents' old oak dining room table, the one where we had Sunday dinners, holiday meals, homework sessions, and a thousand family discussions. I found myself thinking about how much shit had changed since they’ve been gone.
Them my mind drifted back to the trap house to that light skinned dude who was watching me from the window. There had been something in his eyes that made me want to know more. But that was a complication I didn't need right now, it was already bad enough I was dealing with Rah’s ass, and Yatta didn’t even want Rah around.
Yatta was strict as hell when it came to me and Yah-Yah with niggas, but I loved my big brother too much to go against him outright. He'd sacrificed everything after our parents died, his youth, and his freedom at times. The least we could do was respect his rules, even when they felt suffocating.
* * *
The next morning, me and Yah-Yah was sprawled out in the living room looking a hot-ass mess. I had on my old Pink sweat pants, with a white cami on, and a pink bonnet was on my head, and Yah-Yah wasn’t doing much better in her faded Nike t-shirt and some basketball shorts. We both had our feet propped up on the coffee table.
Yatta came thumping down the stairs, already dressed in dark jeans and a black button-up, his Timbs laced tight and his chain gleaming.
"Y'all look real productive today," he said sarcastically, eyeing us as he grabbed his car keys off the hook by the door.
"It's only nine in the morning, nigga," Yah-Yah shot back, scrolling through her phone. "Some of us ain't gotta be on demon time 24/7."
I snickered, pulling my blanket tighter around me while Bonnie, my prissy-ass Persian, jumped up on my lap. "You heading to Detroit now?"
Yatta nodded, checking his watch. "Yeah, I’m meeting Loon at eleven. I should be back tonight unless some shit goes sideways." He grabbed his leather Pelle Pelle jacket from the coat rack. "Y'all ass don’t get in no trouble while I’m gone."
“Trouble? We ain’t five years old Yatta.” Yah-Yah said and I only rolled my eyes.
“Y’all heard what I said.” He said as he came over, bent down, and kissed my forehead, then did the same to Yah-Yah. That was the thing about my brother, he was hard as granite in the streets, but soft as hell with his sisters.
"Byeeeeee Big brother,” I sang out,
"I'll be back before midnight. Answer your phones if I call. And Yah-Yah…."
"I know," she cut him off. "Keep an eye on shit."
“Love Y’all” he said,
"Bye, Yatta, Love you more." Yah-Yah sang out, waving him away.
The door closed behind him, and we listened to his Benz start up and pull away from the curb. The second he was gone, Yah-Yah turned to me with that nosy-ass big sister face.
"So, you never did finish telling me what's really going on with you and Rah."
I stroked Bonnie's fur, avoiding Yah-Yah 's eyes. "Ain't nothing to tell that you don't already know."
"Bullshit." She tossed a throw pillow at me, which I dodged.
Truth was, Yah-Yah was right. I was spitting bullshit. Me and Rah had been dancing around each other these last few months, even though we never made anything official. But the past few weeks had been different. More intense. Like he was trying harder, and wanting more, and to be honest I didn’t see more with him, because I didn’t even like him like that.
"He said he loves me," I admitted, feeling my cheeks heat up.
Yah-Yah 's eyebrows shot up. "For real? What you say back?"