* * *
I settled into the passenger seat of Yatta’s truck and gave him my address as he pulled out the parking lot.
For a minute, we just rode in silence. The city lights flashing by, the hum of the engine, some R&B playing low on the radio. It wasn't awkward though. It was comfortable.
"So Sosa's your little brother?" Yatta asked, breaking the silence.
"Yeah. It's just me and him. Been that way since we was kids." I looked over at him.
"What about you? Ya'mya your only sister?"
"Nah, I got another sister, Yah-Yah. But Mya the youngest so she get away with the most shit." He smirked a little. "That's why I had to come tonight. Make sure she was straight." I smiled.
"Awww, that's sweet."
"That's necessary." He glanced at me. "You got kids?"
"Yeah. A son. JJ. He's four."
"Four? That's a good age. They got personality by then."
"Personality aint even the word. He talks my ear off all day." I laughed, thinking about JJ's endless questions and wild imagination.
"You got kids?"
"Nah. Not yet."
There was a pause, and I could feel the weight of the unspoken question hanging in the air. I knew it was coming.
"What about the nigga who put his hands on you?" Yatta's voice was calm, but there was an edge to it. "That's your son's father?"
I hesitated, my throat tightening. "Yeah. Jamie. It's... complicated."
"It always is."
"He wasn't always like that," I said, not knowing why I felt the need to explain. "He's been going through shit since his brother died. Gizmo got killed a few weeks ago and he’s been drinking heavy ever since. That night he was drunk and I—" I stopped myself, because I didn’t wanna make any excuses for him, “I don't know why I'm telling you all this."
"'Cause you need to talk about it. And I asked." He kept his eyes on the road. "You still with him?"
"I'm still in the house for my son, but I'm also tryna figure out my exit plan."
My phone started ringing in my purse. I pulled it out and saw Jamie's name flashing across the screen. My stomach dropped. He had been calling me all night, texting asking where I was, when I was coming home. I declined the call and put my phone on silent. I can tell Yatta noticed but he didn't say anything he just kept driving.
When we pulled up to my house, he put the truck in park and turned to look at me.
"Thank you," I said. "For the ride. And for... everything else."
He reached into his pocket, pulled out his phone, and handed it to me. "Put your number in."
I took his phone and typed in my number, saving it under my name. When I handed it back, he called it so my phone would have his number.
"You need anything and I mean anything, you call me. Aight?"
"Alright." I looked at him, and those intense eyes behind his glasses, at the way his jaw was set firm.
"Why you wanna help me, Yatta?" I asked him because I really wanted to know what his angle was with me.
He was quiet for a second, then said, "Because you deserve better than what you settling for."