Chapter 27: AVERIE - A Street King's Widow

Ihad been putting this day off for weeks. Every time Q asked when he was going to meet the kids, I found a reason to push it back. Either Kaiden had a football game, practice or Khari had something going on. The truth was, I didn’t know how I wanted to introduce a man into their lives after Rah. I knew Q wasn’t trying to replace anybody, but kids didn’t always see things the same way adults did. Especially when one of them was twelve and old enough to understand exactly what was happening. Kaiden had already made it clear he wanted to meet him. That was the only reason I finally stopped making excuses. Q was coming over for dinner, nothing extra. I told him not to bring gifts and not to try too hard. He laughed at me when I gave him the list because apparently, I sounded like I was preparing him for an interview instead of dinner. My children’s opinion meant a lot to me.

As soon as I got home from work, Khari was sitting at the kitchen island coloring while Kaiden was stretched across the couch pretending not to care that Q was coming over.

“Did you finish your homework?”

“Yes.”

“Did you put your football uniform in the laundry room like I asked?”

“Yes.”

I stepped out of my shoes and looked at him.

“Is that all you know how to say today?”

“You’re only asking yes or no questions,” he said.

Khari laughed so hard she almost fell out the chair. Kaiden acted like he didn’t care but had texted me three times asking if Q was still coming. I headed upstairs to shower and change. After my shower, I threw on some leggings and a sweatshirt. I wasn’t making some huge production out of dinner because I didn’t want the kids thinking this was more serious than it was. Q and I had been seeing each other consistently for weeks, and yes, I liked him. I was not about to start talking about forever just because a man knew how to make me laugh and fuck me correctly.

The doorbell went off right at seven. Kaiden sat up and Khari jumped up off the sofa.

“Is that him?” she asked.

“Probably.”

“Can I answer it?”

“Girl, no! Go sit down.” I laughed.

Q was standing outside holding a grocery bag. I immediately frowned.

“What did I tell you?” I said through gritted teeth.

“You said no gifts. You’re cooking dinner, and I brought dessert. It’s called me being raised right, woman.”

I stepped aside and let him in. He kissed my cheek, and that was the first thing Kaiden noticed. His eyes went from Q to me and then back to Q. He looked him from his feet to the top of his head and then back down. I couldn’t believe my twelve-year-old son was sizing up a grown man. He was Rahmelo’s son for sure. Q caught it too. He didn’t act weird about it.

“Aight, so which one of y’all is the boss here?” he asked.

“Me,” Khari said.

“No, she’s not,” Kaiden blurted out.

“I knew the boss would speak up.” Q laughed.

“Q, this is Kaiden. Kaiden, this is Quincey, but everybody calls him Q. And this bundle of energy is Khari.”

Kaiden stood up and shook his hand. “Nice to meet you.”

“Same to you,” Q said.

Kaiden was trying to feel him out. It was like Rah had walked in the room and was telling Kaiden what to do. Q didn’t force a conversation with him. I waved for him to come in the kitchen with me so we could talk while I continued dinner. Khari came in every few minutes asking a million damn questions. She wanted to know if he had kids, a dog, and if he knew how to braid hair. He answered all her questions without a lick of aggravation. He didn’t have kids, and I was afraid me having them would run him off. He was up for the challenge. So far, his ass was doing good. Kaiden stayed quiet longer than I expected. When we sat down to eat, he ate his food and just sat there and listened. I could see the questions burning to come out.

“Kaiden, do you have any questions for Q?” I asked.

He didn’t hesitate. “You like my mama?”

“What? You said ask.”

“Nah, he good,” Q said. “Yes, I like your mama.”

“How much?”

I covered my face, and Q laughed because I knew where his mind was.

“I like her enough to be sitting at her table answering interview questions with her son.”

I couldn’t believe Kaiden smiled.

“That’s really not a good answer though,” Kaiden said.

I was starting to regret this whole dinner idea.

“I like your mama enough to respect her life. That means I know she got two kids that came before me. I know she got a job she cares about, and I know she had a whole life before me. I’m not here trying to erase any of that.”

“You know who my dad is?”

“I knew him,” Q told him.

“You ever met him?”

“We talked a few times.”

“What did y’all talk about?” Kaiden kept spitting questions out.

“Business mostly.”

My mood had changed as soon as Rah came into the conversation. I knew he would come up, but I didn’t want it to be about him. After dinner, Q helped me clear the table without making it a big deal. Kaiden went in the living room to finish watching a game and Khari went to her room. I stood at the sink rinsing plates while Q dried his hands beside me.

“You okay?”

“I’m fine. Why?”

“Your energy changed when we got into the Rah conversation.”

“Just never knew y’all talked about business.”

“I didn’t think it mattered. Like I told you, we weren’t friends. He came in the bar a few times. I chop it up with everybody.”

“Every other week I find out you knew something else about him.”

“Averie, this city ain’t that big, and Rah wasn’t exactly unknown. He was just like me, well-known. Shit, he would talk to anyone. Half the business owners in the city probably met the man.”

“I know.”

“I’m not hiding anything from you. I can tell when you start thinking too hard into stuff.”

He kissed my forehead and went back towards the living room. I stood there for a second before following him. Kaiden was on the sofa, and Q sat in the chair nearby. They didn’t say anything to each other at first.

“You know football?” Kaiden asked him.

“I love football,” Q responded.

“Who you got winning?”

“I got the Ravens on this one.”

Kaiden started explaining the matchup, stats, and why one team had the better defense. Q listened without pretending he knew more than he did. Every now and then he’d ask something, and Kaiden answered. I sat in the other chair and watched. After the game, the kids went upstairs to their rooms as I walked Q to the door.

“You survived.”

“Barely. That little dude got more questions than the IRS.”

I laughed. “He’s super protective.”

“He’s supposed to be.”

“You handled it better than I expected.”

“What did you think I was going to do? Try to buy some shoes and tell him to call me Dad?”

“Please don’t ever do that.”

“I’m not stupid.” He looked up the steps and lowered his voice. “I meant what I said. I’m not trying to come in here and replace anything. I like you. Whatever comes with that, I’ll respect it.”

“I appreciate that.”

He leaned down and kissed me. We didn’t want the kids to walk down and catch something they weren’t ready to see.

“I’ll call you tomorrow,” he said.

“Good night.”

I locked the door and headed upstairs. Kaiden’s bedroom door was still open, so I stopped.

“What you think?”

“He cool.” He shrugged.

“After all them questions you asked, that’s all you got.”

“He ain’t weird. I don’t have anything else.”

“I’ll take it. Go take a shower and get in bed. I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

I thought it was going to be difficult letting somebody new in my life without feeling like I was taking something away from my kids. I was making it harder than it needed to be.