Page 47 of Certified to Handle You
The hostess sat us quickly, and soon as we settled in, a waitress came over with menus.
“Good evening,” she said. “What can I get you all to drink?”
Before anybody answered, Toni looked up.
“Y’all got a kids menu?”
“We do.” The waitress smiled.
While me and Kay’Lo started orderin’ drinks, Toni looked through the kids’ menu for My’Love, mumblin’ to herself about what the baby would actually eat without throwin’ it on the floor.
Kay’Lo leaned over and kissed Toni neck. “You want me to order yo’ drink too, baby?”
Toni nodded without even lookin’ up from the menu.
I smiled to myself watchin’ them while I bounced My’Love lightly on my knee.
I was so happy to see my people again that I already knew three days wasn’t finna be enough for me.
We was still at the restaurant eatin’ good, and I ain’t even gon’ lie, this seafood had me sittin’ here rethinkin’ every bad thing I had ever said about rich people food.
At first, back when I had started stayin’ with Toni and Kay’Lo, I used to turn my nose up at half the stuff they ordered. Toni would be sittin’ there eatin’ somethin’ with shells, claws, butter foam, sauces I couldn’t pronounce, and lil’ green shit oozin’ on top of it. I used to look at her like, girl, where the fried fish and hot sauce at? But after livin’ with them for over a year, they had done messed around and changed my taste buds.
I wasn’t all the way bougie, ’cause I still loved me a good shrimp basket from the hood with lemon pepper and extra tartar sauce, but I couldn’t even pretend that I ain’t learn how to enjoy the expensive shit too.
Toni had ordered this big seafood tower with crab claws, lobster tail, oysters, shrimp, and some scallops that was seared so perfect they damn near melted in your mouth.
Kay’Lo had grilled branzino, lobster mac, garlic butter king crab, and these crispy calamari rings that he kept puttin’ on Toni plate like she ain’t already had enough food in front of her.
I had some blackened red snapper with crawfish cream sauce, dirty rice, chargrilled oysters, and a side of crab fried rice that had no business bein’ this good.
My’Love sat in her lil’ high chair while Toni fed her creamy mashed potatoes with a tiny spoon. She was smackin’ her lil’ gums and lookin’ around like she was still tryna figure shit out.
“Lo’Lo greedy ass eatin’ them mashed potatoes like they steak,” I said, leanin’ over and wipin’ the corner of her mouth.
Toni laughed while she fixed her bib. “You know she love mashed potatoes.”
Kay’Lo looked over at her with his whole face softenin’. “She know what she like.”
After a while, we finally slowed down on eatin’. I was full, Toni was full, and My’Love had started rubbin’ her eyes while still tryna reach for anything on the table like she ain’t just ate enough mashed potatoes to put herself in a coma.
Kay’Lo grabbed the check before the waitress even got a chance to set it down good, and Toni didn’t even look at the bill.
We left the restaurant with the air hittin’ us as soon as we stepped outside.
I rode with them back to the resort first, so I could get my rental, and then we drove separately to Grandma Glo’s house.
Kay’Lo and Toni was in they luxury rental, with Toni in the passenger seat and My’Love knocked out in the back. I was right behind them in my lil’ rental, tryna mentally prepare myself for whatever energy was gon’ be sittin’ on Grandma Glo’s house.
Soon as we pulled up, I already saw Richie sittin’ outside in one of them plastic chairs, leaned back. He had on a muscle shirt that was stretched out around the neck with a lil’ hole on the side, some basketball shorts, and slides with socks that looked like he had been walkin’ around in them all day.
I got out my car first and walked toward the porch, already side eyein’ him before I even made it up the walkway, ’cause I knew he ain’t really like Kay’Lo. Keep in mind, ’Lo did kill our cousin, so to a degree, I understood it. Hell, deep down inside,Richie knew it was self-defense, and it wasn’t nothin’ that could be done about the shit at this point.
Toni came up behind me holdin’ My’Love with Kay’Lo right beside her.
Richie stood up when he saw her.
“Toni,” he said, smilin’ a lil’. “Damn, you look good. I swear to God I ain’t even know it was you!”
