Page 50 of Certified to Handle You
He looked at her for a second longer like he ain’t really wanna leave her in here, but he did anyway, walkin’ out without speakin’ to nobody else.
A few minutes after he left, our other cousin, TeeTee, started.
She was sittin’ on the arm of the couch, smilin’ that fake lil’ smile people do when they about to say somethin’ slick and pretend it’s a joke.
“So, Toni,” TeeTee said. “You all rich and put up now, huh? Can’t even come visit us regular folks no more.”
Toni gave a soft laugh, tryna keep it light. “It ain’t even like that. I just been takin’ care of home and the baby.”
TeeTee nodded. “I see.”
I looked over at her, already feelin’ my nerves startin’ to jump.
She got quiet for a second, then looked toward Grandma Glo before lookin’ back at Toni. “Grandma medical bills been through the roof too. You do know she had a mild stroke, right?”
My eyebrows went up.
Toni looked at her. “Okay… and you tellin’ me that because what?”
TeeTee shrugged. “I’m just sayin’ what everybody been sayin’. The family ain’t got no money, and Grandma strugglin’.”
Toni face changed a lil’, but she kept her voice calm. “I send Grandma Glo money all the time, but even if I didn’t, that wouldn’t be none of yo’ damn business.”
“Anything pertainin’ to Grandma is my business,” TeeTee said.
Grandma Glo lifted her hand. “TeeTee, be quiet.”
TeeTee looked over at her. “Grandma, I ain’t tryna start nothin’. I’m just sayin’.”
That was enough for me. I was sick of hearin’ this hoe talk.
“Nah, shut the fuck up,” I said, turnin’ toward her fully. “What Toni got goin’ on in her pockets ain’t none of yo’ business.”
TeeTee looked at me. “Of course you gon’ take up for her. Yo’ ass been put up in Trill-Land too. She been takin’ care of you, so of course you gon’ take up for her.”
“And you been put up in that apartment with that grown ass nigga layin’ on yo’ couch rent free, so maybe you need to worry about that,” I shot back. “Just ’cause you sit up like a fool and take care of grown men don’t mean Toni gotta take care of every grown person with they hand out.”
A few people made noise, and TeeTee stood up like she was ready to do somethin’.
I stood up too, ’cause I was ready to do more than talk.
“Try it,” I told her. “Please try it in this house with me.”
“Everybody shut up and stop all that cussin’!” Grandma Glo snapped, her voice not as strong as it used to be but still strong enough to make the room quiet down.
Toni looked embarrassed and hurt, and that pissed me off more than anything. She bent down, kissed Grandma Glo, and tried to smile even though I could see she wanted to cry.
“I’mma call you. I love you,” Toni said.
Grandma Glo grabbed her hand. “Don’t leave, baby. You and the baby just got here.”
“I gotta go,” Toni said real soft.
I followed Toni outside without sayin’ another word to nobody in that damn house. Once we made it to the porch, both of us was quiet for a second, and I could tell she was tryna swallow all that hurt before it showed on her face too much.
I pulled her to me and hugged her tight. “Fuck TeeTee and what her slow ass talkin’ about.”
Toni let out a shaky laugh, but it didn’t reach her face.
