Page 86 of Lyric Squared

“I only want to handle my family’s accounts. Life was easier when that was the case. I also want to start a small financial firm for young, Black aspiring businesswomen. No matter what their credit score is, I want to offer them anywhere from two thousand to ten thousand dollars to get their business started. The loan amount will be based upon things like rental history. Interest rates will remain low and there will be a six to thirty-six month pay off period. I have to iron out the kinks, but I’d really like to do it.”

“How can I help?”

“Invest. I’ll need capital to help fund the first hundred loans that I accept, but after that, I should be fine. I plan to get my father involved.”

“It’s done.”

“Anything else?”

“Your patience. It’s commendable. I’m not perfect, Keanu. Just keep being patient with me, and I promise it will be worth it.”

“I know,” he replied with a nod.

“Question.”

“Shoot for it,” he encouraged.

“When you got the message I sent, what were you thinking? How were you feeling?”

“Like a nigga was on top of the world.”

“You’re exaggerating.”

“I’m not. When I saw the name, I was a little thrown off. I’d been getting messages through Ever from Luca. Laike hadn’t reached out other than through someone in the jam with me. But it was my birthday, so I was like… calm the fuck down nigga. She’s just telling you happy birthday,” he explained.

“I told you happy birthday on the phone that night.”

“I know, but you have to understand that I had no idea you were sending me anything on the level that you did. I just wasn’t expecting you to. But once I started reading it, I lost my shit. Internally, of course. One word kept appearing in the back of my head. One word, the entire time I read your message.”

“What was that?”

I rested my fork on the side of my plate. I was officially finished eating. My stomach felt like it would bust at any second.

“Finally. It kept replaying over and over. I’m like, finally, she’s ready for a nigga.”

“So, what stopped you from writing even that?”

“I felt like it wasn’t enough, not after the shit you’d sent me. I started typing some shit, but I quickly deleted it after realizing no words would accurately explain my feelings or enthusiasm hearing from you – and not on no brother, brother shit.”

“It definitely wasn’t.”

Placing a hand to my lips, I tossed my head back as laughter erupted from my throat. The message I’d sent Keanu was the furthest from what he’d imagined, and I would’ve paid to see the thoughts as they ran across his head while reading it.Extremely nonchalant at times like Luca, I imagined his face was unchanging.

“Not at all. I feel like I’ll never apologize enough for leaving you hanging the way that I did.”

“It’s okay, now.”

“Not really,” he responded with a shake of his head.

“But we’re not going to go there tonight. Not at all on this trip. Let’s just be thankful that that message got us here. For now, I’m satisfied with that.”

“Me, too.”

“I’m full,” I admitted.

“That bitter ass juice you had me drinking got me tired as fuck.” He turned his nose up in the air, cracking me up inside.

“Yes. I forgot to mention just how sleepy wine actually makes you.”