Page 39 of Certified To Handle You 2

When I glanced back over, Couture had already made his way back to Justice, and I smiled to myself before I went right back to helpin’ Ms. Emoree.

Once the food was ready, we all sat around the table, with Justice positioned comfortably with us. Ms. Emoree helped him with what he needed, and Couture stepped in naturally too.

After we ate, we stayed around the table for a while, and I ended up sittin’ closer to Justice. He had been all smiles since we got here, and by then I had figured out enough of his expressions to know when somethin’ had his attention.

“You enjoyed your food?” I asked him, lookin’ at his face as I spoke to him.

Justice smiled and made a happy sound, and I smiled right back at him. “I know you did. I saw you over here eatin’ good.”

His eyes stayed on me, and I reached over to gently wipe a lil’ spot from the corner of his mouth. The smile he gave me afterward was so sweet that I couldn’t help myself from leanin’ closer.

“You know, Justice… You a pretty cool dude, you know that?”

He smiled even bigger, and that alone had me cheesin’ right along with him.

I talked to him the same way I would any other eleven year old, and even though he couldn’t answer me with words, he definitely knew how to let me know when he was enjoyin’ himself. His whole face spoke for him, especially those eyes and that big smile.

Couture was sittin’ nearby watchin’ us. Every now and then, I would catch him lookin’ at me, and I could tell he was happy that two people he cared about was gettin’ along.

The more Justice smiled at me, the more my heart warmed toward him. I hated what happened to his mama, and I hated even more that what was done to her had affected him before he ever got a chance to be born. Still, sittin’ here with him made mesee Justice for exactly who he was instead of only thinkin’ about what happened to him.

He was sweet, handsome and clearly loved, and I was happy Couture had brought me here to meet him.

For a moment, I forgot about Trill-Land, Renza, and all the complicated shit I had been carryin’ around with me. I was just sittin’ at the table with Couture and his family, laughin’ with an eleven year old boy who had one of the sweetest spirits I had ever seen.

Every now and then, though, I would look at Justice and think about Janira.

Knowin’ his mama was only twenty five years old and pregnant with him when somebody who was supposed to love her took her life just ain’t sit right with me.

That shit bothered me, and it also made all those times Renza threatened Couture sit different in my head. Couture had already lost his sister ‘cause a man who claimed to love her decided violence was the answer. I couldn’t even imagine what it would do to this family if some bullshit I was caught in brought more of that to their door.

I looked across the table at Couture while he wiped Justice’s mouth, talkin’ to him. Justice smiled at him, and Couture leaned over to kiss his forehead.

I looked away and rubbed my lips together.

Yeah, I had some shit to figure out…

By the time we got ready to leave, it felt like we had been here longer than we actually had. I hugged Ms. Emoree and thanked her for havin’ me over, and she hugged me back before tellin’ me I was welcome anytime. Then I walked over to Justice.

“I’m leavin’, handsome,” I told him, bendin’ down beside him again. “You better remember me next time I come over here too.”

He smiled at me, and I rubbed his hand before leanin’ in to kiss his cheek.

Couture hugged his mama and kissed her cheek, then went over to Justice. He wrapped his nephew in a hug, kissed him and told him he loved him before we finally headed outside.

When we reached the car, Couture opened my door for me and waited until I got inside before closin’ it. I watched him walk around the front of the car, and when he climbed behind the wheel, I was still lookin’ at him.

He caught me starin’. “Wussup baby?”

I smiled and turned toward him. “Yo’ mama and Justice are some beautiful people. Forreal. They both sweet as hell, and yo’ nephew done stole my heart already.”

Couture’s expression softened while he listened to me.

“I see where you get it from,” I added, rubbin’ my hand across the side of his face. “You got some good people, baby.”

Couture reached for me and pulled me across the console, wrappin’ his arm around my waist before kissin’ me. I kissed him back, slidin’ my hand around the back of his neck while his mouth moved against mine.

When he finally pulled his mouth away from mine, he kept his forehead close to mine.