Page 4 of The Ninth

My mother rubbed my arms softly as we made our way to the front. She could see just how rigid my body was. She also was emotional about us being apart again since college.

“Cassandra, Grandmother is just so proud of you!” Grandmother smiled while kissing Cassie’s cheeks. “You keep up the work. Thank you for allowing Devyn to come.”

“Devyn is family. I’ll take care of her. She’s more than welcomed.”

They all said goodbye, leaving me up in the sky with Cassie. She ran to me, immediately dropping the soft and innocent act. She hugged me tightly, swinging me from side to side before dragging me to her room. I immediately realized why she declined to show it to them. A stripper pole was right in the middle.

“BITCH! I’ve been waiting years to get you away from them!”

Without even a warning, she stripped butt ass naked in front of me. As uncomfortable as I was, I couldn’t ignore the obvious. Her body was unimaginable. Small, regular sized breast, a tiny waist, and a round, plumped ass. And she was completely hairless.

As she ran into one of her closets, she saw me looking at the pole.

“Have you ever pole danced? It’s great exercise, fun as hell, and sexy as fuck, on my deddy!” Her entire voice and demeanor was different from when my parents and Grandmother were here.

“Uh, no...” I said quietly.

“Feel free to play on mine whenever. You can come in here so we can talk. I’m sorry that I’m leaving, but I have to work tonight.”

Damn, alone in this apartment so soon? I walked back there and looked inside one closet. She was already changed into the tiniest shorts that looked like t-shirt underwear and a small, cropped tank top. Both were black and the tank had The Ninth across her breasts. I looked into the other closet and hesitated.

“Wait, a man lives here?! Cassandra, I would’ve never agreed to come if I knew it was you and your—”

“Devyn, calm down, G!” she cackled. “A man does not live here. I am just collecting that to give to my nigga. That’s all.”

The closet didn’t have one thing in it that was Cassie’s or for a woman period. Men’s designer jeans, shirts, shoes, coats, sweatsuits, colognes, everything lined the entire space. Any guy could just walked in and come out with at the least two weeks’ worth of clothes for any occasion.

“I promise!” she said more seriously. I didn’t feel her watching me look inside. I felt embarrassed being caught.

“Cassie, how much is the rent? I’m nervous that I cannot afford it.”

She frowned, “I never said you had to pay rent, baby.”

“I insist! If you’re going to be driving me around, I need to know how much you spend on gas, your car note, Wi-Fi, electricity. All of it!”

“Well, you can insist all you want. You’re not paying a dime. The most important reason being because you’re my only cousin. Devyn, neither of us have siblings. You’re my sister and I’m happy to have you!”

Her warmth threw me off guard. She continued, “The other reason being....girl, even I don’t pay that shit. I can’t tell you how much any of that is. I don’t even buy my groceries.”

Her waist moved like butter as she switched out of the closet, carrying two duffle bags that were bigger than her. They both said The Ninth on them. She had on thick socks and some all-white tennis shoes. I followed behind her, confused.

“Then who does?”

“My boyfriend. My man. My heart. My HUSBAND! UGH!”

“He does all that AND lives somewhere else?”

“Baby, the house he’s in is bigger than this,” she snickered to herself. “I’ll ask if you want.”

“I would. I also would like to give you money weekly once I get a job. I’m going to need personal things and will not have you taking care of me. You offered to pay for my tattoo trainings. Absolutely not.”

She took vitamins with her eyebrows scrunched up, “Devyn, I’ve never in my life begged a hoe to let me spend my money on them. If you want to work, that’s fine. C’mon, I can get you a job today.”

I perked up, “Really? Where you’re going?”

“Uh-huh. But um...you have to change. No shade, mamas.”

Usually, I would be offended. I would snap back, defending myself how I always did in high school and college. I dressed for me and comfortably. But for some reason, I found my fake offended ass going right to the room to do just that.