Jace pops his head up. “Is she talking about your place?”
“Yes. I was going to head over to check on things one last time.”
He shakes his head. “I’ll take care of that. Gio says he’ll make sure the place is finished by the time you return. We’re already on it.”
“Oh my God, the entire family has taken over my life.”
Jace laughs and winks. I’m stunned for a second. He’s become more open with me in the last day. I guess after you watch a woman drop three bodies and then proceed to dispose of them for her, you build a bond.
“Where do you want this?” Jace asks, pointing to the suitcase Toni brought over.
“Set it next to the door. It’s coming with me.”
Without a word, he turns and heads to the living room. I’m left with Toni sipping at her straw with a smile on her lips. I don’t even want to know what she’s thinking.
“I hope you’ve packed a lot of lingerie. After being under the same roof as that and not getting any in months, you better be ready.”
“Shut up, Toni.”
“What? Like you haven’t been daydreaming about riding that dick as soon as you land. I’m just making sure you plan ahead, you have that little bump, you need to make sure you take stuff that fits.”
“I’ve packed everything I’ll need.”
“That’s my girl. What was it you wanted to talk to me about?”
“Do you remember my auntie Gwen? Was there another woman she hung out with, a Black woman?”
Toni scrunches up her face. I can see the wheels turning. She moves farther into the room and sits on the ottoman at the foot of the bed.
“I can’t remember fully, but I think there was. A pretty lady. She was only around when the white lady was.” She pauses and gasps. “Yeah, I remember she carried a gun. Tall and pretty.”
I hold the dress in my hands to my chest and take a seat on the bed. The memory from the other night clinging to my mind and taunting me.
“I think I remembered something about Auntie Gwen and that woman. I had to be so young.”
“From what I remember, you were always with her. Like a little shadow. If you weren’t with your mom, you were with Gwen. That’s how you and Dario became friends, from what I thought.”
I bite my lips and fall into thought. I’ve wondered about that memory since the other night. The two pretty women were coaching me and teaching me to protect myself. I was so tiny and excited to play with them, but we weren’t playing. My little mind didn’t comprehend what I was being taught.
My phone rings, pulling me from my thoughts. I pull it from my pocket and answer when I see it’s Rio. I should have known.
“Hello.”
“Hey, gorgeous. How’s my baby? Have you eaten?
“Our baby is fine. No, I haven’t had a chance to eat. Jace ordered something but I haven’t had a moment to stop.”
“Carleen, stop whatever you’re doing and go eat. You have a long flight, and our baby needs to eat.”
“Okay, fine,” I pout.
“I’m going to fuck the shit out of you when you get here. You’ll need the fuel,” he says in a sexy, deep voice, taking the sting out of his initial demand.
I squirm in my seat. “Is that a promise?”
“They’re changing the sheets and setting our room up as we speak. I can’t believe you’re going to be here soon.”
“We still have an entire day.”
“Don’t remind me. You know I used to wish summer after summer that you could come here with me. This all seems so surreal. I love you.”
I swipe at a tear as my emotions get the best of me. I used to miss him so much when he would go to visit his grandfather. I’d be so angry with my parents for not allowing me to go along. Now, I get they were protecting me from a world I didn’t and still don’t understand.
“I love you too.”
“But?”
I sigh. “I’m scared. There’s so much I don’t understand, so many things I still need to tell you.”
“Soon, baby, soon. Listen, I have some things I need to handle before your arrival. If you can’t reach me, but you need something, call my brothers. I’ll see you when you get here. Go eat. I love you.”
“I’ll see you when I get there. Love you too.”
I hang up and sit thinking for a second. I wonder what he may know or remember about my auntie. We never talk much about before Ava left, at least not about things that involved her.
“You okay?” Toni asks, reminding me she’s still here.
“Yeah, I need to eat, then I can get back to this.”
“Good, I’m starving. You can cook for us all. None of that Italian shit either. I want some rice and peas. You have time to season some chicken or oxtails?”