Chapter 13 - Let Me Take Care Of You
Mizhani
"This is true." Detective Burress stated placing a firm grip on my shoulder and squeezing it. "I suppose I'll have to change that." He whispered leaning into me. "Well August it was nice seeing you and Mizhani I'll be seeing you." He said slyly before heading towards the exit.
I kept my eyes low afraid of the disapproving glare on Augusts' face. I removed the straw from my drink. Quickly gulping it away. I closed my eyes for a moment and leaned back into the chair as the alcohol took its effect. Upon opening them I saw that his face wore a smirk.
"Friend of yours?" He quizzed placing the thin red straw from his double shot of Henny in the corner of his mouth.
"Funny. I was about to ask you the same thing." I said placing my elbows on the table and signaling for the waiter. If I was about to be slammed with questions about my past I was going to need something stronger than the fruity shit I had just consumed.
"He's no friend of mine ..." He admitted leaning back into his seat. His eyes were glued to me like a snake to a mouse. Its like he was just waiting for me to slip up and do or say the wrong thing. Waiting for the perfect moment to show his fangs and strike. I don't know what was bothering more. The fact that he was eyeing me like a predator or the fact that for the first time in a long time I actually felt like pray. "... more like an enemy." He said lowly.
"Didn't know you could tell the difference." I said before placing my drink order. A double shot of patron.
"And what's that supposed to mean?" He quizzed leaning into the table. His eyes never leaving mines.
"You heard the man. We're natural enemies. From different sides of town. Different cultures. But here we are pretending as if we're not."
His eyes fell for a moment as he searched for the right thing to say. He cleared his throat before sliding his fingers down his goatee. "But we don't have to be Mizhani." He said catching me by surprise. "I feel as though we chose our enemies. Just as much as they chose us. And I don't know about you but I look for alliances ... It just so happens that I make enemies along the way."
"Is that right?" I really didn't know what else to say. I simply wanted him to continue because to a current degree I was intrigued.
"Well we share a common interest. One that ties us together regardless of the different cultural and environmental upbringings. We both just tryna make it. I just want to see a different part of life. Because me and my family are more than familar with the struggle. That's all I care about. People might frown upon the way we choose to try and make our way out but who are they to judge. I see you and I don't see a chick from the wrong hood who got caught up in the wrong profession. I just see someone who doesn't want to struggle. I see ambition. And drive. I see a girl who's satisfied with nothing and willing to do whatever to get what she deserves."
I just stared at him for a moment as his words resonated. I never thought someone could look at me and see me for anything more then what I appeared to be. And he sounded so sincere. He wasn't just telling me what I wanted to hear. He meant every word.
"Speaking of wrong professions. How'd a nice guy like you get caught up in my world?" I said after clearing my throat.
"Your world?" He questioned with a sly smirk on his lips. "In the words of Marvin Gaye ... This is a mans worlddd." He sang beautifully catching me off guard.
"Well bravo." I said clapping slowly. "Now I have even more questions." I admitted. He was talented. His voice was pure and unique. It was always the brothers with a way out who always seem to get tangled in this bullshit.
"Thank you. Thank you. You're far too kind." He said bowing his head playfully as he held his hand to his chest.
"Where'd you learn to sing like that? I wish I could sing. You're voice is beautiful. You have the voice of a hood angel." I giggled as did he. "Where mines could only be compared to the shriek of a dying alley cat." I admitted with a shrug. "I still try when I'm alone doe."
"Why I gotta be a hood angel. Why a nigga caint be just a regular angel? Huh?" He was amused with my terminology.
"Because God placed a bigger assignment on your life kid. Only the toughest angels get sent to the hood." I said with h a hearty chuckle.
"So what do I have to do to get you to sing for me." His eyes roamed over my body seductively. I squirmed a bit under his intense stare. I could feel the heat trail he left over my skin.
"Walk on water." I said matter-of-factly.
"You say that as if its impossible. Nothings impossible. You'd be surprised at the things a man becomes capable of doing to get something he wants." Our eyes met for a moment. Before the sound of our plates hitting the table broke our stare. The food looked amazing. Reminiscent of my late grandmother's cooking. And I couldn't wait to dive in. So I did. And it tasted as amazing as it looked and smelled.
I was so enamored by my dish I hadn't taken my eyes off of it. And when I finally did I noticed August wasn't seated in front of me. I looked over to find him helping the children with their meals. He removed all the coloring materials and placed them to the side before placing napkins in their collars. I watched as he squirted ketchup and honey mustard on their plates of chicken tenders and fries before going off to refill their drinks.
I immediately felt guilty. Shit I had almost forgotten the kids were even there. Here I was stuffing my face with alcohol and food and neglecting to check on Juan. I couldn't use the excuse that I didn't have any children of my own because neither did he. But he wasn't as selfish as I was. Or as selfish as I had learned to be.
He sat across from me before placing a napkin in his own collar. And pulling his chair closer to the table. My eyes were glued on him the whole time. He took a fork and dug into his food before closing his eyes and enjoying the flavors as I once had before I seemed to have lost my entire appetite. "Are you okay?" He asked finally looking up. I said nothing just shook my head yes before moving my plate away from me and folding my arms across my chest. I needed another drink.
"Waiter!" I called out.
"What's wrong MiMi? Something wrong with your food?" His eyes were dead set on mines now. The waiter quickly came over and I handed him my empty glass requesting another before he quickly scurried away. "Slow down there guh' " he said standing to his feet and heading over to me.
"How do you do it?" I quizzed with pleading eyes.
"Do what?" He asked knelling down on one knee. He grabbed the legs of my chair and quickly turned them taking my breath away. I was now completely facing him. His eyes never leaving mines. He waited for an answer. One I was afraid to give without feeling or sounding foolish.
"This" I said looking over at the children who were elbow deep into their meals by now. "I didn't even think to help him" I said in a defeated tone. "I'm nothing like you. I'm selfish. I probably would have finished my plate before I even realized he needed anything. I don't think I can do this."
"You're not selfish. And I really wish you'd stop telling yourself that. This is all just new to you. That's all. Every professional was once an amateur." He said causing me to smile a bit. "You know I have my own theories doe." He admitted taking my hands into his. I immediately stiffened.
"Oh yeah. Like what?" I said crossing my legs putting much needed space in between us. But he never released my hands. He simply stood to his feet placing his forehead against mines before bringing my hands to his mouth to kiss.
"You never really had someone take care of you. So instead of it coming naturally to you it seems foreign. I wanna take care of you Mizhani ... Let me take care of you ..."
