As soon as I entered Pop's hospital room, the aromatic smell of bleach and the lingering scent of hand sanitizer overwhelmed my senses. I plop down in the chair next to my Pops hospital bed, the worn-out cushions sinking beneath me. The machines he's attached to emitted peeps, creating a cacophony of noise.
"Your friend brought me flowers." Pops pointed at the orchids. "How do the two of you know each other?"
I read the card that came with the orchids. My blessings that you get well soon, Mr. Jensen. ~Elio Bianchi.
"How you feeling?"
My Pop raises his bed with the remote. "Good, the treatments seem to be helping."
The color was coming back to his face and his face looked a little fuller.
"If I ain't got a lot of work tomorrow I'll come and sit with you during your treatment."
"What kind of work you doing that you can afford a place like this?"
"Elio," I said. "I work for him doing little things."
"Little things like what?"
"Work is work."
"Better not be out here selling dope, Everest."
"I ain't selling shit."
At least that was partly true. The moment my pops ain't need this shit anymore I was leaving Elio's ass alone. I sat with my pops for a couple of hours talking. He asked about Yemaya and I said she was okay. She wasn't my old lady but fuck I felt like shit after yesterday.
Yemaya was there for me when my pops were close to dying. She was the one who sat in the hospital with him for hours just so he wouldn't be alone because he was scared and I was too scared of watching my pop's slowly die in front of me.
"Yemaya a real good girl Everest. You need to marry her. I like her. she'll be a good influence on you boy."
"I ain't marrying her or anybody. I'ma do what I do best and that's be by myself."
My pops frowned. "Don't be saying stuff like that."
"Shit, it's true."
"Your Mama would've loved to see you married."
"Well, she ain't here so."
And maybe that was the wrong thing to say because he gets all quiet on me.
"I just gotta find the right person, Pop's. It's just not Yemaya."
Still, that was something he didn't want to hear. He turned over in bed. The curtains weren't drawn back to let in the gloomy February sky. My pop's never liked it when the weather was like this so winter months were his least favorite.
I sat in his room for a couple more hours until they brought him lunch. His doctor wanted to talk to me, to go over things regarding Pop's treatments and how long he'll be taking them. So far everything was good but anything could go wrong with these types of treatments.
It was late in the evening when I pulled up to Yemaya's apartment and knocked on her door. When she pulled open the door she had a dead expression. Before she closed the door in my face I begged like some bum ass nigga for her to let me speak my truth.
She lets me into her apartment. I've been over here a couple of times and liked how she made this small studio apartment feel like home with all of her plants that hung from the ceiling and sat in the corner; Chinese evergreen to String of pearls to Staghorn fern to Peace Lilies. I only knew a little about plants because of her.
Yemaya didn't have a TV in her living room but a record player where she played her vinyl records, from Erykah Badu to Maxwell to Aretha Franklin and Patti LaBelle.
As I entered the room, my eyes were drawn to the sight of her brown sofa strategically placed in front of the expansive windows. The natural sunlight poured in, casting a warm glow on the room. Taking a seat on the inviting sofa, I could feel its plush cushions supporting me. Beside me, Yemaya settled gracefully, her leg tucked beneath her. The room was filled with a sense of tranquility, accompanied by the gentle rustling of leaves outside.
"You a white man's bitch now or somethin, Everest?" she asked. Edged in her voice was hurt and discomfort at my situation.
"It ain't even like that mama. He just a dude I'm working for, okay? I ain't got shit going on with him."
Yemaya wasn't the judgemental type. She fucked with dudes who were bisexual just as long as they were Top or Verse; just as long they could dominate in the bedroom and who could take the lead.
"He got jungle fever?"
" I don't wanna talk about his ass. I came to check on you, to make up for yesterday." I leaned into her.
My eyes dropped to her full pretty two-toned lips. She placed her hand on my crotch, petting my dick through my gray sweats.
"How you gonna make up, huh?" A little smirk plays on her lips.
"Anyway, you want me to, mama."
I didn't waste any time taking off her clothes. Sucking and playing with her nipples, Yemaya lets out a soft little moan.
My phone went off but I ignored it. It's just probably Elio and I'm not in the mood to talk to his stupid ass.
Yemaya is on her hands and knees on the sofa. Her back arched making her ass appear big. I wanted to eat her ass but I knew when she got in this position she wanted my dick right away. I stuck my thumb in her ass and she gasped.
My phone kept going off and pissed Yemaya to the point that she asked me to shut it off. I checked my missed calls right quickly. It wasn't Elio but Jess. Why the fuck would he be calling me?
Yemaya reminds me to use a condom. After getting one on I fucked her good.
***
Yemaya had fallen asleep after our third round. I leave her apartment and head to my house. The thing I saw was Elio's car parked outside my place. The driver gets out, opening the passenger side for Elio, and he climbs out.
I unlocked my door stepping inside with Elio behind me. He's too quiet tonight. Not bothering to speak. He stands in the living room, I'm in the kitchen making a bowl of cereal.
"You got a job for me or something?" I asked, walking back into the living room and eating my fruity pebbles.
"Why weren't you answering your phone?"
"Didn't think I needed to answer my phone every time it rings."
Again he asked, "Why didn't you answer your fucking phone, Everest?"
I chewed my cereal. "I been with my pop's all day."
"All day?"
"Is that a problem?"
I looked Elio up and down. Even this late at night he still dressed nicely like he was going somewhere important then again maybe he was.
His dark hair was combed back. There's a little stubble on his face.
"It's a problem when you lie to me."
How would he know if I was lying? There was no way he could know that I was at Yemaya's unless he had people watching me unless he was watching me?
"I ain't lying. I said I was with my Pop's all day then I was with my Pop's all day."
His jaw clenched and unclenched. "Jess called you. You don't answer. I call you. You don't answer."
"Okay? You both called and I missed the calls."
"So where were you?"
"At the hospital."
Elio laughed. "Okay. You were at the hospital."
"Yeah like I said." I sat my bowl on the floor.
Elio sits with me on the couch. Placed his hand on my thigh and gave it a light squeeze. His face presses against my neck, his breath sending shivers down my spine. I feel his warm breath gently brushing against my skin, just before he inhales deeply. As his lips gently press against my neck, I feel a tingling sensation spreading through my body.
"Elio get the fuck away from me."
"You smell different," he said. "Like a woman."
"I smell like me now get your weird ass on."
He bites me and I hissed. Elio grabs my face. He stares at me for a few seconds and for that second I see something in his eyes that makes him feel human and less like an asshole.
Elio's gentle when he kissed me taking it slow before it got in any deeper I shoved him away.
"What's wrong?" he asked, slightly annoyed.
"I ain't with all this."
"You want it rough?"
"I want you out of my damn house."
He tsk. Then rolled his eyes before settling them back on me. A little smile plays on his lips.
"With anyone else, I would have done away with after the first night. But there's something about you, Mr. Jensen that I just adore."
And did he think that was supposed to make me feel special? I hit his hand away from me.
"Elio, if you ain't got a job for me to do then leave."
"If I leave you're coming with me."
"Nah, I ain't. Now step."
I got up from the sofa. Elio grabbed my wrist, yanking me down beside him.
"That bitch is special to you right?"
"Ain't nobody special to me but my pop's."
"You lie," he said. "Make it your last night you see her."
"Yo, who the fuck you think you are telling me who I can't fucking see?"
"I think I'm the man who owns you. Therefore I don't want you sticking your dick in anyone or anyone sticking their dick in you."
"You're fucking mental." I tapped the side of my head.
"My mental health is fine. I see a therapist."
Elio let my wrist go and placed a kiss on my temple before standing.
"Tomorrow morning, come by my office around 9. I have a small run I need you to make."
"Okay."
"Good night, Mr. Jensen."
Later that night I got a text from Yemaya: I have this poetry slam this weekend I have to do for class and I was wondering if you could come? 🥺
Me: Of course mama, I'll be there.