Sinnamon & Golds

by Lady Marie

She was bad as fuck, standing damn near eye-to-eye with me, thick all over with a pretty ass face, plump lips, and a gold nose ring that glistened whenever the light hit it.

I’d felt her eyes on me as soon as she turned them in my direction. While my mind might have been occupied listening to my homeboy rattle off the list I’d left at my mom’s house, my body was standing at full attention for her.

She had my head spinning so much that by the time the call ended, I couldn’t remember a damn thing he’d said to me, which left me no choice but to text him and have him send me a picture of the list.

Either shorty was mesmerized or she had absolutely no shame because h...

Money wasn’t a thing for me, but handing it out randomly wasn’t my MO either, yet she pulled it out of me without any hesitation or real attempt.

“So you managed to catch her attention, tricked off on ole girl a little bit, and still didn’t get her name or her number?”

“It’s not that funny.” His reaction had me feeling like I should’ve just kept the shit to myself.

“Maybe not to you, but the shit is comical to me.” Closing the fridge, he added, “And you have nobody to blame but yourself because why would any of that even come out of your mouth?”

“You know I just be saying shit,” I groaned, leaving the kitchen and ending u...

“Yeah, and as usual, the shit...

Shorty looked so fucking good in that leggings and hoodie combo, there was no doubt in my mind anything she wore would stop me in my tracks.

Whatever I dished out, I wanted her to give back ten times over.

If I was talking shit, whoever I was dealing with needed to be able to match that energy, whether it was directed toward me or whoever was in the vicinity.

My shorty being able to hold her own against any person in any room t...

“You act like pissing her off was my plan. I honestly thought she’d thin...

“My point is, yo’ ass didn’t actually have a plan. You thought you could just pull her ‘cause you caught a vibe. Hate to break it to you, nigga, but you really ain’t that charming.”

“You talking a lot of shit right now, but we’ll see how much you got to say when the Stallions beat the Panthers’ ass on Thursday,”

“Boy, the only way they’re doing that is with a hope and a prayer.” “We’ll see.”

The two of us spent the next few hours smoking and talking shit, but thick mama from the market was never too far from my mind.

If I got the opportunity to run into her again, no way in hell w...

From the minute I’d arrived at Ms. Hazel’s house, she’d made it a point to keep me busy.

You wouldn’t have to worry about avoiding the topic of your ex if you’d stayed your ass home instead of trying to prove a point to a nigga you probably won’t ever see again.

“Is that my big booty homegirl in my favorite auntie’s kitchen?”

“Chile, she would never. She reserves all acts of violence for her trifling ass son.”

“Anyway, I can’t believe she convinced you to come.”

“Hold the fuck up. Are you two back together? Because I swear I told you the last time needed to be the la—” “Calm down, calm down. No, Von and I are not back together, nor do I intend for us to get back together.”

“I’m here because Mama Hazel wore me down about coming, and since I honestly didn’t have other viable plans, I decided to take her up on the offer. The only thing that solidified me coming today was her promising me he would not be here.”

“The sweet potatoes are almost done roasting in the oven, which means you’re just in time to take your place as my favorite sous chef.”

His fake whining started immediately. “Do I have a choice?”

“Cut the shit please because we both know you ...

“What can I say? I live for the drama, just like the r...

“Speaking of, tell me all the good shit. What’s new with you? It’s been forever since we’ve caught up, so I need to know who and what you’ve been doing.”

“Well, actually…I did meet someone the other day.” “Ooop! Do tell.”

“Wait, so he paid for your shit and then slid you three hundred dollars as an apology? And you didn’t get his name or give him your damn number?”

“Chile, you know what? Maybe it’s for the best. Ain’t no way you know what to do with all that man if you couldn’t lock it down right then and there. And considering who your last man was, you probably used to weak sauce anyway.”

“You do realize that weak sauce is a member of your family, right?”

Pulling up in front of the house, it looked like most people had already made it to my aunt’s place, including my mom and pops.

To be honest, missing the last few was something I regretted, but dealing with her punk ass son? Yeah, I’d skip suffering through his bullshit every time.

“You sure your people cool with me crashing like this?”

“Aunt Hazel has always been the more the merrier type. And with the amount of food always leftover at these damn things, they probably need an extra mouth to feed.”

“Shit, actually, maybe I should’ve left your greedy ass at home. Won’t be shit left on the table for anyone else by the time you get going.”

“Well, as I live and breathe. I thought your mama was completely full of shit when she said you were coming to dinner. Damn it, boy, now I owe her ten dollars and an extra sweet potato pie.”

“Well, it’s too late for you to disappear now. Bring your ass in here,” she teased.

I’d never tell my mama this, but Aunt Hazel’s hugs were easily th...

“If that’s the pie she was after, then I wouldn’t be about to spend the next couple of hours hearing her gloat. The bet was for one of Sinna’s pies,” she huffed, letting me go.

I must’ve looked as confused as I felt because she added, “You’ll understand when you taste a piece. I have no clue what that child does to those pies, but I swear if there was only one slice left, everyone in here would be ready to have a cage match over it. She’s in the kitchen now with Lennon, whipping them up.”

“Hey, baby. I told you, Hazel!” mama said as she pulled me into her own hug after I finished dapping up my pops.

“Yeah, Vera, I see his big ass, damn. You’ll get your pie,” Aunt Hazel snapped at her.

“Don’t be a sore loser. I already know Sinna is in there right now making her favorite would-be mother-in-law her own pie, too.”

“Y’all really in here trippin’ ov...