Chapter 22: A Call
Chresanto
“Don’t call this number again.” I say blatantly and hang up. That couldn’t have been who I thought it was. It’s not possible. Melanie honks the car and motions for me to get in. I walk around to the passenger’s side and climb in.
“Who was that calling you?” She asks.
“Crank the car up, see how it runs. You like how it looks on the inside?” Probably not the best response, because avoiding the question automatically makes her suspicious.
“Who was that on the phone?” She looks at me.
“Just a person who had the wrong number baby now crank the car up.” I say, trying my best to sound excited.
“Oh okay.” She says and cranks it. The engine roars to life and she laughs excitedly.
I lean over, “Wanna take it for a spin?”
“You mean drive it and leave these crazy people at our house? Alone?”
“Oh yea. That’s probably not the best idea, huh?” We both laugh. After more inspecting and fawning over the car, she turns it off and takes the keys out.
“I love it. So much. Thank you, Chresanto.”
I smile at her. “Merry Christmas babygirl.”
When we walk back inside she joins everyone in the living room but I head straight for Ki’loni and pull her aside. “The fuck?”
“Loni, did you give anyone my number lately?”
“What are you talking about Roc?”
“Have you talked to anyone about me, maybe given them my number?”
“What- no, I don’t even know what you’re talking about. I’m getting tired of you making all these accusations against me.” She snatches her elbow away from my grip and walks back into the living room. I grab my head in frustration and the doorbell rings. “I got it!” I call out.
When I open it up, it’s Christina. “Hey.” She walks in, takes off her coat, kisses me on the cheek, and hands me a present all in one swift motion. “Merry Christmas. That’s for both and you and Mel. Where is everyone?” She says.
I point my head towards the living room. As she starts to walk in that direction, I stop her. “Wait, I thought you were going over dad’s.”
“Where do you think I’m coming from? And I thought he wasn’t your dad.” She smirks lazily at me and continues walking.
“Oh. You didn’t say anything about me, did you?”
“Course not.” She says nonchalantly.
--
Late at night, we’ve cleaned up the house and everyone has left. I lay on the couch in my jeans and no shirt. Melanie’s brushing her teeth in the bathroom. I reach for the present Christina gave us and begin to unwrap it. Mel comes out. “What’s that?” she says and flops on the bed next to me.
“It’s from Christi to both of us.”
She snatches it from my hands and I chuckle. When she opens it, it’s a pair of Egyptian cotton sheets- California king sized. She laughs. “YES!” She says and I snatch the sheets back.
“This is bullshit. This gift is more for you.” I say with a smile.
“You get to sleep on them too! They feel ahmazzzzing!”
