Page 38 of When Love Takes Root

Onyx said, “That means she said, ‘See what happens when a man takes his time?’ while looking directly at me.”

Juice wheezed. “Leilani don’t miss.”

“No. She does not.”

“She still making that banana pudding?” I asked.

Onyx’s eyes narrowed. “Respectfully, . . . mind yo’ business.”

Juice leaned toward me. “That pudding sacred, Cuzzo. He got boundaries.”

“I respect boundaries,” I said.

The laugh that moved through the office loosened something.

I wrote the date on the service form. “So, what’s the favor?”

Onyx didn’t answer right away.

He looked toward the bay, where Darnell and Marcus were pretending not to listen, then back at me. The joking left his face piece by piece. Not fear. Not panic. Concern with its sleeves rolled up.

Onyx said, “It’s for my sister.”

Juice leaned back in the chair. “You got another sister we don’t know about?”

Onyx said, “Not blood, but blood ain’t the only thing that makes family.”

That made me look up.

Onyx rubbed his thumb along the side of the water bottle. “Me, Leilani, and Celeste came up together. Self Ridge High. Same hallways. Same pep rallies. Same teachers acting like they ain’t see half the mess we were doing.”

Juice sat up so fast the chair complained beneath him. “Hold up. Celeste? Celeste Black Coleman? She one of the C-Blacks?”

Onyx laughed like he’d been waiting on that exact reaction. “Yeah. Craig and Cordelia’s crew. Number five.”

Juice snapped his fingers and pointed at me. “Siah, you remember them?”

I looked up from the service form. “You gon’ have to narrow that down.”

Juice asked, “Narrow it down? That’s exactly my point. Them folks was everywhere.”

Onyx leaned back against the desk, smiling now. “Man, I swear Self Ridge High had one in every class. If not every year, every other year at least.”

Juice pointed at him. “Thank you. I knew I wasn’t trippin’.”

Despite myself, I looked down at the service form to hide the smile tugging at my mouth.

Onyx took another drink of water, then shrugged. “There’s Camden, Corinne, Calloway, Corbin, Celeste, Celine, Cassian, Cruz, Calista, and Cassia.”

Juice and I stared at him.

Onyx frowned. “What?”

Juice blinked twice. “Alright, DMX. We believe you.”

For half a second, nobody moved.

Then Darnell stuck his head in from the bay. “About three Kims.”