Page 42 of Delirium 2

I looked over at him. “Hey.”

Instantly, I sized him up. Not because I wanted to but because I couldn’t help myself. Exodus was the type of man you looked at. I mean, truly. Fully. Completely. He was alluring. Drawing. Magnetic. His aura heavy. Big just like him. In such a powerful way that despite how much I didn’t want to stare, I did anyway.

He looked down at himself. “What you be lookin at, bro? Something wrong with what I got on?”

“You don’t own an iron?” I asked, pretending there was something wrong. When in fact, there was absolutely nothing wrong with Exodus. I wasn’t a dick rider. I didn’t drool over men. Sometimes I found myself absolutely loathing them. But Exodus? My God, he was such a perfectly crafted specimen. Deep, deep dark skin. Waves. Thick beard, nice connecting mustache. Thin, piercing brown eyes. Full succulent lips. High cheekbones. Muscles. So many muscles. Big and tall. He was like a Greek God. No, fuck that. Greek Gods didn’t come packaged like this. Exodus was built like an African warrior.

Yes, gawd.

He sucked his teeth. “Put an iron across these bitches this morning. So, I know it’s cap if you sayin a nigga wrinkled.”

I turned my nose up and playfully rolled my eyes but said nothing. He caught me. I couldn’t think of anything else to say. “Whatever.”

“Sweet lady, sweet lady,” he said, addressing First Lady before dropping a kiss on the top of her head.

I thought that was the cutest. The way he spoke to her. It was the same way every time. Sweet lady, sweet lady. I could tell they had a close relationship at one point. I could also tell that despite his tough, positive demeanor, First Lady’s condition bothered him. Whatever her condition was. They didn’t know. They as in the family and the doctors. It was just something she’d have to decide to snap out of.

That didn’t stop him from loving on her and treating her like his mother instead of just… skin and bones. I thought it was beautiful. That unconditional love. I hadn’t had it since the stuff with my parents. Often, I wondered if I would ever experience it again. A couple of times, I wondered if I’d experience unconditional romantic love. But based off what I saw around me—with my parents especially—I knew that the chances of that ever happening were slim to none. And that… it bothered me. Hardened my heart more than it already was, honestly.

“You ready?” Exodus asked, shifting those beautiful browns up at me.

Goosebumps covered my skin, sending a chill through my body. A chill that made me hug myself.

I nodded. “Yes, I’m ready.”

He looked away from me, looked at First Lady, and then back at me. This time with a smirk. A slight smile.

“She fly. I thought Genny was overexaggerating,” he said with a pause. “But nah. You got OG together.” His smiled widened. “I tell you how much I appreciate you?”

I joked. “Yes, you tell me every time you come over here and see her dressed up. I know, I know. I’m doing my big one.”

“Your biggest one, angel.”

“Angel?”

“I got a speech impediment I don’t know about?” He shot back, with a squint, scratching at the back of his ear.

I squinted, pursed my lips together and cocked my head to the side. “Okay A-hole. Don’t be calling me no angel.”

“Come on ma, we about to go to the store,” he said, extending his hand to First Lady, ignoring what I’d said.

I didn’t like it. Not for real. I mean… it wasn’t that big of an issue. It just made me feel… a little… kinda… on a pedestal and I didn’t want to be on one. I took care of First Lady the way I would have wanted my own mother to be taken care of. I didn’t take this job lightly—at all. I did it to my fullest potential. I came into it with zero experience. I literally had to do a good job. Besides, First Lady… she deserved top notch care. She was a great woman with confidence, notoriety, and grace—of course I treated her with the utmost respect.

* * *

“I just don’t eat it,” I said with a shrug.

Exodus extended his hand and moved it in a ‘come here’ motion. “Give it here.”

With dipped brows I looked down at it and then back up at him. “Give you what?”

“Your black card,” he said, steady moving his finger in a ‘hand it here’ motion.

I sucked my teeth and laughed. “You so corny.”

Stuffing his hands into the pockets of his shorts, he swaggered around the store, letting me have my way. I’d only come for seafood pasta ingredients, but the cart was damn near filled to the rim with just about everything I gave a second look. I was hesitant. Didn’t just… ‘throw it in the bag’. I wasn’t always afforded that luxury. So, I was still a little hesitant to get the things I wanted. Sure, I had money. Sure, I could afford it but…old habits. The struggle was in me, not on me. After a while though, I felt like it would get up out of me. Adjusting would just take time.

“Can’t believe you don’t eat macaroni and cheese. Fuck you eat pasta but not macaroni?”