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“And what about last month’s payment?”
“You shouldn’t get that since you waited around to get the test done,” I told her.
“It will be retroactively paid, Raya,” Lloyd told her.
Raya didn’t hesitate to pick up the pen and sign her name. She gave Kyenna a death stare before grabbing her purse and leaving.
“Is there anything else I need to do?” Kyenna asked.
“No, but can you give me and Lloyd a second alone before you leave? I want to walk you out,” I told her.
Kyenna got up and walked out, and now it was just me and Lloyd.
“You fuckin’ my sister-in-law?” I just came out and said it.
“What?”
“Y’all have become extremely close since the death of my brother.”
“We are close because this is new for her. She has questions, and I have answers.”
I twisted one of my locs while staring in his eyes.
“Okay.”
“What does that okay mean?” Lloyd leaned back in his chair.
“It means okay, nigga.”
“Nah, Shameek, you asked if I fucking Kyenna, then stared at me for thirty seconds. That okay got some meaning behind it.”
I smirked because maybe I had underestimated his ass a little. All that suit-wearing and proper talking made it easy to forget Rah fucked with Lloyd for a reason.
“I just wanted to kno’ what type of time you on. That’s all.”
“And if I was interested in her.”
I stopped twisting my loc.
“Are you?”
“I’m not sleeping with Kyenna. I haven’t crossed any lines with her. She lost her husband two months ago, Shameek. A man who happened to be one of my closest friends. I’m not that kind of man.”
“Thank you for makin’ that clear.”
“Kyenna is an attractive woman. She’s intelligent, and she’s funny when she’s not dealing with her grief or anyone else’s problems. Do I enjoy talking to her? Yes, I do. If you’re asking me whether I’m blind, the answer is no. If you’re asking me whether I’m trying to get in bed with her while she’s grieving Rah, the answer is also no.”
“That’s fair. Still don’t like the shit.”
“Why does it matter?”
“Because she’s my brother’s wife.”
“Widow,” Lloyd corrected.
“I kno’ what the fuck she is. She’s my family and any nigga sniffing around her more than usual, I’m gonna see what the fuck he on. Don’t matter if it’s you nigga, the mailman, or the nigga cuttin’ the fuckin’ grass outside.”
“Fair.” Lloyd laughed.
