“What’s up Fu?” I answered my ringing phone. I was on my way to a staff meeting at the office and everybody was blowing me up. Christmas was a week away and it seemed like everyone had their Christmas list ready for me like I didn’t have two daughters to look out for.
“What up Cuh? Hell you doing?”
“On my way to Microsoft. What’s up with you?”
“Man, you know me. Out here getting this money.” Fu had his own construction company. He and I both used to be in the streets selling drugs, but that shit got old quick and we had to switch it up. Don’t get it twisted, we were still thugs at heart, but we also knew how to trade in our Balmain jeans for business suits.
“Man, when you gone be truthful with me? I know you and Kay got something going on. Why y’all sneaking around?”
“Man we’re not sneaking, but she is special to me so I want to keep her close. We’re not hiding, but I’m glad you’re not mad about it, Bro.”
“Nah, I’d rather you with my sister than any of these other cornballs ‘round here.”
“Yeah, I feel you on that one Cuh. But before you hang up, the girl that Kay brought to Sunday dinner, give her my apologies for being a fuck nigga when I first saw her. Kay laid my ass out for that shit.”
“Aite man, I got you, but I’m about to head in this meeting, so I’ll catch up with you later.”
“Aite Bro. One,” he said, ending the call.
I presented my new autism awareness game to the Microsoft experts and they ate that shit up. They loved it and with a few minor tweaks, the game would be dropping in the summer. It felt lovely to be recognized for the shit that I did. It also didn’t hurt that I would getting a $100,000 advance along with 50% of all sales. Life wasn’t too shabby for me.
I cruised to Nipsey Hussle’s Victory Lap, bobbing my head to his flow. This nigga was underrated as hell, but low-key was one of the best rappers out of LA. I got caught behind a city bus and noticed Anna standing waiting for another bus, I guess. She had her head down in her book not even paying attention to her surroundings. One thing I couldn’t miss was the way her ass was sitting in the skirt that she was wearing. Baby had to be at least a buck forty now, which was different from when I first met her, because she was no more than 100 lbs soaking wet.
I beeped my horn at her, and she looked in my direction and waved. I waved her over and asked if she needed a ride. Surprisingly, she said yes and hopped in. She was dressed in a grey pencil skirt, a white, ruffled button-up, and black pumps. Her hair was up in her normal bun and little studs sat on her earlobes.
“Where are you headed?” I asked, turning the blasting music down.
“Back to the K-Spot. I just left a job interview.” She smiled a little.
“Oh yeah? It must’ve gone good for you to be smiling.” I picked up on how she even glowed differently when she was happier.
“Well, I didn’t just do good at the interview, I did great, and they offered me the job on the spot. You are now looking at your newest Starbucks barista.” She beamed.
“That’s what’s up. Congrats,” I said, sharing her joy.
“Yeah, it feels good to have someone believe in me enough to hire me.”
“Yeah, I know how that shit feels.”
At one point, I didn’t have anybody who believed in me besides my mama and an old teacher, so I knew exactly the feeling that she was describing.
“Where are you coming from? If you don’t mind me asking. You’re all dressed up looking jazzy.”
I was surprised that she was being so friendly today. Other times, I couldn’t get her to say two words.
“Oh me? I just came from my job.”
“Where do you work? If you don’t mind me asking.”
“I work as a gaming creator for Microsoft.”
“Oooh, that sounds like a big deal. I guess that’s where you got your name from, huh?”
“Well kind of. That’s what most people think, but it’s actually the only thing my dad ever bought me before he dipped on my mom. I carried my Gameboy around with me everywhere. I still have it to this day,” I said, going back in time.
“Yeah, I can relate,” she said, staring out the window a little sadly.
“So, what are you doing to celebrate your new job?” I asked, changing the subject that obviously upset her.
She shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s not like I just graduated from college or something. It’s not a big deal.” She minimized her small victory.
“Well, you should let me take you out to celebrate one day,” I said, pulling up to her destination.
“Yeah. Maybe,” she said shyly. Once again, she was back in her bubble just that quickly.
“Thank you for the ride,” she said, and then leaped out of the car and into the store. She was going to be one tough cookie to crack.