“You here by yourself, huh?”
“What you want, John?”
“I need to talk to him.”
“Well, he’s at work. He won’t be home until after nine tonight.”
“So what you saying? I can’t come inside my own father’s house?”
“We didn’t know you were coming to visit.”
“I came to have a talk wit’ my pops, and last time I checked, I was still his son.”
She sighed. “You wanna come inside and wait?”
“Yeah, I would appreciate that.”
Dina stepped aside, annoyed, and Papa John marched inside. His father had fine taste in women, cars, and homes, plus furn
iture. The décor was high-end and contemporary. The TV was so big in the living room, it looked like a Mack truck could literally come through it. The leather furniture was comfortable, the artwork tasteful, and the stereo system was the best. He had parquet flooring with a stylish rug tying together the place.
“You thirsty?” she asked.
“Yeah, I’ll take Pepsi.”
She strutted into the kitchen, and he took a seat in the living room. He couldn’t keep his eyes off Dina. If his pops hadn’t snatched her up first, then he would have. She came back into the living room with his cold Pepsi. She sat.
Papa John smiled, and he couldn’t stop being himself, not even around Dina. He rudely asked, “You pregnant yet?”
“Excuse me? What?”
He laughed. “I mean, with a woman like you, is my pops tryin’ to make me any little brothers or sisters yet?”
She scowled. “You’re disrespectful, John!”
“I’m just making conversation, that’s all.”
“By asking me that shit?”
“My bad. I apologize.”
Dina shook her head in disgust at him and sucked her teeth. “If you’re going to be rude, you can leave.”
“Nah, I’m not tryin’ to be rude or disrespectful. Sometimes I can be a little blunt wit’ mines.”
“A little?”
He chuckled. “So I see my pops bought you a Lexus. Nice. He gotta be in love with you.”
“We’re getting married. You didn’t notice?” She held up her left hand, showing off the diamond engagement ring.
“Oh shit, I didn’t even peep that. Damn, my pops banking like that? How much that ring cost?”
“I don’t know, but it’s expensive.”
“Your pussy must be”—He simply chuckled. “You’re a lucky woman, and he’s a very lucky man. Congratulations.”
She cut her eyes at him. “Thank you.”