S1Ep7: Onyx Loves the Kids

Onyx

Loud childish laughter stops me momentarily on my front porch.

The security door is closed, but the wooden door is open. I see Obi on the couch, smiling at someone who must be sitting on the chair.

When I find my feet and walk up to the security door, Obi’s eyes find mine, and his smile broadens.

“Here she is. You ain’t ever met Amiri and Butta.”

I step all the way into my house and close the wooden door behind me.

There’s a girl on the couch next to Obi. She’s adorable, with her long brown hair in braids with clear beads, and pink glasses tied to her face. She grins at me, and most of her baby teeth are gone, making her resemble a jack-o-lantern.

There’s a boy sitting on the floor by the coffee table. He sets the remote down next to him as he turns his head to me.

Lex’s mini me.

I force a smile as my heart threatens to thump out of my chest.

“You’re pretty,” the little girl says. I don’t know whose name is whose.

Obi grins as he stands. “She aight. She gon’ watch tv with y’all. Uncle Black needs a break.”

“Obi,” I hiss, but he just skidaddles to the back of the house, closing himself into his room.

I blow out air and take a seat in the chair and face the little munchkins.

“Which one’s Butta?” I ask, looking between them.

The little girl smiles brighter, but it’s the boy who speaks.

“Her name is Ajá. Only family calls her Butta.”

“Oh, I’m not family?” I fold my arms and smirk at him.

He turns the tv off, prompting Butta to grab her tablet and tune us out.

“How come you don’t come around?” Amiri’s eyebrows crumble as he peers at me. 

Oh. So we going there?

“Well,” I drawl, “I went away to college.”

“College is four years. I’m ten. Try again.”

I can’t help but smile. “You’re just like your dad, you know.”

His face brightens immediately, the apples in his cheeks becoming so pronounced. 

“He my twin.”

“That he is,” I agree. “But to answer your question, I moved to another state after college, but I’m back now. And before you ask why I never visited… that was a mistake. But I’m here now. And we… are family.”

The smile falls from Amiri’s face as he blinks at me.

God, he’s so much like his father. Every action is thought over, no matter what, even at a young age, because they were both taught to think before they speak. 

He wraps his arms around his knees and links his fingers.

“Yeah. But you can’t leave anymore. You already missed too much.”

I simper. “The best deals are over food. Have y’all eaten?”

Butta looks up and shakes her head. “Uncle Black said you’d feed us. We’ve been waiting on you.”

Of course he did. I roll my eyes and stand. “I think I can whip up something. Y’all like tacos?”

“Yup,” Amiri cheeses.

“Good. You can help me, and let me know everything I’ve missed.”

He stands and dusts off his hands. 

“Hey! I wanna come, too!” Butta mutters, shuffling off the couch. She runs past us into the kitchen to sit at the table.

Amiri and I work together in tandem. He talks a mile a minute, starting from the first memory he can think of, since he’s serious about catching me up. But I don’t mind.

I’ve always loved kids. Most of my volunteer work in college was at after school programs.

He’s so bright. And the way he talks about Lex, I know that he’s an amazing father.

The kind of father neither one of us had.

I staple my lips together when I realize in twenty minutes, he hasn’t mentioned his mother. The only adults he mentions by name are Obi, Lex, and Sachi. 

No Miss Designer Bitch at all.

I almost wanna ask him, but I refrain. I can ask Obi when they leave.

I make us a taco platter, the smells of seasoning bringing Obi out of his cave as well. But he takes his back into his room, leaving me and the kids to eat and laugh together.

It’s nice.

Especially when I ignore my heart twisting.

The front door opens and closes, and heavy footfalls sound off behind us.

I turn and meet the gaze of the adult version of the boy sitting next to me.

He’s wearing a navy blue jumpsuit and work boots. Locs pulled up in a bun, showing that incomparable face.

“Daddy!” Butta shrieks, rushing him to wrap her arms around his legs. Lex bends down and picks her up to give her a kiss on the cheek.

“We made tacos, Pop. It’s some left for you, too,” Amiri says, smiling.

He nods, before meeting my gaze again. My eyes track that pink tongue licking his bottom lip, and all my breath leaves my lungs.

“Wassup, Onyx.”

He caresses every letter of my name with his tongue. I narrow my eyes before I notice Butta is smiling at me, too.

“Hey, Lex.”

“Who is Lex, Daddy?” she asks, turning to him in his arms.

“Why do you call him that?”

I turn to Amiri and smile at him. “It’s my little nickname for him. Like how everyone calls Ajá, Butta.”

“Y’all go wash up so we can take Butta home.” Lex sets Butta down and she and Amiri take big steps out of the kitchen.

I stand and begin to gather our dishes. Questions burn in my throat, but I would never let him think I was interested.

Fuck him.

The grudge is petty, especially when I’ve forgiven Sachi completely, but I don’t care. Lex knew what he was doing, and even if he didn’t, now is not the time to have that conversation with so many ears.

He’s leaning against the counter, scarfing down tacos as I dump the used dishes into the sink.

“I’m glad you bonding with your bonus kids,” he says around a mouthful of taco meat.

I turn on the hot water and scoff. “You’re so full of it.”

He swallows and grins, running that thick tongue over the top row of his teeth.

“I’m just sayin’, it’s nice. Miri’s always asking about you. You not gon’ be able to get rid of him, now.”

I snatch his empty plate as the kids come back into the kitchen.

“I’m ready,” Butta sings, backpack on. She hugs my legs and plants her chin on my thigh.

“Bye Miss Onyx. See you when I come back to Daddy’s house.”

“Bye, Sweets. I’ll see you both soon.”

“Butta’s going back to her mom, but I live with Pop. I’ll be back tomorrow for dinner. Can we make chicken?” Amiri interlocks his fingers and tries his best puppy dog impression, prompting me to look toward Lex.

He just shrugs, like he’s telling me he told me so. 

I sigh like I’m being inconvenienced. “I guess–”

My phone begins to buzz on the counter as Amiri begins to jump for joy. Lex looks down, and the temperature instantly drops thirty degrees in the kitchen.

I never changed Nino’s name, so right there, Papi 🖤 is on my screen.

I snatch my phone from the counter and swipe to answer. Lex’s eyes stretch at my audacity, and I fight not to turn away from his glare.

This is needed. I need boundaries. He needs to know that whatever feelings I had for him are long gone.

“Hello?”

“You busy?” Nino’s deep voice rumbles in my ear. If I remember correctly, he’s a pretty boy, and I fight to tamper down a smile.

“No, I’m not.”

“I’m finna send you my lo. Come fuck with me.”

I hear my phone chime in my hand as my face scrunches up. “Is that how you ask me out on a date?”

The phone is silent for so long I pull it away from my ear to make sure he didn’t hang up on me. When I place it back on my ear, he says, “I’m at this view, and it reminded me of you, so I wanted you to see it.”

My gaze shifts to the window. Purples and blues paint the sky from the sunset, and my lips finally lift.

Who is this guy?

“You gon’ fuck with me?”

I nod, before I realize he can’t see me. “Yeah. I’ll be there soon.”

“Fasho.”

I end the call and pull up his text. The view is about thirty minutes away, and I’ll have to hurry if I wanna catch the rest of the sunset.

“Who the fuck is Papi, Onyx?”

Damn. I forgot Lex was still here.

His nostrils are flared as he regards me. 

I roll my eyes and pocket my phone. “You in my business.” 

I skirt out the way when he tries to grab me, and power walk toward the door.

“See y’all later!” I squeal to the kids, busting into a light jog as I leave the house.

Childish? Yes.

Oh well. Papi’s waiting for me.