Total pages in book: 159
Estimated words: 149301 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 747(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 498(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 149301 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 747(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 498(@300wpm)
“That’s like me askin’, ‘Are you German or Italian?’” Poet chimed in. “Like the French, English, Scottish, and so on and so forth don’t exist. Why is it when some White people see an Asian person, they only think of Chinese or Japanese? Like there’s nobody else on God’s green Earth except those two Asian nationalities?”
Kage shrugged. “I don’t know. Ignorance, I guess.”
“Well, I’m glad you said it so I don’t have to.” Poet snickered, shaking her head. “Aunt Huni is Filipino. She and her husband adopted me. She and my mama were best friends.”
“Oh, I see.” He could have sworn the old woman winked at him just then. “I apologize, ma’am, if I offended you.” He wasn’t the least bit sorry, but he supposed it was the right thing to do.
“Only a little bit. You’ve got pretty eyes and a nice smile, so,” she shrugged, “I’ll forgive you. Do you give foot massages?” The woman pulled her foot out of her brown sneaker and wiggled her stubby toes.
“Come on into the kitchen.” Poet yanked his arm before he could answer the bizarre question. “I’ll give you something to drink.” He followed her past the old woman, who kept her beady, dark eyes on him. He looked back. That was a mistake. The lady’s eyes suddenly stretched wide amongst the thin dark cream creases and folds of her face, and she jetted out her long pink tongue, thrusting it in and out like a snake. Then she began moving her hips, swiveling them about in a disturbing fashion.
Oh no, this bird is flirtin’ with me… He winced, dancing between disgust and amusement. Once in the kitchen, he leaned against the wall as Poet maneuvered about. Old yellow and green wallpaper covered the walls. Illustrations of flowers and tea kettles. The window in the kitchen allowed good light, and he dug these retro digs. The appliances were new, but old fashioned in design. He watched how her body swayed as she reached up high for a glass in the cabinet. She had on black leggings, but they weren’t thick or opaque enough to hide her sweet imperfections and unmentionables. He could see that her underwear was red, and lacy. She’s got a real nice shape. A real nice ass, too. She poured what appeared to be tea into the glass, then handed it to him.
“Thank you very much.” He accepted the offering and gulped it down, their eyes glued onto one another’s.
“How’d you know I was home?” She put her hand on her hip. “I’m not usually here this early.”
“I called your job. They said you’d already left.”
“Why’d you call my job if you were planning on comin’ by anyway?”
“Because it’s the only number I could find for you. I was gonna ask you if it was okay if I swung by when you got home, but chanced coming here since they said you’d left.”
She looked at him suspiciously, then nodded, as if satisfied.
“Now listen here, I’ve got something to tell you,” she whispered as she leaned in close to him. He looked down at her, loving the small mole shaped like a tiny star right below her left eye. Poet looked like a damn doll. Skin smooth and pure perfection. Her thick black curls bounced each time she made the slightest move. She had long lashes to match, and the whites of her eyes reminded him of fresh bright snow. Her full pink lips were shaped like tulips, and her nose was tiny and upturned.
He found himself licking his lips as he stared at her. His face grew hot when he imagined pushing her against the sink, then sinking deep inside of her…
“My Aunt Huni says wacky things sometimes. She ain’t always right in the head. I’m whispering because she has acute hearing. Like a bat! She could hear a worm fucking itself from one hundred feet away, so watch out. She has these spells, you see. Says inappropriate things. Sometimes she’s overly flirtatious with menfolk, too. Especially if the guy is attractive.”
“Well, I should be safe then,” he teased.
She grimaced.
“Kage, you know what the hell you look like, and how people perceive you. Cut the shit. You draw. Artists are always aware of appearances.”
“But I’m no artist. I’m a hunter and a builder.”
“And I’m Beyoncé and a unicorn. Don’t toy with me. Fishin’ for compliments… You’re easy on the eye, and you know it. Nothin’ wrong with knowing that you catch ladies’ attention. Anyhow, I want us to walk out here into the yard, but don’t make direct eye contact with her as you pass by or she’s gonna say something to blow your hair back. She could give Pornhub a run for their money. She wasn’t always this way. It’s the medicine. Made her lose her inhibitions. Dirty minded woman.” She sucked her teeth.