Chapter Twenty-Four

Talia was done with a fourth of Lillian's hair. It looked amazing and Lillian couldn't stop stroking her touched up braids. We were all eating fried chicken, mac with green beans and lemonade. Amarah tore into her chicken and Lillian childishly mimicked her actions. Talia laughed at her and said she could eat it a bit more properly,

"Uh-ugh, that still got meat on it. Slurp it like this." Talia demonstrated to Lillian. "Don't be scared. The chicken dead already."

"On my gosh, you don't have to eat it to the bone. I don't." I said holding up my chicken wing.

"That's 'cuz she wasteful, a virgin and be trying to act white." Talia mocked me.

"What does me being a virgin have to do with chicken?" I growled pointing my fork full of mac at her.

"You don't know how to work your mouth. You got no experience. And you know you be trying to act white."

I roll my eyes, "Just because I don't carry a gun, date crazy, go to jail repeatedly and talk street lingo don't mean I act white. It means I have common sense of how to act in different situations."

"The black experience is also full of brown people who switch faces around those who aren't black." Talia commented to Lillian as she pointed her chicken wing at me.

"No, it's called knowing how to act,"

"Or just being fake." Talia nagged.

Another two hours later and Talia was done. Lillian's hair was flowing down to her back in black and brown braids with gold hair cuffs. "You rock! I love it." Lillian said hugging Talia. Talia swept her edges to the side with hair grease and grabbed her phone to capture pictures of her artwork.

"Don't let her in." Brayden said breathlessly as he and Courtney entered the house.

"She's already in." Talia said pointing to Courtney.

"No Ay-"

Bang! Bang! Bang! "Let me in Brayden!"

"Ayana." Brayden said rubbing his temple.

"Mommy?" Amarah asked.

"This is also a part of the black experience because nobody acts crazier than black baby mama drama." I whispered to Lillian who was smiling ear to ear. She was clearly enjoying the free, live entertainment.

"Can I look out the window?" She asked.

"No, it'll only anger the beast. And who are you?"

"Lillian, Mi'a's girlfriend. I'm biracial and learning about black culture." Lillian answered, extending a friendly hand to Braydem and then Courtney.

"Oh, you're about to see plenty of it tonight." Courtney remarked.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! "Brayden, I'm going to call the cops. Now give me my daughter." Ayana yelled.

"Mommy go away!" Amarah shrieked loudly.

"Oh, she got the wrong house." Talia jumped to the door and whipped it open. "You frinna do what?" She said to Ayana as she punched her in the face and dragged her.

"Oh my gosh, my first black fight. My first black girl fight." Lillian screamed. She made a move to go to the door and watch but I grabbed her and thrust Amarah into her arms.

"Stay in the back with the baby. This about to get crazy."

Trick arrived in a Lyft just in time to help Brayden break up the fight. "And I wish you would go to the cops Ayana. Don't let me find you. I'd rock that ass again. Period." Talia yelled after a wailing Ayana who hopped in her car and left.

Things were finally calming down, as we all gathered in the living room to watch Power. The popcorn was being passed around and we all fell quiet to listen.

"Is this also a part of the black experience?" Lillian whispered to me on the floor.

"Yeah, a more chill part. I love this show. Tommy's hot." I giggled, grabbing a handful of popcorn and passing it to Lillian.

"Thanks Mi'a. Today was so surreal. It was the best day of my life, well second to yesterday." Lillian thanked me.

"Yeah, I'm glad you had a great birthday."

"No, I mean yeah but also because I think you're a great kisser." Lillian said. I learned forward and pecked her on the lips.

"Thanks. You too."

Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! I turned my head to the window that was behind the television.

"Are those fireworks? Can we go see?" Lillian said with excitement.

"Yeah, those aren't fireworks." I said simply. The sound of dogs barking and police sirens in the distance could be heard even with the television on high.

"That's also a part of the black experience." Trick laughed as more bangs could be heard. Lillian moved closer to me on the floor. Her body was warming up. "Don't worry. I got like three straps."

"And that's not including ours." Talia and Bryant said together.