Concrete Rose (The Hate U Give, #0)(83)

That’s the first time in a while anybody called me a kid. I figure I got a couple more months of that, ’cause once you got two kids, you grown. I’ll enjoy it while I can.

The classes meet Monday, Wednesday, and Friday nights. The school district got some career development courses for young adults, too. I signed up for the landscaping class. I can earn a certificate when I get my GED, and it would allow me to professionally care for gardens. It’s something, I guess.

I caught the bus and came straight to the store like I told Mr. Wyatt I would. I run the cash register while he take a “break” across the street with Mr. Reuben and Mr. Lewis. The way he laughing, he ain’t concerned with this long line of customers I got over here.

I ring up Mrs. Rooks, and I don’t drop her eggs this time. Best believe she watch me real close to make sure I don’t. The li’l snot-nosed kids from the projects count their change out themselves, and when I ask why their behinds not in school, they ask why I’m not either. They got me there.

“Have a good day,” I call after the last customer around half an hour later. Ol’ girl talked my ear off, man. She showed me a picture of her sons and proudly told me she named them Dalvin and DeVante after the dudes in Jodeci. I looked at her funny. I can’t talk though. I named my son after a number.

As she walk out, Mr. Wyatt come back in. “Everything all right, Maverick?”

“Yes, sir,” I say, opening my bag of salt-n-vinegar chips. Now that I’m full-time, I get an employee discount. “I survived that afternoon rush. Didn’t think I would, huh?”

“Now, hold on, I didn’t say that.”

“C’mon, Mr. Wyatt. You know you were testing me. I ain’t stupid.”

“Okay, maybe it was a teeny-tiny test,” he says, with two of his fingers inches apart. “The fellas and I had a bet going. Cletus thought you’d be hollering for me two minutes in. I said five. Reuben said ten. We all lost.”

“Gah-lee! That’s what y’all get. Ain’t got no faith in a brother.”

“I’ll admit, you surprised me,” Mr. Wyatt says. “If I’m honest, I’m surprised you’ve lasted this long at the job. I thought you would’ve had your third strike by now.”

I can’t lie. I expected to get it, too.

But maybe it’s time I start surprising myself.





Epilogue


Bud





Lisa eat her barbecue at my kitchen table, smacking extra loud. “Dang! Mr. Reuben did this right! You sure you don’t want some, loser?” She wave a rib in front of me.

I lightly push it away. “Man, if you don’t go on somewhere. You won the bet, a’ight? You ain’t gotta rub it in my face.”

“Yes, I do actually. I don’t wanna say I told you so but . . .” She snort. “Who am I kidding? I. Told. You. So! Bam!”

Maaan. Lisa ain’t let up since Dr. Byrd told us we having a baby girl. I took her to Reuben’s to buy her prize, and she told everybody in the restaurant that I lost our bet. As we walked to my house, she told every neighbor we passed. Gloating for no reason.

I reach over and rub her belly. “Baby girl, please don’t come out acting like your momma.”

“Excuse you?” Lisa says.

“I’m playing, I’m playing. I hope our daughter is exactly like you.”

“Our daughter. Because guess what? I was ri-ight!” she sings.

I flip her Braves cap off of her head.

“Stopppp,” she whine, and quickly put it back over her ponytail. “You know I don’t have my hair done!”

I laugh and check on Seven in his high chair. He tearing up that mac and cheese I got for him. I sneak a li’l for myself. Ma says you ain’t a real parent till you eat your kid’s food. “You lucky I’m not a sore loser.”

“Ha! Since when? You sulked through the rest of the appointment.”

“I wasn’t sulking! I was surprised.”

Lisa twist her mouth. “Suuuure.”

“I was! I’m cool with a girl. I can do tea parties and baby dolls.”

“Hey, she could love sports. I used to throw my baby dolls like footballs in the backyard.” Lisa trace her finger along her sonogram picture. “She’s so stinking cute.”

“Even with my big apple head?” I tease.

“Yep, although God help me during labor. I hope she has your eyelashes. And my eyes. I like my eyes. Is that conceited?”

She crack me up. “Nah, not at all. Our li’l girl gon’ be perfect, no matter what.”

“She will,” Lisa murmurs. She look away from the picture and pat the table. “All right, no more distractions. You asked me to help you study.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” I sit at the table and open my GED prep book. “They foul for this quiz they giving us tomorrow. Class only been going on a week, dang.”

“You like it so far?” Lisa asks.

I shrug. “I like that it’s faster than a regular school day. My landscaping class real cool. I know more than anybody in that joint except the teacher.” I grin.

Lisa roll her eyes. “Lord help the teacher, then.”

“Forget you.” I laugh. “I like the classes mostly. I gotta get used to going to class at night though, and it’s weird not being around my homeboys.”