“Whut you mean, it got nuttin’ ta do wit you? Dis got e’rything ta do wit you!” she said maliciously. “If you tell da bitch you don’t wanna be bothered, then it’s dead, till then it’s always gonna be sumthin’.”

“I’m not even involvin’ myself in dat shit,” he told her. “Dat’s some young girl shit!!! When I wuz a young boy, gotta kick outta dat …. Now dat I’m older I did away wit dat childish shit …. Dig? Whut I look like???”

“Okay, I’ma do it!” she spat heatedly. “Since you won’t tell her, I’ma tell her! Since you care so much ’bout da bitch’s funky feelin’. And if she buck … it’s gonna be sumthin’…. We’ll see how much you like her afta I pound her da fuck out!!! We’ll see whatcha gonna say then ….”

“Whateva! …” he replied nonchalantly. “Since ya lips iz steady yappin’ … why don’t you put ’em da good use? Gimme some head.”

His wish was Kat’s command.

OUT OF THE BLUE, Tender received a phone call from Q. It kind of surprised her because they hadn’t been seeing much of each other lately. She had backed up off him. She was handling her business, leaving him to handle his. She wasn’t going to force herself upon anyone. The day any man didn’t want her was the day she didn’t want him. One of the worse things in the world is a person caught up in a one-sided relationship.

“Dig,” he announced into the receiver, “dis me, Q. In case you don’t know who it is?”

“You didn’t hafta tell me. I already caught ya voice …. It ain’t been dat long. You ain’t no stranger,” she said, without a hint of animosity.

“Dat’s good, Tender. You know I stil dig ya ghost,” he said cheerfully. “Listen, anyway … I ain’t call ya ta trouble you or nuttin’, and dis ain’t no booty call. I miss you. Despite everything, you good peoples, fa sure.”