Shut Up & Listen - Chapter 25: Chapter 25
You are reading Shut Up & Listen, Chapter 25: Chapter 25. Read more chapters of Shut Up & Listen.
Saturday, February 15
12:08am
Cole
"Aye!" We've only barely entered the front door and don't plan to proceed until I know who this fine ass stranger is in my living room.
"Aye! Shorty!" I walked in to my loft leaving the door open just in case. I walked closer and she finally looked up and took out her AirPods.
"Oh damn, I didn't see you walk in. I'm Cheyenne." She said with a bright smile. I mean, she is fine as hell and her smile is gorgeous. Her having locs is a plus, but am I supposed to know who she is just by her name? Because I don't. But clearly Cobe does.
•••
Cheyenne Hicks, 25
portrayed by Chloe Bailey
•••
"Ohhhh what's up girl! I'm Cobe. It's nice to see you in person!" Cobe walked towards her and embraced her when she stood up.
"And this is Cole, Cecil brother. Cole this is Cecil baby momma."
"Baby momma?" She said with a puzzled look on her face. " I'm the mother of his child, it's nice to meet you Cole."
"Aye that's cool, it's nice to meet you as well." I wanted to ask how she got in and why she's here but I didn't want to come off as rude. I also didn't know my brother was a father.
Not wanting to say the wrong thing, I made eye contact with Cobe and raised my brows. Luckily he read my mind and asked, "So where's Cecil? He let you in?"
"He went to pick up somethings for C3. We left in such a rush I forgot to pack a few essentials."
"C3?" I questioned. She looked at Cecil then back at me with confusion as if I should've recognized the name or something.
"Cecil the third? Me and Cecil's son?" She said twisting her hands in a way that expressed her confusion. "Um.. do you not know about Cecil's son? You're his brother right?"
"Okay, I only seen and heard from C for the first time in seven years two weeks ago. There's a lot I don't know about him, including you and your son."
"Ooooh so there's a pattern?" She said upturning her mouth, raising her brows and nodding her head like she fit a new piece into a puzzle.
"Um, you hungry or something? We got some burgers, or I can get you something out the kitchen."
"I'm not hungry, but I do have questions." She said pressing her hands together.
"Shoot."
"Cecil hasn't been in Detroit for seven years?"
"Just about I guess."
"Okaaay. So do you know why he left? Or why he came back?"
"Shorty, I got just as many questions as you, probably more" we walked into the kitchen and I leaned up against the counter looking her up and down, unconsciously of course. "The nigga has ghosted me in my own house. Ion know shit about this man. You probably know him better than I do."
"Damn, so that's really just how he is?"
"What you mean?" I asked before taking a sip of my 60/40.
"I always thought he was hiding shit when he'd be all secretive and quiet."
"Well I ain't saying that's just how he is. He definitely wasn't like that when we were younger, but he ain't talked to me since he left so I can't really speak on it."
"Aye, C did open to up to me a lil bit before Fort Valley. Ion know why, but I think it's just a security thing. You know, him being so private." Cobe swiftly came to Cecil's defense, I guess he was triggered.
"I guess you would know huh?" I guess I was triggered too (insert shrugging emoji).
Cheyenne looked down with her eyes wide. I wasn't tryna be shady, it just slipped out.
"Damn, you salty huh? I thought you was over that shit nigga." What shit is he talking about? Him being secretly gay for 23 years or him privately getting pistol whipped by his boyfriend? Maybe he's referring to how he didn't let me in (emotionally) until a week ago despite us being friends for over ten years.
"Can we focus on the topic at hand please? Cecil stupid ass got a whole family and ain't tell nobody." I changed the subject back to the original one slightly irritated.
"Woah we're not a family or nun like that. He's just the father of my child."
"He told me though, I guess he just don't trust yo sensitive ass." Cobe is trying to pick a fight with me. I understand he going through shit, but he can take it out on someone else, cuz I'm not the one. But I do like seeing him bothered for once, so I ignore him and continue to flirt with this fine goddess standing before me.
"So you single?" We're making eye contact, so I guess she feeling me too. I bet this shit is burning Cobe up right now.
"I am."
"Cole get yo thirsty ass on nigga. This is yo nephew mama. You on that white shit." Cobe sucks his teeth burning holes into the side of my face. I don't want him to get any more heated than he is now because I've never seen him angry before. So, I attempt to cool down the conversation.
"When he tell you?"
"Don't worry bout it."
"Are you guys ..." Cheyenne cheesed at us.
"Are we what?" Of course I know what she's asking, but I'm not gay, and ion want her to think otherwise, so I play stupid.
"You knoooow... like a thing?"
"You mean are we fucking?! Yooooo" I pretend to be disgusted as hell.
"Hey, I'm just reading the room. But please correct me if I'm wrong."
"You asking me if I'm attracted to that redbone nigga with the crusty ass line up and miss sealie braids?! Of fuck!" I continue with the faux disgust. I hope she's buying it tho because I'm not a good liar, I can't just leave it at NO.
"Aye Cole just answer the question. Is yo gay ass gay or nah?"
"Nigga shut yo yellow ass up! I don't fuck men. That's your territory bruh."
"C'mon man, you just gone put me out like that?"
"Quit fucking playing man, you making us all uncomfortable."
I'm not sure if it's just my perspective, but I think Cobe just admitted being gay to Cecil's baby moms.
"Excuse me shorty, am I making you uncomfortable?"
Just as she opened her mouth to respond, the phone in her hand rang loudly breaking the conversation.
FaceTime call>>>>
"Hey Cecil."
"Hey Chey, Cole home yet?"
"Yeah, he's right here. Why didn't he know about your son?"
"Can you give the phone to him please?"
"If you wanted to talk to him, why'd you call me? You ha-"
He hung up in her face, mid sentence. She looked embarrassed and all three of us were silent. I made eye contact with Cobe because that shit was disrespectful. Ion know what kind of relationship they have, but it makes me feel better knowing they're not romantically involved.
Just as I was about to get up and leave the awkward silence in the kitchen, my phone vibrates on the counter. I answered already disgusted with Cecil because of how he handled his baby moms.
FaceTime Call>>>>
"Yo, what you want?"
"I have my son and his mother staying a couple days then we gonna head out."
"Why you ain't ask me? Or at least give me a heads up or sumn nigga."
"It's only two days. Then I'm leaving town again. You won't have to worry about me crowding your space no more."
"Yo when did I say you was crowding my space? You barely even here. The fuck you in your feelings for?" I left the kitchen and headed up the stairs and to my own bedroom. Cecil and I have never had a conversation like this before and I didn't know where it as going.
"Hey, I'm just listening to ya tone brotha. You saying you want me to stay or sumn?"
"The fuck is going on in ya head C? I ain't say shit about you coming or going. Why you ain't tell me I'm a uncle? You'on think I woulda liked to know that shit?"
"Cole. It ain't even like that. Nobody knew except for my best friend aight. I told pops and he stopped speaking to me. I figured everyone else would be the same. It ain't even about 'chu."
"It is tho. You telling me you thought I'd abandon you for having a son. You left home to go take care of him? How could I not honor that shit C? That's grown man shit, you was handling your business. I would've preferred to know that over not having you around no more."
"I really don't want to talk about this right now Cole."
"That's it huh?"
"Yeah. That's it. If I wanted to talk to you about it, I would've brought it up myself."
"So.. why didn't you?"
"I didn't want to."
"Why? I can handle real life shit Cecil. So fuck you and everybody else that don't think I can take shit."
"See. This is why Cole. This right here is the fucking reason. I'm pulling up in a few minutes. Unlock the damn door."
He hung up on me? I ain't unlocking shit.
I decided to sit in my room a while to think shit over. Then it dawned on me... are Cobe and I really giving off gay ass vibes???
12:08am
Cole
"Aye!" We've only barely entered the front door and don't plan to proceed until I know who this fine ass stranger is in my living room.
"Aye! Shorty!" I walked in to my loft leaving the door open just in case. I walked closer and she finally looked up and took out her AirPods.
"Oh damn, I didn't see you walk in. I'm Cheyenne." She said with a bright smile. I mean, she is fine as hell and her smile is gorgeous. Her having locs is a plus, but am I supposed to know who she is just by her name? Because I don't. But clearly Cobe does.
•••
Cheyenne Hicks, 25
portrayed by Chloe Bailey
•••
"Ohhhh what's up girl! I'm Cobe. It's nice to see you in person!" Cobe walked towards her and embraced her when she stood up.
"And this is Cole, Cecil brother. Cole this is Cecil baby momma."
"Baby momma?" She said with a puzzled look on her face. " I'm the mother of his child, it's nice to meet you Cole."
"Aye that's cool, it's nice to meet you as well." I wanted to ask how she got in and why she's here but I didn't want to come off as rude. I also didn't know my brother was a father.
Not wanting to say the wrong thing, I made eye contact with Cobe and raised my brows. Luckily he read my mind and asked, "So where's Cecil? He let you in?"
"He went to pick up somethings for C3. We left in such a rush I forgot to pack a few essentials."
"C3?" I questioned. She looked at Cecil then back at me with confusion as if I should've recognized the name or something.
"Cecil the third? Me and Cecil's son?" She said twisting her hands in a way that expressed her confusion. "Um.. do you not know about Cecil's son? You're his brother right?"
"Okay, I only seen and heard from C for the first time in seven years two weeks ago. There's a lot I don't know about him, including you and your son."
"Ooooh so there's a pattern?" She said upturning her mouth, raising her brows and nodding her head like she fit a new piece into a puzzle.
"Um, you hungry or something? We got some burgers, or I can get you something out the kitchen."
"I'm not hungry, but I do have questions." She said pressing her hands together.
"Shoot."
"Cecil hasn't been in Detroit for seven years?"
"Just about I guess."
"Okaaay. So do you know why he left? Or why he came back?"
"Shorty, I got just as many questions as you, probably more" we walked into the kitchen and I leaned up against the counter looking her up and down, unconsciously of course. "The nigga has ghosted me in my own house. Ion know shit about this man. You probably know him better than I do."
"Damn, so that's really just how he is?"
"What you mean?" I asked before taking a sip of my 60/40.
"I always thought he was hiding shit when he'd be all secretive and quiet."
"Well I ain't saying that's just how he is. He definitely wasn't like that when we were younger, but he ain't talked to me since he left so I can't really speak on it."
"Aye, C did open to up to me a lil bit before Fort Valley. Ion know why, but I think it's just a security thing. You know, him being so private." Cobe swiftly came to Cecil's defense, I guess he was triggered.
"I guess you would know huh?" I guess I was triggered too (insert shrugging emoji).
Cheyenne looked down with her eyes wide. I wasn't tryna be shady, it just slipped out.
"Damn, you salty huh? I thought you was over that shit nigga." What shit is he talking about? Him being secretly gay for 23 years or him privately getting pistol whipped by his boyfriend? Maybe he's referring to how he didn't let me in (emotionally) until a week ago despite us being friends for over ten years.
"Can we focus on the topic at hand please? Cecil stupid ass got a whole family and ain't tell nobody." I changed the subject back to the original one slightly irritated.
"Woah we're not a family or nun like that. He's just the father of my child."
"He told me though, I guess he just don't trust yo sensitive ass." Cobe is trying to pick a fight with me. I understand he going through shit, but he can take it out on someone else, cuz I'm not the one. But I do like seeing him bothered for once, so I ignore him and continue to flirt with this fine goddess standing before me.
"So you single?" We're making eye contact, so I guess she feeling me too. I bet this shit is burning Cobe up right now.
"I am."
"Cole get yo thirsty ass on nigga. This is yo nephew mama. You on that white shit." Cobe sucks his teeth burning holes into the side of my face. I don't want him to get any more heated than he is now because I've never seen him angry before. So, I attempt to cool down the conversation.
"When he tell you?"
"Don't worry bout it."
"Are you guys ..." Cheyenne cheesed at us.
"Are we what?" Of course I know what she's asking, but I'm not gay, and ion want her to think otherwise, so I play stupid.
"You knoooow... like a thing?"
"You mean are we fucking?! Yooooo" I pretend to be disgusted as hell.
"Hey, I'm just reading the room. But please correct me if I'm wrong."
"You asking me if I'm attracted to that redbone nigga with the crusty ass line up and miss sealie braids?! Of fuck!" I continue with the faux disgust. I hope she's buying it tho because I'm not a good liar, I can't just leave it at NO.
"Aye Cole just answer the question. Is yo gay ass gay or nah?"
"Nigga shut yo yellow ass up! I don't fuck men. That's your territory bruh."
"C'mon man, you just gone put me out like that?"
"Quit fucking playing man, you making us all uncomfortable."
I'm not sure if it's just my perspective, but I think Cobe just admitted being gay to Cecil's baby moms.
"Excuse me shorty, am I making you uncomfortable?"
Just as she opened her mouth to respond, the phone in her hand rang loudly breaking the conversation.
FaceTime call>>>>
"Hey Cecil."
"Hey Chey, Cole home yet?"
"Yeah, he's right here. Why didn't he know about your son?"
"Can you give the phone to him please?"
"If you wanted to talk to him, why'd you call me? You ha-"
He hung up in her face, mid sentence. She looked embarrassed and all three of us were silent. I made eye contact with Cobe because that shit was disrespectful. Ion know what kind of relationship they have, but it makes me feel better knowing they're not romantically involved.
Just as I was about to get up and leave the awkward silence in the kitchen, my phone vibrates on the counter. I answered already disgusted with Cecil because of how he handled his baby moms.
FaceTime Call>>>>
"Yo, what you want?"
"I have my son and his mother staying a couple days then we gonna head out."
"Why you ain't ask me? Or at least give me a heads up or sumn nigga."
"It's only two days. Then I'm leaving town again. You won't have to worry about me crowding your space no more."
"Yo when did I say you was crowding my space? You barely even here. The fuck you in your feelings for?" I left the kitchen and headed up the stairs and to my own bedroom. Cecil and I have never had a conversation like this before and I didn't know where it as going.
"Hey, I'm just listening to ya tone brotha. You saying you want me to stay or sumn?"
"The fuck is going on in ya head C? I ain't say shit about you coming or going. Why you ain't tell me I'm a uncle? You'on think I woulda liked to know that shit?"
"Cole. It ain't even like that. Nobody knew except for my best friend aight. I told pops and he stopped speaking to me. I figured everyone else would be the same. It ain't even about 'chu."
"It is tho. You telling me you thought I'd abandon you for having a son. You left home to go take care of him? How could I not honor that shit C? That's grown man shit, you was handling your business. I would've preferred to know that over not having you around no more."
"I really don't want to talk about this right now Cole."
"That's it huh?"
"Yeah. That's it. If I wanted to talk to you about it, I would've brought it up myself."
"So.. why didn't you?"
"I didn't want to."
"Why? I can handle real life shit Cecil. So fuck you and everybody else that don't think I can take shit."
"See. This is why Cole. This right here is the fucking reason. I'm pulling up in a few minutes. Unlock the damn door."
He hung up on me? I ain't unlocking shit.
I decided to sit in my room a while to think shit over. Then it dawned on me... are Cobe and I really giving off gay ass vibes???
End of Shut Up & Listen Chapter 25. Continue reading Chapter 26 or return to Shut Up & Listen book page.