Page 50 of On You 2

“A collectible toy store.”

“Wow, this stuff looks dope.”

Her eyes stretched wide while she looked around, and honestly, mine did too. I didn’t even know places like this existed before a quick Google search in the car. Wall by wall was covered in small toys locked behind glass cases like they were expensive jewelry or some shit.

The car that Rami told me about wasn’t even close to being the most expensive thing in there. My eyes landed on a 1972 Mustang model, the same car I drove, sitting in a glass case with a $5,500 price tag under it. Just seeing that shit made me want it for him. I wasn’t getting him a real one because that price tag was beyond the fifty five hundred, but I’m sure he would appreciate that small model just as much.

Behind the counter towards the back of the store stood an older dude with gray hair hanging from under a red bandana. He looked like one of them old hippies who probably spent his seventies high as hell and somehow turned toy collecting into a career. From the lack of traffic, I wasn’t sure how much merchandise he was selling every week, but I was sure he was about to get a few months rent paid by me stepping foot in here.

“How can I help you sir?”

“I’m looking for this Filipinas Hot Wheels car my little homie told me about.” I flashed him the photo of the car on my phone.

His eyebrows lifted.

“Give me one second.”

The old man walked from behind the counter and towards the nearby wall, grabbing a step stool so that he could reach one of the top shelves.

“You are just in luck,” he said, climbing down the step stool carefully with two tiny boxes in his hands.

“I have two of that model in stock. They were selling like crazy around Christmas a few years ago. Then after that, sales dropped and they have been sitting on the shelf collecting dust ever since.”

Jasmine grabbed one of them from his hand and looked at the orange price tag on the back.

“Yeah, I see why it stopped. These little things are expensive as hell. Where I’m from, this wouldn’t have even been a Christmas gift. Who is it for?”

“A little dude I know. He deserve it, so I have no problem spending that on him. Wrap it up for me.”

The old man took the box back from Jasmine and then went behind his counter to carefully wrap the car up for him.

I purchased that Hot Wheels car and the Mustang model too.

I knew that I was about to make Rami’s day by spending money that wouldn’t even put a dent in my pocket. On top of what I had at home in my safe from the work I did in the streets, I still hadn’t signed over that thirty million from Mecca’s estate yet. Shit Delilah had me wondering if I even would bringing up sick babies and shit.

First, me and Jasmine ran over to the projects to give the little niggas the bats and baseballs I purchased. They were standing in the same spot, swinging those same sticks when I pulled up and they got hype as hell, when I got out of the car. Because I had somewhere to go, I dapped each one of them up and they started a up game before I could get back in the car.

“Look at them. They are so happy Amir, that was so nice of you.” Jasmine, turned around in her seat to keep watching until we hit the corner.

“Yeah, they probably never had anybody actually do for them what was promised.”

“And they will never forget you for that.” She paused for a moment.

“I just know you are going to be a great dad, Amir. You make me excited about coparenting.”

“Coparenting? That's it?” I raised my eyebrow to mess with her.

“You know what I mean. We will see where life takes us in the future.”

“Yeah, you right about that.”

I think my constant eye contact with her made her nervous because she dropped her head. Smiling and batting her eyes every time she looked up at me.

With the Mustang model and the Hot Wheels car still wrapped in shiny paper in the backseat, I had another stop to make.

When I got to my mama’s street, I parked near the curb and grabbed the cars from the backseat.

“You want me to come in here too?”