Page 93 of K.I.N.: Karma Is Near

I wasn’t trying to play house with Avery.

I already had a life.

A wife.

Four kids.

A home.

Everything else was just shit I needed to keep separated.

And I could.

I had this shit under control.

I just needed everybody to stay in their fucking lane.

3

SAMANTHA & HEATHER

SAMANTHA

“Michael, if you take that fucking shoe off one more time, we not going.”

He looked up at me from the couch.

“I’m no taking it off.”

“It is literally in your hand.”

He looked at the sneaker in his hand like he hadn’t noticed it there.

Nesha busted out laughing.

I sucked my teeth and pulled Serenity’s little pink coat around her arms.

Sunday afternoon had turned into exactly what the fuck I knew it was going to turn into.

Chaos.

Zion couldn’t find the hoodie I told him to put on twenty minutes ago. Amari had changed her outfit twice because apparently six-year-olds had fashion emergencies now. Michael was actively working against me. Serenity had spit up on the first outfit I put her in, which meant I had to change her completely.

And Xay?

Useless.

“Bitch, what’s the point of Xay if he’s never around?”

I looked toward the kitchen.

That nigga was in there moping around, opening cabinets and closing them like he had somewhere better to be.

“He around,” I said. “He just ain’t doing shit.”

“Exactly my point.”

I laughed and zipped Serenity’s coat.