Meant to be Yours

by Sequaia

  “When I went to make the payment on my store, I asked the bank rep to deposit money into Prima’s account, then give me the balance, and all she had was the hundred dollars that I’d just deposited. When I asked what the hell happened, she told me he removed the money.”

  “Why the hell was he on Prima’s account anyway, Ma?”

  “I only added him recently. He said he wanted to put money in there for her, and then we started talking about if something happened to me, he needed to be able to take care of her—”

  “I’ll be there in a minute,” I cut her off. She didn’t need to explain anything else. At the end of the day, his ass manipulated her, then stole from his daughter—my sister—and shit, me too because, of course, the majority of the money in Prima’s account came from me. I could and would replace the funds. Come tomorrow, it would be, and then some, so that wasn’t the problem. The problem was Gerald’s ass violated. He must’ve taken me for a bitch to think he could get away with it.

  “Prentice, what’s going on?” Aúrea asked with a worried expression on her face.

  “Promise me you’ll be here when I get back.” Cupping her face in my hands, I kissed her lips, awaiting her answer. She’d better give the right one, or after handling Gerald’s bitch ass, I’d be dragging her back here from wherever she was at.

  “Tell me what’s going on,” she demanded.

  “My mom’s boyfriend did some fuck shit, so I’m goin’ to holler at him.”

  “Prentice.” She spoke my name like she knew I was about to do some crazy shit.

  “Chill out. He’s my sister’s daddy. He gets to live.” I winked at her, and she rolled her eyes.

  “I’ll be here,” she promised, and that made a nigga feel good.

  Rushing out of the house, I hopped into my Honda. Nah, I wasn’t going to kill Gerald, but he was getting his ass whooped.

  Knowing how the predictable punk worked, I drove to the bar he was known to frequent. Sure enough, his car was parked out front.

  Stepping inside, it took me a second to spot him in the smoke-filled room. It was dim, except for the light coming in through the stained-glass windows. There wasn’t a huge crowd, yet the small layout and how the patrons were scattered about made the room look fuller than it probably was. When my eyes landed on Gerald, he was nursing a cup of some brown shit. Most likely, some Hennessy. I stalked quickly over to his ass, pulling the extra seat out before sitting.

  “Prentice, what you doing here? It’s a little too late for us to try bonding and shit.”

  “You stole from my sister?”

  “That’s my daughter. What’s hers is mine, and vice versa. No way I can steal from my own child,” he slurred.

  With my thumb, I wiped the bridge of my nose, trying to relax. If I didn’t, Gerald’s ass was gonna touch every wall in this establishment, and I wanted to move a little smarter than that.

  “All right, well, then, you stole from me, and you and I both know I’m not having that shit. That money in Prima’s account, I put it there, and you can either give it back in cash or pay by taking this ass beating. Matter of fact, you still gon’ have to see me.”

  “Possession is eight-tenths of the law, and what’s Prima’s is mine, so no one stole from you or owe you shit. Besides, once this investment goes through, you can have the little money back and then some. You won’t be talking that broke shit when this flip goes through.” He smiled like the damn Cheshire cat. Dumb ass didn’t even know possession was nine-tenths of the law, reason one his dumb ass shouldn’t have been stealing.

  “Come holler at me outside, Gerald.” It wasn’t a request. Plus, I was done talking to his ass.

  “I still got drank in my cup.”

  “All right.” Slowly, I stood, and before his ass could form another sentence, the glass he’d been sipping from was removed from his hand and came crashing down on the top of his head.

  “Ouch, man.” He held the top of his head before looking down at his fingers. His eyes widened at the sight of blood on his fingertips. Yanking him by the collar of his dingy black shirt, I practically dragged his ass outside.

  “I’m going to call the police,” someone shouted.

  “Do it.” If that shit was supposed to scare me and stop this ass whopping Gerald was about to get, then they thought wrong. Pushing the door open with Gerald’s head, I let him go as he stumbled to gather himself instead of tripping over the curb.

  “Get yo’ bitch ass up.” Standing over him with my fists balled, I mushed him upside the head.

  “Yo’ mama not gon’ have this shit,” he called himself informing me while trying to stand. Once he was on his feet, I sent his ass flying right back down with a quick left to the chin.

  “If yo’ bitch ass keep my sister’s money, you better not show yo’ mothafuckin’ face again.” I stole on his ass once more before getting into my car.

  No police sirens sounded, so I assumed I was in the clear as I made my way to my mother’s house.

  “Oh, so now you use your key?” she questioned with her hands on her hips.

  “Take his name off of Prima’s account, Ma.”

  “Boy, I did that already,” she spoke as if I should’ve known that. Shit, she shouldn’t have had him on it in the first place.

  “If he doesn’t give back the money, he can’t come around here no more.” I looked her in the eyes. She needed to see this wasn’t a game.

  “Shit,” I mumbled, opening and closing my left hand. Gerald’s chin against my knuckles wasn’t a good combination.

  “He’s still Prima’s father, and what happened to your hand?” She came close to me, taking my hand in hers, examining the swelling.

  “Prima’s father got a damn rock for a chin,” I chuckled.

  “Boy,” she hissed, turning and leaving me standing there for a few seconds. She came back with a bag of frozen vegetables for my hand.

  “I appreciate you looking out for us, but the last thing I need is for you to get into any legal trouble, Prentice. What if he calls the police?”

  “His ass better not. If he does, oh well. Punk ass shouldn’t have taken my sister’s money.”

  “Prentice, still, he’s not worth your freedom.”

  She tried reasoning with me, but it was too late. He got his ass whooped, and if the cops were going to be called, then so be it. Truthfully, in the back of my mind, I did worry a bit. If he’d steal from his own daughter, snitching on me was going to be simple as Prima reciting her ABCs.

  “I’ll be fine, Ma. And the money will be back in Prima’s account tomorrow too, regardless of whether he gives it back. Make sure you call me if he shows up here.”

  “Prenticesss,” Prima sang, running into the room.

  As always, my arms were open wide for my baby sis. It was crazy that her own father could steal from her. She was such a precious jewel, so it baffled me that he didn’t want the absolute best for her.

  “What’s up, pretty girl?” I asked, kissing her cheek before placing her back on to her feet.

  “Ummm, there was this new toy . . .” she grinned.

  “And you want big brother to get it for you?” I smiled knowingly.

  “Yes, can we go?”

  “Yes, not today, though, okay?” The pout on her cute face made me feel bad about turning her down. However, I needed to get back to Aúrea and finish nursing my hand. After whopping Gerald’s ass, going to a kiddie store was the last thing I was trying to do. Slipping back inside of Aúrea was more of what I wanted—what I needed right now.

  “Ookay,” she whined, making my mother and me laugh.

  “Okay, Ma, remember what I said. I’ll be back through soon.” I kissed Prima’s cheek once more before doing the same to my mother.

  “All right. Be safe and cross the street if you see Gerald again.”

  “He better cross first.” I winked at my mom before closing her door behind me. I meant that shit too. If he knew what was best for him, he’d do the right thing and steer
clear of me.

  24

  Aúrea

  “I almost thought you were giving me the lease to your condo,” Nijah teased as we took our seats.

  “You have not been at my house that many days by yourself.” Rolling my eyes, I took the mimosa from the nail tech.

  “Tuh. Like hell.”

  “Two days, Nahji.” I sucked my teeth as if I were offended, even though I wasn’t. I experienced a tad bit of guilt because I went MIA on her for two days. Of course, she knew where I was. Still, it didn’t make it right to leave her at my house when she came all this way to be with me. So today was my way of making up for it. Everything we did today would be my treat, starting with this minipamper session at the nail salon.

  “You know I’m not upset with you, and all will be forgiven, especially if you give details. I mean, I know it was good . . . kept yo’ ass gone for two days, so it better had been. And you were walking funny,” Nijah laughed.

  Shaking my head, I felt my lips unintentionally spread. Just the thought of Prentice made me smile. It was something I couldn’t help. Well, since the day he made love to me.

  Prentice did things to my body that I didn’t think he was capable of. Shit, my body did things underneath him and on top of him that I didn’t know it was capable of.

  “Well, Prentice and I are official now.” Shyly shrugging, my eyes met hers waiting to see her reaction.

  “I knew that, duh.”

  “What do you want to know, Nahji?” My tone was so condescending, which I did purposely. There was no doubt that I would give her details about Prentice and me. Not too much detail, but she would get some info.

  “You seriously playing with me right now?” she paused, turning toward the nail tech. “Can you please refill my drink because my little sister here is testing me?”

  “You are so dramatic.”

  “Nah, you play too much. Had me sitting in the house for days, and the moment something exciting happens, you wanna hold out. It ain’t like I’m asking his dick and shoe size or what angle he hit from. Those are things I do not want to know.”

  Shaking my head, I pointed to the hot pink nail polish chosen for my toes before turning my head back in Nijah’s direction.

  “So, Monday was my first day of class, and I met this fine-ass guy named Damian in my drama class. Ooh, he may be perfect for you.” Damian was definitely Nijah’s type.

  “So, he’s single?” she perked up.

  “Yes. So anyway, after class, he approached me and asked to take me to lunch, so I said—”

  “Wait? Ho, you did not just try to pass me a dude who’s interested in you.” She popped me on the hand, making me laugh. It wasn’t me trying to be shady, and Damian was strictly my classmate and nothing more. Wouldn’t be anything more. Granted, he could’ve been. Nonetheless, he wasn’t.

  “No, Nahji. He’s my classmate only. Do you want me to finish my story or not?”

  “Continue, ho. Get the matchmaker shit out of your head too. Any Damian I meet on the street, even if it’s back in L.A., is getting turned down,” she seethed.

  “Whatever. Well, we walked to this diner not far from campus. We were seated only about three minutes, and then Prentice walked in.”

  “Oh, shit!” Her eyes enlarged as she sat up in her seat, inching closer to me like she knew the next thing I said was going to be really good.

  Her reaction shouldn’t have been comical to me because Prentice bringing his ass into that diner was everything opposite of funny.

  “Yup. He flipped out on me. Accused me of being on a date, which I wasn’t. Just about beat Damian’s ass before cursing me out and storming off, leaving me standing in front of the diner looking crazy.”

  “Then how the hell did you two end up, you know, how y’all ended up?”

  “Because I hightailed it to the parking lot, jumped into his car, and did damn near eighty to catch up to him. Honestly, Nahji, it took all of two seconds to realize that if he were really done with me, I’d be miserable.”

  “Told yo’ ass you was feeling him on a level way stronger than friendship as you tried to claim.”

  “No, well . . . A friendship was all that I wanted from him. Yes, he is my first true love. He’s also my best friend, and after being in that horrible-ass relationship with Adrian for so long, fear kept me from thinking Prentice and I could be anything good. Like, obviously, I don’t know how to be a girlfriend. I even messed up the relationship I had with him five years ago. So it was easier to keep him friend-zoned.” Oddly, as good as being with Prentice felt, everything I just said still made perfect sense. Being a girlfriend wasn’t a simple task for me, and because I still loved him, I didn’t want to screw it up.

  “Well, looks like that plan failed,” she snickered.

  “Big time.”

  “This won’t end badly, Aúrea. He’s crazy about you, and you finally know what you want and need from a man. It’s okay to be scared. Just don’t allow your fear to sabotage something that can be wonderful. Especially since he got your ass over here glowing like a damn glow stick—and walking bowlegged.”

  “Shut up.”

  That was the only comeback I could come up with because she didn’t lie. I was glowing, and sex with Prentice had knocked my knees every way but straight. Just thinking about how he slid his tongue from the bottom of my pussy to the top, paying close attention to my clit, made me shudder. Then how his mushroom head unlocked the opening of my pussy before the length and girth of him came all the way in, stretching me wide, yet finding a perfect fit . . . It left no doubt in my mind that I was made for him.

  “All right now, Aúrea, come back to earth,” she teased.

  “You just have to be extra.”

  “Hey, being regular is far from fun.”

  She had a point, so there would be no protest from me about it. Living a little was something that I was going to do more, mainly because all of the things holding me back were no longer obstacles in my way. There was no Adrian and no Von. Only space and opportunity to live how I wanted.

  “All done,” the nail tech announced. Both Nijah and I inspected our toes, making sure they were to our liking, which they were, before I paid and left a hefty tip.

  “Can we go get something to eat? I’m hungry,” Nijah whined.

  “You are such a brat, and to think, I’m supposed to be the little sister.”

  “You still are the little sister, but today is on you, though, so I’m taking full advantage.”

  “Obviously.”

  “Hey, what about that place right there? There’s a small crowd, so they must be good.” Nijah pointed across the street from the nail shop where we stood. The place wasn’t directly across the street, but we were in the perfect place to see it and the crowd.

  “Oh my,” escaped from my lips in a whisper, just not low enough for Bionic Ears Nijah to not hear me.

  “Is there something wrong with that place?”

  “No, not at all. It’s a complete replica of the place Prentice and I had our final meal together.”

  “Huh?”

  “When we ran away from home, we ended up behind a restaurant. The owner fed us and gave Prentice $300 for the two of us, even though he disagreed with us running. It’s crazy because that place was hours away from here. But this looks exactly like it.”

  “Well, this is the perfect time to take a trip down memory lane . . . Was the food he fed y’all good? You said it was your last eating place.”

  “It was some of the best food I’d had.”

  “Then that solves it. Let’s go.” Nijah practically dragged me across the street toward the restaurant.

  “That was five years ago. There’s no guarantee he owns this place.” Fear began to take over. What if he owned the restaurant? What if he remembered me? The last time he saw me was not pleasant, not to mention I acted like a little thot. Although my life was together now, it still wasn’t what it was supposed to be, or maybe it was, and God had only laughed at my pl
ans.

  “Only one way to find out.” She continued to drag me.

  We made it and waited behind about two couples before we were seated. The place changed a lot, with upgrades to the furniture, from what I could tell. The renaissance vibe was still there, as well as the photos.

  “This place is nice. Does it look the same?”

  “Pretty much. Different tables, chairs, and that area over there.” I pointed toward the kitchen, where there was now a bar area across from it. “Oh, and it was darker.”

  “Excuse me.” At the sound of a male’s voice, both Nijah and I looked up.

  When my eyes met the figure before us, my nerves began to run amuck. They altered between fear and embarrassment, which was crazy because neither should be emotions I felt. Then he smiled at me. And strangely, all anxiety, fear, and embarrassment washed away. Calmness instead came over me. The same calm I experienced five years ago that told me he could be trusted.

  “M-Mis-Mr. Lewis,” nervously I verified.

  “Beautiful Aúrea.” He extended his arms, and without hesitation, I stood to embrace him. “Wow, look at you. All grown up,” he complimented me.

  “Thank you. You changed the place up a bit.” Stepping back from the embrace lightly, I swung my hands around to emphasize the changes.

  “Yeah, just a little bit . . . You mind?” he asked, pulling a chair from a nearby table to take a seat.

  “Not at all. This is your place.”

  The sound of the clearing of one’s throat captured Mr. Lewis’s and my attention, and when my eyes met Nijah’s, they rolled right in the back of my head before a light snicker released from my throat.

  “Mr. Lewis, this is my best friend, Nijah. She’s visiting from Los Angeles.”

  “Nice to meet you, Nijah.” He shook her hand, offering her the same warm smile he’d given me not long ago.

  “Nice to meet you. I heard the food here is amazing.”

  “Oh, so you remembered?” Mr. Lewis chuckled, directing his attention back to me.

  “No way could I forget,” I admitted while extending my leg to kick Nijah’s hungry ass underneath the table. She had no filter at the worst times, I swear.