Three Is A Crowd

by Chenell Parker

  “Yeah, I was but you know my nerves be bad when I’m not here. I feel like I haven’t been here in months,” Memphis replied.

  “Everything has been fine. Membership is up, so that’s always a good thing. Your other two managers have been handling their business,” Erin said.

  “That’s what’s up. I’m not staying. I just came to check on things,” Memphis said as he walked away.

  He was pleased to see that everything was running as smoothly as it was when he was there. Two of his frat brothers managed his other two locations and they agreed to help out in his absence. Memphis walked around for a few minutes before he decided to leave. As soon as he walked outside to his car, Lila was standing there waiting on him. Lila had become a headache so he cancelled her membership and washed his hands with her. She was the reason why his mother hated Jersi and he was tired of giving her passes.

  “I need to know when is a good time for me to come get Layla’s things from your house. I don’t want your new wife to touch anything that belonged to my sister,” Lila fumed.

  “Man, if you don’t get the fuck on with that lame ass shit. All these years later and you’re just now worrying about your sister’s stuff,” Memphis said while shaking his head.

  “I don’t care how long it’s been. I want my sister’s stuff,” Lila yelled.

  “Even if I didn’t already get rid of her stuff, I wasn’t giving it to your desperate ass to sell and try to make a come up,” Memphis said.

  “Don’t worry about what I do. You got that bitch living up in my sister’s house, spending up all her money,” Lila ranted with tears in her eyes.

  “I guess you’re mad because it’s not you. All that money you had and you don’t have nothing but a house and a car to show for it. How the fuck you let Juan’s lazy, freeloading ass sucker you out of so much bank? Y’all are some straight up clowns,” Memphis laughed.

  “Fuck you Memphis! That bitch cheated on you once, you better believe that she’ll do it again. You don’t have no room to talk about nobody else. Tell that hoe that she’s living my sister’s dream,” Lila argued.

  “I kept the peace with you on the strength of Layla. Since my wife don’t give a fuck about you, it’s whatever with me now. You a sad ass bitch to even be trying to fuck a nigga who was married to your sister. Stay the fuck from around my gym and any other place of business that I own. Now, go run and tell my mama that,” Memphis snapped as he got into his truck and sped away.

  Not even ten minutes later, his phone rang and his mother was calling. He already knew that Lila was going to call her and he was prepared. Instead of answering the phone, he decided to go to her house. Memphis had a headache and he was sure that it was only going to get worse. He pulled up to his mother’s house and sat in his truck for a while. After a few minutes, he got out and tried to use his key to enter. When the locks wouldn’t budge, Memphis laughed at just how petty his mother could be. Valerie had obviously changed her locks to get back at Memphis for changing his. It was cool with him though. He didn’t have a problem knocking and waiting to be let in.

  “What are you doing here? I called your phone and didn’t get an answer. Lila told me how bad you just talked to her. All she wanted was her sister’s things. The nerve of that lil girl to get rid of her stuff,” Valerie fussed.

  “Stop always assuming stuff. You’ve been telling me to get rid of Layla’s things for years. Now it’s a problem when I finally do it,” Memphis chuckled sarcastically.

  “That new wife of yours really got you changing. Layla is probably rolling over in her grave. I don’t blame Lila for being so upset,” Valerie said when she let him in.

  “New locks huh?” Memphis smirked while following her to the kitchen. He ignored her comment because he really didn’t care about how his mother or Lila felt.

  “You’re not the only one who needs privacy,” Valerie flippantly replied.

  As soon as he entered the kitchen, Memphis stopped in his tracks. His eyes had to be deceiving him. There was no way in hell that she had his father sitting up in her kitchen with a big ass plate of food in front of him. The nigga looked like he was chillin’ in his plaid pajamas and house shoes. He had the newspaper up to his face but he put it down when he saw Memphis.

  “Hey son. How you been? I heard you got married. Congrats on that,” Jonah said with an amused smirk.

  He saw the anger in his son’s eyes but he didn’t give a damn. He and Valerie were back together and he didn’t care how his kids felt about it. He was their father and nothing they said or did would ever change that. Granted, he was wrong for how he left them but he paid the ultimate price for that. He lost everything that he had, including his thriving businesses. In his and Valerie’s eyes, karma had made him suffer enough and his kids needed to get over it. Vance was the only one who seemed to have some sense. Maybe the other two needed to find the Lord just like he did.

  “Man, you can’t be serious right now,” Memphis said as he looked over at his mother.

  Valerie had a look of shame and embarrassment on her face. She started washing the dishes that were in the sink, trying hard to avoid her son’s angry glare.

  “Me and your mama decided to work things out. It’s been a long time coming and I’m just happy that she never gave up on me,” Jonah said as he looked over at her and smiled.

  “So, this is what it is ma? You let this nigga move back in here?” Memphis asked.

  “I don’t tell you how to run your life and you can’t tell me how to run mine. You went off and got married, knowing that I don’t like nothing about that girl. Don’t say shit to me for wanting to be happy too,” Valerie said.

  “It’s all good. Just make sure that your happiness can pay the bills. You already know what it is with me. I’m done and I’ll make sure that my brothers are too,” Memphis replied.

  “How is that fair Memphis? I want companionship just like you,” Valerie yelled.

  “And I’m not stopping you from getting it. You’ve had males friends before and I’ve never had a problem with any of them. Hell, I even sent you and one of your boyfriends to Hawaii, so I don’t have a problem with you dating. We take care of you because you took care of us. I wish I would pay the bills in here while this deadbeat ass nigga lay up like a king,” Memphis fumed.

  “You and JJ are the only ones who have a problem with it. Vance forgave him a long time ago and he doesn’t have a problem with us being back together,” Valerie noted.

  “Okay, well Vance can foot all the bills then,” Memphis said as he walked away.

  He knew that would never happen because Vance couldn’t afford it. He had just closed on his house and he and his wife both had new cars. Truthfully, it was Memphis who did the most for his mother financially. His brothers pitched in where they could but they didn’t have nearly as much money as he did. Memphis was the one who paid the down payment for his little brother to even get the house. He didn’t mind because he wanted to see him happy.

  “You know damn well he can’t afford to do that on his own,” Valerie sobbed as she walked out after him.

  “You wanted your man to come back home. Why can’t he pay the bills? He gon’ be living here with you, right? Real men take care of their women and their households,” Memphis noted.

  “You know that he’s not working right now,” Valerie said.

  “That’s not my problem,” Memphis shrugged uncaringly.

  “I can’t believe that you would treat your own mother this way. You’re only doing this because I don’t like your new wife. Okay, if it’ll make you feel better, I’ll apologize to her and welcome her into the family,” Valerie conceded.

  “She’s already in the family, whether you welcome her in or not. Jersi is my wife. She don’t need to be accepted by nobody but me. And this has nothing to do with Jersi. We’ve been having this same conversation for years before I even met her,” Memphis pointed out.

  “What do you want me to do? He’s your father Memphis. You really w
ant me to put him out on the streets?” Valerie cried.

  “You can do whatever you want to do with the nigga. I’m done with it,” Memphis replied as he hopped in his truck and sped away.

  Just like he assumed, his headache was even worse than it was before. Memphis just wanted to go home and lay up with his wife. Instead, he headed over to his car wash to see what was up with JJ instead. When he pulled up to the car wash, Memphis groaned when he saw Juan’s truck parked out front. He was not in the mood and Juan needed to know that. Saying the wrong thing to him would definitely get him knocked the fuck out.

  “What’s up lil brother? How’s married life treating you?” JJ asked.

  “I’m good man. Just stressed the fuck out,” Memphis replied.

  “Damn nigga, already? You and Vance make me wanna stay single,” JJ laughed.

  “Nah man, it’s not my wife. Me and Jersi are good. It’s your mama who got me with a damn migraine,” Memphis frowned.

  “Aww shit. You said my mama, so it must really be bad,” JJ assumed.

  “Man, tell me why the fuck she got our deadbeat ass daddy living with her again. Shit got me seriously heated right now,” Memphis said.

  “Man, I know you better be fucking lying. I seriously hope you got jokes right now,” JJ replied with a heated look on his face.

  “I wish I was lying. Nigga was sitting up at the table reading the newspaper with his pajamas on. She had a big ass plate of food sitting in front of him like he’s a king or some shit. I told her that I was done and she started that ole bullshit ass crying. I wasn’t trying to hear it though. I’m not paying another bill up in that bitch as long as he’s there,” Memphis raged.

  “That’s what it is then. I don’t do as much as you but I’m done too. That nigga didn’t give a fuck about us and I care even less about his ass. Tell him to go find that young bitch that he left us for,” JJ fussed.

  “I feel bad as fuck but I can’t do it bruh. That nigga don’t have no job and no income. He’s trying to lay up in the house all day while we foot the bills. Mama can do that but he got the entire game fucked up,” Memphis said.

  “Fuck him. Mama better have a backup plan if she want that nigga to stay there. Vance might be cool with the shit but I ain’t been saved yet. The Lord is still working on me,” JJ replied right as Juan came walking out of the building.

  “What’s good cousin? Nigga got married and shit,” Juan said loudly as he walked over to them.

  “This nigga here,” Memphis mumbled in aggravation.

  “Nigga, you know you got money when you spending two weeks in Dubai and shit. Why you didn’t let a nigga run some shit while you were gone? I could have been the boss for a few weeks,” Juan said as he gave Memphis dap.

  “The key to being a successful businessman is not making stupid decisions. Me letting a high school dropout run my business would have been financial suicide. I’m in the business to make money, not lose it,” Memphis replied.

  “I can’t believe your ass got married again. Last I heard, y’all were broke up. Next thing I know, you out of the country celebrating your honeymoon. Black beauty must have put some roots on your ass or something,” Juan laughed.

  “Shit happens,” Memphis shrugged.

  “It couldn’t be me nigga. All it takes is one time for a broad to do me dirty and it’s a wrap,” Juan said while shaking his head.

  “Let me stop you before shit gets real. Don’t speak on me, my wife or our marriage and I promise that we’ll be good. Stay out of my business and I’ll give you the same respect,” Memphis replied.

  “I’m just saying bruh. You’ve always been a ladies man. I’ve just never known you to wife these hoes. Especially not a toss-up,” Juan said, making Memphis see red.

  JJ already knew what it was and he wasn’t about to intervene. Memphis was strong as fuck and he couldn’t stop him even if he wanted to. Memphis moved with the speed of lighting and hit Juan with a two piece that had him on the ground snoring in no time. JJ knew that it was only a matter of time before it happened. Juan was jealous of his own cousin and he was always throwing shade at Memphis. Everybody had a breaking point and Memphis had reached his.

  “Damn boy. Them hands should be registered as lethal weapons,” JJ said as he put his hand near Juan’s mouth to make sure he was still breathing.

  “Get that fuck boy off my property before I have him arrested for trespassing,” Memphis snapped as he got into his truck and sped off.

  The bullshit came in threes that day and he was over it. He couldn’t catch a break and he regretted not staying inside like he’d originally planned to. It was crazy how everybody seemed to be in their feelings about his marriage to Jersi. She had a heart of gold and was one of the sweetest people that he’d ever met. It was absurd how everybody judged her before even getting to know her. She wasn’t perfect but neither was he. Memphis knew without a doubt that she loved him and he had no regrets about making her his wife. As soon as they got back together that was the first thing that he thought of. He couldn’t see himself being without her and she felt the exact same way.

  Memphis pulled up in his driveway and got out of the car. As soon as he walked through the door, the smell of a home cooked meal was the first thing to greet him. The house was spotless as usual and Jersi was standing in the kitchen at the stove.

  “You’re just in time. The food just got done,” Jersi said as she turned around and smiled at him. She turned the stove off and put the lids on the pots.

  Memphis didn’t say anything. He picked Jersi up and carried her to their bedroom. Jersi could tell that something was bothering him. The frown that was etched on his face told her so. He undressed her and she watched as he undressed himself.

  “What’s wrong baby?” Jersi asked when he climbed in between her legs. She rubbed his back and looked deep into his eyes.

  “I just need you right now,” Memphis said right before he entered her.

  Jersi didn’t pressure him to say anything. Her husband needed her and she was going to be there for him. She knew that they would talk eventually. In the meantime, she let him have his way with her body to relieve some stress.

  M ariah cringed as the pain seared through her entire body. She knew that it would get better after a while but that time hadn’t come. She hated anal sex and Damien knew that. She hadn’t done it in years and Blake never asked her to. Since Damien had basically become her supplier, it had become a requirement. Mariah had no money to pay him, so sex was the next best thing. Thankfully, he was a five minute man and it never lasted long. Blake had basically written her off and she didn’t know what else to do. He told her that he wanted her out of the house but she had nowhere else to go. He hadn’t been staying there lately and she knew that he was probably holed up at his love nest with that bitch Jersi. Mariah’s life had spiraled out of control and she didn’t know how to get a handle on things. Maybe he spared her from going to jail just to make her suffer.

  “Shit,” Damien hissed as he pulled out of her and released on her ass. Mariah flopped down in the bed, happy that it was over. Once she caught her breath, she sat up and looked at Damien expectantly.

  “What you got for me?” She asked him.

  When he got up and went to his closet, Mariah got excited. Being high out of her mind was the only thing that kept her sane these days. Blake had filled for divorce and she hadn’t seen her kids since she was in the hospital. She had to go to some facility for a few days once she was released but it wasn’t too bad. People thought she was crazy but Blake was the one who drove her to the point of insanity. Mariah hadn’t popped pills in years but she would be lying if she said she didn’t miss the way they made her feel. She had nothing else so drugs had become her new best friend.

  “Come get your candy,” Damien said as he smiled mischievously. He had three lines of coke neatly place on a mirror. He rolled up a twenty and handed it to Mariah.

  “What happened to the pills? You told me that you would have some
more today. I don’t do coke,” Mariah fussed.

  “Since when? You’ve been doing it for the past few weeks,” Damien reminded her.

  “That’s because you didn’t have anything else. I don’t like how nauseated that makes me feel,” Mariah complained.

  “Well, this is all I have. Take it or leave,” Damien said.

  Mariah seemed to be battling with herself but he knew that she wouldn’t be able to resist. He smiled when she crawled over to him and grabbed everything that he was offering her. Damien had lots of pills but he wasn’t giving her any of them. He liked her better when she was high off coke because she turned into a freak. Damien even let two of his friends get a taste of her and she had no complaints. Although he’d always had a strong attraction to men, Damien really loved Mariah at one time. He saw himself marrying her and starting a family one day. When she played him the way that she did, his heart grew cold towards her and he hated everything about her. Seeing her stoop so low to do anything for dope gave him more pleasure than she would ever know. Damien had a girl but he got Mariah to do everything that she wouldn’t do. He had deep feelings for Jersi’s brother too but he could never be out in the open with him. Dray got most of his money but he never complained. He was high maintenance and Damien knew that from day one.