Lifestyles of the Rich and Shameless

by Noire

  “Yo,” Noble told Yard as he racked up and got ready to play. “I was on ya terrain the other day, man.”

  “That right?” Yard said, tipping up his beer.

  Noble nodded. “I was with Sissy, man. We went grocery shopping for my aunt. Why you didn’t tell me she was working for you like that?”

  Yard shrugged. “What was there to tell, man? I helped her out with a few hours here and there when she needed some extra change, that’s all. I didn’t know she was on your mind like that.”

  “She wasn’t,” Noble said, aiming his cue and cracking the rack. “Until the other day.”

  Noble hung out late with his boys, and since Monday was a holiday, he decided to ask Kiki if she wanted to take the kids to Six Flags amusement park. She suggested they stay in Jersey overnight and drive home early the next morning, so Noble went online and booked two rooms at a real nice hotel, then picked up his crew and drove them down to Jersey in his freshly detailed SUV.

  Owning a small business required a lot of time and work, and it had been rare for Noble’s father, Bam, to find time for a whole lotta frivolous outings with his son. Noble knew how important it was for a kid to have an opportunity to do nothing but play, and he was happy to be able to take Kiki’s kids out for the day.

  Kiki’s kids were the bizz. Her little girl was tall and lanky and loved arm wrestling and climbing all over Noble, while her son was on the quiet side and enjoyed reading the comic books that Noble took him to buy almost every weekend.

  Noble had a true thing for children, and since two of the three women who could potentially become his wife were already mothers, he was careful about how he would fit into their lives. He didn’t wanna make no mistakes. Any child he became a father to was gonna be treated with the utmost love and respect. The same way Bam had always treated him. Whether the kid was biologically Noble’s or not wasn’t gonna make a damn bit of difference neither. Yeah, he wanted his own kids too, but he was also man enough to be a father to a kid who needed one. And it was easy for people to assume that Kiki’s kids were his. Their father was obviously black, and since the kids looked biracial, people just figured they were a family whenever they hung out.

  Noble had treated everybody to franks, ice cream, popcorn, and candy, and he was coming off a wild roller-coaster ride with little Matt when he realized that Kiki was standing near the exit crying.

  “Hey, baby,” he said tenderly as he stared into her eyes and then pulled her into his arms. Kiki was sweet, but she was also strong, and Noble knew if she was crying, then some shit had to be bad. “What’s wrong?” he asked, holding her close. “What happened, Ki? Tell me what’s wrong?”

  “N-n-n-nothinggg!” she wailed. Her nose had turned red and her blue eyes were full of tears. “N-n-nothing is wrong, Noble,” she said, tucking her head between his shoulder and his cheek. Her hair felt like silk as it brushed against his arm.

  “Everything is just so right,” she sniffled. She wiped her nose with the back of her hand. “I don’t know. Something just came over me. Seeing you with Matt blew my mind. Everything is just so right.”

  Noble stroked her hair and patted her face and let her cry it out. He made some soothing noises but he didn’t have no words for her. He hadn’t wanted to go on that damn roller coaster with Matt in the first place, but the boy had looked up at him with cold hope in his eyes when he asked him to take him on, and Noble didn’t see where he had a choice.

  And now, if it meant that much to Kiki to see him and her son together on a roller coaster, then Noble was glad he’d taken the boy. Outta all the chicks in his life, Kiki was the easiest to please. She wasn’t the demanding type, and the simplest shit brought out extreme gratitude in her. She was like a puppy. Trustworthy and loyal to the bone. Noble liked that about her. She wasn’t gonna be no high maintenance wifey. She would bake cookies and all that domestic shit for the kids, and she would freak him half to death at night. Kiki was easy to love.

  Later that evening, after they’d left footprints over damn near every square inch of the park and ridden on almost every ride, Noble took his little family out to eat at a buffet restaurant that Matt had picked out. He watched as Kiki took her time choosing healthy foods for the kids, piling their plates up with fruits and vegetables, then letting them choose their own desserts when they were through eating. Those kids were lucky to have Kiki for their mother, Noble thought as he watched her help little Tricia pour chocolate syrup all over her ice cream.

  He couldn’t help digging the way Kiki’s ass moved when she walked, though. Like there was a tsunami tryna get outta her drawers. It was the same way she moved when she was freaking him in private. Kiki gave the best lap dances Noble had ever received. Her body was tight and swole, and her pale skin was smooth and damn near flawless. He didn’t know how a naive little white girl like her had learned to slink her hips and rock her pelvis the way Kiki did, but it was mad. Noble liked to grip her waist as she slithered like a sexy little snake in his lap, and there were times when he could barely hold his nut long enough to get inside her before he lost his head and exploded just from her moves.

  He couldn’t wait to get Kiki back to that hotel tonight. He had some shit planned for her, for real. He noticed she’d been guzzling crazy five-hour energy drinks all day long, and she might need to chug down a few more if she was gonna keep up with him tonight.

  Sex with Kiki was more than just a physical thang. It was an emotional adventure. Kiki was the type of woman Noble wanted to make love to every single night. She was giving and creative, always trying to understand his sexual fantasies and make them come true.

  Yeah, Noble thought. They had two rooms reserved, and as soon as they put the kids down for bed, him and Kiki were gonna go in the other room and use that shit up. He couldn’t wait to feel her body next to his. He just couldn’t understand how she was so good at making all his dreams come true.

  There was something special about Kiki.

  Something very special that Noble never wanted to let go.

  14

  It was Wednesday and Noble rushed home after work so he could change clothes and jet across town to pick up Malisha and Trey. On the way there he made a quick stop at Radio Shack, where he purchased a pair of those new headphones that had just been put out by Dr. Dre. The kid behind the counter showed him their low, medium, and high-priced sets, and even though Trey was just a tyke, Noble said fuck it and bought the boy the best quality pair they had, which cost him just over three bills.

  Malisha was waiting at the door when he pulled up, and he couldn’t help the big grin that spread over his face at the sight of her. This mami was pure class. Goodness just radiated from her. She damn near had a halo floating over her head. Noble liked the way her short, layered hairstyle framed her face. She looked relaxed. Fresh and neat. Her makeup light but fashionable, her clothes screamed with ladylike grace. Bottom line, Malisha’s shit was always well put together.

  And her body. Damn. It was a baby-maker, for real. Noble could spend hours just rubbing her feet, legs, ass, and arms, because Malisha had the sweetest, softest cinnamon brown skin he had ever touched. Noble respected dedication and honesty, and Malisha had a whole lot of both. She had devoted herself to making sure her son got the best treatment possible. And unlike some of the other single moms Noble had dated in the past, there wasn’t a scheming bone in Malisha’s body. What you saw was exactly what you got with that girl, and her integrity alone was a big turnon for Noble.

  Noble thought about the mind-boggling diamond he was about to put on somebody’s finger. It was important to him that his choice in a woman was sound and based on good judgment. A woman couldn’t always have her hand held out. Sometimes she had to wanna look out for her man too, and Malisha was the good-looking-out type. Noble couldn’t count how many times she’d rushed outta the bank and walked to the corner to check on him.

  And when Noble needed somebody, he knew exactly who to call. When it was cold outside Malisha would brave
that hawk and bring him steaming cups of hot cocoa, and in the summer Noble was always happy to look up and see her sashaying toward his grid box with a sweet smile and a tall cup of icy lemonade.

  Shit, let him cough or sneeze. That girl would be right there, hovering over him like a little mother hen. She’d show up outta nowhere with cough syrup, Tylenol, and lemon honey tea.

  Yeah, Malisha was all about taking care of the man in her life, and Noble knew she’d be the type of wife who would stand by him through thick or thin, sickness or health. It wouldn’t have mattered to her if Noble had lost both his damn legs. A keeper like Malisha woulda simply dedicated her life to pushing him around in his wheelchair.

  In fact, it had been Malisha who Noble had leaned on when Bam first took sick. When Noble got the call that his father had been rushed to the hospital and was in critical condition, Malisha had found a babysitter for Trey, and actually got to the hospital before Noble did.

  “How is he?” Noble had asked her the moment the elevator doors opened on the intensive care unit. Malisha had been staring through the hospital glass with extreme worry in her eyes.

  “I don’t know, baby,” she’d said, putting her arms around him and holding him tight. “The doctor was just here, but he wouldn’t tell me anything. Let’s go find him now.”

  Minutes later, Malisha was right by his side as the doctor explained that Bam had a terminal condition that would eventually take his life. As he listened to the doctor, Noble had been stunned into numbness. It was one of the few times that he had wobbled on his fake leg, and he had thanked God that Malisha was there to support him and hold him up.

  Matter of fact, it was Malisha who had had the presence of mind to bring up Bam’s estate, and to remind Noble that he would need a power of attorney from his father if something went wrong.

  “It happens all the time at the bank,” she explained. “A husband or wife, or parent or child will have a bank account full of money, but when they die their loved ones aren’t able to get a dime. Everything has to go through the probate court. Unless, of course,” she added, “you take care of business while your loved one is still alive.”

  As savvy as Noble was in his investments, he had never considered what would happen to Bam’s money when his father died. Shit, he had never thought about what would happen to him if his pops wasn’t in his life no more. Just the thought of losing the best thing he’d ever had in life got Noble real shook.

  “I don’t know if I’m on my pop’s accounts,” he admitted. “I’ve never needed his money. I’ve always had my own.”

  “Well, don’t worry,” Malisha had assured him. “The doctor says his disease progress is relatively slow. Once he’s out of the hospital we’ll make sure all his papers are in order.”

  Malisha had squeezed his hand gently, then asked, “But what about you, Noble? You don’t have any blood relatives besides your father. What would happen to all your money if you suddenly died?”

  Noble could only shake his head. Malisha was right. His tauntie wasn’t related by blood, and Bam was all he had. Without a wife and kids, who was gonna get all the gold and securities he had worked so hard to earn? The fucked up state of New York? Hell nah.

  “I don’t know,” he admitted. “I always thought I’d have me a tyke or two to leave my shit to when I passed.”

  “Well, don’t worry about it right now,” Malisha had said. “But it’s something to think about. In fact, if you want I can hold a copy of your safety deposit key just so you know somebody has it. It’s not something most people do unless they’re married, but since you don’t have a family—yet—it’s something you might wanna think about.”

  Malisha had been right. Noble hadn’t given up his key, but over the past few months he had been thinking about it. He’d been thinking hard. And since his birthday was almost right around the corner, he needed to make a good decision, fast.

  “Hi, handsome.” Malisha greeted him with a smile and a kiss as he walked in the door. She was wearing a sexy little green dress and Noble took her in his arms and let his hands circle her small waist.

  “Wus good, mami?” he muttered, his lips nuzzling that sweet caramel spot right above her collarbone. As hard as Noble tried to juggle his women and keep each of them satisfied, his interactions with Malisha were never based on sex. It was hard for her to stay all night at his crib, and it wasn’t easy going out because of Trey’s limited mobility, so Noble brought dinner over and they ate in a lot. They read together, watched a lot of movies, and made heart connections even when their bodies never touched.

  Malisha was especially hyped today, and excitement danced in her eyes as she kissed Noble’s lips, then threw her hands high in the air. “Only two more weeks till your birthday! I’m so excited, baby! I’m gonna get you the very best birthday present ever!”

  Noble laughed inside. A lot of people had promised him great gifts for his birthday, but on his special day it was him who was gonna be the giver. The giver of an icy-sweet ten-carat engagement ring!

  The studio where Trey took his music lessons was high-post and state of the art. Noble knew it probably cost Malisha a gwap to enroll her son at an uptown joint like this, but for what they offered, it was worth it. They had soundproof rooms and all kinds of audio equipment and equalizers. The area where the musical instruments were displayed was straight laid out.

  They were walking past the front counter when the receptionist called Malisha’s name.

  “Ms. Chambers!” The redheaded older woman waved her over.

  Noble wheeled Trey and followed Malisha to the counter.

  “How’s it going today, Trey?” the older woman cooed as she came from behind the counter to greet Trey. The little boy’s expression never changed as she cupped his cheeks and smoothed his hair. “Where’s your beautiful smile?”

  “He’s doing great,” Malisha answered, “but he’s not all that responsive right now. I’ll stop him back by your desk after his lesson. He’ll be smiling and laughing like crazy after that.”

  The older woman glanced at Noble, then back at Malisha.

  “Umm, Mr. and Mrs. Chambers,” she began.

  “Oh!” Malisha cut in. “We’re not married yet. Noble isn’t Trey’s father. But we’ll be engaged in a couple of weeks—” She caught herself. “Possibly engaged in a couple of weeks, though.”

  “Really?” the woman said. “I had no idea you weren’t already married.” She flashed Noble a smile of approval and said, “He takes such good care of your son when he’s here, and he handles him so gently and with so much love.... I just assumed only a father would behave that way.”

  Malisha grinned and leaned into Noble’s arm.

  “He’s gonna be a great father. I can already tell. Our kids won’t miss out on anything. They won’t ever have to work. They’ll be set for life.”

  “Speaking of missing out,” the woman said as her voice dropped low, “we wouldn’t want Trey to miss out on any lessons but ... the credit card we have on file for you was declined for payment. I tried to run it three times, but each time it came back the same way.”

  Malisha’s smile froze on her face.

  “Umm, declined?” Her eyebrows furrowed and she shook her head. “I don’t know how that could have happened. I have plenty of credit.” She shrugged, then smiled. “You must have my old card. That one probably expired.”

  “I’m sure that’s what it is,” the receptionist agreed. “If you give me your new card I’ll try to run it again right now.”

  Malisha shook her head.

  “I don’t have it on me. It’s at home. I need to activate it from my home phone. How about I call you when I get home and you can take the charge over the phone?”

  The woman nodded agreeably. “That would be just fine. Just give me a call, and I’ll be happy to do that for you. In the meantime,” she continued, “would you like to reschedule Trey’s lesson for another day?”

  Malisha shook her head again.

  �
�Why do I have to reschedule? We’re already here and we drove a long way. I think Trey should be allowed to have his lesson right now, and I’ll make sure you get your payment later on tonight.”

  Noble cleared his throat. The older lady looked embarrassed, and Malisha did too.

  “If it was up to me,” the lady began again, “I’d just as soon let him take his lesson. But we have specific rules here, and all lessons must be paid for in advance.”

  Noble stepped from behind Trey’s chair and leaned on the counter.

  “Here,” he said, fishing his platinum American Express card from his wallet. He shrugged Malisha off when she acted like she was tryna protest. “Let me take care of this for you, baby.”

  “The lessons are paid for by the month,” the receptionist informed him. “Sorry, that’s the policy.”

  “No problem,” Noble told her smoothly. “You can charge my credit card for the next three months.”

  15

  About a week later Noble received a troubling phone call from his aunt.

  “What’s wrong, Tauntie?” he asked when he heard the worry in her voice.

  “There’s a fox in the chicken coop,” the old lady declared. “You know that money you left for me to pay my telephone bill?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, somebody done stole it!” the old woman said.

  “Did they break into your apartment? Were you robbed?”

  “No, but my friend Julie who lives upstairs on the twelfth floor had some money stolen from her too! You a cop, right, Peanut? Well, I’ma need you to come over here and get somebody arrested!”

  Noble shook his head trying to understand. There had been a string of ongoing burglaries both in his aunt’s project building and the one across from her. The fried chicken joint across the way had been robbed too, and even his boy Yard’s spot had been hit a few times. But there was no way somebody could have broken into his aunt’s crib with her sitting right there.