Hell House Returns 4: Reality TV Drama

by Brenda Hampton

  “Girl, please. I’m over it. This is a new day, and I’m here to do what the producers asked me to do. That’s to be your host and run things around here. So chill and have a good time. This here is Scorpio. She’s one of Jaylin’s exes.”

  I remembered how Chase chased Jaylin, wanting him to screw her so badly. Then again, I couldn’t even remember if the two of them had had sex. If they had, I was sure she would let Scorpio know all about it. That was why I mentioned, again, that she was one of his exes.

  “You really need to chill with that ex thingy, Jada,” Scorpio said. “It’s getting kind of old already. Just refer to me as Scorpio Valentino, the newbie in here, okay?”

  “Again, I had to mention Jaylin because Chase, well, I’ll let her tell you how well she knew him.”

  Obviously, Scorpio didn’t want to hear it. She walked off and didn’t even bother to look at Roc as she breezed by him.

  “What y’all done started now?” he asked. “Jada, I know you ain’t causing trouble already, are you?”

  “I didn’t do or say anything. Neither did Chase, so get the facts before you start making acquisitions.”

  Chase looked at me, shaking her head. “Girl, you need to work some more on your vocabulary. It’s accusations, not acquisitions.”

  I snapped back at Chase and tightened my fist, just in case she decided to get smart.

  “Chase, let me warn you about correcting me. I know what the word is, and I know exactly how it’s used. We gon’ have a long and terrible time here, if you start going there, okay?”

  She zipped her lips and looked at Roc who stood right next to us.

  “Thanks for taking my things to the bedroom,” she said in a pleasant voice. “And you know I have to ask you this—how is my sister doing?”

  “She’s doing good. All good, and she told me to tell you hello. She still a little salty about you not staying in touch with her, but I understand why you chose to keep your distance. I’m fine with your decision, because I never thought it would be wise for us to keep in contact with each other.”

  “Yeah, well, I thought it would be best for all of us, considering what happened between you and me. And just so you know, I’m over it. She made a decision to marry you, and I guess that’s a good thing. I surely didn’t think I would see you here again, and I’m actually surprised that you came, considering how upset she was about us having sex.”

  “Roc is back by popular demand,” I said, trying to let her know why he was here. “Plus, a million dollars is enough to wake anybody the fuck up, including you.”

  “Hello?” Chase said, giving me a high-five. “All I want to know is how the winner will be decided this time. I guess someone will tell us soon.”

  “Hopefully so,” Roc said. “The money was a factor, but I’m here because I wanted to be here. I don’t have to stay underneath Desa Rae all the time. When all is said and done, she knows who I’m coming home to.”

  Roc was so full of shit to me. He was the kind of man who always said one thing and did another. Of course his ass was going home. Home with what . . . a damn disease? I wasn’t going to go into details with him or Chase about how to win the money. I damn sure wasn’t going to vote for either of them. Well, Roc, maybe.

  “Who else is supposed to come?” Chase asked. “Will Jaylin be here too? I hope so. That was another reason why I chose to come back.”

  “Well, sorry to break the bad news to you, but he won’t be back this time. A little birdie told me that he got married again. I think it was to the same chick he was married to before, and she was like . . . you’d better not take yo ass back there to that house.”

  Chase laughed, knowing damn well that if Jaylin wanted to be here he would. All of our heads turned, however, when Scorpio exited the bedroom in a white bikini that barely covered her goodies. A towel was thrown over her shoulder and dark shades covered her eyes. She paraded by us with her head held high and a smirk on her face.

  “I’m going for a swim,” she said. “I’m not sure who else we’re waiting on, but if anyone needs me, I’ll be outside enjoying the beautiful weather.”

  Neither of us could prevent ourselves from looking at her ass as she made her way to the sliding doors. That bitch’s body would put every Victoria Secret’s model out of business. With a red rose tattooed on her ass cheek, she knew we would look. Especially Roc who stood with his mouth hanging open, showing how thirsty he was again.

  “In about another year or two, hopefully sooner,” I said. “That rose on her ass is going to wilt and start to show wrinkles. I hate a trick who acts like her shit don’t stink. She need to go sit down somewhere, and ain’t no need to be parading around like that in front of married men.”

  Roc rubbed the tips of his fingers along his goatee. “Trust me when I say us married men appreciate looking at roses like that. Look, I said, but never touch.”

  Chase and I rolled our eyes at him. I didn’t have a good feeling about this, and unfortunately, I was going to have to call Desa Rae up in here to get control of her husband. Roc didn’t know I’d had her phone number.

  As we stood near the island, talking and laughing about old times, in walked two more people. They were newbies as well, and they appeared to know each other because they were giggling and standing close.

  “Hi,” the light-skinned chick said, waving. “Sorry I’m a little late, but traffic on Highway 40 is backed up.”

  “Yeah, the cab I was in got caught up too,” the brotha said. “Nonetheless, I made it.”

  They came up to us, introducing themselves. The chick’s name was Evelyn, and the tall, rich chocolate and handsome brotha was Keith. I thought Roc was dark, but Keith was a rich, dark and smooth chocolate. Since I no longer had feelings for Roc’s trifling self, my feelings converted to Keith. All this precious chocolate was going to get me in trouble, and why in the hell did the men have to be so sexy? Keith’s light brown eyes were everything. I loved a man with narrow and mysterious eyes. He was real buffed—even more than Roc was. And his masculine, baritone voice had my heart racing faster, every time he’d said something.

  As for Evelyn, Chase and Scorpio, they were all very decent-looking women, but I didn’t appreciate how some lighter skin chicks always felt as if they were special. I was willing to give these ho’s the benefit of the doubt. Evelyn barely had on any makeup. Her round face displayed high cheekbones and lips that looked a little injected for puffiness. Her hair was cropped underneath her ears, and with bangs resting on her forehead, I gave her a seven, on a scale from one-to-ten. Her breasts looked fake, and underneath the tight tank shirt she wore, they appeared real firm. Roc had been checking her out too, and from the way she looked at him, I could tell there would be some sex happening in here, possibly tonight. The look in Evelyn’s eyes implied that she wasn’t the kind of woman who would wait.

  “Thanks for offering to take my luggage into the bedroom,” Evelyn said to Roc. He had already jumped on it. I guess he was trying to be nice. “If you want me to repay you at any time, you know I will.”

  Roc smiled—I got sick of looking at his big white teeth. He nodded at Evelyn and walked off with her luggage. Thoughts in her big head swarmed around, and she didn’t take her eyes off of him, until he disappeared in the bedroom.

  “Wow,” she said, looking at me and Chase. “I hope like hell that he’s not happily married. Anybody have the scoop yet?”

  Chase spoke up before I did. “Yes, he is happily married. Married to my sister and he’s only here for fun. The same fun I hope Keith may be interested in. I don’t see a ring on your finger, so I assume you’re not married. Are you?”

  This time, Evelyn replied to Chase. “Not married, but in love with my best friend, Trina. He’s here because they needed some space and time to figure out what the two of them really want.”

  Keith cleared his throat. “Thanks for speaking up for me, but I do have a mouth. No, I’m not married, and the one person I’m deeply in love with is my child.”r />
  Well, he cleared that up. Chase was all smiles, but Evelyn was frowning. I wasn’t sure why, but I was sure to find out more later.

  “What’s for lunch?” Roc shouted as he came from the bedroom. He walked toward us, rubbing his hands together. “I know you got something delicious planned for us, Jada. I see that chicken on the counter thawing, but I need something good to eat right now.”

  From the corner of my eye, I saw Evelyn signal by scratching her cookies. Did she really just go there or was I tripping? She did something because Roc’s eyes shifted to her, and his smile got wider. I swear I wanted to punch him in his face! If he smiled one more time, I was going to do it and pick up the pieces later.

  “I’m not sure what I’ma fix for lunch, but before we eat, I need to show the newbies around. Follow me, and Keith you can bring your luggage too.”

  We took two steps forward, before Scorpio rushed inside, jumping up and down. Her titties damn near popped out of the skimpy bikini she had on, and her wavy hair bounced up and down.

  “I’m sorry, but I have to go pee. Is anyone in the bathroom now?” she asked.

  All eyes were on her again. This time, though, Keith spoke up. He was real polite. “I don’t think anyone is in there, but would you like some help?”

  Scorpio removed the sunglasses from her eyes, placing the glasses on her head. She checked him out; the grin on her face implied she had given his suggestion some thought.

  “No, I think I can handle it. But thanks for asking.”

  She rushed off to the bathroom, ass jiggling all over the place. Roc and Keith looked at each other, bonding real quick as they must’ve read each other’s minds. They gave each other dap without saying a word.

  On the other hand, the ladies felt as if Scorpio needed to go put some more clothes on. They didn’t have to say anything . . . I could tell what they were thinking. I was seconds away from saying something to her, especially when she came out of the bathroom shaking her wet hands.

  “Are there any towels or paper towels around here?” she asked while looking at me. “I didn’t see anything to dry my hands with in the bathroom.”

  I was in complete, utter shock with that nigga Roc removed his shirt and reached out to give it to her. He just wanted his muscles to show—the wife-beater he had on turned the attention to him.

  “Use this, Ma,” he said to Scorpio. “At least, until we can figure out where the towels are around here.”

  I was done with Roc. Flirting was cool, but this was too much. He was lucky I couldn’t throw his ass out of here right now. If I could, I would. Scorpio had the audacity to take his shirt and wipe her hands with it. She tossed it back to him, and right when she thanked him, three men in suits came rushing inside, as if they were Five-0. They were white men, wearing dark shades with mean mugs on their faces. I assumed they were there for Roc’s ass, so I pointed to him.

  “There he is,” I said. “Rocky Dawson is the one y’all looking for, right?”

  His face twisted, brows were scrunched inward. “Looking for me for what?”

  “We just need a few minutes to check out a few things,” one man said. “Particularly, to make sure there are no major weapons inside.”

  It didn’t even dawn on me that the men were secret service. Nobody knew that the president was coming here but me, so everyone stood in shock as the men rushed around with some kind of detectors in their hands, checking things out.

  “Did they do this the last time you all were here,” Evelyn said, whispering to me and Chase.

  “I don’t think so,” Chase replied. “But I guess they want to make sure we don’t kill each other up in here.”

  “This is a bit much,” Keith replied with a frown on his face. “Especially, since we were already told not to bring any weapons here. Are they saying they don’t trust us?”

  “Apparently not,” Roc added. “This is bullshit. Ain’t no need to come up in here, treating us like criminals.”

  Roc needed to hush. He was going to bring unnecessary attention to himself and so was Keith. I wanted to tell them about the president, but I also wanted it to be a surprise.

  “They should be done soon. This is only for our protection,” I said, trying to calm everyone down. “We don’t know who could have brought what up in here. As heated as things got last time, they just didn’t know what to expect from us.”

  Scorpio flaunted herself over to the sofa and sat down. Evelyn followed, sticking out her breasts, holding in her flat stomach and walking on her tiptoes like she was so cute. These ho’s were killing me. Chase took a seat too. Roc and Keith, however, stood with aggression on their faces. They watched the men move around the house, and after they were done, one of the men stood near the kitchen with a walkie-talkie near his mouth.

  “All clear,” he said.

  What seemed like seconds later, in walked the President of the United States. I gasped to catch my breath, wanted to tickle my pearl that had started to throb. Everyone looked at the president as if they were creating a mannequin challenge.

  “Take my belongings to the bedroom,” the president ordered, speaking to a black man who was carrying several pieces of luggage in his hands.

  “Will do, sir. Anywhere in particular?”

  “Wherever there is room.”

  His demanding voice sent chills up my spine. I had seen him on television a-million-and-one times before, but seeing him in the flesh just did something to me. He added more chocolate to the mix, and the tailored blue suit he rocked fit his tight frame to a capital T. The waves in his neatly lined hair flowed, and with a cleanly shaven face, I had forgotten all about Roc and what’s his face. I looked at the flag pin on his lapel, happily stood, placed my hand on my chest that was beating real fast and started singing the anthem.

  “Ohhhh say can you seeeee, by the dawn’s early light. What . . . We so proudly we give, by the twilights last gleaming. And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs busting in air, gave proof through the niiiight, that a flag was still there. Ohhh say does the star spangled banner yet waaaave. For the land of the freeeeeee and the home of the braaaave.”

  Everybody, including the president, looked at me like I had lost my mind.

  SCORPIO

  I sat in awe, looking at Jada as she attempted to sing the National Anthem after the president had entered the room. I wasn’t sure why she insisted on making a fool of herself, but I was relieved when she was finished and had taken a seat where she belonged. The president ignored her foolishness, as he should have. He politely spoke to everyone, before going back outside with the man he’d walked in here with. After he left, we all turned to Jada for answers.

  “Is he really staying here with us?” Chase asked with wide eyes. “I can’t believe this, oh my God.”

  Jada’s head nodded like a bobble-head doll. “Yep. He’s our special guest, so y’all better have y’all act together. Let’s all try to get along this time, and if anybody got a beef with anyone else in here, speak now or forever hold your peace.”

  I gave Chase a slight glance, but I kept my thoughts to myself. I didn’t necessarily appreciate the way she had spoken about Jaylin, and the way Jada kept bringing him up was rather disrespectful to me too. I was here to forget all about Jaylin. He and Nokea were married again—so be it. I hated that his name kept coming up, especially when I was here to clear my mind. My divorce from Mario was brutal. He didn’t want to give me one dime. And even though he was the one who had gone out and had a baby with another woman, he did his best to stop me from divorcing him. I still had feelings for him, but I now had a one-mistake rule. Fuck up once, it’s over. There were too many men willing and able to do right by me, so for now, I dated whenever I wanted to, screwed whenever I had an urge and enjoyed my single status. In no way did I need a man to make me feel complete. Since I couldn’t be with the one I had always wanted to be with, this was now my reality.

  Now that the president had arrived, I figured I’d better go put on something to
cover up my revealing bikini. I had no idea who would be here, but to see the president was a real shock to me. Jada kept trying to stir up shit by asking who didn’t like who. And as they started to discuss what had happened the last time, I stood to leave the room. Jaylin’s name had come up again. I simply didn’t want to hear it.

  “Where are you going?” Keith asked. He had been sitting next to me, and the smell of his masculine cologne made me think of Mario. It was apparent that Keith had money—how much was the big question?

  “I’m going to the bedroom to find something to cover up with. I don’t feel comfortable dressed like this in front of the president.”

  Jada clapped her hands. “Thank you!” she shouted. “Thank you, Jesus, for doing all that you do!”

  I ignored her and listened to Keith. His eyes were mesmerizing, but they also came with a warning.

  “I don’t see why you feel as if you need to change. We’re all going to swim around here, and I assume the president has swimming trunks as well.”

  “Probably so,” Evelyn said to Keith as she teased the bangs on her forehead with her fingers. “But I think it would be smart for her to, at least, cover up. That bikini is a bit much.”

  Who was she to tell me my bikini was a bit much? Some women needed to keep their mouths shut. She was lucky that I wasn’t in the mood to say what was on my mind out loudly. Instead, I walked away and went into the bedroom. As I entered the closet, I heard someone come into the room. I wasn’t sure who it was, until I stepped out of the closet and saw Keith standing by the door.

  “I apologize for seeming a little aggressive, but I wanted to let you know how much I think you got it going on. There is something about beautiful women that just takes me there. I don’t mind expressing myself when I’m in the presence of a woman like you.”

  “Thanks for your kind words, Keith, and trust me when I say I appreciate your compliments. I can be a bit aggressive too, so forgive me if I ever come across too strong.”

  I entered the closet again, removing a sheer black wrap I often wore around my bikini bottoms to cover up. I tied it around my waist while leaving the closet. Keith remained close to the door, but he was sitting on the bed closest to it.