by Natavia
I put my fingers on the bridge of my nose because Tee-Tee was really pissing me off and I wanted to remain calm. “She almost sued us!”
“Whatever! I gave that evil, old bitch two g’s and Tatalisicious made her one of his famous wigs! I did her a favor if you ask me, with her nappy-headed ass! That wig makes her look younger because, honey, she looked like Kora from ‘Meet the Browns’ if you ask me.”
“OHHHHH! I’m kicking your ass!” I yelled into the phone. I done had it with Tee-Tee! She was becoming messy, just like Tataliscious and I couldn’t have that! Tataliscious could be a bad influence. I loved him though.
“Yeah ok, I’m a be over there as soon as I give Miss Suzie some finger waves. You need anything?” she asked rushing me off the phone. The nerve of her! Tee-Tee was ready to give me a heart attack! I was cussing Corey out also because he needed to have better control over her crazy ass.
“BITCH YOU BETTER NOT!” I said jumping up yelling into the phone. She laughed then hung up. Killa was laughing so hard he had tears in his eyes.
I pouted. “That’s not funny. Tee-Tee is not a hairstylist!” I whined.
“Then wash your ass and tend to your business!” he said, patting me on my ass.
I looked at the flipped-over plate that was now on the floor and got hungry all of a sudden. My man could definitely burn in the kitchen, and I’m talking about real soul food.
“Boo, is there any more food left?” I asked.
“Hell naw! I ate the rest of it!” he laughed.
“Greedy motherfucker!” I mumbled to myself.
“I would eat that lil’ fat pussy but you haven’t been washing your ass lately!” He must’ve heard me.
I lifted up my arms and sniffed. I did smell a little foul.
“Tend to that shorty!” he said, cleaning up the food he spilled. He was a sweetheart but he had a temper problem. He wasn’t abusive, though.
I was on the toilet handling my business when Killa walked in to kiss me goodbye.
“Damn girl, your ass is jamming!” he said, spraying air freshener. “I’m a grown ass man and your shit smells worse than mines! You haven’t really ate anything!” he laughed.
It’s nasty I know, but I was just that comfortable around him. When Ashaun and I lived together, I used to go down to the basement to handle my business if he was home. I could just be myself with Killa. I couldn’t cook and I was bitchy. Cleaning services came three times a week to clean up for me. Killa accepted me flaws and all. That’s why I loved him so much because he understood me. He always did, even when we were younger.
“Be quiet before I make you wipe it!” I joked with him.
“On that note, deuces! When you get to your shop call me. It’s hot as fuck outside and you better not wear that small ass shit! Don’t make me embarrass your ass, straight up!”
“I’m grown over here boo!” I waved him off.
“Get fucked up!” he warned.
After my much-needed shower, I put Shea Butter oil on my skin. Afterwards, I put on a turquoise maxi dress with brown and turquoise Tory Burch, slide-on thong sandals. I combed my bangs down and put my hair into a messy bun. I was all-natural, I never had a perm. I used products for natural hair that Tataliscious made a killing off of. It made my hair very bouncy and silky-like. I had my brown and turquoise feather earrings in my ears, and applied nude lipstick to my lips then sprayed my neck and wrists with my daisy perfume by Marc Jacobs’s. Killa was going to kill me once he saw how my dress hugged all my full-figured curves. I used to be a twelve but now I was a size fourteen. The pregnancy made me gain close to twenty pounds that I still hadn’t had a chance to lose.
I put all of my things into my brown, leather Gucci tote bag then headed out the door.
I had sold my Rolls Royce along with the house. Let’s just say that I was sitting on a very nice nest egg. I only had my purple costume painted, fully loaded Camaro. I was no longer pressed for the luxurious life like I once was. I just wanted to live like a regular person without all the glitz and glamor. I think being back with Kejuan gave me a different outlook on things. When I was with Ashaun, the only shit that made me happy was materialistic shit. After a while, the feeling faded away. Now, I had love…the real kind. You know the love is real when you and a person can go years without each other and bounce back like y’all never fell out. I wouldn’t care if someone came into my home and burned all my expensive clothes and shoes, or take my jewelry! As long as I had my man, I could do without.
I walked in into The Fountain of Youth.
“Hey, Divas!” I smiled. All of a sudden, the smell of curling irons almost made me gag. Everything that I smelled or come in contact with somehow reminded me of Liyah. I needed help because I could no longer go on like this. The nightmares had been every night since it happened. I needed to talk to someone about this.
Everyone spoke and hugged me except for Tataliscious and Raja. Keisha’s silly ass was even happy to see me, maybe because Tee-Tee probably had been making life hell for her.
I bent down to hug my boo, Raja. When I went to hug Tataliscious, he put his hand up. “No, you don’t cunt!” I kissed his cheek anyway as he held his smile in.
Tee-Tee came downstairs and mugged me. I couldn’t lie I missed them dearly. But the Boss was back and Tee-Tee had to step down! I looked down and the fish tank needed cleaning. I had a built-in fish tank in the floor. It was only eight feet long and it went straight down the middle of the aisle while the stations were set up on the opposite sides of it.
“Tee-Tee, I appreciate your help and whatnot. It means a lot to me that you decided to step up and manage the shop, but you can go home now,” I told her.
“Girlllll, please, I’m booked today!” she said like she was the stylist of the year.
“UGGHHHHHH! Cut that shit out, Teyana! You are not doing no one else’s hair in here! Not today, not tomorrow, how about never! You can’t even put a headband on Coren’s head correctly,” I told her.
She laughed then all of a sudden Mook strolled in. Rumor had it he fucked Tee-Tee while she was pregnant one night after his concert. I never asked her about it because that wasn’t any of my business. If I heard about it then, I’m sure Corey did, too. But they still managed to work it out, so there was no need for me to re-open old wounds. I was learning how to mind my business.
Mook was about average height for a man. I’m guessing he was around five-foot-ten or five-foot-eleven. He was somewhat on the slim side. He was also light-skinned and reminded of Kid Ink. He was very talented and I could see him blowing up pretty soon. His local concerts always sold out. He was just a little older than us, maybe around thirty.
When he walked right pass his baby mama, Keisha, I was shocked. He was heading towards Tee-Tee. It was about to be some shit. I hoped like hell Tee-Tee was not doing what I thought she was doing. It must not have registered yet that Corey wasn’t working with a full deck of cards.
“So, it’s like that, Ma? You going to straight keep dissing a nigga?” he asked boldly.
“I know damn-well you see me standing right here! And why haven’t you been coming to pick up Dasia and Demi?” Keisha asked him with her hands on her hips.
“Because they are not my damn kids! Don’t act like those DNA tests didn’t just come back saying they are not my kids!” he snapped on her. Keisha was a straight hoe! She had six kids and rumor was she doesn’t know who any of them belonged too.
Tee-Tee grabbed her purse with a pissed-off look on her face. “Let’s discuss this shit outside now, nigga!” she told him angrily.
“Let’s do it then, Ma!” he told her, walking behind her. I shook my head because the drama never ended with us. I prayed that Tee-Tee wasn’t stepping out on my brother, although he may have a baby on the way. I was only afraid for her life and Mook’s if Corey found out they might have something going on.
“Ummmmm, Corey is going to fuck them up!” Raja said. Tataliscious and I agreed.
“So, where have
you been bitch?” Tataliscious asked. Raja crossed her arms mugging me. I felt like I was being interrogated by the police.
“I have been sick with the flu,” I lied.
“Huntyyyy, I been lying about my sexuality for years! I know what a liar is when I see one! And you better tell me the damn truth! We all share personal shit with each other, so I know you better tell us something!” he snapped.
“I will tell y’all later!” I lied again. They rolled their eyes then went back to their stations. My cell phone rang and it was Killa.
“Hey, handsome,” I sang into the phone.
“What’s going on, beautiful? How my shorty feel about being back at the shop?” he asked. I blushed.
“I feel okay, you know, but I miss you already!” I seriously tell him.
“Oh, word? You miss your man huh? Well, I miss your little, pretty ass, too. Hit me up later when you get off so we can do a movie or something,” he said.
“Ok, boo, love you talk to you later.” After he told me he loved me too, I hung up blushing and, of course, Tataliscious and Raja didn’t miss a beat.
“Ummmmm I see you over there smiling and shit!” Raja said.
“Look at her. Bitch talking about she was sick. Let me find out Killa had you cooped up in the house sucking his dick. I should beat your ass, bitch!” Tataliscious said.
“Jamie, you’ve gotten a little chubby! Are you pregnant?” Keisha asked.
“Bitch, are you pregnant? Since you think you are Kate plus eight!” Tataliscious told her. I just knew he was going to be the one who responded. Tataliscious shut Keisha up real quick! He was nothing but a shop bully.
Ashaun called my phone just when my day was getting better. I needed to just tell him the truth and get it over with because this was stressful. I felt like I owed him some type of explanation because he and Killa were homeboys.
I went into my office and closed the door.
“What the fuck do you want?” I answered the phone.
“Oh, it’s like that? You know what the fuck I want! I want to know what’s going on with you and that lil’ nigga, Killa!” he spat. I know Killa said he was going to sit down and talk to Ashaun about us, but Ashaun has been avoiding him. But now he wants to talk about it to me.”
“Killa has been trying to get in touch with you? Why haven’t he heard from you?” I asked.
“I wasn’t married to him, that’s why! I want to hear it from you!” he spat.
While I was on the phone, I was watching my security monitors. One screen showed outside in the parking lot. I could tell Tee-Tee and Mook were arguing. He pushed her then got in his car and sped off. Something was going on between the two. I was going to talk to Tee-Tee about it later because she has no business bringing that shit around me knowing Corey was my brother.
“Are you listening to me?” Ashaun asked, snapping me back to reality.
“I’m sorry what were you saying?” There was a knock on my office door, “Hold on someone is knocking on my door.” I sat the phone down then opened the door and it was Ashaun staring down at me. He brushed past me then sat down at my desk with his feet up, crossing his arms. I closed the door. I was so busy watching Tee-Tee and Mook on the screen, I didn’t even notice Ashaun on the monitor coming in.
“What’s up Ashaun?”
“I miss you,” he said sincerely like he just didn’t yell at me.
“I’m in a relationship!” I blurted out.
His eyes got low and I could see from the expression on his face that he was hurt. What did he expect? He moved on and so did I. I would always love Ashaun but my heart beat for Killa. I knew he wasn’t ready for that answer. He just thought Killa and I were fooling around, but he didn’t know how serious it was until now.
He stood up with his fist balled up, backing me into the wall. He cocked his fist back and I closed my eyes. He punched a hole in the wall instead.
“I’m sorry but Killa is who I love and want to be with! I loved you at one point in time but when you had a baby on me, it just changed things. I know I should’ve been left instead of marrying you, but I was confused at the time. Killa was before you; he was the one who took my virginity. We had been secretly messing around six years ago. I never told anyone because Royal would’ve disapproved. I love him, Ashaun, and now I just want to focus on rekindling what he and I had. I just wish me and you can remain cordial for the Fam sake. I don’t want any drama,” I told him.
“Five fucking years! Five fucking years!” he said in disbelief. I guess he couldn’t believe he was with me that long and I didn’t fully love him.
“I’m so sorry!” I told him. He jacked me up by stretching the neckline of my maxi dress.
“I knew it was another nigga! You wasted all these years of my life just to tell me you was never really in love with me because you was in love with another nigga?” he yelled in my face. I hoped he didn’t try to beat my ass.
“What’s the real reason why you’re mad? Is it because you finally realized that Cali is a gold-digging bitch? At first it was fuck me, remember? Now, you are in your feelings because I moved on and I am happy. I was willing to work on us but when you treated me the way you did, I gave up! It’s because of you, Killa and I are back together! You wasn’t man enough to address your own fucking problems. You got Killa to do it instead, and since that day we have been inseparable. So, you can let me go and get the fuck out of my shop!” I yanked away from him.
“The shop I bought you! I leave when I get good and fucking ready!” he stated angrily.
“Are y’all fucking?” he asked. I couldn’t believe the way Ashaun was acting right now. This was not him at all. He had other shit going on and he was taking it out on me.
“Yes we are! We are in a relationship! Now get the fuck out!” He grabbed my hair, almost snapping my neck. I screamed but no one could hear me because the walls were sound proof.
“Shut the fuck up!” He yanked harder. I could feel some of my hair tearing away from my scalp. Tears flowed down my face.
“You played with my heart all these years! If you think I’m going to sit back and let you make a fool out of me you are wrong!” he gritted then let go of my hair.
He swung the door open, slamming it into the wall. The picture of my family fell down, shattering onto the floor. Ashaun knew I wasn’t going to tell anyone because he would be dead. He played on that too much. At the end of the day, I would never want to see him dead. If my brothers knew about the few times Ashaun put his hands on me, he would be six feet under. I kept quiet because I didn’t want his blood on my hands.
Royal
I had been doing physical therapy for three weeks straight! I was trying to go back home ASAP because I missed my family. I was going to surprise them, though. Cam and I were leaving tonight, and hopefully, we could arrive on Sunday. I was surprising everyone during our family dinner. Cam didn’t even know we were going home.
When my body gets overwhelmed from working out, I have to use a cane afterwards. I was improving but I still wasn’t one hundred percent yet. A nigga done lost some weight. I was two hundred and thirty pounds before I was shot and now, I was only two hundred. I got down to one hundred and eighty but yah boy been eating like crazy. I needed to get my weight back up.
After my session I was headed back to my room. Cam was doing some more shopping for the baby. We had a month to go then my lil’ man would be here. My mother and Leodonis had been out all day. I still couldn’t believe the shit they got going on. I haven’t said shit to him because he didn’t know that I knew. I wanted him to address me first.
“You ok, Papi?” Alita asked me. Alita was my physical therapist and nurse. She was a gorgeous woman. She looked around my age but she was older. Alita looked good for thirty-four. She was tall and slim with long, skinny but lean, legs. She could’ve been a runway model. She resembled Zoe Saldana. She was the only one on this estate besides Leodonis that spoke proper English. She was actually from the United States, but she been
over here for a few years.
I was in pain and she must have sensed it because she helped me into my recliner in my room then started massaging my shoulders. She could work the hell out of me with those small hands. I felt so relaxed that I started dosing off.
“Ummmm!” I opened my eyes and Cam was standing there grilling the fuck out of us. She had on a white, stretch tank top that showed off her perfect, big, round belly. The white linen pants she had on made her hips look wide and fuller. Her wild, bushy, natural, curly mane had gold highlights in it. Her full pouty lips were frowned up. Cam was beyond pissed and I didn’t understand why. She had brightened up the room with her golden-brown skin; it was her pregnancy glow. Cam was beautiful and the fact that she was carrying my son made her the best thing on this earth.
“What’s good, shorty?” I asked.
“Alita, excuse us for a minute,” Cam snapped at her. Cam had been tripping lately! Alita smirked then left, slamming the door. These broads were tripping!
