by Saundra
Here I was again in this big house alone. Pouting, I dragged over and reset the alarm, then headed for the stairs. All I could do was shake my head thinking about that bitch Quad.
Before I could make it up the stairs, I heard banging on the door. Maybe Hood had left his keys. Turning around, I raced back down the stairs, turned off the alarm, unlocked the deadbolts, and I opened the door. I found myself face-to-face with my mother.
My heart dropped at the sight of her big, red eyes swollen from crying and two big roller suitcases next to her.
“Ma, what happened?”
Sniffing, she said, “I left your dad and I need to move in with you and Hood. I hate to intrude, but I cannot go back.”
“Don’t worry about that Ma, come on in.”
I peeked outside into darkness as I reached down and grabbed the suitcases. I followed Ma into the kitchen, where she opened the refrigerator and retrieved a bottle of water. I stood back and observed. I wanted to give her a minute. Opening the water, she drank it halfway down.
“I ain’t going back to him, Mya.”
She sounded like she was trying to convince herself and not me. I just listened. I knew she had good reasoning, I just wanted to hear what it was.
“I think he is back in that life. His ass ain’t never home, always the streets first. I did not come this far, fight this hard to get off drugs and turn my life around, all so he can get out of prison and mess it up. As much as I hate to say it, our marriage is not that important.”
Then the tears once again took over. I figured it broke her heart to even say that last statement. At this point I did not know what to say; all I wanted to do was comfort her.
“Awww, Ma.” I reached out and embraced her. She cried on my shoulder. I felt helpless, but I wanted to kick Dad in his black butt.
It took a minute but I finally got Ma calmed down enough to take a hot shower and go to bed. I was mentally exhausted. I climbed into my own bed but I could not find sleep. My mind rested on Hood and Quad. Picking up my cell phone, I looked at the time and realized Hood had already been gone for four hours. Scrolling through my phone, I pressed Hood. After three rings, I was sent straight to voicemail. For the first time ever, jealously swept over me. Now, I don’t know where that feeling came from, but I did not like the way it felt. I tossed the phone to the right side of me and was out like a light.
Chapter 23
Rolling over, I felt Hood in bed next to me. I didn’t know when or what time he came in, but I was not happy. He should have at least woke me up and said he was home. Especially when I had waited on him. He looked to be in deep, peaceful sleep. Snatching the cover completely off him, I rolled back over as if I was still asleep. I wanted him to feel annoyed, just as I felt. Not a minute later, I felt him easing his way back up under the covers next to me. I allowed him to get settled, then I snatched the cover off again. Even though I was salty with him, I almost laughed.
Groggily he protested, “Babe, why you won’t share the blanket?”
He started to reach again but I moved over farther. I was enjoying this too much.
“I don’t share with people who creep inside the house and into bed,” I pouted.
“Come on, babe! I know you ain’t trippin’. I got held up longer than I intended. When I made it home, you were resting so good and I decided not to wake you,” he explained in his defense. But I was not letting him off that easy.
“So who were you held up with? Quad?” I made it more of statement than a question.
“Ah, no.” He looked at me strangely, then he smiled. “I know you ain’t jealous. Babe, you ain’t never been jealous.” He chuckled.
“What so funny?” I threw my pillow at him. “And I ain’t jealous, but Quad better not get it twisted.”
Grinning, Hood caught my pillow and rested his elbow on top of it. When he looked at me, I could tell he was sleepy as ever. “You don’t have nothin’ to worry about, I belong to you.”
“I know.” I bobbed my head down on the bed with a grin. Then it hit me. “Oh, Ma is here. She showed up last night right after you left. She is leaving Dad,” I spilled.
Hood gave me a confused look. “Why?”
“She said that she thinks that he is back in the life.” I shrugged my shoulders. “Oh, and he ain’t never home no more.”
“That’s crazy.”
I knew he did not want to say much because he did not want to take sides. I didn’t either, but I knew Ma did not leave him for nothing. She was upset.
“I was thinking the same thing. But I put her in the one of the guest rooms, so she will be here until whenever, I guess.”
“That’s cool. But what about your dad? He gone be over there all lonely.”
“Wait, what? You mean like you gone be?”
I snatched my pillow from him and started playfully hitting him with it. We played around for a minute until we were both tired and sleepy again. My husband is my new best friend.
Chapter 24
“ Dad, for the one thousandth time, I am not the one you should be talkin’ to about this. Call Ma. What do you expect me to do?”
I was trying to put away a shipment that had come in, and to be honest, he was distracting me. Following me around, nagging at me about the situation with Ma. I mean, honestly, what did he expect me to do? Go home and tell her to pack her shit and move back into the condo with him? No, that was his business. He messed it up, now he could just figure out how to fix it.
“Baby Girl, you could talk to her and try to reason with her. Because right now she just don’t hear nothing I have to say. It’s like talking to a brick wall.”
“Have you thought that maybe it’s a reason for that?” I bent down to open another box. I was the last person to feel sorry for him right now. ’Cause I knew Ma was partially right.
“Okay, well, how can I explain myself if she won’t answer my calls? Huh, how do I get around that? She has not answered one of my calls since she left.”
“Dad, she is concerned about what you into. And why are you spending so much time in the streets? Answer that for me?” I decided to ask myself. If he couldn’t give me a straight answer, how would he give her one?
“Look, she is exaggerating! I’m not out that much. I think she just don’t want me to go anywhere. I mean, yeah, I hang out here and there with Big Nick. You know, go to the bar and grab a drink or somethin’. But’s that’s it. Plus she be working, so we just be missing each other sometime. That’s all.”
“Well, like I said, I’m not the one you have to convince. It’s her.” I hated being so nonchalant, but it was what it was.
I knew it was weighing on him. He was missing her. They had been through a lot together and the fact of the matter was that he loved her, he always had.
“Look, just give her some time and maybe she will come around.”
His cell phone started to ring. He pulled it out fast and the look on his face told me that he was hoping that it was Mom. But even I knew that he was not that lucky. That woman could be stubborn. When his jaws dropped in disappointment, I knew it was not her.
“Hello?” He even sounded disappointed. “Hello,” he repeated. This time his face was weary, almost helpless. Without saying a word, he slowly hung up the phone. I got the feeling something was wrong.
“Dad, are you okay?”
He quickly changed his mood and smiled. “Yes, everything’s cool. They had the wrong number.”
I felt like he was not being truthful, but I shrugged it off.
“Ummm, look, I have to get going. Put in a good word with your momma for me if you can.”
After all that I had said, he still wanted me to talk with Ma. I swear that man just did not listen.
I decided to take off early from the salon. I had just been spending too much time there lately. So after putting away the order, I called Monica. I thought we could chat about Ma and Dad’s situation. Maybe she had a conclusion. But after calling her several times unsuccessfully, I deci
ded to go over. I called Ma up and told her to get dressed. I was going to swing by the house and pick her up. We were going to give Monica a surprise visit.
No questions asked, Ma was game. The drive took a minute but in no time we were pulling up to Palmar Woods, where Monica was now living in a mini mansion. The home was nice. It was baronial Tudor, nice and historic. It was clear that Rich had done well for himself. I just knew that a butler would answer when I rang the doorbell, but instead it was Monica, whose mouth flew open with excitement.
“What are you all doing here?” She threw her arms around Ma, who was standing in front of me.
“Well, we thought we would come make sure you were still alive since you can’t answer your phone,” I said sarcastically.
She reached around Ma and playfully nudged my shoulder. “Whatever, Mya, with your big-headed self. I lost my phone yesterday and I got to get out of here and go buy me a new one.”
“It would be nice if you called and told someone that, especially with you living all the way out here in no man’s land. Something important could have happened.” I had to give her a hard time.
“Ain’t you the one to talk, it’s not like you live around the corner.”
We loved to fuss at each other. Because we knew it was nothing but love.
“Oh, would both of you be quiet,” Ma intervened with a grin.
“Oh, come on in.”
She grabbed me by the arm and pulled me inside the huge house.
“And where is my grandbaby?” Ma asked right away.
“She’s at her school care program. I have to pick her up in about two hours.”
“Dang, I was looking forward to seeing her. I thought eventually you would stop taking her since you live out this far.”
“No, Ma, she loves that place.”
“I guess.” Ma was disappointed. “I’m just going to have to come pick her up for the weekend.”
“Well, you know you can have her whenever you want. Come on, let me take you guys on a tour.”
The house was nice. The rooms were big and spacious with the original crown moldings and all. She said that Rich had spent hundreds of thousands of dollars having the home restored. It was beautiful. I thought the fireplace was to die for: it was marble and stretched up to the ceiling beams. Ma ooohed and ahhhed through the whole house.
Our last stop was the kitchen, where we all had a seat. Then Ma dropped the bombshell on Monica. She had been planning for a week as to how she would break the news to her and I had been sworn to secrecy.
“I left your dad and moved in with Mya.”
“What!” Monica yelled.
“I moved out,” she repeated. “I had to—things are just not working out.”
“Why? Ma, what has he done?”
“For starters he ain’t never home. Then, there is them damn streets, he just can’t let go. I don’t know exactly what he is into, but I’m not having a good feeling about any of it. So I just removed myself from the situation.”
Monica looked at her then me. When she saw that I had nothing to say, her gaze went back to Ma.
“What does Dad have to say?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t talked to him. I’m not ready.”
“Well, don’t you want to at least give him a chance to explain, Momma?” Monica sounded like a little girl.
“Look . . .” The look on Ma’s face was stern. “Now I won’t sit here and debate this matter. I did what I thought was best. Just as you thought moving in with this Rich was better for you. When I am ready to talk with your father, I will. Okay?”
Monica seemed surprised that Ma had gone there. “Okay, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it. It’s just that you two have been together for so long and through so much.”
A tear escaped Monica’s left eye, but she quickly wiped it away.
“It’s all right.” Ma smiled. “It will be all right.”
“Now that’s over with, what snacks do you have out here? I need something.”
I got up and went straight for the huge fridge.
Chapter 25
It had been a couple of weeks since I had dropped by to see Mrs. Wynita and Tiny, so I went by and visited with them. They were glad to see me. Mrs. Wynita was still holding out hope that Rochelle would return. According to her, Rochelle had not been by to see Tiny in weeks. But she had called a few times just to see if they were okay. She said Rochelle still sounded strange over the phone. Nevertheless, she was glad for the calls, because they helped keep Tiny satisfied, and she wanted to keep Tiny’s life as normal as possible.
I told her of my attempts to catch up with Rochelle even after all that bull she pulled on me at the club. I still went by periodically trying to catch her at home, but I never could catch her there, or she was hiding; either way, I had no success. After I left Mrs. Wynita’s, I went to the salon to check on things. I didn’t have any appointments scheduled so I didn’t plan to stay long. When I pulled up and made my way inside, everything looked cool. The only thing I felt was missing was the sound of Rochelle playing around talking shit. I could still hear her silly laughter in my mind. If she didn’t have a client, she would be up front in Pam’s area jacking around. Then I would always try to play at being serious, telling her to be professional at work.
The only thing that made me do a double take once I was inside of the salon was the sight of Kalil standing at the receptionist area. I quickly wondered if Rochelle was in the back choking Nora.
Boldly he turned to me. “Just the lady I have been looking for.”
Pam’s eyes looked as if they wanted to explain. She knew that I did not welcome him here.
“And why would you be lookin’ for me?” I gave him attitude. “Is something wrong with Rochelle?” That was the only logical reason that I could think of that would cause him to look for me. Anything else would be void.
“Nah, she cool.” He smirked and rubbed his nappy goatee. I could have slapped that silly look off his face.
“Then, what?” I asked impatiently. “Why are you here?”
“Well, this is a hair salon, isn’t it?” He glanced around. Ugh! He made me sick.
“Look, get to the point or get out.” I pointed toward the door. I hoped I was blunt enough.
“A’ight. Well, I was wondering if you could fade me up? Rochelle said that this was the best place in town and that you were the best one to do it.”
For a second I wondered if I was being punked.
“Hah.” I gave a sarcastic chuckle. I knew he was kidding. “Well, did she also tell you we don’t take strays or walk-ins?” I decided to hit below the belt.
“You know what? It’s cool, I was just trying to make your girl happy. I’ll let her know you were real welcomin’.”
That got my attention. The last thing I wanted was for him to go back and tell Rochelle that I was rude. I cared too much about what she would think, so I gave in.
“Kalil.” I called his name just as he was about to walk out the door. He did not hesitate to stop, almost like he knew I would change my mind.
“Look, I can’t do it, but I have someone else that can.”
I refused to touch him and I didn’t give a damn how Rochelle felt about that. I called Nora and asked her to prep to fade him up.
“So how is Rochelle?” I didn’t want to talk to him but he would know.
“She straight,” he answered shortly.
“Hmmph, well, she can’t be doing that good if it’s keeping her away from her daughter.”
He looked at me and sucked his teeth but never responded.
“You should try telling her to go home to her daughter.”
“I’m Rochelle’s man, not her daddy, a’ight. I don’t tell her what to do.”
He smirked and it took everything in me not spit in his face. Instead, I rolled my eyes at him and walked away. He could kiss my ass.
I passed Nora just as she came out to retrieve him. I almost told her to forget it, but I had Rochelle o
n my conscience.
“Fucking ugly bastard,” I mumbled to no one in particular. Maybe Nora’s clippers would slip and then go zigzag on his head.
Chapter 26
It was Rich’s birthday and he was having a huge bash at the club. Everyone except Hood was there. I hated it but I promised to turn up for him. Monica had a smile on her face that couldn’t be wiped off. She was happy to celebrate for her man and Rich relished it. He loved the attention. He had spared no cost for his birthday. He even had Rick Ross come out to perform at his party. The club was jam-packed, wall to wall.
Even though we had waited to the last minute to pull together our outfits, Monica I were dressed to kill. Monica was rocking a L’Agence tuxedo jumpsuit with a pair of Christian Louboutin Iriza crystal pumps. I complemented her in my strapless Milly jumpsuit that was topped off with a pair of Yves Saint Laurent studded leather pumps. We were some bad bitches and the compliments were rolling in.
We had just finished getting our groove on to Rick Ross and T-Pain’s “Bag of Money” when it was time to sing “Happy Birthday” to Rich. Monica had had a cake made with an oversize picture of him sitting on a Maybach on it. The grin on his face showed that he loved it.
Just as Rich cut into his cake, I looked down and saw Quad and her crew making their way into the club, looking like they owned the place. She had been pointed out to me by a friend before so I recognized her instantly. As if it was not enough, the DJ gave them a big shout-out. My eyes followed them all the way to their VIP room.
“Damn, it’s like that. They shoutin’ that bitch out.” Leslie looked at me like I had the answer, as she looked below and watched them swag to their VIP area. “Rich must know her.”
“I don’t know.” I shrugged then took a shot of Hennessy, then another.
Leslie, Monica, Trina, and I and hit the dance floor and we stayed on it all night as the good times rolled. As we danced, I noticed C-Lo, one of Hood’s workers, kept trying to get Monica to dance with him. Clearly, he did not know that Monica was with Rich, or he just didn’t give a fuck, because he would not let up.
