by Lucinda John
“Yeah, you know I’m doing my thing down here in the MIA.”
“I hear you, how’s Ralph?”
“He’s good,” I said keeping it short. I knew my father couldn’t stand Ralph, for what reason I didn’t know, but I knew the hate was there.
“And your mom?”
“She’s still crazy as fuck but we’re getting along.”
“Cool. I need you to come see me; we got important shit to discuss.”
“Aight pops, I’ll slide through. I might even bring this chick I’m feeling with me.”
“You done went to Miami and fell in love boy?” my pops asked.
“Nah, we’re just friends, but I’m feeling her.”
“I never thought I’d see the day. Well bring her with you then.”
My line started beeping. Removing my phone from my ear, I saw Honey’s name flash across the screen.
“Ayo pops, let me handle some business and I’ll hit you up when I’m coming down.”
“No doubt, love you son.”
“I love you too pops,” I said clicking over before Honey hung up.
“Hey beautiful,” I smiled into the phone while walking into the spot. Rob was already in the back going through our shipment, so I hit him with a head nod and continued with my conversation.
“How are you?”
“I’m good, you?”
“I’m just nervous about court that’s all.”
“You about to be a free woman soon,” I said leaning up against the wall.
“I know and that’s scary. I feel like I failed my son.
“Why you say that?” I asked, hoping she wasn’t having second thoughts about proceeding with her divorce.
“I wanted him to grow up in a two-parent home, something I didn’t have but always wanted,” she sighed.
“I’m not his father, but he has me. I got y’all,” I replied.
“Thank you Cole, you’ve been a great friend through all of this,” she said crushing my heart.
I hated when she referred to me as a friend. I was going to press the issue but decided to give her some time.
“What are you doing for dinner later?” she asked.
“Nothing, probably have ma dukes cook for me. Why, what’s up?”
“How about I take you out for dinner and drinks?” she asked, making me blush like a little bitch.
“We can do that.”
“Meet me at the Hardrock around eight. They have a seafood and steak plate that I’ve been dying to try.”
“Everything on you right?” I joked.
“Yup.”
“Well in that case, I’m about to order the fattest steak there,” I laughed causing her to sweetly laugh with me. I don’t know what this girl was doing to me, but I didn’t want it to stop.
“A few clients just walked in, I’ll text you later.”
“Aight.” I hung up, wearing a smile so wide my jaw threatened to break.
“Love struck ass nigga,” Rob laughed when I walked over to him.
“Nigga please, what we got here?”
“I’m basically done. All that’s left is the separate and pack.”
Slipping the gloves on my hands, I assisted Rob with separating the drugs and packing them up. After getting the drugs packed and prepared for drop-off at the trap houses for re-up, we decided to kick back and smoke a few blunts.
“You good?” I asked Rob when I noticed he was looking at his phone wearing a mug.
“Man, it’s my baby mama, she on some other shit. She just popped up causing all types of havoc in my life.”
“Damn,” was all I could say. Honey had my head far too gone to even pay attention to anything Rob’s ass was saying.
CHAPTER 9
LISA
“5…6…7…8,” I counted off as I showed my girls the dance routine for the competition.
My teenage girls were schedule to compete in the Miss Teen Dance-off, and I had to make sure they were on point.
“Yolanda baby, that is not how you do a death drop, this is how you do it,” I said while showing her the correct way to perfect the dance move.
“Everybody take a fifteen. Get some water and figure out how to get it right. I will turn into Ms. Diana quick and grab that clipboard, play with it,” I yelled out before walking to my office.
“When did you get here?” I said walking in on Ralph using my computer.
“I walked in while you were out there shaking your ass.” He got up and tried to twerk.
“You a mess,” I laughed. “What are you on my computer doing?” I said walking over to him, wrapping my arms around his neck.
“Transferring money into your account and if you don’t get your sweaty ass off of me, I’ll know something.” He lifted me up and sat me on my desk in front of him.
“I found someone to plan our wedding.” I smiled wide. I’ve been searching high and low for the perfect wedding planner and was happy when I found the right one.
“Who?” he asked caressing my thighs.
“Cinnamon, Chad’s wife.”
“That’s what’s up. How are you getting along with the ladies?”
“Surprisingly well. They’re not Lala, but I fucks with them. It’s fucked up what Honey is going through with Rob though.”
“That’s none of your business,” he warned me.
“Ok, ok,” I said putting my hand up to surrender.
I jumped off the desk and straddled him. Just as I was about to kiss him, his phone started to ring. He pulled it out of his pocket, briefly looked at the screen then put it back in his pocket. Grabbing my ass, he tried to finish what I was about to start before I stopped him.
“Who was that?” I asked as his phone began to ring again.
He pulled his phone out of his pocket and handed it to me. My blood began to boil when I saw Kandi’s name dance across the screen. Taking in a deep breath, I tapped the answer button and greeted the bitch I wanted so badly to kill.
“Put Ralph on the phone,” she smacked her lips.
“When you see me you see Ralph, so speak or hang the fuck up,” I replied.
“Tell Ralph OUR son is ready to be picked up.”
“Ok, I will be there in a few,” I said hanging up the phone.
“You’re riding with me to pick up Raphael?” I asked him as I handed him his phone back.
“Yeah I’m coming,” he said before slipping his tongue in my mouth. After making out like horny teenagers, I asked Juno, one of my dance studio partners to take over for the day.
I decided to head over to Kandi’s house, still dressed in my dancing clothes, which consisted of an off-the-shoulder black and grey Nike crop top, black spandex tights, grey leg warmers, and a pair of black and grey Nike high tops sneakers. I wanted to be comfortable if I had to hand that bitch another ass whooping.
When we pulled up to the house, Ralph and I both got out and walked to her door. I stood back with my arms crossed and waited for her to answer. When she finally answered the door, she was dressed in a pair of boy shorts that her ass cheeks playing peek-a-boo out of, and a lace bra. Laughing, I rolled my eyes at how pathetic this bitch was looking.
“Hand me the baby so I can go,” Ralph said not paying her any mind.
She had the most stank walk, as she attempted to make herself bowlegged so that her ass would jiggle.
“Desperate ass hoe,” I rolled my eyes.
“Bae, just chill. I just want to get my son so we can go.”
“Humph.”
Twenty minutes later, Kandi came back to the door, this time dressed in a peach halter-top dress. She handed the car seat with the baby in it to Ralph. Smirking, I flashed my huge rock in her face just to be petty, and followed behind Ralph.
As Ralph was putting the baby in the car, a Lexus pulled up right beside us in Kandi’s driveway. A chick that kind of resembled Honey got out of the car, with a beautiful baby girl in tow. Taking a seat in the front
seat, I pulled my Channel shades over my eyes and watched as the two women held a conversation while looking my way.
* * *
I was in the kitchen preparing a Doritos casserole, when Ralph walked in wrapping his arms around my waist. Taking a spoon full of the ground beef mixture, I blew on it until it was cool and fed it to him. Turning around facing him, I looked at his sexy ass and fell in love all over again.
“Damn bae that shit fye!!” he said reaching for another taste. “You already got me,” he said chewing.
“What you mean?”
“I mean you don’t have to stoop down to Kandi’s level; I’m where I want to be. I can admit I fucked up a lot, but almost losing you made me realize that you’re everything I need. I’m not tryna fuck up witcha no more, no sir. I might not find a bitch with a fat ass like this,” he laughed, smacking me on the ass.
“I love you baby,” I honestly replied.
“I love you more.”
Nights like these were nights I lived for. After eating dinner, I was sitting between Ralph’s legs as he took out my sew-in. I had my note pad in my lap as I took notes while watching Yandy’s wedding. I wanted my wedding to be on her level.
“Bae, oh my gosh, look at her flowers,” I gushed.
“For ninety thousand dollars? Nah, them flowers can stay in Cancun or where ever them things were imported from.”
When the wedding episode finished, I was in tears. The baby started to cry so I went to go shower and wash my hair, while Ralph went to go check on him. After washing up and conditioning my hair, I tied my robe tight around me and proceeded with drying my hair.
“You need help?” Ralph asked walking in the bathroom.
“Is the baby sleep?”
“Yup, all it took was a diaper change and a warm bottle,” he said taking the blow dryer from me, and proceeding with drying the back of my hair.
When my hair was dry, I handed him the Softee grease so that he could grease my scalp. I was now in deep thought about having a baby of my own. The only thing that was really holding me back was the fact that Ralph already had three kids, but I didn’t want to cheat myself out of having a baby of my own. Watching him with Ralph Jr., Riley, and Raphael, gave me baby fever really bad.
“What’s so heavy on your mind?” he asked brushing my hair up.
“Nothing,” I shrugged.
Grabbing a scrunchie from the hair bin, he brushed my hair into a perfect ponytail and wrapped it in a ball. Since Riley started living with us, I showed him how to do a ponytail and a bun, just in case I wasn’t around to do her hair. He had it down pat. He even knew how to put edge control on the edges.
“Talk to me baby,” he said carrying me to our bed.
“I want a baby,” I pouted.
“I want one too, but you’re the one taking all those damn pills. My sperm has been ready to fertilize some shit.”
“I know but… you already have kids and I don’t want to feel like another baby mama.”
“Why would you feel like that and you’re over here planning our expensive ass wedding? Listen, if you want to wait until the honeymoon to get, pregnant we can. I let you get away with taking those pills now, but once you’re rocking my last name it’s a wrap,” he said opening my robe.
I was about to reply, but the way his mouth was wrapped around my clit had me losing my train of thought.
“Oh shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhit!!!” I moaned out, grabbing on to the back of Ralph’s head preparing myself for the orgasmic ride he was about to take me on.
* * *
The next morning, I woke up whistling along with the birds; good dick would do it to you. Ralph was still asleep and Riley was with Ginger for the weekend. I liked how Ralph decided to include Ginger in Riley’s life after the death of Laurie. I wanted Riley’s life to be as normal as possible after losing her mother.
I made Ralph breakfast and placed it in the oven, while I got ready for my hair appointment. Lala and I decided to do the weave challenge where we wouldn’t wear weave for sixty days, so I decided to go to Honey for a blow out and wrap. I was killing two birds with one stone by meeting with Cinnamon, as well, to go over my wedding notes.
Making sure the house was clean, I took a shower, dressed in a pair of blue and white Kimchi bubble shorts romper, with a pair of blue and white Chuck Taylor’s. I checked on the baby and made sure he was dry before turning on the baby monitor. Ralph was still knocked out with his mouth wide open. The power of pussy, I thought as I grabbed my bag and made my way to my car. On my way to the salon, I decided to stop by Starbucks and grab the ladies some drinks and scones.
“Hey chicas,” I replied as I walked into Sweet Licks.
“Hey boo,” Honey beamed.
“For a lady going through a divorce, you sure are glowing,” I said while handing her the drink.
“It’s because she met a new man,” Cinnamon said taking a sip of her drink.
“Say it ain’t so?” I laughed.
“Ummm, that THOT done found her a rebound chy.”
“Shut up Cinnamon it ain’t even like that,” Honey finally said.
“Yeah ok, says the girl that was on the phone blushing for the past hour,” Cinnamon replied.
“Spill the beans,” I said taking a seat in Honey’s chair.
“It’s not even all that serious, we’re just friends,” she blushed.
“Well that ‘friend’ got you over here turning red just by talking about him.” I smiled happy for her. After the shit she told me Rob put her through, she deserved someone better. Yeah Ralph had a baby on me, but we weren’t together and he was upfront about it.
“So Ms. Lady, you have any more ideas for your wedding?” Cinnamon asked me.
“Yes, after watching Yandy and Mendeecees, I know exactly what I want,” I replied handing her my floral printed notebook.
“Girl, their wedding got me wanting a do over,” Cinnamon said while flipping through the pages of my notebook. She then pulled out her iPad and got to work. That’s what I loved about my girl, she was about her business.
“What are we doing to your hair?” Honey asked.
“I’m wearing my real hair so I’m gonna get a blowout and a wrap.”
“A wrap? Uh uh, let me work my magic,” she said grabbing a pair of scissors. “I gotchu,” she assured me once she noticed my hesitation.
While Honey went to work on my hair, Cinnamon and I went over wedding plans. We were able to decide on a venue, complete my guest list, pick out invitation designs, and book an appointment with a few celebrity florists.
“Boom!!!” Honey said rolling me around to view my hair in the mirror.
My jaw dropped in excitement, as I ran my hands through my shoulder length feathered bob. Honey added in some auburn highlights that had my hair laid.
“That’s why you’re my stylist,” I complimented, slapping fives with her.
“I do my thing,” she smiled, dusting off her shoulders.
After paying Honey and tying a few lose ends with Cinnamon, I said my goodbyes and headed to grocery store to restock the refrigerator. Once I finished grocery shopping, I headed to Ginger’s one-bedroom apartment to pick up Riley.
“Mommy, your hair looks pretty,” she said catching me off guard as she climbed into the back seat.
This was the first time Riley called me mommy and it threw me off.
“Thank you baby,” I replied with a smile on my face.
I liked the way being called ‘mommy’ sounded.
CHAPTER 10
ROB
When the judge hit that gravel and finalized our divorce, I felt my heart break into a million pieces. I fucked up and there wasn’t anything I could do to fix things. When I first got with Honey, I had every intention on killing CoCo for setting me up. She had to pay the ultimate price for her betrayal, so killing her was nonnegotiable.
I should have been upfront with Honey, but we were in such a good place that
I didn’t want to complicate things. Yes, at the time, Honey was mad at her sister for sleeping with her ex, but she wasn’t mad enough to wish death on her. Seeing the amount of pain Honey was in due to her sister’s death, made me vow to take my secret to the grave; well I wish that’s what I’d done. One slip up and a one-night stand cost me my marriage.
Trisha was supposed to be a kept secret, but she decided to rat me out because I missed one doctor’s appointment. We had an agreement that as long as I was in my daughters’ lives and took care of their every expense, that Honey would have never found out about her. Boy was I a fool for believing that. I should have kept it one hundred with Honey; then maybe I wouldn’t be watching her walk out of my life.
Our lawyers negotiated visitation and set a price that I would pay for child support every month. I could feel my heart bleed out as I watched her sign her name on the dotted line. Everything was finalized. I was no longer a man because I was now missing my rib. Before I could make it to the door of the courthouse, I watched her jump into her car and drive off.
Mustering up some energy, I got into my car and made my way to Trisha’s house. I know this should be the last place for me to be, but I didn’t really want to be alone. Using my key to let myself in, I walked inside of the house and made my way to the girls’ room. Summer and Sunday were peacefully sleeping in their cribs, with not a care in the world. Kissing them both, I made my way to the kitchen where Trisha was talking on the phone. When she felt my presence, she hurriedly got off the phone and went back to tapping on her keyboard.
Trisha was a ghostwriter for many authors. She loved her job because it gave her the flexibility to work from home. She pressed play on the recorder that sat next to her computer and went back to typing.
“You ain’t have to rush your nigga off the phone,” I laughed.
“Boy please, I ain’t rush nobody off the phone, thanks!”
“Mmm, I bet,” I said taking a seat next to her.
“How did it go?” she asked as if she gave a fuck.
“Well I’m no longer married, are you happy now?”
“I really didn’t give a fuck. I would have still been getting the dick,” she smirked.
“So what was your purpose of telling my wife?”
