Creepin': A New Orleans Love Story

by Chenell Parker

  “That’s the least she can do. You have her damn kids more than her. I don’t know why you let her do that shit to you Mia. You be sitting inside babysitting while she runs the streets with her men. Moonie is too damn selfish if you ask me.”

  “She doesn’t make me babysit Jabari, but I help her out sometimes if she asks me to. If I have somewhere to go and they’re not with you and Tiara, she won’t go out at all. She doesn’t just leave them with anybody and I do give her credit for that much,” Mia said.

  “Yeah and that’s about all I give her ass credit for too,” Jabari snapped as he and Mia headed for the exit. “She fucks up everything. She ran Des and Mitch away and she’s the reason why Lamar is hooked on drugs. If my daddy wasn’t in jail for life, she probably would have done him in too.”

  “Lamar being on drugs is not her fault. You know he had a hard time coping with Reynard’s death. And Des was just as bad as Moonie was,” Mia said taking her mother’s side. Desmond was one of Moonie’s ex-boyfriends. He was also the father of Moonie’s two middle kids. He took good care of Moonie and her kids, but he had a problem keeping his hands to himself. Moonie was a street runner when she met him, but he tried his best to slow her down. When he saw that changing Moonie was almost impossible, he packed up his clothes and kept it moving. He still took very good care of his kids and Moonie was satisfied with that.

  “Stop always taking her side Mia. You always do that and you know she’s not right.”

  “I didn’t say that she’s always right Jabari, but damn. Do you really hate her that much?” Mia asked while looking over at him.

  “Honestly, I don’t hate her at all. I tried to, but it’s impossible for me to do. Moonie’s really not a bad person, she just makes bad decisions. I understand that she had a baby when she was just a baby herself, but that’s not an excuse.”

  “It’s like she missed out on her childhood and now she’s trying to get it back. She makes me sick sometimes, but I can’t help but love her ass,” Mia remarked.

  “I love her too, but she needs to get it together. I really wish she would have stayed with Mitch. She did that dude wrong, but he hung in there until he couldn’t take it anymore. He wasn’t just good to his kids, he was good to all of us,” Jabari replied.

  Anthony Mitchell, or Mitch, was one of Moonie’s ex-boyfriends. He was the father of her two youngest kids, Anthony Jr., and Anika. He and Moonie dated off and on for years until her trifling ways finally ran him off. At thirty-eight years old, Mitch was settled and he wanted a woman that was the same. Moonie went out four to five times a week, so he knew that she wasn’t the one. That didn’t stop him from falling in love and wanting to settle down with her though. He was hoping to be the one to change her, but that was damn near impossible to do. Even though he had a girlfriend, he was still hoping that one day he and Moonie would get back together. He still took care of her and his kids and even helped out with all the others. He always told her that when she got tired of playing around in the streets that he would be there waiting for her.

  “I wish she would have stayed with him too. He’s still trying to be with her, so maybe it’ll happen one day. Anybody is better than Dalvin’s stupid ass. Moonie got him so gone until it’s ridiculous,” Mia said.

  “That nigga is just dumb. He’s struggling to pay his own bills because he’s trying to take care of Moonie, and she’s still messing over him with other dudes,” Jabari said shaking his head.

  “That’s all on them, but thanks for getting me and Brandis a bathing suit. I know she’s going to be happy when I take it to her,” Mia said moving on to another subject.

  “You know that’s not a problem. Brandis is my girl with her lil thin ass,” Jabari laughed. “And you know my boy, Cam has been asking me if you were coming through.”

  “I don’t know why he’s asking about me. Camden has a live-in girlfriend and a baby. I’m not trying to have no baby mama drama in my life.”

  “I hear you, but I’m only saying that he was asking about you. I really don’t want you to mess with none of my friends anyway. I’ll have to put the beat down on one of them niggas if they play with you,” Jabari swore right as they got in his car to leave.

  “That makes two of us. All of your friends are dogs anyway. Camden got a woman in his bed every night, but he’s trying to creep with me. But he’ll swear up and down that he loves her to death.”

  “Just because he cheats doesn’t mean that he don’t love his girl. I know I love Tiara like I’ve never loved another woman, but that don’t stop me from dipping out every now and again.”

  “So you cheat on Tiara?” Mia questioned with raised brows. Jabari had never given her any indications that he would do something like that to his girlfriend. She’d never even seen them argue, and they were always happy when she was around. Maybe they were putting on a front, but they did a good job of hiding their problems if they had any.

  “It’s not like I set out to cheat on her nothing like that. Sometimes shit happens, but that don’t mean that I love her any less. Now don’t get it twisted, I would never leave my girl behind none of these hoes out here, but temptation is a muthafucka though,” he replied honestly.

  “So you’re not happy with Tiara?” Mia asked just to be sure.

  “Yeah I’m happy with her. Being unhappy is not the only reason why people cheat Mia. A few times the opportunity presented itself and I went for it. It wasn’t about love or feelings, it was just sex. It’s been a few months since I did some shit like that though. I really don’t plan on even going there again. Tiara would kill me if she found out.”

  “And you know that her feelings would be hurt. I get what you’re saying Jabari, but none of them hoes, as you call them, are worth losing Tiara. Y’all have a good thing going and you’re willing to throw it away for a few quick nuts.”

  “I’m not throwing anything away. It’s not like any of the females that I was with were single. They all have boyfriends or husbands. We got what we wanted from each other and we moved on,” Jabari shrugged.

  “Exactly how many females were there?” Mia wanted to know.

  “Damn you’re nosey, but it was only two,” he answered. “And let’s talk about you Mia? You want to be all in my business, but I see you keep texting somebody every few minutes. Who is this nigga that got all of your attention?”

  “Now you’re worrying about the wrong thing,” Mia laughed right as they pulled up to The Court.

  “Oh, so now that we’re talking about you the conversation is over.”

  “You got that right. Let me know if you need me and Brandis to come early and help you with anything tomorrow,” Mia said as she got out of the car and headed straight to Brandis’ apartment. Jabari was about to pull off and leave, but he changed his mind at the last minute. He decided to go and see Moonie and his sisters and brothers instead. He thought long and hard about what Mia had said, but he was still torn. He knew that he had to get it right with Moonie eventually, but he couldn’t make any promises on how long that would take. Just like with a recovering addict, he had to take the situation one day at a time.

  Chapter 6

  The next day, Mia, Rainey, Brandis and unfortunately London, arrived at Jabari’s party about thirty minutes after it started. When Rainey showed up to get them with London in her front seat, Mia was ready to go off. It wasn’t until they started talking that she realized that Von was the one who’d invited her to the event. He was helping out on the grills, so Cheryl would probably be there too. Tanya was out of town, but if she wasn’t, Mia would have made sure to invite her as well.

  “Let me go find my future baby daddy,” London laughed when they got out of the car. Rainey looked over at Mia because she knew that she didn’t like what was being said. London looked pretty decent in her one-piece bathing suit with the sides cut out, but she didn’t have shit on Mia. Even Brandis’ slender frame was looking right in her hot pink two-piece set. Rainey overdid it as usual. She was a little self-conscienc
e about the few stretch marks on her belly, so she wore a polka dot one piece with a sarong tied snugly around her waist. Mia laughed at the huge floppy hat and oversized glasses that adorned her small round face. All of the other girls had on flip-flops, but Rainey chose to wear her tall rhinestone gladiator sandals instead. Then to top it off, she had a huge polka dot straw purse to go along with it all. When they walked into the building, all eyes were on them, but Mia was busy looking around for her brother. Jabari and LJ went all out with all the colorful strobe lights they had lighting up the otherwise dark room. She spotted Von talking to a group of men with Cheryl holding tightly onto his arm. She led the pack as they headed straight to where her Godfather was standing.

  “Hey everybody,” Mia spoke as soon as she approached the group. Everybody spoke, but Cheryl just looked her up and down like she was seeing her for the first time. When Von looked at her she knew that he was about to go in about what she was wearing.

  “Now you know I’m not feeling that lil ass bathing suit that you have on,” Von said as he frowned up at Lamia. “You should have put on a t-shirt or something Mimi.”

  “Von, nobody wears t-shirts over their bathing suits anymore,” Mia laughed.

  “I don’t care about what everybody else is doing, I’m talking about you. You know I don’t like all that skimpy shit that y’all young girls are out here wearing. Look at Rainey, she looks good and nothing is showing on her. Your ass is built just like Moonie, so you should know better,” Von continued to fuss.

  “Okay and on that note, I’m going to look for Jabari,” Mia said as she walked away grabbing Brandis’ hand.

  “Yeah, your ass better run,” Von yelled after her. She ignored him and continued in the opposite direction. She was happy when London and Rainey didn’t follow. She wasn’t in the mood for her unwanted shadows at the moment. Besides, she was two seconds from popping London right in her mouth if she kept making slick remarks about Tre. Mia spotted her brother on the other side of the room, but she had to pass by Tre and his friends in order to get to him.

  “Got damn Mia, that ass is sitting right in that bathing suit,” Tre’s friend, Roland yelled as soon as she got close to them. When Mia told Tre about some of his friends trying to get with her, Ro was at the top of that list. He was always making slick comments about her shape or he would say something about the two of them hooking up. He looked like a light-skinned frog, so that would never happen on her watch.

  “You better chill out Ro,” Tre said angrily. “I told you about playing with her like that.”

  “Man I’m sorry, but lil sis can get it,” he replied while grabbing his crotch.

  “Nigga,” Tre yelled while walking over to him.

  “I’m just playing man, calm down,” Ro said with a chuckle as he ran in the opposite direction. Their other friends followed behind him, leaving Mia and Brandis alone with Duke and Tre.

  “Why the fuck do you have this lil shit on Mia?” Tre snapped the minute they were alone. He saw her when she first walked in and he wanted to drag her ass right back out and make her go home. He was bound to be fighting all night if niggas kept checking her out the way were. Jabari had the police all over the place, but he didn’t care. Jail was nothing new to him anyway.

  “This is not little. At least I have on shorts and not a bikini bottom like most of the chicks here. You always have something to say, but it would’ve been cool if you saw another bitch with this on. You would have been breaking your neck trying to sneak a peek,” Mia replied.

  “What’s up sis?” Duke asked trying to defuse the situation. He walked over to Mia and pulled her into a hug.

  “I’m sorry Duke, what’s up?” Mia replied hugging him back.

  “Alright nigga that’s enough, damn,” Tre snapped not feeling the exchange between the two of them.

  “C’mon bruh, now you know it ain’t even like that. That’s my God sister,” Duke replied.

  “And?” Tre questioned. “You of all people should know that don’t mean shit to me. She’s my God sister too.”

  “Seriously Tre? That wasn’t even called for,” Mia said angrily as she walked away followed by Brandis.

  “Stupid ass,” Tre fumed as soon as she left.

  “Man you know you were wrong for that shit that you just said,” Duke commented. “Mia is like family and I would never play no games like that with her.”

  “No offense bruh, but that’s the same shit I used to say,” Tre said while keeping his eyes trained on Mia as she walked over to her brother.

  “What it do Mia?” Jabari said when his sister and her best friend walked over to him and his boys.

  “Nothing, but y’all got it jumping in here. Where is Tiara?” Mia asked.

  “She’s around here somewhere with her friends,” Jabari replied.

  “So you don’t see me standing right here Mia?” Cam said interrupting their conversation. “You can’t speak?”

  “You saw me standing here too, but you didn’t open your mouth either,” Mia sassily replied.

  “What’s up pretty girl?” he asked as he grabbed her into a tight hug. Mia cringed when he did because she knew that Tre was probably watching everything. She was too scared to look over and see, so she focused her attention on the group of men in front of her. She pulled away from Cam and moved closer to her brother. Brandis looked kind of uncomfortable as well, and Mia knew that she was probably thinking the same thing. They both made small talk with Jabari and his friends for a while, before Brandis spoke up.

  “Come walk with me to the bathroom Mia,” Brandis requested. That was perfect timing because Camden was being too touchy feely. He was staring at Mia like she was his favorite candy and he kept trying to hug her. Mia kept pushing him away, but that didn’t stop him from doing it again. Some niggas were really pathetic. Cam had a girl, but that never stopped him from doing him. Some of his girlfriend’s people could have been there and he was trying to mess with Mia.

  “Girl, I’m so happy that you pulled me away from his ass. That nigga can’t keep his hands to himself for nothing,” Mia complained.

  “Yeah bitch, Tank was watching you the whole time. That’s why I wanted you to walk away,” Brandis replied while they walked towards the bathroom. Before they had a chance to go in, someone grabbed Mia’s arm to stop her.

  “How you doing?” an unfamiliar male asked while smiling down at her. He was tall with a low-cut fade and a pretty smile. He looked good as hell, but his timing was all wrong.

  “Do I know you?” Mia asked the dirty-red complexioned cutie who wanted her attention.

  “No, not yet,” he flirted with a smile.

  “Okay, so why are you touching me?” she snapped in aggravation. He immediately let her arm go and raised his hands in surrender. Mia rolled her eyes and continued on her way. They had a long line in the bathroom, but they didn’t need to use it anyway. It was only a distraction for them to get away for a few minutes.

  “Damn he was cute,” Brandis said once they were away from Mia’s admirer.

  “He was, but I don’t need Tre to see nothing else. He’s probably already pissed about Cam,” Mia replied.

  “He kept looking at you, so I know he saw everything. Let’s just stay in here for a few minutes and then we can go look for Tiara,” Brandis suggested.

  “Let me call and see exactly where she’s at. I didn’t think that this many people would be here,” Lamia said while dialing’s Tiara’s number.

  “Hey sis,” Tiara answered on the third ring.

  “Hey, where are you?” Mia asked.

  “I’m standing by the front door with my cousins. Jabari said that you were looking for me, but I didn’t see you anywhere. We went outside looking for you too.”

  “Okay, I’m in the bathroom, but stay where you are. I’ll come to you so we don’t keep missing each other,” Mia suggested.

  “Okay,” Tiara said before disconnecting the call.

  “She’s standing by the front door. Let’s
go over there,” Mia relayed to Brandis.

  When they exited the bathroom, Mia was happy to see that the dude who tried to talk to her earlier was no longer standing there. She scanned the room and saw him standing against the wall talking to her brother’s best friend, LJ.

  “Mia, look,” Brandis said, calling her attention to something across the room. She got heated when she saw Rainey and London standing there talking to Tre and Duke. Tre was smiling hard while London whispered something in his ear. He locked eyes with Mia, but he turned his head and kept right on talking and smiling in London’s face.

  “Oh okay,” Mia retorted. “I guess we’re free to do what we want to do now. In that case I need to stop turning all these niggas down and do me.” Instead of going to look for Tiara like she originally planned to, she headed in the direction of LJ and her cute secret admirer.

  “Mia, please don’t go over there. You know Tank is going to act a fool up in here,” Brandis pleaded nervously.

  “Fuck Tank!” Mia spat right before she walked over to LJ. “Where’s Jabari?” she asked her brother’s friend just to make small talk.

  “I think he went out front to smoke,” LJ replied. The cutie who was trying to flirt with her earlier smiled at her and to his surprise, she smiled back.

  “Damn, I got a smile,” he said clapping his hands playfully. “You almost bit my head off when I touched you a few minutes ago.”

  “You shouldn’t make a habit out of touching people that you don’t know,” Mia stated.

  “You’re right, my apologies for that,” he replied. “What’s your name?”

  “Lamia,” she responded. “What’s yours?”

  “Carrick, but I go by Ricky,” he replied.

  By then LJ had walked off to give them some privacy, but Brandis didn’t know what to do. She hated to seem like she was being the third wheel, but she didn’t know how Mia would feel if she walked away. She saw that Tre was looking right over where they were standing, but her girl wasn’t paying attention. When Mia handed her new friend her phone to put his number in, Tre really looked like he was about to go off.