“No…”
“Okay,” he replied with no question in his voice.
A few more peaceful moments passed and in between they could hear laughter in the distance. It was obvious Chauncey, Sasha, Bleek, Jayde, Crush, and Marsha was still up and lively. However Tatum and Ree were content in their sanctuary.
“What’s this mean?” Tatum asked touching his exposed shoulder. Ree wore only a black wife-beater and his sweats.
“Which one is that?” He had so many tattoos. Tattoos that intertwined with others, it was hard to know which one she was talking about.
“The lion. With the crown and the…I don’t what that is,” she admitted and Ree chuckled.
“The lion…that lion…is a symbol Haile Selassie, who some people believe was the reincarnation of Jesus. He was an Ethiopian emperor. The Rastafarians believe that he was a king chosen by God, thus the reason for the crown. The snake represents Babylon, western society and all things not of us, forced on us.”
“And the ganja?” She joked, knowing already what it meant.
Ree laughed.
“And the ganja, well…it was put here by Haile himself. The ganja is the second love of my life, baby.” Tatum smacked him in the head and he laughed some more. After a pause she pointed at a scroll on his forearm.
“And that?”
Ree didn’t have to look. He knew that one by heart.
“That’s the desiderata.”
“What’s the desiderata?” Tatum could tell he was serious about it.
“It’s a creed of men,” he answered truthfully. “Of great men, real men.”
Tatum continued to wet her fingertips in the oil, grabbing another lock and twisting.
“What’s the creed about?”
Ree took a pull of his cigar and spoke smoothly.
“It’s about honesty...loyalty…honor…love… it’s about the way you should aspire to live life.”
There was a brief silence.
“Sounds deep,” Tatum confessed.
Ree turned his head slightly.
“Yeah?”
Tatum nodded.
“I can go deeper,” he let her know.
Tatum laughed again. It would be hard to resist him with all of his innuendos tonight, but she had to.
“Boy, I’m serious. Leave me alone,” she giggled. “We have a wedding tomorrow and I have so much to do. And you know I can barely get out of bed when you do ya thing at night,” Tatum confessed in a soft sexy voice. “I need to be rejuvenated.”
Ree bit his lip and nodded.
“Okay, you got that. I know you got a lot to do. But tomorrow night…” He turned and looked at her seriously. “I’ma tear ya ass up.” He winked and she smiled.
“I’ll look forward to it.”
“Tatum, what if I told you that I would do anything to be the kind of man that’s right for you?” – Respect, Thicker than Water
-6-
The Big Day
“Okay, seriously! These orchids are limp. I want these cut out and there better not be any more like this. I know you were paid damn good money to make sure these flowers were up to par!”
Jayde stood with her hand on her hip, barking at the Jamaican florist who had three vans full of white flowers that he was delivering to the lighthouse. As he stared blankly back at her groups of caterers, waiters, band members, and photographers scurried back and forth.
“Let’s get it together people!” Jayde shouted, playing the take charge friend role well. Although Jayde enjoyed having control of all situations, she could care less about the wedding. It was just another ploy to keep heat off of her, one more way to get close like a cobra, and then strike.
“Excuse me, Miss,” one of the band members politely tapped Jayde on the shoulder. He had seen her barking all the orders and figured she was a wedding planner.
“Yes!” Jayde spun around, irritated. She hated when someone interrupted her conversation.
“I’m sorry. It’s just…the singer is here. …And he needs to be directed.”
Jayde scrunched up her face in frustration.
“What do you mean he needs to be directed? Don’t he got eyes like everyone else? Can’t he see all the musicians are set up outside? Take him outside with you!”
Just then the man stepped to the side and the singer he was speaking of came into view.
“Hello,” he spoke with a smile.
“Holy shit,” Jayde whispered wide-eyed, ready to eat her words.
Even for a bad bitch like herself, she was jealous. Ree had gone all out for Tatum.
At the top of the lighthouse, in a large spacious room with tri-folding mirrors, stood a beautiful princess like Rapunzel with long tresses, awaiting the moment she would see her prince.
“Oh my god. Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, oh my god…”
Tatum studied herself in the mirror and repeated the phrase over and over, appearing to be having a small panic attack.
“Oh my god… Can I do this? Should I do this?”
Tatum’s stomach flipped repeatedly and she thought she was going to be sick any minute. She had never in her life felt nerves like this.
“Oh my god…oh my god.” Just then a thought went through her head and she cracked a small smile. “Damn, Kim. Where are you when I need you to smack some sense into me?”
She thought of how bad she wished she was there, Kim and also her parents. They were greatly missed on this special day.
A knock on the door diverted her attention and she turned her head anxiously as the door creaked open.
Sasha stepped in with a warm smile.
“Oh my god, Tay,” she whispered in awe. “I swear I can’t believe how beautiful you look.”
Tatum’s strapless off-white gown was completely embellished with beading and crystals that sparkled when she moved. Her long train flowed for five feet, and gradually faded from off white to a champagne color, which matched Sasha, Tangee, and Chanel’s bridesmaid dresses. Her hair was long and curled loosely, with a small diamond tiara atop of her head. She looked absolutely breath taking.
“Really Sash? It’s not too much? I was thinking I should lose the tiara. Should I lose the tiara? Imma lose it,” Tatum decided, reaching for the beautiful accessory.
“No, Tay! It’s perfect. Everything…is perfect.”
Tatum smiled with tears in her eyes and turned back to face the mirror. Staring at herself she couldn’t help but feel an overwhelm of happiness and joy. She loved Ree, Respect, Sean Knights, all aspects of him, so much. And after all of the madness with Neli, Kim, Sasha, her brother, her nieces, and Trinity, and even Ree himself…Tatum would finally be able to have her day. It was always about everyone else. Now it could finally be about her. Alicia Key’s Unthinkable came to mind when Tatum wondered, ‘Do I deserve this? I think I deserve this…’
She let out another smile and at that same moment she glanced at Sasha through the mirror to share the joy, but noticed the lost look in her eye.
“Sash… you okay?”
Tatum took her in. Even when she was singing the praises of Tatum’s beauty something seemed to be weighing on her mind. Tatum needed her best friend there with her, completely, sharing this moment with her.
Sasha looked up at Tatum and now Tatum could see her eyes becoming wet as if tears were forming. Tatum spun around in worry.
“Oh my god, Sasha. What’s wrong?”
“Was it Chauncey?”
Tatum crinkled her brow, looking at her best friend in confusion. She didn’t get it.
“What?”
“Tatum…” Sasha swallowed hard and more tears made their way to her eyes. She had just gotten her makeup done to match her silk champagne colored long, fitted gown but was bound to fuck it up. “Was it…Chauncey?” Her voice cracked on the last word of the question, on his name.
Tatum let out a nervous laugh of disbelief, never breaking eye contact with her friend. There was a long silence between them…too long.
&nbs
p; “Sasha, no. What are you-”
“Tay, please don’t lie to me... Please!” Sasha begged, her tears on the brink. At this time Tatum now had her own cry coming on.
Tatum looked down and sighed, her bottom lip trembling as the tears burned the back of her eyes. She shook her head from side to side.
“Sash… Sasha… I’m… I’m so sorry. We were so young…”
“I fucking knew it!” Sasha screamed at her uncontrollably. “How could you? I knew it!” Sasha balled her hands into fists angrily. “He was your first. That’s why you tripped like that!”
Tatum shut her eyes and pressed her lips together, wanting this to all be a nightmare. She felt so bad, worse than bad, and she couldn’t believe this was happening…now.
“Sasha, I swear... It was nothing. I was fourteen years old! He was my brother’s friend. It…it was one time! Oh my god...,” she added in a desperate whisper. Not this shit. Tatum had all but forgotten the memory.
Sure, she had thought of telling Sasha, from the moment that Sasha and Chauncey started getting serious. But she never wanted it to be weird with her. She never wanted Sasha to think Chauncey was something more to Tatum than he was. She felt absolutely no sexual feelings for him, and she knew Sasha was head over heels for him. Tatum felt like some things were better left unsaid. To tell her would’ve been pointless. Tatum loved Sasha, she didn’t want to hurt her. And she knew no matter how much she drilled to her that it was a one time, young, teenage, “let’s see what sex is all about” kinda thing, Sasha would always see it for more. She was protecting her feelings, sparing her that hurt and unnecessary worry.
“One time? Does that make it right? You were supposed to be my best friend! You fucked Chauncey!”
Tatum shook her head and at this time both girls were full on crying. This was the worst thing that could happen.
“Sasha, I swear I am sooo sorry! I don’t have any type of feelings for Chauncey. It was one time. We were kids! I swear. We never even thought about it after that. Chauncey loves you. I love you! I’m sorry…” Tatum sobbed irrepressibly. “You’re my best friend, Sash! You gotta forgive me.”
“Whatever! How could you Tay? First Chauncey, then Neli, then Mike, then Jayde, now you! Who the fuck is real anymore? Everyone has it out for me, huh? Joke’s always on me!” Sasha yelled, while the tears poured and she paced the floor.
Tatum wondered why she had said Jayde’s name but then she figured she was speaking of the whole lying about hustling thing. Tatum went to apologize again as she continued to cry, but then a thought went through her head. A thought that had she not been such a good friend, would have been her first thought.
“You know what. Hold up…are you serious? Everyone has it out for you? Sasha, you should know me better than that-”
“I thought I knew you.”
“No you know me, bitch!” Tatum based seriously. “I have always had your back, more than anyone. I love you with everything in me. I’ve put your feelings above my own! Now was I wrong for not telling you? Absolutely. But I know that you know it meant nothing. You know that. But you’re coming to me with this, going on and on, today? Of all days? Sasha, this is my wedding day! You couldn’t wait?”
“No, I couldn’t! I needed to know-”
“Yes, you needed to know, Sasha! But what about what I needed?” Tatum cried hard in deep pain. “You couldn’t put my feelings above yours for one day? You know I don’t want Chauncey. He’s grown to be like a fucking brother to me! You know exactly why I didn’t tell you because you would act like this, overdramatic! We were fucking fourteen, Sasha. But you had to make it about you, right? Somehow, it just has to be about Sasha, huh? You want this day? Is that want you want?”
“Fuck you Tay!”
“Take it!” Tatum snatched off the tiara and threw it at her while her tears poured like a faucet. “Take this fucking tiara, take this dress, take my ring…take the whole fucking day, Sash! What do I have to do to let you know that I’m sorry! Huh? You want my man, too? Take him! You know I’d give you anything!”
“I don’t want your fucking man, Tatum!” Sasha spat with disgust. “But apparently you wanted mine.”
Tatum looked at her with a hurt and dumbfounded expression. Sasha knew that wasn’t true and Tatum couldn’t believe this was happening. Was she wrong? Yes. She felt awful. But would she have done this to Sasha? Not in a million years. Not to her sister. She would have let her have her day.
“What’s going on? Y’all okay?”
Tatum wasn’t sure exactly when Jayde had entered, but she could care less. She continued to stare at Sasha as she sniffled one last time.
“I’m sorry, Sasha. I really am.”
“That’s all you got to say?” Sasha narrowed her eyes, furious.
Tatum chuckled and shook her head.
“Nope. But that’s all I’m going to say. ‘Cause that’s all I can give you today. Today…I’m keeping everything else for myself.” She finally looked from Sasha to Jayde and she looked drained, tired, and just devastated. Not like she was about to get married in thirty minutes.
“Excuse me…I’m going to the restroom.”
Sasha watched her walk away, and as bad as she wanted to go after her, her selfishness got in the way. She was the victim here, not Tatum. Tatum was dead wrong. She didn’t care. They were supposed to be best friends, tell each other everything, even though she did have a secret or two of her own. One of which, was that Tatum still didn’t know that it was Sasha who had pulled the trigger and killed Mike, not Chauncey. The other, well the other was the one from her mother that she was holding onto. But Tatum had fucked Chauncey. And that was different.
“What the hell happened?” Jayde asked in shock. When she had left they were sickenly bffs, now they looked like they were about to go twelve rounds.
“Why did you ask me that last night?” Sasha asked Jayde suspiciously.
“Ask you what?”
“When Tatum went to sleep, and when Marsha left…you asked me how close Tatum and Chauncey were before I met Chauncey. Why did you ask me that?”
Jayde had to fight hard against her urge to smile. When she had seen Tatum’s reaction to the “first time” question she thought she would fuck with Sasha and plant a bug in her head about Chauncey and Tatum maybe having messed around or liked one another at one time. Never in a million years did she think it would actually be truth to it or result in this. It was almost too brilliant.
Jayde shrugged nonchalantly.
“I don’t know. I remembered you told me they knew each other before, and we were talking about maybe if something had happened to Tatum when she was younger. You said you didn’t know, so I figured if Chauncey knew her before you and if they were close, then maybe he would know. Why do you ask?” Jayde questioned, but happily had a feeling already what the answer was.
Sasha pursed her lips and looked from Jayde to the now closed bathroom door where Tatum was, on the other side of the large room.
“Well to answer your question…apparently they were close. Too fucking close. Excuse me,” Sasha added solemnly after a pause and then left the room.
“Jayde smirked wickedly and then strutted over to the bathroom door in her red Alexander McQueen dress. She tapped faintly.
“Tatum sweetie…Can you let me in? I’m sure whatever it is, it’s not that bad…” After a moment of silence, Jayde continued. “I’m sorry if someone upset you, Tatum. I don’t know why anyone would do that to you on your wedding day. Lord knows you don’t deserve that. But you can’t let that get to you today, mama. This is your day. You can’t let anyone else ruin it.”
There was another silence and Jayde figured she’d just leave her alone. But as she turned to walk away she heard the lock on the door click and the knob turned. Jayde smiled lovingly like she was the most genuine friend ever, and Tatum let her inside.
TTW 3 ( Thicker Than Water 3 ) Page 11
