Be with Me (Strickland Sisters Book 3)

by Alexandria House

I frowned. “I don’t know. Anyway, I’ll be searching for other strips for the site. The pay is crazy good and the work is easy, so I couldn’t turn it down. With that and everything I’m having to do for Foreign Son, and soon, Nick and Dame, I think it makes sense to just move out there. Doesn’t have to be permanent, but I feel like it’s a move I need to make right now.”

  We were sitting on the couch in our living room, her eyes now searching the room as if she was deciding what to say next. Finally, she said, “Everything is changing and I don’t know how I feel about it.” Then her eyes met mine. “You’re changing, becoming famous, moving away. Where does that leave me? What am I supposed to do here without you?”

  My eyes widened as I stared at her like she’d lost her mind. “You think I’m moving without you?”

  With a furrowed brow and upturned palms, she said, “You said you were ‘seriously thinking about’ moving, then gave me all the reasons why. You never mentioned me going with you.”

  “Shit, that goes without saying! I’m not leaving you here, Nick. What the hell would I do without you? You’re my muse, my-my everything. Of course your ass is moving with me!”

  She tried not to smile, but I could see her lips twitching. “So we’re moving to LA? I’m moving to LA?”

  “Your ass ain’t staying here for me to have to kill a motherfucker.”

  She grinned. “LA. Wow…wait until I tell my sisters.” She frowned. “My sisters…we’ll come back to visit, right? And Renee’s having the new baby in a few months. I have to come back for that, and my mom. I have to visit my mom…” Her voice trailed off as her eyes fell to the floor.

  I reached for her hands, tightly grasping them in mine. “Yeah, baby. We’ll come back whenever you want to. Theo and Onika are moving to LA, too, but I got my parents to visit now, since we’re halfway getting along these days.”

  “I still can’t believe that, although I’m thrilled about it,” she mumbled.

  “Hell, I can’t believe it, either. But listen, your family can come visit us, too. I’m not tryna separate you from them, just tryna do what makes sense.”

  She nodded and sighed. “Okay. Let’s do this, then.”

  “You sure? You’re really okay with it?”

  “Dame, as long as we’re together, I’m okay with just about anything.”

  32

  “So you’re quitting? You’re not going to be a midwife anymore?” I asked, before shoving a spoonful of Angie’s banana pudding into my mouth.

  Renee smiled at Little Zo as he toddled into the kitchen. Reaching for him and pulling him into her lap, she said, “For now. Little Man here is ten months old now, and I still can’t see myself leaving him to go to work in the foreseeable future; plus, I’m due to have baby number two in a couple of months. I’ll have my hands full. And honestly, I don’t miss it. Not at all. I’m actually thinking about selling my half of the clinic to Cass, but we’ll see.”

  “I can’t believe you’re having another boy!” Angie gushed.

  “This’ll be Zo’s fifth son. I swear that’s all he makes!” Renee said.

  With a frown, I asked, “I thought he had a daughter, too?”

  Renee gave me a smirk. “An alleged daughter. I actually met her at a book event we attended in Chicago a few months before Little Zo was born. Child, if her daddy ain’t white…”

  I laughed. “Oh, yeah. I forgot you had doubts.”

  “I do. But Zo still claims her, so I keep my mouth shut. His heart is just too big.”

  “Yours, too. You guys were made for each other,” Angie said.

  “Yeah.” Little Zo wiggled out of her lap and left the kitchen. “Incoming, Zo!” she shouted.

  “I got him!” Zo yelled in response.

  “It’s a wonder y’all don’t lose that baby in this big-ass house,” I observed.

  “It’s a struggle. Zo wants to hire a nanny to help out, but both our mothers help us, so I think it’s an unnecessary expense.” Renee said.

  I stared at Renee for a second, and said, “You are crazy as hell. I’d be all over that nanny offer.”

  Renee rolled her eyes. “Anyway, are you excited about moving to LA? Man, I’m gonna miss your loony ass!”

  “Oh, me too! Where will I get my doses of crazy from with you gone?” Angie asked.

  This was our last girls’ night before Damon and I moved. I guess it was a guys’ night, too, since our men were hanging out in the living room. Damon and I had had an awkward, but calm, dinner with his parents earlier that week, and shortly after that, a dinner with my parents during which I’d cried all in my plate of food. I was fighting not to get emotional tonight.

  I sighed. “Um, we all have phones, duh.”

  Angie smirked at me.

  “Okay…so, I’ll miss you guys, too. But I think I’m ready. I want to support Damon in any way I can. The traveling back and forth was getting to him, and now that he has an actual job at Southside Strips, the move makes sense.” Then I rolled my eyes at Angie. “And I’m not crazy or loony, you skanches.”

  “Crazy people never think they’re crazy.” Angie shrugged. “Go figure.”

  I wrinkled my nose at her before dipping my finger in my glass of water and flicking it at her.

  “Stop! Always trying to throw shit at me!” Angie yelled through a giggle.

  I smiled. “Tryna be like you!”

  We both laughed.

  “But hey,” I said, “we’re coming back to visit. And you all have to come see us.” My voice cracked a little. I’d lived in Romey my entire life. Had never lived away from my family. This was hard, but I knew it was the right thing to do. I loved Damon and had his back no matter what. I took care of him and supported him. It was what I’d always done. It was my role in our relationship, and I was fine with that.

  Both my sisters stood from their chairs and hugged me, reassuring me we’d all stay in touch.

  The doorbell rang, breaking into our moment, then Zo yelled, “I got it, baby!”

  A second or so later, we were all in our seats wiping tears and laughing at our emotional selves when a loud wailing sound filled the humongous house.

  “What in the world?” Renee murmured, as she shot out of her chair.

  Me and Angie were close on her heels as she left the kitchen and entered the living room. We all halted our steps at the sight before us—our father shirtless in an open robe, brown dress pants and black house slippers, slumped against a bewildered-looking Zo, crying his eyes out.

  *****

  “She put me out!” Daddy howled, his breaths coming in short spurts as he fought to control his emotions. Everyone had migrated to the kitchen, and we all looked confused as hell.

  “Who? Mama?” Angie asked.

  He nodded vigorously. “She-she put me out againnnn. Oh, Lord! I’m gonna die this time! I need my Lisa! I want my Lisa! Lisaaaaaa!”

  Renee and Angie and I looked at each other, and I mouthed, “Should we call Mama?”

  My sisters both shrugged in response.

  “Uh, Pops, what happened? I mean, did y’all have a fight?” Zo asked.

  Daddy’s head snapped in Zo’s direction. “Can I hold my little buddy? I need to hold my little buddy.”

  Zo pulled my now-sleeping nephew from Angie’s lap and handed him to my father. Daddy hugged the baby to his body and kissed his forehead as tears streamed down his face. I’d never seen my father so distraught, so completely bereft. My heart actually ached for him, while simultaneously, I wondered how he’d fucked things up this time.

  Renee left the kitchen and returned less than a minute later with some tissues she handed to Daddy. He took them and mopped his face. With a sigh, he began to speak. “One of my—” His eyes rounded the room. “—former acquaintances came by the house asking for me, a woman I haven’t spoken to in years. She told your mother we were still seeing each other. She lied! I have not been with another woman since shortly after your mother kicked me out the first time, since right after I show
ed up at your house asking for help, baby girl.” His eyes were on Angie, baby girl number two. “I don’t want anyone but my Lisa. I worked hard to get her back, and all it took was a lie to ruin us this time.” He started wailing again, causing Little Zo to stir. When Renee reached for her son, Daddy tightened his grip on him. “Please don’t take him! I need him!”

  “Daddy, you’ve got to calm down before you wake him up and scare him,” Renee said.

  He nodded, wiping his face with his hand this time.

  “Uh, Daddy, if you’re telling the truth, just give Mama some time. Maybe she’ll be willing to talk rationally once she calms down some,” I said softly.

  “If I’m telling the truth? I am telling the truth, baby girl! I have not been seeing anyone else. Ivy lied on me!”

  My head jerked toward Damon, who looked equally as shocked. Surely he didn’t mean… “Ivy? Ivy, who?” I asked, leaning forward and giving Daddy my full attention.

  He frowned slightly as his eyes found me. “Amato. Ivy Amato.”

  My mouth fell open. My first thought was: I knew that ho’ was not to be trusted! My second thought was: Evidently, she likes old men now—which, by the way, ew—so I don’t have to worry about her coming after Damon.

  Sad, I know.

  “She started trying to contact me again after seeing me at your rehearsal dinner, really ramped up her efforts after seeing me at the benefit. I told her we were not starting back up, ever, and she just won’t take no for an answer.” He shook his head and dropped his eyes.

  “Daddy, she’s my age!” I shrieked.

  Then again, Mama had once screwed a guy who was younger than me. My parents were just…wrong.

  “I know, I know,” he groaned. “I’ve done some stupid stuff, but I’ve changed. I promise I have.”

  “Daddy, is her little girl yours?” I asked, ready to beat my daddy’s ass if the answer was yes.

  “No! Look, I messed up. I’ve done my dirt, but I only have three daughters. I only have three children, period. I made sure of that!”

  Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Renee and Angie recline in their seats, both releasing relieved breaths. The doorbell rang again, and when no one moved, Ryan hopped up, advising the room that he’d answer it.

  When he returned, my mother was with him. Before anyone could address her, she rushed over to Daddy. “Are you over here bothering our children with your foolishness?”

  “I-I needed to see my little buddy,” Daddy whined, almost cowering at the sight of Mama.

  Wow.

  “And you could’ve put a damn shirt on before you left!”

  “You told me to get my ass out before you kicked it! Then you threatened to cut my thing off!” Daddy shrieked.

  “I know that, but I would’ve given you time to put on a shirt, Angelo! You’re over here looking crazy in front of our daughters.”

  He really did look crazy.

  “Lisa, baby, she’s lying! I swear to God she’s lying! You’ve got to believe me!” he begged.

  Mama sighed. “I know that little heifer was lying. She came back after you left and talked too much, said she was with you last night and I know that’s a lie. I just…I could kick your ass for ever cheating on me, for there being a possibility of women like that coming around starting mess.”

  “I know, baby. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. If you want a divorce, I’ll understand. I won’t fight it.” The tears started up again. “I don’t deserve you…I don’t deserve youuuuuuu! Oh, God! Help me please! I just want my wife!”

  Mama took Little Zo, receiving no resistance from Daddy, and gave him to Big Zo. Then she slid into Daddy’s lap, wrapped her arms around him, and said, “I’m not divorcing you, Angelo. But I am going to punish you.”

  Daddy stopped crying almost instantly, his eyes lighting up as he gazed at Mama. “What you gonna do? Spank me?” He smiled.

  Mama tilted her head to the side. “That’s what you want me to do?”

  Daddy’s ass started giggling like a teenage girl. My stomach gurgled in response.

  “I’ll even use one of my wooden spoons. You’d like that, huh?” Mama’s voice was low but not low enough.

  “Nope. That’s it. I’m out of here,” Renee said, hopping to her feet, belly and all, and ambling out of the kitchen. She was followed by a medley of murmurs in agreement as the rest of us cleared out of the kitchen, leaving Mama and Daddy alone.

  The only thought in my head was: double ew.

  33

  Our LA home was a property belonging to one of Karyn McNooner’s close friends, a gorgeous loft apartment, a small but luxurious space located in a Hollywood high rise that boasted half-wall windows that spanned the entire width of the place, giving a breathtaking view of the city.

  The friend owned a home in New York, where he spent the bulk of his time, freeing up the apartment—which Damon would only say he was paying a reasonable price for, but I knew better—for us to live in. It held sleek, expensive modern furniture with beautiful abstract artwork on the stark white walls, and we spent every night our first couple of weeks living there christening every inch of the place, including the huge bathroom and its glass-enclosed shower.

  I continued to work from home. NLS still had the same clients, my family members, Genesis Birthing Center, and Damon, because I honestly no longer cared about expanding the company. Expansion would necessitate hiring help, something I was unwilling to tackle, since I was already dealing with having moved all the way across the country from my family and the only home I’d ever known, not to mention the separation anxiety I was experiencing with Damon working outside our home. I missed him from the time he left in the morning to the time he made it back. Could do little else but think about him in between, and it didn’t help that he worked for and with Karyn McNooner, who, if my ho’ senses were correct, had the hots for him. I was feeling insecure like a motherfucker.

  My t-shirt, jeans, and Chucks-wearing man was becoming a real adult, a businessman, and I was having one hell of a time adjusting.

  I managed to get my work done, and I was good at it. My efforts had spawned growing followings for all my clients, including Damon, but I was pretty much on autopilot. I’d been managing their social media accounts for months, so it required little to no thought for me to get my tasks done. The same wouldn’t be true if I took on new clients.

  So for about the first month of us living in LA, I was stuck in this weird limbo, between being with Damon and being alone…and lonely. With him gone all day, sometimes working late hours, I felt extreme loneliness. And when I had to attend events with him, the same feelings would creep up on me, because those events were business-related. He was not totally mine then, either. Sure, he showered me with the gifts he could now afford—purses, perfume, dresses, trips to spas, lingerie—but as much as I loved being pampered and living the fantasy life I’d dreamt of for years, I missed living in my sister’s duplex, sitting beside him on the sofa as we both worked to make ends meet. I missed the bond we shared as we struggled to fuel our dreams. I missed lazy days of sex, watching him play video games, and laughter.

  I missed Damon.

  *****

  Onika was loud, silly, and ghetto as hell, all reasons I loved hanging around her. Well, I also loved playing with little Tia, who was getting bigger by the day. Onika had picked me up so that I could go shopping with her, and I was glad she’d driven, because that damn LA traffic made me nervous as hell. Damon had had both our cars shipped to us, but I usually caught an Uber when I wanted to explore the city.

  Onika loved buying make-up and had a knack for finding stores that sold ho’ clothes—a chick after my own heart. Then again, she did have cousins who lived in LA, so I was sure they were pointing her in the right direction when it came to shopping. The stuff in the store we visited that day was cheap, but some of it was cute, so I bought a couple of pieces just because. When I needed something for one of the many events Damon was invited to that seemed to pop up at le
ast once a week, I’d opt for something of better quality. What I bought with Onika would work for a night at the club.

  As I climbed out of her Tahoe in front of my building, she gave me a big smile and a wave as I thanked her again for driving.

  “Ain’t nothing, girl. Just glad you came with me so I wouldn’t be alone with Tia’s spoiled ass.”

  I laughed. “You need to leave my girl alone.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Whatever, See you later, Nicky.”

  “Bye.” As she waved again, I tried to act like I didn’t notice the rock Theo had put on her finger, but I was salty as hell about it. Those two argued all the time, and he still proposed.

  I realized we’d only been together a few months, and that I’d just been seconds away from marrying another man, but shit, this was us. This was Damon and Nicole. We had history. We’d been in love for decades. It wasn’t like this was new. What the hell was he waiting on? Why hadn’t he proposed? Was he ever going to propose? I mean, it really fucked with my head that lazy-ass, slacking-ass Theo had proposed to Onika and I had yet to receive a ring from the man who had declared I was the love of his life.

  The mature thing to do would’ve been for me to just come on out and ask him about it. It wasn’t like we’d talked about marriage or anything like that. He’d made it clear what we had was a forever thing, but did forever to him mean us just shacking up? He’d said he wanted a baby, but did he want marriage to go along with that? Yeah, I should’ve asked him, but in my mind, asking was akin to begging, and I couldn’t bring myself to beg Damon to marry me, so I just drove myself half-crazy speculating about our future and tried to convince myself it didn’t matter if he ever proposed when I knew it did. At least it mattered to me.

  Times like these, I thought about calling my sisters to vent, but they were busy with their own lives. So was my mother. So I just worried in silence.

  I walked inside our apartment and dropped my purse and shopping bags on the sofa before heading over to the windows to look at the city. It was nearing time for Damon to get home, and I silently hoped he wouldn’t call or text saying he’d be late. If he came home on time, I had plans of jumping his bones before he got in the door good.