by Denora Boone
“Alright then. It was good seeing you,” Chey responded before getting in her car on the driver’s side.
Watching Qyree pull off like a bat out of hell, all she could do was imagine that he was on his way to a woman’s house. If he was anything like he used to be when they were in college, her assumptions would be dead on.
-5-
As Cheynese and Von sat in the third row of the small church, neither of them could deny the presence of God that they both felt. He was definitely letting His anointing fall fresh on each member that was in attendance. The word that was going forth was ministering to their souls and she couldn’t get enough.
So much had changed since she had been back home, but her childhood church, His Lighted Path Church of God In Christ, was still the same. Looking around the room, she saw familiar faces, along with people she had never seen before, and that was a good thing because it meant that the ministry was growing.
Tuning back in to what was going on with the message, she had just picked up on her pastor asking her to come and give them a selection. It had been years since she sang in a church but this shouldn’t have come as a surprise to her, considering her pastor was also her father.
Getting up, she politely excused herself from the pew and walked up to where her father was standing.
“You’re not slick,” she laughed at him as he winked and kissed her cheek before taking his seat.
“To God be the glory,” she said closing her eyes and raising her right hand in worship. “It’s been a long time since I have been up here but it feels so good. Being away from home for so long, I had my fair share of struggles, but God was there to see me through it all. So getting up here and lifting my voice unto Him is a praise that I owe to Him. Can I get an Amen somebody?”
“Amen,” came from almost everyone in the sanctuary, including Von. It had been so long since she had been able to be in church and for a long time, she was mad at God for something that she had caused. But with time and understanding of what He was trying to do in her life, she surrendered everything to Him and didn’t turn back. So the struggles Chey was talking about, she understood because she had her own.
“Won’t you all stand to your feet and just begin to give God some praise in this place. Forget about everyone else and just focus on the Master’s face as you just love on Him. Let Him know how grateful you are for all that he has done,” Chey said before she began her worship to the Lord.
“There’s a miracle in this room with my name on it. Glory to God. There’s a healing in this room and it’s here for me. If you know your healing is here today go ahead and claim it right now. There’s a breakthrough in this room and it’s got my name on it. So I’m gonna put a praise on it!”
Chey sang the popular Tasha Cobbs song “Put A Praise On It”. Von knew that Tasha was a beast when it came to singing but Chey was definitely giving her a run for her money.
The anointing that this woman held and that sickening run that she had just slayed, had every hand up and every eye wet from tears. God definitely had a hand on this woman’s life and Von was glad that He had placed her in her life.
By the time she had finished, people were at the altar giving their lives over to Christ and making a vow with our Father to not turn back to their old ways. Of course, some were just going through formality, but there were others that had finally gotten sick and tired of playing with the devil and meant what they had just confessed, Von included. It was at that moment that she decided if God would accept her again, she wasn’t turning back. Her son Amir’s life depended on it.
Once church was over and everyone was filing out, it seemed like Chey was getting stopped every few feet because someone wanted to welcome her back home, or let her know how beautifully she sang. She was so humble and just kept giving all of the glory to God.
The next day was Von’s first day of college and she was a bit nervous, but thanks to Chey and her encouragement when she got dropped off at the halfway house, she was prepared. Getting her high school diploma behind bars was as far as she had gone, but now that she was out and in a different head space, she knew that in order to get where she wanted to be, she had to challenge herself and college would do just that.
Just as Chey made it home and got her things prepared for the week, the release and refilling that she got from attending church a while ago gave her just what she needed to be recharged and ready to go come Monday morning. Standing in her closet, she was having the hardest time picking out something to wear the next day, when her phone rang.
“Hey sissy pooh!” she greeted her best friend.
“Hey honey dip. What you got going on?” Natalia asked her.
“Just got in from church not too long ago and getting things ready for tomorrow,” Chey said, still on the hunt for an outfit.
“I knew once you got back you would be at that church house every time the doors open,” she cackled.
“Mm hmm, and your behind needs to be right there beside me. Better yet, you need to bring a pillow and blanket and just lay at the altar until you get delivered,” Cheynese shot back with a laugh.
“Oh no ma’am. After all those years of my parents dragging me to church, I have had enough. That should be enough to get me inside the pearly gates when it’s time to kick the bucket.”
“You sound like a whole fool with that logic,” Chey said and they both laughed.
“Well, you know what the Bible says somewhere round third Peter, ‘Thou God loves all fools and babies’ so I’m a shoe in.”
“Hunty, whatever Bible you read that in I need you to return it and get your money back. That’s not even in one scripture and Peter only has two books. This is why you need to come and get taught and learn the word on your own,” she laughed.
“Anywaysss, how does it feel being back home?” Natalia asked.
“It’s good. You know I love being home. When you coming to visit since I’m back?”
“I don’t know. You know no matter when I pop up, it’s always some drama with Mama and Daddy,” she said, shrugging her shoulders as if Chey could see her.
The lifestyle that she chose to live over the one her parents tried their best instilling in her was always the topic of discussion, and Natalia wasn’t here for it. If she could just go home and be accepted for who she was instead of who she wasn’t by their standards, then she would be just fine. Until then, she would continue to do her.
“They only want the best for you and you know that,” Chey tried her best to rationalize.
“Yea, well, we’ll see. I may come home soon but it’s not set in stone and don’t quote me on that either. I know how you do.”
“I guess I will just have to take a trip to see you when I get some free time then.”
“And we gonna turn up when you do, too! Hold on a sec,” Natalia told her as she clicked over to her other line.
Cheynese found the perfect outfit with the matching shoes and put them over the back of the bench at the foot of her king size bed, before climbing up to the top. She loved everything about this bed, but she would love it even more when she had someone to share it with. Chey wasn’t in a rush to just settle with anyone; she wanted the man that she eventually married to be exactly what God sent to her. All her life she dreamed of the perfect man, but after many failed attempts at relationships, she decided that she would just wait on him to find her.
“I’m back, girl. That was bae and he’s on his way over, so I gotta freshen up before he gets here. Call me later this week and let me know if u can make it up this way. Love you, heffa!” Natalia ran off in one breath and ended the call before Chey could say anything back.
Just like always, Natalia was still making men her priority. It may not have been so bad if it was just one, but she had at least one that met each one of her needs. There was one she had to just pay her car note, another for her rent, one for her utilities, and so on. Chey knew she had to be doing them favors as well, but that wasn’t for her to call her out on. For
as long as they had been friends, Natalia was just fast. People often wondered how they got along so well being they were total opposites, but it was just how they rolled with one another. They were sisters and hopefully one day Chey would rub off on her and she would see her own worth wasn’t found in a man.
Settling in with some leftovers and her remote, Chey relaxed and tuned in to some ratchet TV that she had recorded during the week. With her busy schedule, she rarely had time for anything other than church on Thursday nights, so she caught up on her missed episodes on Sunday. She had finished three episodes of Love and Hip Hop, but not long after she had gotten through the first half of How to Get Away with Murder did her eyes betray her and sleep set in. She would just have to catch up another day.
-6-
“That’s my best friend! You betta, you betta! You want ‘em back then come and get ha and ha best friend. Ayeeee.” Natalia danced around in front of her bedroom mirror as she got dressed. J. R and Trey Songz knew they had a hit on their hands with that song.
Sticking out her tongue as she twerked around her room, slinging her fresh Peruvian Body Wave sew-in, she knew she was one of the baddest females around. Standing about 5-feet-7, she was a little on the tall side but she loved it. Her body filled out nice in all of the right places, and her Dominican and African American mix gave her that exotic look that drove all of the men crazy. It just wasn’t enough to keep the man that she really wanted and she couldn’t understand why.
Natalia was a dime; she kept her house clean, she knew how to cook, and she put it down when it came to the intimacy, so for the life of her she couldn’t figure out why she couldn’t land Qyree like she wanted. Putting some of her Victoria’s Secret Bombshell perfume behind her ears and on her wrists, she knew that as soon as he walked into the house and got a whiff of her, it would be on and poppin’ like usual. She knew the key to making a man remember you was all about the scent you carried; well, at least that’s what her mother taught her. It wasn’t all about the price of the perfume but how it complemented your natural body odor. It could cost you $200 a bottle, but if your natural aroma wasn’t compatible then you would be walking around still smelling like you just ran a marathon in 100-degree weather.
Looking around the room, Natalia made sure that she had everything in place. The bath water was nice and hot, the candles were lit, she had just put a new comforter set that her sugar daddy Benson had purchased on her bed, and now all she needed was her man. Just as she made sure the silk robe was tied around her body loosely, she heard the front door opening. Knowing that it was only one other person that had access to her house, she eagerly strolled up the hallway.
“Hey baby,” she said walking up behind Qyree.
“What’s all this for?” he asked turning his nose up.
Paying his attitude no mind, Natalia walked over to him and rubbed her hand up his back. It was something about this man that made her weak whenever she was near him and she couldn’t get enough of it. Up until tonight, she had been cool with them just doing what they did when he wanted to without her giving him a hard time, but now she wanted more and it was time she got it.
“Well, when you came over last week you told me you were going to be heading out of town for the weekend, so I wanted to take care of you before you left. I don’t need one of those little jailbait broads at that school to try and take what’s mine.”
“What’s yours, huh? You wild, man,” was all he said as he headed to the back of the house. He needed to use the bathroom before he got on the road.
Upon entering her bedroom, he saw the little setup she had and groaned inwardly. Not because he was excited, but because he was afraid that this would happen. She had finally caught feelings.
For two years they had been messing around and she was always his favorite jump off. She did her own thing as did he, and she never wanted anything deep between them. That’s why when any of his other females were getting too clingy or needy, he would always go to her. He knew right then that he was going to have to pull away before she got any bright ideas about the two of them. Natalia was cool and all but lately, Qyree noticed a change in her all of a sudden, and he couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was.
He looked down at his watch as he felt her come up behind him and her skin touch his. Knowing he didn’t have much time before he needed to get on the road, he decided he could spare a few more minutes to reach that level of ecstasy he craved. It was like a high that he was constantly chasing. Each woman took him to new heights, but there wasn’t one that could be the only one to make him forget about the rest.
Turning around and biting his bottom lip, he knew he was wrong for leaving Trinity in the car, but who cared. Either she sat there until he got done or she could get out and walk home. Either way, he didn’t care one bit. She was lucky that he was taking her with him for the show but she had some people down there that could add to his after party and he was all for it. She could get down there and act crazy if she wanted to; she would be hitting the pavement with those big behind feet of hers, trucking it back to Atlanta.
“Hop up, yo,” he said to Natalia twenty minutes after being there. He already knew what time it was when he heard his phone ringing.
“What, man? Nah, I told you I had to make a stop first so chill. What? Don’t worry about it, man,” he said. Natalia knew by the way he was talking that it was another woman on the other end. Usually that wouldn’t bother her, but now that her feelings had gotten involved and their little arrangement was no longer what she wanted, she had a problem.
“Who is that, Qy?” she gave not one care if the woman on the other end heard her but obviously, Qyree did by how he turned to look at her.
Sucking her teeth, she got up and threw her robe back on and headed to the front of the house. Her little time with him was up and she was ready for him to leave if he didn’t want to be there. Just as he was coming up the hall, there was a knock at her door. Rolling her eyes at him caused Qyree to laugh out loud which made her even madder.
Whoever it was, they were adamant about getting her attention. She knew that it wasn’t any of her other sponsors because none of them knew where she lived, so she wasn’t worried at all. Right as she opened the door, the woman on the other side was about to knock again.
“I know he didn’t. Is Qyree here?” the woman said. Trinity couldn’t believe that he had not only brought her to another woman’s house but from the looks of it, he was in there giving away what she felt like was hers. Looking into the face of this mixed beauty, Trinity seethed on the inside. No matter how much she wanted to deny it, she had nothing on Natalia. Everything about her screamed dime while everything on Trinity couldn’t even mumble nickel. It wasn’t like she was ugly or anything, but compared to the woman that had just been in there with her man, there was no candle on the face of the earth that she could hold to her.
Natalia gave her the once over and could tell she wasn’t that much younger than her, but she was young enough so she better be his sister, while she was worried about if he was there or not. She wasn’t even intimidated because by the look on the girl’s face, she could already tell she was out of her league.
“Yeah, why?”
“Qyree!” she yelled, ignoring Natalia as Qyree appeared behind her. He had to make sure that he didn’t leave anything of value there because as soon as he got the phone call and the knock on the door, he knew that it was about to go down. The last thing he wanted was to leave anything there that Natalia could destroy of his.
“Watch out, man,” he said pushing Natalia to the side and walking out the door. “Didn’t I tell you to wait in the car?”
“Yeah, and you also said this was your grandmama’s house. She don’t look like she drawing social security to me,” Trinity said rolling her neck.
“This what we do now, Qyree? Bring these desperate chicks to my house while you lay up? Humph, that’s real cute.”
Looking at both of the women, he knew that they were pro
bably thinking he was trying to get his lie together, but that couldn’t have been farthest from the truth. He would have to actually care first before he did that. Neither of them, in his book, was good enough for an explanation so he gave none, as he walked down the driveway to his car.
Both ladies stood there stuck, not knowing what to say or do.
“Y’all gonna stay here and play sister wives or you getting on the road with me?”
“So this is why I couldn’t go? ‘Cause you taking this beauty supply store track wearing heffa with you?” Natalia was on a hundred and Qyree wasn’t there for it. Although Natalia was putting on a front about going, she didn’t really care because she had other plans for the weekend and they didn’t involve Qyree.
Natalia was lost in her thoughts of what was to come and in that brief instance, Trinity used that to her advantage and caught her with a quick combo causing her to stumble back. Catching herself, Natalia got herself together and gave the girl what she was obviously in serious need of. A good ole southern behind whoopin!
Qyree laughed as he watched Trinity sneak Natalia, but she came back and started throwing bows. All he could do was shake his head at the sight. He didn’t have time to play referee when he needed to get on the road. Reaching in the backseat, he grabbed Trinity’s bags that she was taking with her, rolled down the window, and threw them out. She was so into getting her behind handed to her by Natalia that she didn’t know that he was pulling off leaving her, until the bass dropped and Tory Lanez came through the speakers. He threw up the peace sign, as once again, Trinity was running behind his car screaming. Qyree didn’t know why he was taking sand to the beach anyway, by taking her with him. Pulling out the blunt he had just rolled for the three-hour drive, he lit it up and headed towards the highway.
