“Nothing much about to go over to Casper’s and help him bag up this weed that he just got, other than that though, nothing.”
I looked across the park admiring the asses of two chics that were walking. They were both phat as hell! “I feel you. I’m going to go over to my mom and pops crib after me and the boys leave here.”
“Oh word, that’s what’s up? How are your folks doing anyways?” He asked.
“They’re doing alright.”
“I haven’t seen them in a minute. Mr. Jefferson be cutting up, he’s a funny ass dude!” He laughed referring to my pops.
I laughed too. “Yeah, pops always talking crazy.”
“Have you heard anything from ol’ girl today?” I knew that he was talking about Lala.
“Nah, I told you I ain’t dealing with any of that shit today, meaning if she calls today she will get my voicemail.”
“I feel you.” He paused for a second like he was contemplating whether or not to say what was on his mind. “Man, I know that you said that you didn’t want to talk about your situation because you are chilling with your lil men and I respect that but as your boy I have to keep it one hundred with you.”
“Alright, speak you mind.” I flicked my cigarette butt onto the ground and listened.
“Kisha is good people. Long as I’ve known her, she’s never been wild and in the streets. On some real shit, you have what a lot of niggas wish they had. A woman that stays home, takes care of your kids, cooks, cleans and holds you down. What more could you ask for? These bitches out here in the streets ain’t about shit! I be wondering to myself sometimes when you be talking, when are you going to realize what you have at home and stop doing the crazy shit that you be doing? Kisha don’t deserve that shit, yo.”
I was confused as to where all of that had come from and to be honest I was a little bit heated by how he’d just came out of his face to me! I was totally caught off-guard! “Damn bruh, when did you become team Kisha and shit?”
“I’m not team Kisha. I’m just telling you how I see shit, that’s all.”
“Well, I appreciate you telling how you see shit but I got this and I am well aware of what my babymama deserves and what she doesn’t!” I’m sure that he realized that he’d hit a nerve but I’d known Skeet most of my life and I knew that he didn’t give a fuck about how I felt. That’s why I decided to end the conversation before shit turned ugly between us. “Umma holla at you some other time.”
“Yeah, aight.” I detected a little frostiness in his tone but I let it slide, we hung up and I took a seat on the bench and watched the boys play. All the while I kept thinking about Skeet’s little speech, trying to make some sense of it. He’d always told me that he thought Kisha was a good woman and that I needed to stop ripping and running before I lost her but today there was something different in his tone when he spoke about the situation. His tone is what had rubbed me the wrong way! I sat there a while longer playing the conversation over in my head. I decided to let it go and push the conversation to the back of my mind. Today was about spending time with my boys.
Kisha
After Tre and the boys left I hopped in the shower. When I was done taking my shower, I got dressed in a pair of loose-fitting pink sweats, a white and pink baby tee and a pair of footies. I was sitting on side of the bed putting lotion on when my cell started to ring. I figured it was Tamika calling to let me know that she was on her way. I got up and grabbed the phone off the dresser. A smile spread across my lips when I saw the number that was flashing on the screen, even though I didn’t have it programmed I knew exactly who it was. I pressed send to answer.
“Hello.” I giggled into the phone.
“What’s up beautiful?” Skeet’s baritone voice came through the line. “How are you today?”
“I’m good, enjoying a little bit of peace and quiet. Tre and the boys are out for the day but I assume that you already knew that being that you called.” I replied taking my time walking back over to the bed and flopping down. “How are you?”
“I’m good. I’ve been chillin’…ya know takin’ it easy.” I loved the sound of his voice. I could listen to his smooth-talking ass talk all night. Tre is lucky that I am a good woman, I swear! I thought to myself. “And yeah, I’ve talked to your boy. He’s up at the park with the boys.”
“Oh okay, so what made you decide to call me? I mean, what’s on your mind. It’s not too often that you call me.”
“There’s no particular reason why I called. I just wanted to check on you…and hear your voice.”
I giggled again into the phone while rolling my eyes up in my head. “Whatever!”
“I’m serious. You already know how I feel about you, girl. The reason why I don’t call that much anymore is because I saw that you weren’t trying to ever leave your babydaddy so I decided to back off. That doesn’t mean that I don’t still think about you though because I do. You know that I got mad love for you, Kish.”
“Yeah, I know.” He was right I did know how he felt about me but I loved Tre with all my heart and there was no way that I could ever see myself creeping behind his back or leaving him for anyone else. Yeah, I’d fucked up once before when I’d caught Tre cheating but it wasn’t something that I could see myself doing again. I kind of felt a little bit guilty for talking to him behind Tre’s back but I figured as long as we weren’t doing anything sexual it was okay. “How is Ms. Karen?” I asked referring to his mama and trying to change the subject. We didn’t need to be talking about his feelings for me because I might slip up and tell him that I cared for him too and that would lead him to believe that he had a chance which wasn’t the case.
“She’s good, still fussing about everything. You know how she do.” He laughed.
“Yeah, she’s just like my mama always fussing about something. That’s why I barely call or go by mama’s house!” Me and my mama wasn’t close at all. She didn’t care for Tre and she let it be known, which of course in turn caused problems between she and I.
“C’mon now, Ms. Betty don’t seem like the type to raise a lot of hell.”
“Hmph…yes she does. She doesn’t like Tre and every time that I step foot in her house she reminds me of just how much she can’t stand him! I mean, she has the right to dislike whoever she wants but I don’t want to have to hear about it every single time that I go over there! I want to be able to go over there and chill with her without all of the madness.”
“I feel you but she just wants what’s best for you. She feels like you deserve better and I agree.”
“Skeet, you ain’t right.” I checked him. “You and Tre are supposed to be boys and yet you on the phone talking slick about him to his babymama. That shit right there makes you real whack!”
“First of all, I ain’t telling you shit that I haven’t already told that nigga! I told him that you don’t deserve the shit that he be doing! He out here fuckin’ with these ratchet ass bitches when he has a good ass woman at home! You need to stop taking up for that nigga and realize yourself that you deserve better! That’s why he does the shit that he be doing because you enable that bullshit!”
I was about to respond when the doorbell rang. “Look let me call you back, somebody is at my door.” I was kind of glad that the doorbell had rang because I didn’t feel like fussing with him and that is exactly what was about to happen.
“Yeah, aight.” I hung up and tossed the phone across the bed and then went to see who was at the front door.
I stood on my tiptoes and looked out the peephole. I rolled my eyes at who was standing on the other side of the door. “Man damn, today just ain’t my damn day!” I huffed as I unlocked the door and swung it open.
My mama was standing on the other side dressed in a gold and black capri set, with gold sandals to match. Her long salt and pepper hair was pulled back into a bun. Dark stylish, over-sized sunglasses covered her eyes. “Well hello to you to! You sure look awfully happy to see your mama.” She said sarcastically as she wa
lked past me into the house. “Where are my grandbabies?” She asked already making her way down the hall.
I let out a frustrated breath as I closed the door back and locked it. “They’re not here, ma.”
She stopped in her tracks and turned around looking at me with a puzzled look on her face. “What do you mean, they ain’t here after I drove all the way over here to see them?”
“That’s why you should call before you just drop by somebody’s house?” I responded going into the living room. “They are out spending some quality time with their daddy.”
“Hmph…” She rolled her eyes at the mention of Tre. “He didn’t have to work today?” She came into the living and sat down on the sofa.
I sat at the other end. “Apparently not ma if he has the boys with him!”
“You don’t have to get smart! I just asked.” Her eyes roamed around the room, her nose slightly turned up. I was ready for her to leave already. “How have you been?”
“I’ve been good, how about yourself?”
“I’ve been fine.” She turned her attention back to me taking off her shades. She studied my face. She reached over and turned my face from side to side with her hand. “What happened to your face?” Her face was screwed up like she already knew the answer and was waiting for me to confirm her suspicions. I saw anger dancing in her brown eyes. Even though we didn’t get along, her love for me was just like any other mother’s. She didn’t play anybody putting their hands on her child! She’d never even allowed my daddy to hit me!
I knew I had to think of a lie quickly. I couldn’t tell her the truth about what had happened to my face. She already hated Tre and this information would only make her hatred for him stronger. I’d learned a long time ago to be careful about how much information I shared with my family about my relationship because it would always come back to bite me in the long run. My family was the type that was unforgiving and when they did forgive it took a very long time. The issue could be resolved and they’d still be angry. That’s why I learned to keep my and Tre’s business between us!
“Ummm…I got into it with this chic because her son was picking on Shaun and Quan. They’d come home a few times and told me that this kid was picking on them so I decided to have a talk with his mama. Well when I tried to talk to her ignorant behind she popped off!” I pretended to have an attitude as I told the story to make it more believable. It worked like a charm.
“Well why did she get upset with you? She should teach her son how to act! I don’t know why people have children and don’t try to raise them then have the nerve to get mad when someone says something about’em! What more do they expect?” She smacked her lips shaking her head. I could see the frustration in her face. “You didn’t get into any legal trouble, did you?”
“Nah.”
“Well that’s good.” She reached over and touched my face. “Is it sore?”
“No ma’am, you know that I bruise easily so it looks worse than what it actually is.”
“Oh okay. Girl, when I first saw it I thought that Tre had done it. That’s why I took my time asking you about it because I was trying to calm myself down. I wasn’t sure how I was going to react.” She admitted truthfully. “I wasn’t trying to go to jail out here today!”
“Ma…” the ringing doorbell caused me to pause. I got up and answered the door. It was Tamika.
“Hey girl…” She greeted me sashaying into the house and past me. She was wearing a tight low-cut black tank top with her breasts practically spilling over the top and a pair of blue super short jean shorts with a pair of black flip flops. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail. “It’s hot out there today.” She said over her shoulder.
“Yeah, I can tell.” I replied closing the door and following her into the living room. She took a seat in the chair that sat directly across from the sofa. “Ma, this is my friend Tamika. Tamika this is my ma.” I introduced them.
My mama was staring at Tamika with her nose turned up wearing a disgusted expression on her face. “Hey.” She managed to drag out but I could tell that she wasn’t really feeling her.
Lord please, don’t let her start! My mama wasn’t the type to bite her tongue. She was more so the type that said whatever was on her mind.
“Hey. How are you?” Tamika spoke.
“I’m fine.” Ma replied eyeing Tamika’s outfit. I was slightly embarrassed by her rude behavior but then again Tamika should’ve known better than to come out dressed like that. “I see that you forgot some of your clothes at home.”
“Ma’am?” Tamika asked smiling but I could tell that it for forced.
“You are aware of the fact that Kisha has children and a boyfriend that lives here, right?”
“Yes ma’am, I’m aware.” Tamika nodded her head.
“Since you are aware and you still chose to come over here dressed like that, that tells me that you don’t care or have any respect!” My eyes nearly popped out of my head!
“Excuse me?” The expression on Tamika’s face told me that she was embarrassed and that she wanted to say something but she was biting her tongue because it was my mother.
“Baby, your breasts are nearly falling out of your shirt and I can see the bottom of your cheeks hanging out of your shorts. That is no way for a young lady to dress and surely no way to come to someone’s house. Your attire is very inappropriate.”
“Well I-I d-didn’t mean any harm.” Tamika stuttered. “I always dress like this. My intentions weren’t to disrespect anyone.”
“Ma, chill out.” I intervened. “Everybody dresses like that during the summer. It’s cool.”
“Hmph…” She gathered her pocketbook. “Come on and walk me out.”
“You’re leaving?” I asked not that I wasn’t ready to see her go.
“Yeah.” She stood looking over at Tamika, she said. “It was nice meeting you, Tamika. I hope that you weren’t offended by anything I said but I was only being honest. I’m older than you and I feel like I’d be less than a woman to sit here and not tell you how inappropriate you look. A lady doesn’t have to put everything on display, we believe in leaving a little bit to the imagination. Do you understand what I mean?”
“Yes ma’am, you’re fine. I appreciate your honesty.” Tamika lied.
“I’ll be right back.” I told Tamika as I followed my mama outside.
When we got out to her car she faced me, leaning up against the car. “You know that I love you right?”
“Yeah ma, I know.” I replied holding my hand up to try and shield the sun from my face. Tamika was right; it was hot as hell out! “Why you ask me that? What’s up?”
“Baby, I know that you and I don’t get along that well and we don’t agree on a lot of things but I would never tell you anything wrong. That thing that you have sitting up in your house is bad news! You’d better watch her!” She warned. “I’m not trying to be mean or anything but you already know what type of man you are dealing with. He is known for lying with anything with two legs! If you don’t keep that hussy out of your house, you may come home and find her in your bed!”
“Ma…”
She held up her hand. “I already know what you are about to say. I think negatively about everybody and I am only saying these things because I don’t like Tre and I should give him a chance. Am I right?” I nodded my head. “If you ask me, he’s already had enough chances! That’s his problem now!”
“Ma with all due respect, no one asked you.” She was really on my nerves! “You have me out here in the hot sun about to melt, for this?”
“Kisha, I am older than you. I see things that you can’t! That girl in there is up to no good! Why else would she come to your house dressed like a slut? Why don’t you see anything wrong with it?”
“She always dresses like that!” I yelled agitated!
“Alright but don’t say that I didn’t try to warn you!” She opened her car door and tossed her pocketbook inside. “Do you need anything before I go?”
<
br /> “Nah, I’m good.” I smacked my lips and turned to walk back inside the house.
“I love you, Kisha and I am sorry if I upset you.” She called after me.
“Yeah…whatever.” I went inside and closed the door.
Kisha
“Girl, your mama doesn’t care for my ass at all!” Tamika laughed as we sat taking out my braids. She was seated on the sofa and I was on the floor between her legs. “She went in honey! I’ll tell you one thing. She sure as hell doesn’t bite her tongue!”
Still feeling a little embarrassed by how my mama had come off on her, I replied. “Girl, I’m sorry…”
She smacked her lips cutting me off. “Chile please, what are you sorry for? Your mama was just keeping it real. At least she isn’t like most motherfuckas, wait til you leave and talk shit about you or be thinking some foul shit but too afraid to say it! I respect her realness! We need more like her. Besides she was only looking out for you. That’s the way I see it.”
I rolled my eyes up in my head. “Okay if you say so but you don’t know my mama. She doesn’t like anybody and she is suspicious of everyone!”
“Shit, you have to keep your eyes open! She’s right because 95% of the motherfuckas that grin up in your face got some shit with them! Your mama knows that because she’s from the old school! She’s been dealing in this world a lot longer than you and I both!” She went on and on like her and my mama was homegirls or something. How in the hell did she know what my mama’s intentions were? She’d just met her but that was typical Tamika thinking that she knew everything.
“Tamika, I hear what you are saying and I understand that you can’t trust everybody but trust me when I tell you my mama finds fault in everyone. She doesn’t know you from a can of paint, yet she is passing judgment on you based on your outfit. A lot of people dress like that, that doesn’t mean they are out to steal someone’s man. That just wasn’t cool.”
Side Chic 2 (A Ratchet Mess) Page 6
