Side Chic 2 (A Ratchet Mess)

by West, La'Tonya

  Finally Dr. Malone came out to the waiting area wearing a huge smile. “Lola’s surgery went really well and they will be moving her to recovery in a few. After that they will move her to a room.”

  “Thank you so much.” I hugged him with tears of joy streaming from my eyes. I was overjoyed to hear that my baby was out of surgery and doing well.

  The nurse would only allow Tre and I to go in and see Lola while she was in recovery. We both stood by her bed staring down at her. I can’t say what he was feeling at the moment but I was feeling pure relief! I reached down and touch her little hand. She was hooked to a monitor and had an IV in her arm. I didn’t like seeing her like that but I understood that all of it was for her own good.

  “Why don’t you come back home for a while?” Tre asked out of the blue. “I mean, at least until Lola gets well. That way you can have some help with her and Laila. I’m sure that you are going to have to keep an extra eye on her for a while after this and you could use the help. Plus that would give my parents and me a chance to spend a little more time with them.”

  I looked over at him. “I’ll have to see what her doctor says. I know that she will have a follow up visit after she gets out of the hospital so I would hate to leave and then have to turn right around and drive all the way back up here to bring her to the doctor.”

  “I don’t mind driving you back up here to bring her to the doctor.”

  “Tre, you do remember that you have a job right.”

  “Yeah, and I’ve explained everything to Mr. Johnson so it wouldn’t be a problem.” He explained. “I just want a little more time with them, that’s all. Kisha is still upset and won’t allow me to see my boys. I miss my kids like crazy and being around the girls is making it worse.”

  I felt bad for him. I knew how much he loved his boys so I knew that not seeing them was really hard on him. “After we find out when her follow up appointment is, I will let you know.”

  Everyone stayed in Danville at my house for the next four days while Lola was in the hospital. Tre and I stayed at the hospital with Lola. We even took our baths at the hospital. On the day that she was released, Dr. Malone told us that she was doing well and that she needed to follow up with him in week so that he could make sure that everything was healing like it should.

  “So, are you going to go back with us?” Tre asked on the drive from the hospital to my house.

  I’d done a lot of thinking about it and he was right. I could use the extra help with the babies and it would be nice to go home for a while. “Yeah, I’ll go.”

  “How long are you going to stay?”

  “I don’t know may be just for a week…” I looked over and noticed the disappointed look on his face. “Or two?”

  “Alright, I’m not going to fuss, that’s cool. I appreciate that.” He smiled.

  Kisha

  “Kisha get up and get your kids!” My ma yelled.

  I hadn’t been long gotten in from the club. Skeet and I had gone to a club out in Franklin called the Oak Tree. We’d had a ball and then I’d kicked it with him for a little while before coming home. I’d been so fucked up off of Ciroc that I was still feeling the effects. I pulled the covers up over my head and tried to get comfortable so that I could go back to sleep.

  “Kisha, get up and come get your kids! Didn’t nobody tell you to hang out in the streets all night long!” My ma yelled as she burst into the room. “Get your tail up now! I have stuff to do and I don’t have time to watch them!”

  I threw the covers back off of my head! “Ma, those boys are eight years old! They don’t need nobody watching them go ahead and do whatever it is that you have to do! Dag, I can’t get no sleep around here!” I griped pulling the covers back up over my head.

  I felt her snatch the covers back. “You could get some sleep if you would bring your ass in at a decent hour! You have been running the streets like a pure damn fool ever since you and Tre call yourselves breaking up! I understand that you are hurt but get over it and act like a mother! Your kids barely see you! That mess doesn’t make any sense! You are trying to be spiteful and don’t want that boy seeing his own children, yet and still you don’t have time for them!”

  “Are you done yet?” I snapped when she was done preaching! All of her yelling was giving me a headache!

  She gave me a look that told me I’d crossed the line. “Hell no I’m not done yet! Those are your children not mines! When was the last time that you cooked for them or got them ready for bed? When was the last time that you woke them up for school, put them on the bus, or even helped them with their homework? Huh?”

  “Ma, why are you trippin’ about school? School is out for the summer!”

  “Girl, don’t get cute with me!” She said through clenched teeth! “School just let out three days ago!”

  I saw that she wasn’t going to leave me alone so I sat up. I didn’t have on anything but my bra and panties. “Can I at least put on some clothes and wash my face and brush my teeth?” I asked.

  “Yeah, you sure can.” She turned and started out of the room but stopped and looked back. “You done gone and cut off all of your damn hair looking like a bald headed fool! I think they cut some of your damn brain out too when they were cutting your hair because you sure as hell are acting like you aren’t working with a full deck!” She walked out of the room slamming the door!

  I got up and stomped over to the dresser and took out some clothes to put on. I walked across the hall into the bathroom and jumped in the shower. Normally the hot water would help wake me but it wasn’t working that morning probably because of all of the alcohol in my system. When I was done taking my shower, stepped out and dried off and then got dressed. As I stood in front of the sink brushing my teeth, I looked up in the mirror at my hair. It was a mess and I didn’t feel like curling it. That was the only thing that I didn’t like about having my hair cut, having to curl it. Before, I could just pull my hair back in a ponytail and go. I finished brushing my teeth and then brushed my hair down and put my scarf on it.

  When I walked into the living room the boys were in the middle of the floor wrestling. “Shaun and Quan quit that wrestling!” I yelled at them. I knew that sooner or later somebody would get hurt and one of them would be crying. I didn’t have time for all of that crying with the way that I was feeling.

  “But ma we’re just playing.” Quan whined.

  “I understand that Quan but I don’t want y’all playing rough because somebody might get hurt.” I explained. “Have y’all eaten anything?”

  “Yes ma’am, grandma cooked us some bacon and eggs!” Shaun announced. “It was good too! I think she saved you some.”

  “I’m not hungry.” I replied. “Do y’all want to go see y’all sorry ass daddy?”

  My ma shot me an evil look. “Kisha, don’t do that! Whatever your problem is with him, you take that up with him but don’t you dare talk bad about him to those kids.” She shook her head.

  I rolled my eyes and smacked my lips.

  “What is he sorry for?” Shaun asked looking confused.

  “Don’t worry about that! Do y’all want to go and see him or not?”

  “Yes!” The both squealed.

  “Well go and put your shoes on and grab y’all some clothes because y’all are going to stay over there with him tonight.”

  “Okay!” They both raced down the hallway to go do what I’d asked them to do.

  “Girl, you had better get your mess together because you are headed in the wrong direction fast!” My ma warned me. “I spoke to Karen the other day and she told me that you and her boy call yourselves got something going on. Now you know goodness well that ain’t right! Tre and that boy have been friends for years!”

  “And…” I reached in the candy dish on the table and got a piece of gum. “I am a grown woman. I can date whoever I want! Tre dates whoever he wants, doesn’t he?”

  “You are a woman Kisha. That means that you have to carry yourself differently.
What do you think people are calling you?”

  “Honestly, I don’t give a flying fuck!” I shouted! Why should I care what people thought of me? I was tired of being the goody two-shoe that never did anything that I wanted to do because I was afraid of what people might think. Fuck trying to impress other people! I’d spent long enough trying to please everybody else instead of my damn self!

  “Have you lost your mind?” My ma asked looking at me like she wanted to lay hands on me! “Don’t you ever let me hear you speak like that in my house again! Do you understand?”

  “Yeah…” I replied. The boys came running back down the hall. “Y’all stop that running.”

  “Bye grandma, we are going to see our daddy.” Quan told her as if she didn’t already know.

  “Alright baby, y’all come and give grandma some suga before you go.” They both walked over to her and gave her a big hug and kiss.

  “I’ll be back in a few.” I said walking out of the house with Shaun and Quan right behind me.

  When I got to Tre’s house, I parked behind his car and turned off the ignition. The boys jumped out of the car and raced to the door. They started ringing the bell before I could make it to the door. By the time I made it to the door Tre was opening the door. He opened the door in a pair of sweats with no shirt on holding a baby.

  “Hey fellas!” He smiled obviously happy to see the boys.

  “Hey daddy!” They both squealed equally happy to see him as well.

  “Whose baby do you got?” Quan was the first to ask and I wanted to know too. I believed that I already knew though.

  “Yeah, whose baby you got daddy?” I asked with my arms folded.

  He looked from the boys up at me, his smile slowly fading. “Boys daddy will explain it to y’all once we get in the house.”

  “Nah, daddy might want to explain it right now.”

  “Kisha, chill out.” He said calmly.

  “Fuck you, don’t tell me what to do.” I heard crying coming from inside the house. “Oh hell nah…I know that you don’t have…” Before I could finish my sentence, LaQuela appeared in the doorway holding the other baby.

  “Tre have you seen…” Her sentence trailed off when she saw me and a surprised expression covered her face.

  From that point all I saw was red! I pushed past Tre and started swinging! I didn’t care that she had a baby in her arms! I’d warned her that if I ever laid eyes on her, I was going to fuck her up on sight! I was wearing her ass out, she’d fell to the floor in the hallway and turned so that her body was shielding the baby! I was on top of her tearing her head up. Without warning I was being lifted up from on top of her! I grabbed a handful of her hair!

  “Let go Kisha!” Tre demanded. I didn’t respond and I didn’t let go, I pulled harder! “Kisha let go of her hair! The baby is on the floor!”

  I didn’t give a fuck about that baby! Fuck him, LaQuela and both of those babies! He started applying pressure to my shoulder to make me let go but I continued holding on. He squeezed harder and I had no other choice but to let go!

  “I told you that I was going to whoop that ass, didn’t I bitch!” I yelled to LaQuela.

  She got up from the floor and picked up the baby. “Yeah, you got that one because I was holding my daughter but trust and believe me, you and I will see each other again! This shit isn’t over and you can bet your last dollar on that!” She threatened! The baby was wailing! I wasn’t sure if she was okay or not and I didn’t care!

  “Bitch, we can do it now!” I was trying to break away from Tre but he wouldn’t let me go! “Turn me a loose!”

  “I am once I get you outside!” He told me as he carried me out of the house. Outside he put me down. “You need to leave!”

  I could see that he was pissed but I didn’t give a damn! “Fuck you! Make me leave!” I said getting up in his face! I hauled off and slapped the shit out of him! “Fuck you, Tre!”

  “Ma, stop it!” Quan cried. He ran over and got between Tre and I pushing me back away from Tre. “Stop fighting!”

  “Be quiet Quan!” I told him.

  “Please ma, don’t fight!” Shaun joined in. They were both crying.

  “I want you out of my yard.” Tre looked at me with a disgusted look on his face.

  “Oh what you mad now because I whooped that bitch’s ass?” I hauled off and slapped him again. “Huh? You mad Tre?”

  “Ma!!!” Both boys cried jumping up and down!

  “Nah, I’m mad because you were fighting her while she was holding my baby in her arms!” He roared stepping closer in my face.

  Hearing the words my baby only infuriated me more. I drew back to hit him again but he grabbed my arm. “Kisha if you put your hands on me one more time I promise you that I am going to fuck you up! Now get in your car and leave!”

  I could see in his eyes that he wasn’t playing. “Come on Shaun and Quan.” I told the boys.

  “I want to stay with my daddy.” Shaun cried.

  “Me too.” Quan added.

  “No, get in the fuckin’ car!” I yelled. They both started screaming and crying louder. “You know what, fuck it! Stay your asses here then.” I jumped in my car and left out of the yard squealing tires!

  Tre

  After Kisha left, I took the boys in the house. They were really upset. Lala was in the living room holding Laila. She was rocking her back and forth with tears streaming down her cheeks.

  “Is she okay?” I asked referring to Laila.

  “Yeah, she’s fine. She didn’t fall. I got down on the floor to keep her from falling or getting hit.” She replied staring off into space. I’d never seen her like this before so I wasn’t sure of what I should say.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah, I’m fine.” She still didn’t look my way. “You know, I understand her anger and I can understand her wanting to whoop my ass. I get that. To her, I am the woman who destroyed her home…her family but there is a time and a place for everything. This was not the time or the place. One of these children could’ve gotten hurt!” She finally looked at me. She had a long scratch on her face but that was the only visible scar that I saw. “Tre, I have never been a violent person in my entire life but for that shit that she just pulled, I promise you that I am going to tear her ass up when I see her again and I mean that! She could’ve seriously hurt my baby.”

  I let out a sigh. “Yeah, I know but I really just want this mess to be over.” I sat down on the sofa and Shaun and Quan both climbed up on my lap. No one said anything for a while. I looked over at Lola who was asleep in her swing, that’s where I’d put her when Kisha started to fight Lala. I finally had all of my kids under one roof.

  After Lala put Laila to sleep, she told me that she was going to take a nap because she had a headache. I’d given her the bedroom to sleep in and I’d taken the sofa while she was there. There was nothing sexual between us, we were strictly friends. To be perfectly honest, I didn’t want there to be anything between us. I didn’t want there to be anything between me and anybody at this point. I just wanted to focus on getting everything back on track. I couldn’t say what the future would hold for us but at that moment, I liked things just the way that they were.

  After Lala went down the hall to take her nap, I sat the boys down and explained to them that the babies were their sisters. Of course they were confused but I tried to explain it the best way that I could. I’m still not sure if they fully got it.

  The next day, I decided to take all of the kids over to my parent’s house, since they hadn’t seen the boys in a while and my mama was acting like she couldn’t get enough of the girls. Lala had asked if I would drop her off at her parent’s house for a while and pick her up when I left my parent’s house. I dropped her off and then the kid’s and I headed to my parent’s house. When we got there the boys ran in ahead of me. It took me a while because I had to get both babies out of the car. My daddy came out and gave me a hand. He took Laila and we went inside.

  “Aww
w…ain’t this just nice.” My mama beamed. “I have all of my grandbabies over here together. I have to take some pictures!” She jumped up and ran to the back.

  My daddy laughed shaking his head. “You just made your mama the happiest woman alive!”

  I laughed too. “I see.”

  My ma came back with the camera. “Tre, hold both of the girls and Shaun and Quan, y’all get over there and stand next to your daddy.” My dad brought me Laila and placed her in my other arm and Shaun and Quan did what she’d asked. She started snapping away.

  After about six shots the boys started to get restless. “Can we stop taking pictures now grandma?” Shaun whined.

  “Yeah, I guess you can.” She laughed and kissed him on his cheek. “Who wants a slice of grandma’s chocolate cake?”

  Both boys yelled. “Me!” and then raced into the kitchen. My ma followed them.

  “Son, I am really proud of you for how you have stepped up and are doing what you are supposed to do.”

  “Thanks pops.” I smiled. “Kisha came over to the house yesterday. When she saw Lala, she went off!”

  “Ohhhh man, in front of the kids?” He asked getting up and coming over and taking Laila from me. “You look like you could use an extra set of arms.”

  “Yeah…” I continued my story. “Yes, she went off right in front of the kids, jumped on Lala with her holding Laila in her arms!”

  My dad shook his head. “Now I can understand her being mad but she knew better than that.”

  “That’s the same thing that I said.” My phone rang, I took it out of my pocket to see who was calling and saw Casper’s name flashing on the screen. I pressed send to answer. “Hello.”

  “Hey man, what’s good with you?” He asked. I could hear music playing in the background and a lot of other noise that I couldn’t make out. “Where you at?”

  “I’m over here at my mama and daddy’s crib chillin’.” I replied. “What are y’all guys doing?”