by Nique Luarks
Sasha opened the door and jumped back when she saw Jeanette standing in the door way with two black eyes and a busted lip. “Nette!” She pulled Jeanette in the house as she cried. “What happened to you?”
Skyy shut the door and sat Skylar down. “Did Kory do this?”
Jeanette hung her head. “Yea, I’m finished with him y’all, I can’t do this anymore.” She started crying again.
Skyy rolled her eyes. “Yea, for how long?” She wanted to believe Jeanette was done, but she knew better. Kory had beat her ass worse than this and she still stayed with him. Skyy wasn’t convinced.
Jeanette stood in front of Skyy. “I’m done with him for good.” She was offended that Skyy was trying to discredit her.
Sasha stepped between them. “Skyy, now is not the time.”
“Sasha, look at her face!!” Skyy pointed angrily at Jeanette. “Look at her! She keep letting him do this, I can’t feel sorry for her.”
Tone came down the stairs, seen them arguing and turned right back around. Jeanette wiped her face. “Skyy shut up, I didn’t even come here for you, I came to talk to Erin.”
Just as she said that Erin came down the stairs. When she seen Jeanette she sighed and shook her head. “What’s going on? Santonio said y’all down here about to fight. Why?” She wasn’t in the mood for Jeanette and her sob stories.
Jeanette spoke. “Erin I need to talk to you, Kory hit me again and I-“
Erin cut her off. “Wait so when you need me, now you want to talk? I’m sorry that he hit you Jeanette, but you can’t just cut me off one day then when it’s convenient for you, you back talking to me.” It hurt Erin’s heart to see Jeanette’s faced bruised and swollen. But it was Jeanette who stopped talking to her; it was Jeanette who’d abandoned them.
Jeanette shook her head in disbelief, “And I call you my sisters.”
Skyy sucked her teeth. “Yea right you didn’t give a fuck about no sisterhood when Amina tried to jump Erin and you took that bitch’s side.” Skyy got in Jeanette’s face. “Where was the sisterhood then? Now he beating yo’ ass again you want to call on us, call that hoe Amina.”
Jeanette swung and hit Skyy nearly knocking her into Erin. Skyy regained her balance and jumped on Jeanette. Erin and Sasha rushed to them trying to break them apart, but Skyy was like a vicious dog and wouldn’t let go. Poor Jeanette didn’t stand a chance against Skyy’s hands.
Erin tugged on Skyy, “SKYY! STOP!” She was trying her hardest to pull her away. Skyy ignored her and the next thing she knew they were all four crashing into her glass end table.
Glass flew everywhere, but Jeanette and Skyy were still going at it. Erin jumped up pissed. “STOP IT!” With all her might she snatched Skyy and pushed her not really caring where she went. They were fucking up her shit.
Sasha held on to Jeanette as she screamed. “Let me go! I’ma kill that bitch!”
Erin glared at her, daring her. They’d completely disrespected her home. Her eyes watered from irritation. Erin worked hard for her things, no handouts, and no help. Jeanette and Skyy knew that, and they still didn’t give a fuck enough to take the drama outside.
Tone came running the stairs. “Man, what the fuck are y’all doing?” When he looked down and saw the glass, he grabbed Erin. “You good?”
Erin sighed. “Yea, I’m good.” She shook her head at Jeanette and Skyy. Her brand new white carpet was ruined from the alcohol mixture and juice that was once sitting on the table. “One of you bitch’s is gone pay for this table.” She walked back upstairs to her room and slammed the door.
Chapter Fourteen: Just Like Me
Erin clocked into work with an attitude. Even though it had been two days since the fight at her house she couldn’t shake her attitude. It was mostly because she also suspected Tone was still fucking with Amina. The late night phone call only confirmed her suspicions. For now she would do like Sasha suggested and give him the benefit of doubt, but she didn’t know for how long.
Erin started up her computer as her co-worker Mark sat down next to her. She rolled her eyes as he licked his chapped lips.
“Wassup Erin baby?”
Erin sighed as she typed. “One, I’m not your baby. Two, you need to back up.”
Mark laughed. “What’s wrong with you?” He started messing with a stack of papers in front of him.
Erin looked at him. “There’s nothing wrong with me. I just don’t feel like playing with you today.” Mark was always being flirtatious or joking with Erin about how one day she would give him a chance and she would be his. He laughed when Erin would deny his advances like she was just playing hard to get, little did he know she really wasn’t interested.
Mark licked his lips again. “Ok, I see you in one of your moods baby. I’ma leave you alone.”
Erin watched him make his way to the elevator shaking her head. Mark was a good dude, always offered to buy her lunch, and always had some crazy story to tell her about his baby mama and air head sister. She hated to give him the cold shoulder, but with the last couple of days she’d been having she wasn’t in the mood for his funny antics. As she watched him step on the elevator, a familiar face stepped off. Erin froze as she watched TreVell being handcuffed to the bench.
Her heart did a backflip in her chest. She hadn’t seen TreVell in months, but he was still fine as hell. Erin noticed he’d gained a few pounds, but it was all muscle. She watched as they took his shoestrings, and everything out of his pockets. They booked him and walked him right over to her, to finish his processing.
TreVell didn’t say anything to her as she took his belongings from the officer. Her palms started sweating as she began to type in his information and process him. She placed his Rolex, shoestrings, wallet, and phone into a manila folder and wrote his name across the top. She placed his jail wristband on him and ushered for Bill to take him.
TreVell flexed. “Man I need to make a phone call, this is some bullshit. His punk ass didn’t have a warrant to search my fuckin’ car. Fuckin’ pigs!” he sighed gazing over Erin slowly.
Bill took him by his arm. “Calm down, you’ll get your call. But you only get one, so use it wisely.”
Skyy sat at a table at Winsteads diner waiting for Derick so that they could talk. She wasn’t sure what exactly it was he wanted to address so badly, but whatever it was she hoped it wouldn’t take long. She’d already told herself, if he was about to put pressure on her to tell Deidra everything she was going to walk out. Skyy was already on the verge of telling Deidra, so she didn’t need a pep talk or any empty threats. Skyy was terrified of what Deidra’s reaction might be, but she’d rather break the news to her than let Derick.
She watched as he made his way over to the table with a smug grin plastered on his handsome face. Skyy couldn’t deny how good he looked, especially for his age. Derick was pushing forty-six, but could pass for a smooth thirty. The only grey hair he had was the very few strands in his chin hairs. He pulled out his chair, and sat down picking up his menu.
“It’s good to see you again Skyy. You look pretty.”
Skyy gave him a hard stare. “Look Derick, I’m not about to play games with you. Why did you want to meet up?” She was growing impatient.
Derick sat the menu down and rubbed his neatly trimmed goatee. “I wanted to see you. I also need to know when you plan on telling Deidra about us.”
Skyy scoffed. “There ain’t no “us”. I’ll tell Deidra when I feel the time is right. Let me worry about that.”
The waitress stopped at the table, took their order and walked away. Skyy shook her head as she noticed Derick checking the waiter out as she walked away. “Some things just never change huh?”
Derick laughed. “Ay, I’m a man and I have eyes.” He placed his arms on the table. “Look Skyy, I know you hate me, and you have every right to be mad at me-“
“Sure do.” Skyy interrupted.
He smiled at her. “You do. But I can’t allow you to keep Skylar away from me. It’s not rig
ht. She deserves a father. Deidra didn’t grow up without one, and Skylar won’t either.”
Skyy shook her head in disbelief. “Derick cut the bullshit. You weren’t worried about being a father to Skyy six months ago. Shit, not even six weeks ago!” She became enraged. “My daughter doesn’t know you and that’s perfectly fine with me.”
Derick’s nose flared. “I can admit, I haven’t been a man about this, but there is still room for improvement.”
Skyy reached for her purse laughing. “You’re so full of shit!” Onlookers in the restaurant looked their way. “Derick stay the fuck away from me and my daughter. I’ll talk to Deidra.” She stood up to walk away.
Derick stood up as well. “I’ll let you tell Deidra. Skyy is my daughter too, so we can do this the easy way or the hard way.” he said with a threatening tone.
Skyy stared him down. “Fuck you.” She stormed out the restaurant regretting to even meet up with him.
Sasha was cleaning the fingernail polish off her nails watching Maury, when her phone started ringing. Without looking at the number she answered with her eyes still glued to the television.
“Hello?”
“Sash, can we talk?” Shawn asked.
Sasha sighed muting the television. She wasn’t expecting for Shawn to reach out to her. Here it had been nearly three weeks and he hadn’t called not once. “What’s up Shawn?”
“I miss you baby.”
Sasha felt her face getting hot. “Shawn look, you got the family that you always wanted, why are you calling me?”
Shawn smacked his lips. “I want a family with you. Sasha you the only person I want to be with. I fucked up, I get it. I just wanna know how we can fix this, and you can come back home.”
Sasha felt tears forming. “I’m not … I’m not coming home Shawn.” Her voice broke. “I can’t be with you. My heart won’t allow it. You’ve hurt me too bad Shawn.”
“Sasha I know we’re strong enough to make it through this baby. Don’t you still love me?” he asked. When she didn’t respond he said sadly. “Baby, please come home.”
Sasha muted the phone as she cried. How dare he call her, acting like he wasn’t just playing house with another bitch. The same bitch he had a baby with, the same bitch Erin told her he was planning on buying a house with. Anger took over as she unmuted the phone. “Shawn, I’m not coming home. I’d appreciate if you didn’t call my phone anymore.”
Sasha’s words pierced through his heart. “Baby don’t-“
She cut him off. “We had a good run Shawn. Bye.” She hung up the phone and continued removing the paint from her nails.
Erin clocked out for work and headed out the door. Once she stepped outside the cold December wind brushed against her face. She pulled her phone out and called TreVell’s mother. She’d written Erin on Facebook asking her to call her saying it was urgent. Erin had always loved TreVell’s mother so she didn’t hesitate to give her a call, even though she already knew who the call was about. Ms. Mona answered on the first ring.
“Yes?”
“Hi, Ms. Mona, this is Erin. How are you?” Erin asked.
Ms. Mona smiled. “Erin? Hey stranger, I was just thinking about you the other day. Everything ok with you?”
Erin smiled. “Yes ma’am, I’m ok.” She made her way to her car. It was starting to snow and she wasn’t a big fan of driving in bad weather. “You ok? I got your Facebook messages. Is everybody ok?” Ms. Mona was the sweetest, most soft-hearted person Erin had ever known, so it didn’t take much to upset her.
“No.” she said dolefully. “TreVell’s in jail and I don’t have the money to give the bailsman to get him out. I know TreVell has it on him or even at home but I can’t get to it. No one will help me out, even though I’m telling them TreVell will pay them back when he gets out. I don’t know what kind of trouble he’s in Erin, but I hate to see him locked up like some kind of animal.”
Erin started her car. “Peanut won’t give it to you?” she asked referring to TreVell’s brother and right hand man.
“Peanut is being Peanut; I don’t know where he is. You know how he just disappears.”
Erin pulled her 2013 Nissan Altima into traffic. “I’m sorry Ms. Mona, but you know me and TreVell don’t talk anymore. I wish I could help but I can’t.” She thought about Tone and how he was likely to flip the fuck out if he ever found out she’d bailed her ex out of jail.
Ms. Mona sighed. “Yes I know he told me. He was heartbroken too Erin. He called me every day about you; just to vent.” She paused. “Maybe you can do it for me. I’ll pay you back when I get my social security check. Please Erin, I need to get him out of there.”
Erin switched lanes. “I um..” She shook her head. “I’m on my way to drop the money off Ms. Mona give me fifteen minutes.” They ended the call as Erin made her way to the bank. What was she doing?
Erin pulled in Tone’s driveway and put her car in park. She’d dropped the money off to Ms. Mona letting her know there was no need to pay her back. Erin rested her head on the steering wheel as she shook her head. She’d regretted even calling Ms. Mona, because now she would have to tell Tone. They’d made a promise not to withhold secrets from one another, and she wasn’t one to break promises.
Erin exited the car and made her way to the house letting herself in with the key he gave her. As she entered his palace she was greeted by what always seemed like a hundred stairs. She walked past the grand staircase as she made her way to his kitchen. Erin loved Tone’s home probably more than he did. It held four bedrooms, five bathrooms, two living rooms, a dining room, an office, an entertainment room, and a weight room. Erin loved his kitchen the most because of the chocolate quartz stone countertops, and the black cabinets. The island was as big as her dining room table and it had black chairs placed neatly around it. His appliances were new and shiny and his refrigerator stayed full.
Erin opened the refrigerator as she called out to Tone. “Baby!” She grabbed an orange and made her way to where she was positive he would be. She entered his spacious office space and just as she suspected he was playing the game.
“Hey baby.” Tone loved his office space, no one was allowed in unless it was strictly business, and Erin understood why. The plush white carpet was the reason she herself had did her own living room in all white. The vaulted ceiling gave it a bigger look, and outside the window was the perfect view of his backyard and pool.
Tone smiled at her, pausing the game. “Wassup love. How was work?”
She made her way over to him sitting in his lap giving him a long kiss. “It was ok. How was your day?” She rubbed his face and kissed his forehead.
“It was cool; I had to take care of some quick business.” He rubbed her ass and squeezed it. “You look sexy in this uniform.”
Erin laughed. “Yea, tell me anything.” She stood up to go look out the window. “What kind of business you take care of?” She started peeling her orange.
Tone shook his head and laughed at her. Erin was nosey as hell. “The usual. I gotta head to California to finish some other shit up too.”
Erin frowned. “Really? That’s far.” she pouted and sat at his desk.
Tone laughed at her again, because he’d rarely allowed anybody in this room and here she was sitting behind his desk, eating a damn orange like a boss. “About a week, depends on when I get these loose ends tied.”
Erin smacked her lips. “A week is a long time baby. I’ma miss you.” Erin knew to avoid any argument, because no matter what she said Tone was all about business, so if he had to go then he was going. Not she or anybody else could stop him from making his money.
Tone stood up and adjusted his sweats. “Stop pouting.” He made his way over to her and lifted her out the chair sitting her on his desk. “You’re coming with me.”
Erin grinned. “For real?” She was excited Tone was finally taking her out of town with him and she was psyched about going to California. She knew her job wasn’t approving vacation time rig
ht now, so would have to search high and low for people to cover her shifts.
Tone licked her earlobe and pulled her to the edge of the desk. “Yep. Now take this uniform off and show daddy how much you missed him.”
Erin licked and sucked on his bottom lip as she pulled her uniform pants off. Maybe keeping a tiny secret wasn’t that bad.
Jeanette entered the police station and looked around for no one in particular. She’d come to do what she should have done a long time ago. She was filing a restraining order against Kory. She’d finally reached her breaking point. She was fed up with the all the hurt and disappointment that came with being with him.
Her own friends disowned her because she allowed him to control her mind. As she made her way to the help window she was nearly knocked over by a passing stranger. Catching her balance she turned around with a grimace on her face.
“Excuse you!” She was tired of being run over, now here was a complete stranger doing it.
“My bad Jeanette, you good?” TreVell reached out to help her.
Jeanette recognized TreVell and blew her breath frustrated. “Damn Vell, watch where you going.”
He raised his hands up and laughed. “I don’t want no problems Nette. What you doing up here? Getting that nigga Kory out?” He noticed the bruises on her face.
Jeanette rolled her eyes; it was none of TreVell’s business as to why she was here “No, I have something to take care of.” she simply stated.
TreVell shrugged his shoulders. “Aight then. Tell that nigga Kory to holler at me though. I’ll see you later, stay safe Nette.” He walked off, and Jeanette continued to the help window.
“Ay Nette!” TreVell called after her.
She turned around slowly. “What?”
“Tell Erin I said thank you for bailing a nigga out. She always there when a nigga down to nothing. Tell her I love her too.” He rushed out the double doors.
Jeanette smirked. So Erin’s ass wasn’t so innocent after all.
