by Tynessa
“Are you taking up for the bitch? Because you can go over there and sleep on their couch if that’s the case.” I laughed when she said that. Had I gone back over there I doubt I would be sleeping on the couch.
“You sure you want me to go back over there?” I asked for clarification.
“It seems you would rather be over there the way you’re not seeing nothing wrong with the beef she has against me. Are you embarrassed of me, Kacey? It’s like I’m the side chick instead of your main and I hate this feeling.” By now, Rachel was sitting there crying while I lay here in disbelief.
“Are you really sitting there crying because another bitch don’t like you?”
“It’s not because of that. It’s because you can’t be a man and check her ass. You’d rather hide me than let folks know we’re together, out of fear that Tan will never talk to you again.”
“This ain’t got shit to do with Tangela so leave her out of it. And how do muthafuckas not know that we’re together when we’re always doing shit as a family? Just because I don’t flaunt you around Asia doesn’t mean she don’t know about you, so kill all that noise you making. You ain’t slick, Rachel. You just trying to give her some shit to run back and tell Tan.” By now, I was out of bed and the whole time I spoke, I was getting dressed. I wasn’t about to sit here and go back and forth over a bunch of bullshit.
Tan wasn’t stupid; she knew I was with Rachel. Whenever we would talk, she would speak on my situation but I would never confirm it. I would be a fool to let her know her assumption was right when I still had high hopes for us.
“And where are you going?” Rachel asked me but I didn’t respond. I just grabbed my keys and headed out the door. My first instinct was to go over to Jay’s house and crawl in bed with Tan, but I knew Asia’s hating ass wasn’t going for that. I could get us a room but Tan was pretty drunk when I left, so I didn’t want to take advantage of her like that. So the only thing left for me was to get a room by myself and get some much needed sleep.
Chapter 7
Asia
Do The Right Thing!
Last night was crazy. I couldn’t believe Tez just stormed out the house like that after waiting for Tan to return for so long, but in a way, I felt where he was coming from. How could she be so damn dumb? Still keeping in contact with Kacey after he was the reason she moved to Savannah. Had he not had that baby on her then they would still be together and my girl wouldn’t have tried to commit suicide. Yes, I blamed Kacey for all the shit that Tan has been through; for her losing the baby and all, it was his fault.
I just wished my girl got it together and see that Kacey isn’t the one for her. I know she’s holding on to the years that they were together, but I would rather find happiness and let those years go than to be unhappy, miserable and being made a fool of by keeping those years. Tan is grown though, and I pray and hope that eventually she will make the right decision.
“Baby, I think I’m gonna reach out to Keonna’s grandparents,” I said to Jay’vion as he walked out the bathroom wrapped in a towel. I was trying to get my mind off Tan and her situation before the shit drove me crazy.
Jay’vion frown as he looked at me. “Where did that come from? And why you gon’ do that?”
See, Jay’vion wasn’t trying to keep Keonna away from her grandparents, but he always stressed that I didn’t have to be the one to reach out to them all the time. I mean, in the beginning, I reached out to them four freaking times and each time, I got Ke’unta’s mother voicemail. Did she return any of my calls? Of course not! I didn’t know what was up with that lady, but I find it ironic that they’re not trying to build any type of relationship with their one and only granddaughter. Ke’unta would be so disappointed with them.
“Because she needs to have some type of relationship with them, Jay. She doesn’t have her mother or father and they’re pretty much all she has. I just think—”
“Fuck you mean they’re all she has? She has us! If they ain’t trying to be in her life, then fuck them. They can kiss her ass. Asia, you can’t make them be there for her if they ain’t trying.” Yes, he had a point, but I don’t want Keonna growing up thinking I was the reason her grandparents weren’t in her life.
I can honestly say that Jay’vion has stepped up and changed for the better. I love the man he’s become and couldn’t wait to wear his last name. The fact that he treats Keonna as if she was his very own has me ready to bless him with one that he could call his own. No, he wasn’t trying to replace her dad because he knew he couldn’t do that, but Jay’vion went to her father and daughter dance and did all the things that a father is supposed to do for their princess; all the while, he let her know that Ke’unta is her father and he would always be with her in spirit.
“You know what I’m saying, Jay. I just think they should have a relationship.” When he didn’t respond, I slid to the foot of the bed and propped up on my knees. Throwing my arms over his shoulder, I began rubbing his chest as I kissed his neck. I swear I loved this man. “I’ll reach out to them one time and if they don’t respond then I’ll leave it alone. I know Keonna has us but she needs them too,” I tried explaining. Jay’vion blew out a frustrating breath before nodding his head up and down in agreement.
“Man, I understand where you coming from, but, I just don’t like how it seems you’re begging those muthafuckas to be a part of her life. Like I told you, it’s only so much you can do, Asia. Obviously, dude knew how his fam was because otherwise he wouldn’t have asked you to take lil’ mama in.”
I hated when Jay’vion was right. Ke’unta clearly stated that he didn’t trust his daughter with his parents, so why couldn’t I just accept that and quit trying to force them to step up and communicate with Keonna. I’m definitely going to have a talk with my baby to see how she felt about them being absent in her life.
“You’re right, baby, and this time, I promise it’s going to be the last. But I was thinking, how about Keonna and me just go pay them a visit. You know, anything could be wrong.” I wasn’t buying them not answering or returning my calls for absolutely no reason. I just had a feeling in my gut that something was going on with them. “I mean look at the way they were acting at the funeral. They didn’t even want me to bring her back here. Something ain’t right, Jay,” I continued to rant on. I was trying to get him to see my point of view.
“What you mean, you and Keonna? You think I’ma sit here while y’all go way up there? We don’t know them folks and the way they were cutting up at that funeral, I damn sho’ don’t trust they ass. You know I don’t mind popping one of their old asses.” I just shook my head because I knew Jay’vion was dead ass serious. No matter what we went through, one thing he didn’t play about and that was me, and Keonna was now an added bonus for his ass to go crazy over.
I kissed the side of his neck once again before getting off the bed.
“I know baby, but I’m pretty sure all that won’t be necessary. I’m going to go in there and have a talk with Keonna to let her know what’s going on, and I was thinking we could leave out this evening. You know, to go ahead and get it over with.” Just as the words rolled off my tongue, Tan came to mind—which caused me to curse. “Fuck me in the ass!”
Jay’vion looked at me surprisingly with a nasty grin upon his face. It caused me to roll my eyes upwards because I knew what was running through his freaky ass mind.
“Get your mind out the gutter. I forgot Tan was here and I know she ain’t going to wanna stay here while we go up there.”
“We can just go when she leaves. She leaving in a few days, right?” Yes, that would be the logical thing to do but when I had my mind set on something, I liked to go ahead and get it over with. “Or she can just go with us,” Jay’vion suggested. I nodded my head as I slipped my robe on over my gown.
“I guess I’ll go in there and see what’s up with her.” If she didn’t want to do either one of those, then I wouldn’t have no choice but to wait it out until I took her back home.
Going into the room she sleeps in, she was laid across the bed knocked out. “Tangela,” I sang out as I stood over her. She mumbled something that I couldn’t understand and I called her name again. This time, I tapped her on the back.
“What?” she dragged out.
“Get up. I have to talk to you about something.” I took a seat on the bed as she was rolling over. She tried to open her eyes to look at me, but the sunlight that was peeking through the window, prevented her from doing so. She hurried up and threw her arm across her eyes and let me know she was listening to me. “Um. See, me and Jay was talking about going to New York to see what’s up with Ke’unta’s parents. You know, I told you about them not returning my calls or whatever. But to make a long story short, I’m trying to see if you wanted to go with us. I know you ain’t gon’ stay here.”
After a while and Tan didn’t reply to me, I shook my head and got up. I knew she might’ve had a hangover being that she was dead ass drunk the night before. I was going to go have a talk with Keonna and give her another hour or two and see what she was going to do. As I was walking out, I heard her mumble.
“I’m staying here,” she said. I was surprised but smiled and walked out. I made a mental note to have Tez to watch over her. Yeah, he’s mad at her but I know he wouldn’t let any harm come her way and hopefully, he’d make Kacey stay his ass away from her.
My next stop was to Keonna’s room. My baby was an early bird, even when she didn’t have school, so I knew she was already awake.
“Hey lil’ girl. What you in here doing?” I said as I walked right into her room. I swear I didn’t think it was possible to love someone else’s child so much. This lil’ girl was my heart—mine and Jay’vion’s both.
“Just playing with my dolls, that’s all.”
“I see. And what did you do to your hair? Why did you take the ponytails down? I done told you about playing in your hair when I do it, Keonna.” I hated when she would take her hair down after I’d just done it. Now, I didn’t mind her trying to comb her own hair, but not after I combed it.
“Okay mommy. I won’t do it no more,” she said nonchalantly. Keonna was very advanced for a four-year-old and no one couldn’t tell that child I wasn’t her mama. I loved it too. Just hearing my baby call me mama was music to my ears.
“Whatever, lil’ girl. You said that last time.” Picking her up, I sat her on the bed and took a seat right next to her. “Do you miss your grandmom and granddad?”
She looked at me with the cutest little frown. “Mommy, I just seen them silly.”
“I’m not talking about my parents, Keonna. I’m talking about on your daddy side. You know, the ones you were living with before your daddy went away.”
The sadness on her face didn’t sit with me that well. She then hunched her shoulders as she stared down at the floor. That didn’t sit with me.
“Keonna, what’s wrong baby? Do you not want to see them?” I then asked.
“I do,” was all she finally said as she gave me a forceful smile. Something wasn’t right and I was damn sure going to get to the bottom of it. I wasn’t going to tell Jay’vion how Keonna’s acting because he would without a doubt change his mind about us going up there.
“Okay. We’re going to visit them today. So I’ll be back in here to get you dressed. Okay?” She just nodded her head and I left out the room.
Going back into my bedroom, I had a lot on my mind. I wanted to question Keonna about her sudden sadness when I spoke about her grandparents. Then the thought of her missing her father came to mind. Maybe she wouldn’t be able to handle being there. My heart instantly went out to her and if it wasn’t for me trying to do the right thing, I would’ve changed my mind about going.
Chapter 8
Tangela
It Kills Me!
Last night after Kacey left and I went to bed, I did a lot of thinking. It was time for me to get my life back and be happy. For one, I was going apartment hunting today, here in Atlanta. I’ve come to the realization that staying in Savannah, I would forever be miserable and lonely. Once I get settled, I’m getting my man back, and that man isn’t Kacey, either.
Quintez and I have been through a lot, but I’m finally ready to commit myself to him. I just hope it’s not too late. I would truly understand if he never wanted to speak to me again, but at the time Kacey reached out to me, I was vulnerable and felt I needed him. I wanted to talk about the child we lost, the years we shared and what made us go wrong. Like, what made him cheat on me, and his answer would always stay the same—he was trying to get home to me. Though his answer didn’t justify for his actions, I couldn’t do anything but respect it. When Kacey would ask me the same question, there would be a huge lump that would get stuck in my throat, preventing me from answering him. I had no logical reason for cheating on him.
Quintez was a smooth talker; his thuggish demeanor and cockiness would get any bitch out of their drawers. His sexiness was just an added bonus to it all. Lord knows I just wanted it to be a one-night stand that I would later blame on the alcohol—which would’ve been a lie. I was fully aware of what I was doing. The second time, I told myself it would never happen again and by the third time, my head was damn near fucked up over him. It wasn’t just about the sex either; it was everything about him!
Asia and her little family had just left for New York. They left me the keys to her car to get around and promised to be back the next day. I was okay with that, and planned on spending all day apartment hunting. Once I got settled and found a spot, I would start applying for jobs and focus on getting Quintez to forgive me.
Being that I was here by myself, I was walking to the bathroom in just my silk robe when I heard movement coming from the front of the house. Now, I knew Asia said that Jay was going with her, so who in the hell could’ve been in here besides me. I was afraid to go look, but I wanted to know. Holding my robe tighter, I crept towards the sound of the noise and just as I made it to the kitchen, I screamed—which caused Quintez to pull his gun out and point it at me.
My hands left my robe and shot up to my mouth as I stared at this fool with widened eyes.
“What in the hell are you doing here, Quintez? And how did you get in?” I yelled at him. Slowly, he put the weapon away and rolled his eyes upwards at me. He turned around and continued doing what he was doing. I didn’t know what he was looking for, nor did I care. I wanted to know what was he doing here while Jay and them was out of town. “How did you get in, Quintez?” I repeated my question.
He turned around to face me and leaned against the counter.
“With a damn key… That’s how! Why the fuck does it matter?” The stare that he was giving me, it let me know that I wasn’t one of his favorites at the moment.
“Well, what are you looking for? Maybe I can help you.” I was willing to try anything to get on this man’s good side. Kacey was a mistake that shouldn’t have happened. I should’ve never kept in contact with him and if I had to do it all over again, it would’ve been Quintez that I chose to mend my broken heart because Kacey damn sure didn’t do the job.
He looked me over from head to toe, licked his top lip before biting down on the bottom one then turned his head to look the other way.
“Man, cover yourself up,” he finally said.
“Shit,” I cursed as I quickly closed my robe. Honest to God, I had forgotten all about my robe and I was embarrassed as hell. Yeah, yeah, I know he’d seen my body before, but I didn’t want him to think for one second that I was trying in any way to entice him. “Sorry about that. So, what are you looking for?”
“Nothing.” I swear, Quintez was so damn stubborn that it didn’t make no sense. He started to walk off, but I grabbed his arm. Oh, he was about to hear me out.
“So, you just going to walk off like that? I know you’re upset with me or whatnot, but I never meant—”
“For me to hear what you said last night? To hear that you been fucking that nigga and I couldn’t even get a muthafuckin�
�� hey from you? Huh? That’s what you didn’t mean?” he cut my sentence off and said. He then looked up at the ceiling and chuckled. “That shit is real fucked up.”
“I never meant for it to happen. Me and Kacey shared a child together. Yes, I know she was stillborn, but she was still ours. There were things that only he and me could discuss. Like, stuff that he would only have the answers to. But regardless of what happened, you know how I feel about you, Quintez.”
“I don’t know a muthafuckin’ thing!” When he said that, I just shook my head. I don’t know why this man is sitting up here flexing when he knew how much I loved his ass… So fucking much that it hurts.
Regardless of how he felt for me at the moment, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I walked up on Quintez, pushing him back against the counter. I stared up into his eyes and could see that the love he had for me was still there. I don’t care how much hatred his heart wanted to feel for me at the moment; those eyes of his didn’t lie. Deep down past the anger he felt, there was unconditional love.
“So, you don’t know that I love you? How much it killed me to walk away from you—from us? I would give anything for us to go back to where we were. Do you know how far we would’ve been in life had I left Kacey when you was trying to get me to?” The whole time I talked, I was unfastening his belt buckle, followed by his jeans. I’d been yearning for this man’s touch. Just to feel him inside of me. Once I had his dick out, I began stroking it, bringing it to life. Just seeing that chocolate monstrous thing had my mouth watering.
“So, you think sex is the answer? You think your lil’ funky ass pussy will make a nigga forget how you did me? It don’t work like that, lil’ mama.”
Just hearing him call me lil’ mama brought a smile to my face. I don’t even know why because it wasn’t like he only called me that. I guess I just missed hearing it roll off his tongue.
“Nope. I know it’s not the answer, but it’s a start.” By now, I was on my knees. Sticking my tongue out, I licked the head of his dick then kissed it. I swear I loved that thing. “We can always talk later. I’m here to stay,” I let Quintez know as I took him in my mouth. Like always, I couldn’t take it all down my throat because my gag reflex was something serious. It didn’t stop me from trying though.
