“Stop trying to explain, you’re a grown ass woman. I know why he did it. I do that shit too. It’s called marking your territory. Let’s go.”
Exiting the plane, Ronnie and Rhonda along with their spouses, Michael and Michelle, are waiting for us. “Has mom and dad’s plane arrived yet?” I ask Rhonda.
Looking at me with her sly smile, “no, not yet. Go to the ladies room with me.”
Following Rhonda to the restroom, she keeps looking at me from the corner of her eye. I already know what she’s going to say. “I know, looks like I had a vigorous work out last night.”
“Shit, looks like it was more than vigorous. Was it good is the question?”
Laughing, “yeah and I’m tired as hell!”
“You need to make-up your face and do a better job at covering up that hickey.”
Good, she only sees one. I’m going to kill Aiden. Going back out into the airport to wait for our parent’s arrival, I pull out my phone to call Aiden.
“Hey babe, where are you?”
“Don’t hey babe me. Why the hell did you mark my neck like that?”
“Just your neck, huh?”
“Yes, just my neck.”
“Just marking my territory.”
“My parents are here, I’ll talk to you later.”
“Okay. Hey Sharon, make sure you are alone when you get undressed.” With that, he hangs up the phone.
Chapter Twenty
The Bahamas is beautiful! My parents are really enjoying themselves.
It’s Wednesday and we will be leaving in five days so I plan to hang out on the beach and absorb the sun. Thanks to Aiden and his damn hickeys that also covered my breasts and thighs, I haven’t been able to wear a swimsuit until today. He is so silly! I wonder what he’s doing. Putting on my swim bottoms, they seem a bit small. I know I purchased the right size. Damn, I’m gaining weight. Pulling on my cover-up and grabbing my bag, I head out of my room.
Coming off the elevator, I see Rhonda. “Hey sis, where are you going?”
“I was coming to look for you. Michael is out snorkeling with Ronnie. And Michelle is getting a massage.”
“I wanted to go lie out at the beach.”
“Okay, sounds like a good idea.”
Walking out to the beach in silence, we find two chairs with umbrellas. Perfect! “It is so beautiful here. I’m so glad we chose this resort.”
“Yeah, me too. Michael is having a ball and if anyone needed a vacation, it was him.” Looking around like she has something on her mind, she says, “Sharon, does Michael seem like he’s happy?”
Wow. What’s going on with them? “He seems to be. Why?”
Shrugging her shoulders, she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. “Don’t know. Just seems that he’s a little distant.”
“Maybe it’s because of daddy. Was he acting like that before we got here?”
“I really can’t say. Our lives are so busy – it’s possible that I just haven’t noticed anything until just recently.”
Thinking about what Rhonda has said is disturbing. Mike is such a nice, trustworthy guy. “Have you talked to him?”
“Not yet. The other night when daddy and Sean were arguing about leaving an inheritance for your children, Mike made a comment about the fact that daddy is always trying to control how people think.”
“Well, he’s right. Don’t you agree? He does it all the time. Did you get mad at him for telling the truth?”
“I wasn’t mad at him but I don’t like the fact that he just blurts out what he feels about daddy but wants me to walk on eggshells when it comes to his overbearing mother.”
Am I following this conversation? “So you think he’s unhappy with you?”
“What I’m saying is that since that conversation, he seems distant.”
Grabbing Rhonda’s hand and squeezing it, “I just think you need to talk to him.” Pulling off my cover-up, I lie back in the chair and close my eyes. I am so tired!
“Sharon, you sure are sleeping a lot. Are you okay?”
Rhonda doesn’t miss anything. “I think it’s the heat.”
Looking at me with a raised eyebrow like she doesn’t believe me, “I hope you’re not over there worrying about Aiden.”
Sitting up again, “no, but since you brought him up, I followed your advice and it was a disaster!” I can’t contain my face cracking smile.
“Girl, what happened?”
She’s looks like a big kid about to get her favorite toy. Good, now she’s all smiles. “We went out to this jazz restaurant not too far from my house a month or so ago and he went off on me, the waiter and the manager because, get this, the waiter and I were eye fucking each other!” We are both giggling so loud that people on the beach are staring at us.
“Eye fucking? Girl, Aiden is crazy!”
“Okay! Hey, let me ask you this – do all guys claim a woman’s vajayjay as belonging to them?”
“When they’re the first to get the cookie, they think they own it.” She says with that, ‘you know what I mean’ look.
“Has Michael ever told you that?” Maybe I shouldn’t have asked. Hell, why not, she gets all up in my business all the time.
“Michael wasn’t my first.” Looking at me with her lips all turned up and eyebrows raised she says, “I was his and yes, I remind him all the time that I own his piece!”
My eyes are the size of a quarter. “What?” All this time, I thought Rhonda was a virgin when she got married.
As if reading my mind, “no, I wasn’t a virgin. You are the one sneaking around not wanting anyone to know that Aiden is waxing that ass every chance he gets.”
“Shut up!” We are both falling back while cracking up laughing.
Looking around at the people on the beach, who we’re obviously disturbing, Rhonda says, “girl, let’s go get something to eat before these people go ballistic on us for keeping up so much noise.”
“Rhonda. Sharon!” We hear Michelle calling us as we’re heading into one of the restaurants on the resort. She’s walking towards us, “you guys getting ready to eat lunch?”
Rhonda is looking at me like she wants me to say no but I ignore her. “Yeah, want to join us?”
“Actually I would, I’m famished.”
Michelle walks into the restaurant ahead of us. Feeling Rhonda shoving my shoulder, she walks beside me, elbowing my arm while rolling her eyes at me. Rhonda thinks Michelle is a phony and only with Ronnie for his money because according to Rhonda, “that girl came from nothing and now she wants to hold her head up high like she’s somebody.” Unfortunately, it’s true, we’ve met her ghetto ass family and it was not pleasant, at all!
Leaning close, Rhonda whispers, “did that railroad bitch just say famished? I can’t stand her fake ass. Why did you invite her?”
Michelle finds a table and we all take our seats. She knows that Rhonda doesn’t care for her so her small talk about nothing is directed at me. We are all sitting in silence, how awkward! “So, how was your massage?”
Michelle sounds a little down and not her usual boastful self, she says, “it was relaxing.” Ugh, why didn’t I follow Rhonda’s mood and decline lunch? Apparently, we all feel the same way because as soon as the waiter arrives, we order drinks. No food.
After about five rounds of drinks, the mood at our table has calmed. Michelle is looking down at her hands and out of nowhere, she says, “so, I guess you guys heard that Ronnie plans to file for a divorce as soon as we return home from this vacation.”
What? “No, Michelle, I haven’t heard about any divorce.” Looking at Rhonda, who seems just as shocked, I don’t know what else to say. Then, all unexpected, she bursts out in tears. Rhonda moves first to sit next to her and embraces her in a hug while staring at me with questioning eyes.
Sharon should have taken my hint and said no to going to lunch with this heffa! Now, I’ve got to try to calm her ass down and find out what’s going on with her and Ronnie. No doubt he got tired of her gold-digging ass.
“Michelle, calm down. Why are you and Ronnie getting a divorce?” Hell yes, I want to know. And Sharon is pissing me the hell off, just sitting there all emotional and shit. By the way, what’s up with Sharon? Now I’ve got two dilemmas to sort out.
“I don’t know. He came home about a week ago and said he was tired of pretending to be happy.”
I know this bastard isn’t cheating on this girl. That’s the exact line men use when they’re cheating. “Have you guys been having any problems?” Shit, not only is she crying but Sharon’s ass is sitting over there sobbing like this is all happening to her.
“No. Well yes. My mother called to ask him, not me, for money and he got mad. He said that he’s tired of supporting my family. I didn’t even know they were still asking him for money.”
Shaking my head, I really feel sorry for her. “Have you talked to your family?” Looking at Sharon, her ass has zoned out.
“I called my mother but she denied asking him.” Wiping her eyes and downing the last of her drink, she says, “Rhonda, I know you don’t like me much because according to your brother, I’m a gold-digger who trapped him by pretending that I was pregnant.”
Yeah, I said it but Ronnie didn’t have to repeat it! “Michelle, I did tell Ronnie that. But what sister wouldn’t have? My brother worked his butt off while in college and as soon as her graduates with a degree in finance and lands a good job with a reputable company, out of the blue, you’re pregnant. Then two months after he marries you, “because of his duty as a man” I say using my fingers to quote, you up and have a miscarriage. Doesn’t that sound like your ticket out of the ghetto?” Now Sharon has zoned her ass back in with wide eyes, she’s covering her mouth.
With raised, offended eyes she says, “Rhonda, it sounds like me marrying the man I love. And for your information, I was pregnant. But while you’re casting judgment on me, ask your brother why I had that miscarriage.”
The alcohol has kicked in now. “Since you’re talking, you tell me.”
Sitting back like maybe she shouldn’t have said anything at all, she shrugs her shoulders and says, “Ronnie didn’t want to marry me and he let me know every chance he got that he was making a mistake. When I found out that he was seeing another girl, a friend of yours I think, I just couldn’t risk losing him so I got pregnant on purpose. Not to get out of the ghetto but because Ronnie was my first love, the only guy I’ve ever been with, the only guy to ever show me respect. And he was the only black guy I knew who was trying to do something with his life and encouraged me to do likewise. I know for a fact, I would have never graduated from college if it hadn’t been for him encouraging me.”
“Damn Michelle. I never knew any of that.” Looking over at Sharon, her ass is drunk as hell. “Who was the girl he was seeing?”
Heavily sighing, “I don’t even remember her name but I do recall seeing her with you at your parent’s house a few times.”
“At my parent’s house, that could be anybody. I never noticed Ronnie taking an interest in any of my friends.”
“It doesn’t matter now, that was the past. But, it was part of the reason I didn’t waste my time getting close to you because even after we were married, they continued to see each other until I had the miscarriage. I always thought you were in on it and they definitely didn’t try to hide anything from me.”
Raising my brow at her, “you don’t know me well at all do you? I don’t care if you were my worst enemy, I would never sit back and let any man, including my brother, cheat on you and not speak up. But why did you treat us like we were beneath you?”
“That’s never been my intention. I only assumed that you and your family tolerated me because I was married to Ronnie at least that’s what he made me think.” Dropping her shoulders, “I guess the reason I behave the way I do is so that no one can hurt me. If I separate myself from people, they can’t hurt me.”
Scrunching my lips as I process what she’s saying, “I guess that makes a lot of sense. I just wish we would have discussed this a few years ago.” Taking her hand into my own, “I sincerely want you to know that I had no idea that my bastard ass brother cheated on you and I don’t condone such behavior from any man, including my brothers.”
“Thanks Rhonda. I’m glad we’ve had this talk too. You have no idea the number of times I’ve wanted to reach out to you and Sharon for a relationship because honestly, I have no one who I can just talk to or just hang out with. It gets really lonely sometimes.” With a worried face, “speaking of Sharon, is she going to be okay?”
Rolling my eyes towards the heavens, “hell no, her ass is drunk as hell. Help me get her back to her room before my parents notice. Leave it to Sharon to ruin a good evening.” Michelle and I burst out laughing at my comment. Since being here on vacation, it’s either been Sean and dad or Sharon and dad going head to head about what my father doesn’t agree with. Hell, Michael is right!
On the ride up to Sharon’s room, I’m really glad that I got a chance to talk to Michelle. I just hope things work out between her and my brother. I have my own issues so I can’t get caught up in theirs. And, I’m not sure what’s wrong with Sharon. She’s walking on her own but just seems out of it. “Sharon, where’s your keycard?” Taking it out of her bag and passing it to me, she starts to cry. “What’s wrong with you?”
Walking past me with Michelle following, she walks into the room and throws herself across the bed. “Sharon, what’s wrong?” Damn, I can only handle so much drama in one day! Michelle is sitting on the bed next to Sharon rubbing her back. “Sharon, please tell us what’s wrong.”
Turning onto her back and staring up at the ceiling. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I just feel like I’m all over the place.” Taking her hands, she covers her face.
“Is this about Aiden?” This asked by Michelle. My eyes are raised because Sharon, at times, can be a bitch when it comes to questions or comments about Aiden. You have to know how to ease into conversations about him or she goes off like a cannon. Sharon, still has her eyes covered, nods her head. Okay, Michelle is safe – that’s a relief.
“Why am I still with him? He is such a whore and is always trying to control the things in my life. I don’t care that he has female friends but when he’s hanging out with them or seen all hugged up with them, it doesn’t look right. Do you know that he put hickeys all over my breast and thighs to keep me from wearing a swimming suit? I can’t even go anywhere without people staring at me like I’m the biggest fool to walk the face of the earth.” Taking a deep breath, “I am so stupid! I’m stupid because every time his ass messes up, all he has to do is drop to his knees and work that magic tongue of his and I give in.”
Looking at Michelle, I can’t believe that my very private sister has just blurted out her business, I pull at her arm, “um Sharon, baby you’ve had too much to drink. I don’t know about Michelle, but that was too much information. Why don’t you get up and take a shower or something to clear your head.”
Sitting up on the bed, “Rhonda, I’m not drunk. I just sat there listening to Michelle talk about Ronnie and I realize that I do the exact same thing. I isolate myself to feel safe so I don’t have to deal with what people think of me concerning Aiden. While Aiden does exactly what he wants with whomever he wants and I’m always there to take him back. Don’t you get it? He controls me with the fact that he was my first. I’m so sick of his ‘this na-na belongs to me and only me’ bullshit!”
I don’t know who’s laughing harder, me or Michelle. I think its Michelle because she is on the floor cracking up! Even Sharon is lying back on the bed laughing now. This is just what we needed!
“Stop laughing at me, I’m serious.” I pull my cellphone out of my bag, “listen to this message that he left this morning.” Pressing play:
Message from 661-916-1733 received at 8:00 a.m.
Hey babe, I miss you. You didn’t call me last night.
I know you’re still mad about the marks. I’ll admit,
I was wrong to do that. I just don’t want anyone else
looking at my na-na. For my eyes only okay.
Love you. Call me.
Aiden
Cocking my head to the side, “see what I mean? And get this, sometimes it turns me on when he leaves me messages like this. Like right now, I’m horny as hell from listening to this bullshit. Stop laughing, it’s not funny!”
“Sister in law, I love you, but this is some funny shit!”
And that’s how we ended our evening. My sister and my sister in law, laughing at me and Aiden like everyone else. I guess it is a bit hilarious when you think about it.
Chapter Twenty One
We’re heading home today. This has been such a fun vacation and celebration for our parent’s. Not to mention, Rhonda and I now have a new sister that we can acknowledge. After that night in my room, the three of us have been inseparable. With promises that we’ll get together soon, Sean and I make our way to the terminal returning to Los Angeles.
Taking our seats on the plane, Sean and I aren’t saying too much to each other. No doubt he’s as tired as I am because the two of us were out late partying hard at this nightclub in honor of our last night in the Bahamas. Closing my eyes, my mind drifts back to this tall, fine brother, Terrance Scott, a professional football player. He told me the name of the team but I can’t for the life of me remember. He was also on vacation at the resort with a couple of his frat brothers. I spent most of my evening with him talking and dancing. Man could he dance. What I can’t get out of my head is how good he smelled and how his hands felt caressing my back while we slow danced. His arms were so muscular and my body seemed to align with his. Normally, I wouldn’t slow dance with anyone other than Aiden but the music changed so quickly that I had no choice. Around four a.m., Sean came to tell me that he was ready to go. I exchanged phone numbers with Terrance but I’m almost sure he isn’t going to call and I’m sure not going to call him first – no matter how fine he is.
Ladies and gentlemen, we’re approaching our destination. We ask that all passengers remain seated to prepare for landing.
His Choice, Her Decision Page 7
