Checkmate 3: Playtime's Over

by Tiece

  “Look, this is ridiculous. You’re causing a scene.” He said peeking out of the window. His neighbors across the street had come out on the porch to sit down, but they were just clearly being nosey. “Please just go away. I’ll call you later.” He said, but Dee had other plans. She remembered the spare key inside the flower pot that sat in between his two favorite rocking chairs. She quietly snuck over feeling around inside the pot until she felt the key. Not even thinking twice about it, she quickly ran back to his front door and unlocked it rushing in. Maurice was stunned to see her barging inside his house, but the punch in his nose was what really caught him by surprise.

  “Give me my damn key!” He wrestled with her trying to push her back out the door. Dee kept fighting him like a crazed nut. He couldn’t get her out the door for nothing.

  “Le’me see who is in here! Come out Miss bad ass!” She yelled trying to get loose. “You ain’t shit if you can’t show your face bitch!” She took in a deep breath after tiring a struggle from not being able to pry away from Maurice’s grip. “Tell yo bitch to come out and take this ass whooping like a woman!” She screamed out. “Muthafuckin’ cunt!” Then all of a sudden she stopped fighting with disbelief in her eyes. She’d become quiet and confused as Payton came walking around the corner. She immediately recognized who he was, but Maurice’s loud scolding redirected her attention back to him.

  “I told you not to come out! Damn! Go back into the bedroom!” Maurice yelled at him.

  “First off, you don’t tell me what to do! I just got finished telling you that shit!” Payton snapped.

  Dee was trying to process everything quickly. It was like things were moving in slow motion, but way too fast for her to catch up. “Payton… Please tell me that this is just your homeboy. Come on,” she was totally stunned. “Maybe this is your brother, cousin? Fuck it, why are you here?” She looked at Maurice with disgust. “Bitch get off me!” She growled snatching her arm away from his grip.

  “I’m here to break things off with a man I thought only liked men until you introduced him last night as your boyfriend.” Payton explained.

  Dee was in total shock. She felt like running over and scratching Payton’s eyes out, but her feet wouldn’t move and her mouth wouldn’t open. She couldn’t believe that she’d been played by a man who actually was sleeping with another man.

  “NO! NO! This shit ain’t real. Like seriously, is this real?” She asked in denial. Maurice was embarrassed and wasn’t saying anything.

  “It’s real and just so you know I’ve broken things off with him. I don’t want to see him anymore. He’s a lying muthafucka!” Payton said hoping that this would make Dee feel better, but it didn’t work. Dee started scratching at Maurice’s face as Payton grabbed her around the waist.

  “He’s not worth it!” Payton yelled out.

  “How the fuck you gon’ cheat on me with a dude? A fuckin’ dude!” She pushed Maurice upside his head. “You dirty dick Bitch! You wait,” she huffed, very pissed off. “I know some nigga’s from back home that would kill yo stankin’ ass for doing me like this,” she cried because her feelings were beyond hurt. “You’ll pay for this shit with yo pussy ass!”

  Payton managed to get Dee outside and Maurice locked them both out. He felt bad for hurting Dee but worse for not calling things off before it got this bad. He also felt bad for hurting Payton too, but most importantly this shit was going to get out and he couldn’t face Monty or Rico once they found out.

  Payton quickly walked away to his car. Dee looked over at him still in shock. She had been so upset that she never even paid attention to his car at Candy’s house that night or it would’ve dawned on her.

  “Where in the hell are you going?” She asked.

  “I’m taking my black ass home!” He said looking over at the nosey ass neighbors who were enjoying every bit of the drama that was going on.

  “I can’t believe that you’d sleep with men knowing that they still slept with women. That’s just fucking nasty! What kind of shit of that?” She asked walking up on Payton.

  “First off, you gon’ back the hell up,” Payton demanded. “Secondly, your man was actually my man for the last two months. I didn’t know that he was fucking a woman until I met you last night.”

  “So why didn’t you say something then?”

  “Because it’s a time and a place for everything and I’m too classy boo to make a man think I’m riding his dick like that. But, just as mad as this nigga has made you; please believe me when I say that I’m just as mad and hurt too.” Payton opened his car door and got inside it. He didn’t even look over at Dee as he backed out of the driveway. He was hoping that she’d just leave and not make herself look any more like a lost desperate woman in need of man.

  Dee started to walk back up to the door and beat on it until the police showed, but decided to leave instead. She was embarrassed, hurt, and still somewhat in denial, but desperate she wasn’t. Maurice wasn’t nothing like the man she thought he was. He was the biggest liar she’d ever met and she was so over it already, but not before she told everybody about his secret life. He was surely going to pay for making her look and feel like such a fool.

  Chapter 24

  Monty walked inside the house just as Catherine was hanging up the phone. He immediately walked over, kissing her on the cheek.

  “What’s up Ma?” He said sitting down beside her.

  “Nothing much, son; I was just hanging up the phone with Nancy.”

  “How she is doing?” Monty asked.

  “She’s actually doing great. She’s seeing a Psychologist who is really helping her understand a lot of things about herself and is continuing to help her cope with her loses.” Catherine stated.

  “Well that’s a good thing. I’m happy to hear that, because Nancy is a cool lady and regardless of what she done, she doesn’t deserve to be there.”

  “If things go as they should, then she will be coming home within the next two years.”

  “That’s good Ma. I didn’t know that. You know since Candy and I aren’t talkin’ much these days then I’m clueless about certain things that’s going on over there now.”

  “How is she, Monty? She still acts the same when she comes over but I can tell that she’s hurt and disappointed about how things went down between y’all.”

  “She is and I can’t blame her.” Monty sighed. “I just want her to be happy and it doesn’t seem like I’m the right candidate for the job.”

  “And what if she chooses to be with another, then what?” Catherine asked.

  “I honestly don’t know what. I wouldn’t know how to react to that, because we’ve not dealt with anything like that since I jumped on that dude at the IHop. But, he deserved it.”

  “How do you feel like he deserved it when Candy was the one who allowed him to get that close to her? This would be the same difference if she decided to start dating other men.” Catherine explained.

  Monty sat in deep thought for a moment. “You’re right, Ma. It’s just that it bothers me to even think about her dating another man, let alone sleeping with somebody else.” Monty said.

  “If you’ve moved on then don’t you think it’s fair to step back and let her move on too?” Catherine asked.

  “Yep, it’s fair to say that, but we all know that life doesn’t always deal you a fair hand.” He said with harsh thoughts running through his mind of Candy being with another.

  Catherine grinned. “You can’t have your cake and eat it too, son. Aren’t you trying to start something back up with MiKayla? How is she doing by the way?”

  “She’s doing good,” he answered.

  “Well that’s good. I’m surprised that she’s still willing to be with you after all you’ve put the poor girl through in so little time.” Catherine sympathetically said.

  “MiKayla is a woman that knows what she wants and she wants me. I mean look at me, Ma. Can you blame her?” He teased.

  Catherine shook her head as she loo
ked over at her son. “MiKayla is a sweet girl too. Don’t be playing with these women feelings if you aren’t ready to settle down. You need to be honest, not only with them, but with yourself. You ain’t ready to be in a relationship. You just wanna layup and do you. I honestly don’t know what it’s gonna take for you to be ready to just settle down with one woman. But, I can tell you this, by the time you do decide all the good girls will be gone.

  “I am being honest with her.”

  “I just can’t believe that or she wouldn’t be sticking around.” Monty sat quiet because everything his mama was saying was the absolute truth. He was a playboy that enjoyed running the streets and loving different women. He knew that it was more to life than just that, but he was young and wanted to enjoy himself. One woman just wasn’t gonna hold his attention.

  “You’re right mama, as always. I didn’t wanna hear that but you’re telling the truth. Where’s my boy at?”

  “He’s napping in his crib.” Catherine said.

  “I’m about to take him home. I had other plans but I have to resolve a few things with the women in my life. I need to go see Candy first, because we have some things to talk about.”

  “I think that would be a great idea. You don’t ever wanna have bad blood with your baby mama. Whatever messes you’ve gotten yourself in then you need to work on getting yourself out of it.” Catherine said with a smile as she exited the living room. “I don’t know if you and Candy will ever be over each other.” She uttered.

  “Me, either,” he whispered then he got up from the sofa to go get MJ. All he wanted to do was speak with his baby mama at that point to get some things off of his chest.

  **********

  Candy sat on the edge of her bed hoping that things were okay between Dee and Maurice. She had called her back numerous times, but Dee wouldn’t pick up.

  “Oh well, maybe they’ve worked things out.” She said putting on her black Steve Madden knee high boots and standing to look at herself in the mirror. She was indeed a very attractive young lady who at this point didn’t give a damn about running behind an ole no good ass nigga. She felt the need to speak with Monty and clear the air. It was long overdue and she was ready to face him and explain exactly how he’d made her feel by his fuck ups. She needed closure and she was going to get it one way or the other. One thing she was interested in was making him see what he was missing out on. She rubbed her hands down the black fitted, knee length Dereon Sweater dress she wore so proper like. She knew she looked good and Monty would know it too once he saw her.

  She looked over on the nightstand, picking up her phone as it rang.

  “Hello,” she answered.

  “That muthafuckin’ friend of yours is fucking my man!” Dee blasted.

  “What friend? Mona?” Candy asked thinking that by this time Dee had lost her everlasting mind.

  “No not Mona.” Dee said sounding a bit frustrated.

  “Well who? I mean… I tried to call you back several times but you didn’t answer.”

  “That’s because I was checking Maurice’s dirty dick ass!” Dee yelled out.

  “Soooo, I take it that there was another woman there?” Candy asked.

  “Try this one on for size; more like a muthafuckin’ man,” Dee stated.

  “Huh?” Candy was confused.

  “Your homeboy or shall I say homegirl Payton was there.”

  “What the fuck??? Wait one damn minute, did you say that Payton was there?”

  “Yes and apparently they’re fucking.”

  Candy’s mouth opened wide as hell from the shock of hearing such information. She was quiet for a moment as the ringing of the doorbell caught her attention.

  “Damn, that’s Monty with my baby. Cuz, just come on home; we’ll talk then. Oh and calm down or pull yo ass over. You don’t need to be driving this upset.” She said.

  “I’m good Cuz. I just gotta get some gas and I’ll see you when I get there.” She then ended their call.

  Candy walked to the door not knowing how to take Dee’s news. Maurice and Payton??? Who would’ve ever thought that Maurice was gay? I need to call Payton and find out what the hell is going on. Her mind was speeding as she opened the door up for Monty. He looked good as usual, but she wasn’t in the mood for his shit, not now anyway.

  “What’s up baby mama?” Monty asked walking in.

  “Hey, what’s going on?” Candy reached for MJ. “Hey mama’s baby. How’s my lil man?” MJ grinned gushing all over his mama as she rocked him in her arms. She looked over at Monty. “So what’s up Baby Daddy?”

  “Nothing much, just dropping off your package.” He grinned, kissing MJ on the forehead. “Do you have a little time? I think we should talk.”

  “I have time and yes I think that we should talk.” She said.

  “About last night,” he reluctantly started. “I only wanted to say that I’m sorry for not giving you a heads up.”

  Candy grinned a little. “So if you would’ve called me and I said that I didn’t approve of you taking MiKayla to the party then what would you have done differently?”

  “I… I honestly don’t know. What I do know is that you’ve been giving me the cold shoulder for a few weeks now and even when I tried talking with you about the party you didn’t want to talk to me.”

  “Monty, do you really want to know why I’ve not been fooling with you lately? You always do some ole fucked up shit that pisses me the fuck off and still I keep having to find ways to get past your betrayal.”

  “What the hell are you talking about now? I know that I didn’t tell you about MiKayla, but damn she is the reason why you left me. It ain’t like I just met her or something.” He said, trying to justify his actions.

  “Are you serious? I can’t believe you just said that shit. You are so self-absorbed until it ain’t funny. Sometimes I wonder if you ever really cared for me. You had the audacity to bring the same chick that broke us up to one of the biggest party’s of the year. Like what part of betrayal don’t you understand?”

  “Okay I take fault for everything, but you don’t want to be with me. Hell you won’t even talk to me half the time if it ain’t dealing with MJ.”

  “Damn right,” she said looking down at her caller ID as her cell phone rang. It was Payton and she figured that this was not the time to talk to him. She decided to call him back and ignored the call.

  “What’s the problem? I know I fucked up, but damn you don’t give a brother a break.” He said.

  “And why should I?” She asked knowing that she saw him and Kina fucking, but she could never reveal such information without answering why she was at Brendon’s place of business anyway.

  “Look,” she said. “I’m moving on and I suggest that you do too. Maybe I was wrong about us being together forever. Maybe you’re not really my soul mate.” She looked down at her phone again as Payton attempted to reach her again. Still she didn’t answer in hopes that Monty would leave soon so she could call him back.

  “Answer it,” he insisted thinking that it was a man calling her. “Don’t ignore it just because of me.” He said.

  “I don’t have to answer my phone if I don’t want too and if I wanted too, trust me, you couldn’t stop me.”

  “Don’t get choked the fucked out.” Monty threatened.

  Candy grinned. “I can’t believe that you do you whenever doing you feels right, but when I do me that’s a problem. Nigga, get over it. From the looks of things you’ve moved on and I think it’s only fair that I do too.”

  “You know what, that’s not a problem. Do you if that’s what you wanna do.” Monty irritably stated.

  “Oh that’s what I’m gonna do.” Candy snapped.

  “Let’s not get this twisted. You’re the mother of my child and because of that I know you carry a level of respect for yourself. I’m honestly not worried about you doing anything out of character or even sleeping with another nigga right now.”

  Candy grinned again. “You are rea
lly a trip, Monty. Whether I was your son’s mother or not I’m always going to carry a level of respect for myself. As a matter of fact, a very high level at that,” she said with a little jerk in her neck. “Oh and let’s not get it twisted; whenever I feel that it’s the right guy and the right time I WILL sleep with another man.”

  The thought of Candy having sex with another man disturbed Monty to the fullest. “Candy, don’t play with me.” He snapped.

  Candy shook her head. “I’m glad that you think I’m playing because once the ripple effects finally hit you, the game will be over.” She coldly stated.