Unveiled

by Shataya Simms

  “What’s wrong?” I ask.

  “Nothing. This baby is just kicking my ass physically. I’m exhausted,” she yawns. “Can you tell Knuck that I am ready to go? I am so tired,” she yawns again.

  “Sure,” I respond getting up and walking towards Knuck and Nyce who seem to be engaged in an intense conversation.

  “Hey! The wife is ready to go,” I tell Knuck when I approach. “You better not be driving either,” I scold, looking at a tipsy Knuck.

  “Naw…my baby got me,” he says kissing my cheek.

  “Well, I’ll be there Monday morning to get the kids. Give you and Pree some alone time.”

  “We ain’t gonna do shit but sleep but thank you,” he slurs before walking over to Pree. I follow behind him and grab my jacket to help Pree put him in the car.

  “You gonna be okay?” I ask her, looking at Knuck who is passed out in the front seat of the car already.

  “Yeah, I’ll be fine.”

  “Do you want to stay at my brownstone in Harlem? It’s too late to be trying to drive all the way back to Philly,” I tell her looking at my watch.

  “I’m fine. We have to get back home to the kids and Taj has a game tomorrow morning.”

  “Okay. Make sure you call me or text me when you get home.”

  “Will do. Are you going to be okay?” Pree asks.

  “Yeah, I’m fine. I’m staying across the street.”

  “Well, be careful,” she says climbing into her car.

  It’s a little after 1:30 am. I start to head over to the hotel when I realize that I left my purse sitting on the table. I walk back inside the restaurant and Nyce is sitting at the table babysitting my purse and drink.

  “Uh, thanks,” I say grabbing my purse.

  “You shouldn’t leave it lying around.”

  “There’s nothing in it besides mints and my room key.”

  “You leavin’?” He asks.

  “Yeah. I’m tired.”

  “Come dance with me,” he says getting up and trying to grab my hand. I snatch my hand back.

  “Please. One dance?” He slurs.

  “You’re drunk,” I giggle.

  “So are you,” he laughs.

  “One dance and then I’m going,” I agree, taking off my jacket. Either the shit was planned, destiny, or just a fuckin’ coincidence, but as soon as we hit the dance floor “Just my Imagination” by The Temptations starts to blare out of the speakers. We both let out a cheesy smile, though mine is involuntary.

  “Remember this?” He whispers in my ear as we slow drag on the floor.

  “I don’t want to play, let’s reminisce with you,” I reply.

  We dance to the song in silence as I am caught up in my memories of the night I almost lost my virginity to him. I hold in my laugher when I think about how easily I gave it up to him the following night.

  “Aneesah, can I ask you something?”

  “Huh?”

  “Can I stick my tongue in your dimple?” He laughs.

  “You really are a dick,” I tell him, storming away and leaving him on the dance floor. I briskly walk over to the table, grab my things and power walk across the street to the hotel. The lobby is empty, thank God, and I make it safely on the elevator.

  “Shit. Where the hell is my keycard?” I curse looking inside my empty purse.

  “Shit,” I say again as I reluctantly walk towards the front desk. I have no ID, no cash or credit cards and my room is under my alias name.

  “Hey, I need a key to the penthouse suite please,” I tell the clerk.

  “Hey, you’re Aní…ah…Aneesah,” the desk clerk says.

  “Yes. The room is under Daya Sinclair. That’s me,” I smile.

  “I was told you checked in but…wow,” he says admiringly.

  “May I have the key please?” The boy is so star-struck that he absentmindedly gives me the whole box of keys without taking his eyes off me.

  “Thanks,” I giggle, plucking a key card out of the box and handing it to him. I wait patiently as he programs it.

  “Please don’t deactivate the other cards if possible. My staff still needs to be able to get in.”

  “We normally aren’t allowed to do that but for you, okay,” he smiles brightly before handing me the new card.

  “Thank you.”

  I make it inside my suite, locking the door behind me. Turning on the music in my iPhone play list, a classic Hi-Five song blares out of the blue tooth speakers as I strip out of my dress.

  “…and I’ll be thinking ‘bout you every night and every day…’Cause in my heart I know that I never should have let you go,” I sing, throwing my dress on the back of the couch and walking over to the bar in my pink thong to fix me a drink. Once I have the right amount of Grey Goose and cranberry/pineapple mix in my glass, I walk into the master bedroom and inside the bathroom to fix me a hot, relaxing bath. Lighting some candles to set the mood and making sure I have extra batteries for my “toys”, I wait patiently for the water to fill the tub. Waltzing back over to the bar, I open the fridge and pull out an overpriced bottle of Dom Perigone. As I’m walking towards the bedroom thinking about how I am about to enjoy my night of masturbation, I hear someone entering my door before the deadbolt stops them. I run for the phone thinking it’s the guy from the front desk breaking and entering.

  “I’m calling the cops,” I yell.

  “It’s me. Open the door,” Nyce says.

  “What do you want?” I ask hanging up the phone.

  “I want to apologize. I was wrong. I’m a dick. Can you please open the door?”

  “No.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I don’t want you here. Go away.”

  “I can’t. I’m tired and I’ve been drinking. The hotel is booked and there is nowhere for me to go. I just need to rest for a minute, now open the door.”

  “No. You being tired is not my problem so I suggest that you call your wife and tell her to come get your ass but you cannot stay here.”

  “I’m not going to try anything if that’s what you’re worried about. I just need a two-hour nap or something and then I’ll leave. I know you kind of hate me and all but damn. You really want me to drive home after I’ve been drinking?”

  “I don’t care what you do.”

  “Fine. I’ll just take a nap out here in the hall. Can I at least have a pillow and blanket?”

  “No,” I snap shoving the door closed.

  I run back into the bedroom and reach the bathroom just in time for me to stop the water in the tub before it overflowed. Blowing out the candles and draining the water, I walk over to the shower stall. Nyce has completely ruined my alone time. I throw my hair up into a messy bun and step inside the shower.

  When I’m done, I walk back out into the bedroom, apply some lotion to my body and throw on my sleeveless knee-length, lilac colored cotton nightgown that looks more like a fitted summer dress. I put on my knitted booties before walking out the room to return the bottle of champagne that I no longer need. Grabbing my phone to turn off the music, I walk over to the front door and look out the peephole. This idiot really is sleeping in front of my damn door. Unlocking the door and leaving it open, I retire to my room.

  I’m lying in bed watching Pretty Woman when my stomach growls.

  “Shit. You just ate,” I remind myself before jumping up and throwing on my slippers to head to the kitchen for a snack. I was expecting to find Nyce passed out on the couch or in one of the other bedrooms, but his ass is in the kitchen eating my damn apple. His shoes are off, and he is walking around in his black slacks and wife beater.

  Walking over to the fridge, I remove a bottle of water and some pineapples.

  “What’s up with all the games?” He asks while pointing at the board games I have stacked in the corner in the living room.

  “My apartment flooded. Those are all the games I bought for the kids when they visit,” I reply.

  “And the comic books?” He questions, pi
cking the one up that’s lying on the kitchen counter.

  “Nyyyycccceeee,” I squeal, jumping up and down. He stares at me like I’m crazy. “I did it, I did it. I got a comic book, action movie,” I smile with glee. He knows how bad I’ve wanted this.

  “Did you?” He asks as his eyes balloon.

  I proceed to tell Nyce about the role.

  “Damn Aneesah. That’s what’s up. I know that’s something you have wanted for a long time. I’ve seen Lena by the way. Great job. You were amazing. Proud of you,” he smiles.

  Awkward silence.

  “Well, come on. Let’s play a game,” he says breaking the silence and grabbing my hand.

  “What for? You never beat me at anything,” I tease as I watch him pull out the checkers. I press play on my phone and let the suite fill-up with music.

  “Tonight is my lucky night,” he winks, picking out the black checkers. I humor him and sit down. I win the first round of checkers as we laugh and joke around.

  “You got any cards?” He asks.

  “Yeah,” I respond standing up to retrieve them. He gets up too and walks over to the bar.

  “How do you expect to sober up if you keep drinking?” I ask.

  “It’s two-thirty. At three-thirty I am going to bed, sleep this shit off and in the morning, I will be on my way,” he replies pulling out two shot glasses and the Cîroc. “How about we raise the stakes,” he smiles.

  “Oh yeah! How so?”

  “Two-man spades. We go to 250. Loser takes two shots and each sandbag you get, you have to take a shot.”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “Scared?”

  “No. You’re nobody to be afraid of,” I laugh. I grab a pen and some paper and sit down at the table with him. About four shots later, I am straight buzzing as we joke around and listen to music.

  “You remember this?” He asks bobbing his head and throwing a King of Hearts on the table, Notorious BIG “Me and my Bitch” blasting through the speakers.

  “When I first met you, I thought you was a trick. You looked so good I’d suck on your daddy dick,” I rap while throwing a three of spades on the table, eating his heart.

  “You need to stick to singing. You suck at the rap thing. Your voice is too soft,” he laughs.

  “Shut up,” I laugh throwing a ten of clubs and focusing back on the game.

  “Awww…what about this?” I ask referring to Musiq’s “Girl Next Door.”

  “Yeah. I used to kick this one to you. Damn, I was smooth wit’ mine. Had you wide open,” he laughs.

  “Yo…stop sucking your own dick. You was mad corny and I was young and didn’t know any better,” I laugh, reminiscing on the memory.

  “That song aligned perfectly with us though, right? You was the annoying ass girl next door who I used to be mean to and try to avoid.”

  “You see how that worked out. I knew I was going to get you. It was just a matter of time,” I laugh.

  “So, you tryin’ to say you bagged me?”

  “Yup! Hooked and baited. The whole point of me taking you to Belize was so I could seduce you. See, I always win and get what I want,” I smile.

  “Who’s suckin’ their own dick now?” He laughs. “We had some good times.”

  “Some,” I agree as we continue to play and listen to music.

  “OH MY GOD NYCE!” I squeal when Trick Daddy’s “I’m a Thug” comes on. “This song always reminds me of you,” I blurt out.

  “You think I’m a thug?”

  “No silly. It’s the song that was playing when we first met. You forgot?” I ask shaking my head laughing.

  “I remember the gas station but not the song. I was too busy staring at you,” he flirts.

  “Whatever,” I roll my eyes.

  “Seriously, I still remember. I remember you wearing a brown t-shirt with some short ass shorts and these gold shoes; white nail polish on your toes and these huge sunglasses on your face. Your hair was blonde and up in one of those clippy things.”

  I smile, not sure if he just made that up or if he is telling the truth because I don’t recall what the hell I was wearing. I could have been wearing an orange dress for all I know but I do remember what he was wearing so I guess it’s possible.

  We sit quietly for a moment playing cards and listening to music.

  “Sandbag. Drink up,” Nyce says breaking the silence and pouring me a shot.

  “I’m gonna get alcohol poisoning,” I slur, taking the shot.

  “I got you. I’m not gonna let you die, and if push comes to shove, I’d give you one of my kidneys,” he winks. Shit he looks good as fuck or is it the alcohol talking? I am trying my best to control my hormones right now.

  A cheesy, bright ass smile spreads across my face when Method Man and Mary J’s “You’re All I Need” blasts out. I grab the remote to turn the song up. Nyce laughs.

  “Still one of your favorite songs?” He asks, throwing a card on the table.

  “Of course. It’s a classic. I can never get tired of this,” I respond throwing a card out.

  “Dance with me,” he says putting down his cards and holding out his hand.

  “No,” I object.

  “Come on Aneesah. Dance with me to this song like we use to.”

  “We are not the same people that we use to be,” I remind him.

  “So what. We’re friends. Friends dance, and you danced with me a little at the party.”

  “I danced with you because you wouldn’t leave me alone and who said that we are friends?”

  “So, we’re not friends?” He questions.

  “No. You’re just some niggah who showed up at my door and is bunking in one of my guest rooms for the night.”

  “That was cold,” he laughs. I shrug my shoulders and throw my last card on the table.

  “Boom. I win,” I smile, grabbing the last book off the table. He grabs my shot glass and pours himself two shots before throwing them back and letting out a loud burp.

  “You’re so fuckin’ charming,” I giggle shaking my head. “I’m gonna make me a strawberry daiquiri. You want one?” I ask standing up.

  “Yeah but I gotta use your bathroom first.”

  “Gotta go throw up?” I laugh.

  “No. I can hold mine. That be you that can’t hold yours,” he states, rising from the table.

  “How you figure? I can hold mine.”

  “Please. I didn’t even know you like that and I caught you with your head in the toilet,” he laughs reflecting back.

  “Yeah. Alright. That was only one-time homie.”

  “Noooo. The night of my 27th birthday, um…and when we spent the summer chillin’ at the speak easy, every time we use to go out with Knuck and Pree, oh and when we were in Belize the very first time. You gave me the draws without even thinking about it. You was drunk that night too,” he chuckles.

  “Alright…alright,” I laugh holding up my hands in defeat. “You got me sounding like I’m some lush. That night in Belize I recall us both being drunk, AND we didn’t do it that night because you threw a fit when I told you I was a virgin, dummy,” I state before we both start to crack up.

  “A virgin? You know I ain’t believe your ass at first, right? I’m like ain’t no way this girl with a body like that is a virgin,” he laughs before walking down the hall to use the bathroom.

  I dance over to the kitchen, take the strawberries and whip cream out of the fridge and grab the alcohol fixings off the shelf.

  “Oh, this is my song,” I exclaim to no one as I turn up Trey Songz, “I Invented Sex”. I’m dancing around while making our drinks. “…then I said baby wassup; Reach for that hand shake got a hug. Bottles of H got me wit’ a lil buzz; Up in VIP wit’ all my thug niggas. U leaned over and said you want me,” I sing over the sounds of the blender.

  Nyce creeps up behind me as I’m pouring the daiquiri mix inside a glass. I quickly hand him his drink before turning back around to pour some in my cup. Shaking the whip cream can befo
re throwing my head back and squirting some in my mouth, I suddenly feel Nyce’s body heat and breath on the back of my neck. He gently grabs me by my waist, pulls me to his body and plants a soft wet kiss on my neck causing me to shudder. I swallow the whip cream that has been sitting in my mouth and slowly turn to face him. He leans in and licks the whip cream that I have on the side of my mouth off. I’m drunk and I’m horny and nothing good is going to come out of this.

  “Um, don’t do this because I don’t have the strength in me right now to tell you no,” I whisper.

  “I don’t want you to tell me no because in a minute, you’re gonna think I invented sex,” he sings on cue, words parallel to Trey’s. He leans in to kiss me.

  “No,” I back away but the counter doesn’t allow me to go too far.

  “You promised that you wasn’t going to try anything, remember?” I remind him.

  “I lied,” he says softly, running his tongue up my neck. Damn, that feels good. He places his hand on the back of my head, taking the bun out of my hair and entwining his fingers in it. He kisses me hard, passionately, and sloppily and I am accidently caught up in this moment.

  “No,” I snap trying to gain control of the situation. “We can’t,” I tell him as he continues to ignore my plea. Throwing my head back, he glides his tongue down my neck and grabs ahold of my right breast with his hand before my conscience kicks in again and starts screaming NO. I don’t want him like this. Hell, I don’t even like him and he’s married. He chose her over me.

  “My periods on,” I blurt.

  “You’re lying,” he whispers in my ear before biting my earlobe.

  “It…is…though,” I exhale slowly.

  “You think I don’t know when you’re menstruating? I know every fuckin’ nook and cranny on your body so if you don’t beat it wit’ that bullshit. I know for a fact that you just went off two weeks ago and you always wear black panties when your period is on like your pussy is in mourning or some shit,” he says cracking a sexy ass smile.

  “But it is,” I whimper, continuing the lie. “My…my cycle changed.”

  “Let me see then,” he says. He roughly turns me around and bends me over the counter, his tongue swirling on the back of my neck. Pushing my panties to the side, he inserts a finger inside. I let a moan escape out of my mouth and bite down on my bottom lip.