by Mz. Toni
“I was thinking about it, but I don't know. Mark is big on not having people in the house and me taking care of our kids like a mom should.”
“No, the parents are supposed to handle shit together. If he isn't helping you bare the weight of something you guys mutually created, then he needs to shut the hell up and let you get some help in here.”
“You're right, I’mma just tell him I'm pregnant tonight.”
“Girl, he’s the one that told me you were pregnant,” I said laughing.
“He what!”
“Talking bout he tracks ya period, and if you didn't tell him soon, he was gonna beat ya ass.”
“What the fuck, I swore he didn't know. That nigga gonna kick my ass,” she said laughing.
“How far are you?”
“I'm almost four months,” she said, shaking my head.
“You ain't even showing.”
“Girl, you a lie!” she said, standing up. She lifted up her shirt and sure enough, there sat her round bulging belly.
“Oh wow, you big as hell,” I said laughing.
“Fuck you!”
“I love you too.”
“Anyways, I ordered some furniture for the outreach program based off the colors you have. I know you wanted couches, bunk beds and the stuff for the offices,” she said.
“Thank you so much boo!” I said, hugging her. I really appreciate everything that everyone was doing to help me.
“No problem, you know I got ya back.”
“I know, but I'm bout to head home,” I said, before getting up to leave.
Chapter Nineteen
Mega
I was happy as shit to be getting some time away from Kaliah. Don't get me wrong I love spending time with her, but lately she’s been doing too much. I understand she wants to be involved. I also understand that she doesn't have any children on her own, and she wants some, but damn, she hitting a nigga hard with all this shit at once. I know that she feels left out, which is why I asked Cam to chill with her. I didn't think she would actually agree, but I'm glad she did because I was willing to do anything to get this chick off my back. As I sat playing Call of Duty on my Ps4, my phone started ringing. I started not to answer that shit, but when I saw it was Camille, I said fuck it.
“Yo!”
“Hey Mega, I was just calling you to let you know to get dressed. I'm bringing Mark and all the girls are bringing their men.”
“I thought y'all were having a girls’ day,” I said, mad as hell. I was gonna order some pizza, play some games, shit I didn't get to do around Kaliah’s ass.
“I want to tell Mark about the pregnancy. I think I would feel better if all of our friends were there.”
“So you inviting Cherish?” I asked.
“I did invite her, but she already knows about the pregnancy. Plus, she’s busy planning the grand opening of her center, so I don't think she’ll make it.”
“Oh, she’s having a party and ain't send a nigga no invite.”
“She hasn't sent out the invites yet.”
“Oh aight, and I’mma need for you and ya girls to be cordial tonight.”
“I'm always cordial,” she said, sounding offended.
“Yeah aight, come on,” I said.
“Aight aight, damn, we’ll be nice,” she said with an attitude, before hanging up in my ear. Walking upstairs, I went to tell Kaliah about the change of plans.
“I'm so excited about tonight!” she said excitedly.
“Yeah about that, Camille changed it and we’re all meeting for dinner.”
“Oh, that’s even better. So we’re gonna double date basically,” she said with a smile.
“Something like that,” I said laughing. I could never understand why she was so pressed to be around people that didn't fuck with her like that. After we were both dressed, we headed out to the Cheesecake Factory to meet up with the rest of the group. Pulling up to the restaurant, I waited as Kaliah checked her make-up like four times.
“You ready?” I asked, getting impatient.
“Yeah, I guess I'm just nervous.”
“It’s just dinner Kaliah, nothing serious,” I said. When we walked into the restaurant, everyone was already there, including Cherish. I didn't want her to feel some type of way, so I tried to act like I wasn't surprised to see her there. Walking around the table, I gave daps to the niggas and hugs to the ladies.
“You're late,” Camille said.
“My bad,” I said laughing.
“It’s all good. Cherish ordered for you, but we didn't know what Kaliah liked,” Camille said with a smirk.
“What you order me?”
“Ummmmm the firecracker salmon for ya app, and the hibachi steak with mashed potatoes and asparagus,” Cherish said.
“Thanks,” I said. I could feel Kaliah staring at me, so I grabbed her hand to reassure her that I was there with her and no one else. As we waited for the waitress to come back around and take Kaliah’s order, the tension was thick and everyone was quiet. By the time the waitress came back, she was bringing out the appetizers.
“I didn't order,” Kaliah said.
“What would you like?” the waitress asked.
“I’ll have the loaded baked potato tots,” she said with a smile.
“And for your main course?”
“No, that’s all I want,” she said.
“Ok I’ll put that right in.”
“Is that all you're gonna eat?” Shante asked her.
“Yeah, I have to maintain my figure for the wedding,” Kaliah said with a smile.
“Hmmmp,” Shante said.
“Well, I have an announcement to make,” Camille said with a smile.
“Well spit it out girl!” Shana said laughing.
“Damn, chill out… I'm pregnant,” she announced.
“Wait what, how far along? When? What?” Shante said.
“I'm sixteen weeks,” she said, while staring at Mark.
“Congrats bro!” I said happily.
“Yeah, thanks,” Mark replied with an attitude.
“Well congratulations, Camille. I'm so happy that you trusted me enough to be a part of your announcement.”
“Ummmmmm, you're welcome.”
“I'm not trying to steal your shine, but since I have you ladies here, I had a question,” she said. I had no fucking clue what she was about to ask them.
“What’s up?” Queesha asked.
“I wanted to know if you, Camille, would be my maid of honor and the rest of you could be bridesmaids?”
“Are you fucking serious!” Shante snapped.
“Well I don't have any sisters or family members, so I thought it would be cool. I mean we are getting to know each other.”
“So you want me to be in your wedding?” Cherish asked.
“I would love it if you came, but I was referring to the other women, as far as being in it. I know it would be weird if you were in it,” she said laughing.
“I’mma take my food to go, but whatever they agree to is ok with me,” Cherish said, getting up and walking away.
“So what do you girls say?”
“I’mma act like you didn't just say that crazy fairytale shit!” Camille said.
“Why would any of us what to be involved in your side chick wedding!” Shante snapped.
“Shante, cut it out!” Kasan snapped.
“What, I'm just telling her the truth,” Shante shrugged.
“I'm not a side chick. When I got with Mega, him and Cherish weren't together.”
“She isn't my side chick, y'all need to cut that shit out. She wants y'all to be a part of the wedding. She’s been nothing but cool to y'all messy asses!” I snapped.
“Can we just go?” Kaliah asked.
“Just give me a minute,” I said, before getting up to catch up with Cherish.
“Yo, you need to talk to ya fucking friends!”
“Excuse me?” she asked with an attitude.
“I'm serious Cherish. That gi
rl ain't been nothing but nice to them.”
“Have I not been cordial with her?”
“You have, but I'm talking about the rest of them.”
“Well you need to talk to them, not me!”
“They’re doing this shit because of you.”
“What the fuck, they are grown women Mega. I can't control their behavior and even if I could, you got some fucking nerve asking me to!”
“So what am I supposed to do?” I asked, feeling fucking defeated.
“I don't know, but the first thing you need to do is stop tryna force that girl on MY FRIENDS, MY CREW, MY SISTERS, it ain't never gonna happen. I get you replacing me as ya girl, but you can't replace me as their friend and try to move that bitch in. I guess they got more loyalty than ya ass!” she snapped, before walking out of the restaurant. Walking back to the table, I watched and listened as Camille and Kaliah had a heated conversation.
“I don't understand why y'all are attacking me right now. He’s about to be my husband, which means I will be in this group, whether y'all like it or not.”
“No, you will be his wife, but you will never be our friend because that job already belongs to Cherish.”
“Come on now Camille, you totally outta pocket!” I snapped.
“What you want me to do, keep lying to the girl? My loyalty lies with Cherish. Shit, all of our loyalty lies with her, you lucky if I even show up!” she said before walking away.
“I’ll talk to her. She’ll be at the wedding, but she ain't gonna be no bridesmaid nigga, that’s asking a bit much from my wife,” Mark said.
“Man, I ain't know shit about this whole bridesmaid shit,” I said, shaking my head. After Mark and Camille left, so did everyone else. During the car ride home, no words were spoken.
Chapter Twenty
Ashley
It’s been a couple of weeks since I’d been staying with Tyler and I could honestly say I was falling in love with him. Why haven't had sex yet and it was starting to piss me off and make me feel self-conscious. I wasn't sure why he hadn't made a pass at me, I tried everything. I walk around the house in skimpy clothes, I'm doing things that I know would turn the normal nigga on but for some reason, it ain't working with him. Maybe I'm losing it. Walking into the living room wearing one of his t-shirts, like usual, he barely paid me any mind. Walking into the kitchen, I grabbed a soda and took the walk of shame back to the bedroom. When I walked back past him, he grabbed my arm and pulled me on to his lap.
“What you doing?” I asked with a smile.
“I should be asking you the same shit,” he said, while rubbing my thighs.
“What you talkin bout?” I asked, trying to play stupid.
“Stop playing with me ma. You walking round here fucking naked, bendin that fat ass over in front of me.”
“You don't want it, so why does it matter?” I said, pouting.
“Who told you I didn't want it? Just because I got control over my dick, don't mean I don't see what you doing, and it don't mean that I don't want ya sexy ass.”
“So what’s the problem?” I asked.
“I like you, I'm falling for you hard, but I know what you're used to and I want something different with you.”
“What do you want from me?”
“I want you to be my wife,” he said seriously.
“Do you really wanna marry me?”
“Hell yeah. I got mad love for you and your daughter,” he said. Last weekend, I let him meet Jasmine for the first time. It wasn't nothing serious, but I introduced them and let him go with us to the park, just to show Mega and her that I planned to have him around. It was crazy because Mega accepted him and I thought for sure that he would be a problem, but he seemed to like Tyler and so did Jasmine. Ever since the park, we had been hanging out every weekend with Tyler, supervised by Mega of course, but he didn't hover over us. He always made sure to give me and Jasmine privacy, even if we were in his house or in a public place.
“You don't even know me well enough.”
“Who are you to tell me how well I know you? Fuck knowing your past, I know your heart and I love it,” he said with so much passion. Straddling his lap, he kissed me for the first time. With one hand gripping my ass and the other hand holding the back of my head, he kissed me with so much love and lust that he caused my whole body to shake.
“I want you,” I said hungrily.
“Naw, this ain't about sex,” he said.
“Ya mouth talking that shit, but ya dick begging to be inside me,” I whispered into his ear. I wasn't trying to hear shit he was talking. Lifting slightly off him, I pulled his dick out of his basketball shorts and pulled my panties to the side. I already knew he was packing because as bad as I was feening for him, I knew everything about his dick, without him even showing me. Sitting on his dick slowly, I laid my head on his chest and just sat there for a minute, savoring how good he felt inside of me.
“You ok?” he asked, kissing my cheek.
“I'm ok, you just feel so good to me,” I said with a light smile. Lifting up, I slowly gyrated on his dick as my juices instantly began to flow. He grabbed my waist and slowly lifted me up, making me bounce on his dick.
“You know I love you, right Ash?” he moaned. Niggas always loved me when they were inside me, so instead of getting excited about him professing his love for me, I just closed my eyes, bit my bottom lip and took that dick like only I could. As I felt his dick get even harder and his body stiffen, I tightened my muscles and came hard on his dick shortly after he came long and hard inside of me. As I laid on his chest with his dick still inside of me, he kissed me all over my face, while rubbing my back. I’d never been shown so much love and care after sex and I was loving it. As he played in my hair, I dozed off with a smile on my face.
“Ash!” I heard Tyler yell. Jumping up out of my sleep I realized that he must have carried me into the bedroom.
“Yeah!” I screamed, while rubbing my eyes.
“Your phone been ringing off the hook!” he said. Getting out of bed, I walked into the living room to grab my phone. As soon as I saw Tyler, I couldn't help the smile that came on my face. As we stared into each other’s eyes like love sick puppies, my phone began to ring again. As I reached my hand out to grab my phone, he pulled it back and held it over his head.
“Gimmie my phone, Ty!”
“Gimmie a kiss and I’ll think about it,” he said with a smile. Leaning over, I gave him a quick peck on the lips and tried to grab my phone.
“I gave you a kiss,” I laughed.
“Uh huh, kiss me like you love me,” he said. Reaching over, I kissed him with everything I had inside of me. After almost an hour, he had finally given me my phone back, because that kiss led to us fucking again.
“You play too much!” I said, out of breath from the work out he’d just given me.
“You love it!” he said, handing me my phone. As I looked through my phone, I had a bunch of missed calls from Jayda and a couple from Jasmine. Ignoring Jayda’s calls, I called Jasmine back.
“Hey baby!” I said when she answered.
“Hey, Mama Ashley. You wanna come have dinner with us?” she asked.
“Who’s us?” I asked. I was praying that she didn't say Kaliah because ever since our last conversation, I couldn't stand her ass.
“Me and mommy,” she said, referring to Cherish. Yeah she called her mom and for a minute, I was angry and hurt, but I decided that instead of being upset, I would focus all my energy on making her love me again. I had to gain her trust back and show her that I was here to stay.
“What did Cherish say?”
“She said you could come. We’re having a girls’ night out,” she said happily.
“Let me speak to her Jasmine.”
“Hello?” I heard Cherish say.
“Hey ummmm, Jasmine said you were cool with me coming?”
“Oh yeah, she wants to see you, so I told her to invite you,” she said, surprising me.
“Are you sure?” I asked.
“Yeah, like I said, Jasmine wants you here and I'm fine with that.”
“Wow, thank you so much. When should I come?”
“You can meet us at the nail salon on Federal St. in an hour.”
