by Shontaiye
She took the number and walked off, crying silent tears. Her pain would soon be shared. She had no intention of calling him. She was having their baby. She had just been struck with an ugly dose of reality. Noah didn’t give a fuck about her and never ever would. Even though he had shown that numerous times before, today was the day he stamped and sealed that confirmation.
Eve took the torn piece of paper with the number and ripped it to pieces before tossing it to the ground. She reached in her coat and pulled out another piece of paper. This one was more important. It was Noah’s registration to his truck. She had taken it out of his glove box when he was standing outside talking to Shaleea. She had learned three things that day: one, Noah didn’t give a fuck about her, two, Noah’s new phone number, and three, his permanent address that was listed on the registration. That was all she needed.
SEVEN
Noah
Noah sat on the king size bed curled up next to Shaleea and Heaven. It was Saturday and they were all sitting around watching some old episodes of Shaleea’s favorite zombie show. He reached over to Shaleea and rubbed her belly. He had been spending a lot more time home lately ever since finding out she was pregnant. He was so excited he was about to become a dad. Although he loved Heaven like she was his own, he knew nothing would compare to watching his own child come into the world. It would be epic.
While watching the show he heard his phone chirp. He suspected it was Mann responding since he had been calling and texting him repeatedly to see how he was doing. When he returned from his trip to New York he was acting really strange and distant. After a little probing Mann confessed that his grandmother had fallen ill over the course of several days and was in the hospital. Noah even went to visit her to support his friend. He was shocked to see her gravely skinny and hooked to oxygen.
After looking down at his phone he realized it wasn’t Mann. It was Eve texting him. His heart skipped a beat in his chest when he read the message.
Come outside
“Who’s that?” Shaleea asked from the bed. She was perched up on one arm, curled against Heaven still watching TV.
“It’s Mann…he stressing. I’ma go and call him back in the living room,” he lied.
Once he closed the door to the bedroom, he raced to the front of the home to see if Eve really had the balls to show up to his house. After peering out the window, he realized her ass had balls the size of Texas. Eve and Bianca stood stone-faced in the front of his home like they lived there.
Luckily for him the alarm wasn’t set, and he quietly opened the door to see what the two bitches wanted. His hands twitched at his sides. He had to quickly calm himself since he really wanted to knock them both out.
“Yo are you fucking crazy,” he whispered. “Get the fuck away from my house!”
“I’m not going anywhere Noah! And I suggest you show me and my friend some respect before I cause a scene up in dis funky ass neighborhood of yours,” Eve snarled while swinging her platinum blond weave.
“I just come to tell you I ain’t getting an abortion. I want $5,000 and the same amount every month from dis point on.” She knew he had it since he was out in his wealthy ass neighborhood pretending to be the fucking Huxtables.
Eve was tired of playing games with Noah. If she couldn’t have his heart, she would get the next best thing; some of his money. She was tired of living in a dingy hotel room, catching the bus, while he went home every night to what looked like a million dollar townhouse.
“Bitch I’m not giving you no fuckin $5,000 every month!” he snarled, ready to pounce on the two. He made his way to them causing them to step back.
He was losing his patience. They wanted to act like niggas by approaching him so he was about to treat them like niggas. He thought about just telling Shaleea the truth but he didn’t know how she would react. Knowing Shaleea, she would force him to take a paternity test. He couldn’t risk it. If the baby ended up being his, he knew it would be over for good.
“You betta back the fuck up,” Eve threatened, gripping her mace tightly.
“Look, get away from my fucking house. I’ll have the money tomorrow,” he agreed with an angry sigh. He didn’t have a choice at the moment. Shaleea could walk out any minute. He was going to have to figure out a way to get a grip on the situation with Eve. Not only was she a headache, but she was truly fucking his life up.
Eve looked to Bianca and smiled in satisfaction. It had actually been Bianca’s idea to pop up demanding money. Noah was selfish and it was her turn to be a real live dickhead. She was far from finished; she was just getting started.
Noah watched the pair walk off to the Germantown Cab that was parked quietly up the street. Fuckin birds, he silently thought. Closing the door he walked back into the house. Once he got back in the room he was happy to see that Shaleea and Heaven had fallen asleep. He didn’t feel like making up any more lies; he was tired of lying.
Noah pulled out his iPhone to dial Mann again. After seven rings the voicemail picked up. He wanted to see how he was doing but he too also needed someone to confide in. It was hard being there for Mann when he just closed himself off out of the blue. He wasn’t returning call or text messages and he hadn’t been conducting business either.
Noah decided he would go check on Mann tomorrow. His new house wasn’t too far away and he wanted to make sure he was holding up okay. That was the least he could do. Besides, the fresh air and drive would give him some time to figure out what to do about Eve.
Mann
Mann blinked his eyes several times and realized he had nodded off. He had been at the hospital all morning and not much had changed. He took his grandmothers hand and rubbed it in his. She was lying peacefully in the small makeshift bed. He prayed she would be okay. He leaned back in the multicolored hospital chair and sighed. His head was pounding from stress.
Ms. Darlene had been asking about Zeke all morning and he was distraught with guilt. She couldn’t understand why Zeke hadn’t been there to see her when she had been in the hospital for a week. There wasn’t a day that passed that she didn’t ask Mann to go search for him. She expressed her concern and although Mann knew the truth, he pretended to worry along with her, when in reality heavy grief consumed him.
“Manny baby, why don’t you go on home and get some rest,” she stated hoarsely. It was after nine at night and Mann had been there since visiting hours started at seven.
“I’m okay Grandma, just get some rest,” he responded while scratching his beard.
“Manny, I’m not asking you. I’m telling you. Go home, wash up and get some rest baby. You been up here all day,” she said with a cough. “I’ll be fine. Besides I’m a little tired and I’m going to rest my eyes.”
After some hesitation, Mann finally agreed. He went home, took a shower and did his best to get some rest. However, the severe headaches he suffered from, as well as grief from Zeke and worry over his grandmother caused him to lie wide awake. He refused to smoke since the THC in the marijuana put him in deep, trance like thoughts. He eventually pulled out an old bottle of E&J from the fridge and threw the whole thing back. Liquor couldn’t take away the pain but it damn sure could suppress it.
That night would be the last night Ms. Darlene spent in the hospital. In the early morning hours she would pass away in her sleep. The pain Mann felt was unspeakable. He had no one and he was empty. His mind state was extremely fragile and the headaches became unbearable. To function he kept alcohol and pain killers in his system. It wasn’t enough however, to stop the storm brewing from within his body.
<><><>
Noah made himself comfortable in the living room of Mann’s home the following day. He had come by as planned to check on his dear friend, and was saddened by what he saw. Mann was sitting by the window drinking, eyes red from crying from the loss of his grandmother. As tough as Mann appeared to be on the exterior, Noah knew that he was hurting inside.
“I know that shit hurts my nigga but you will get through i
t,” Noah stated, attempting to offer Mann some kind words. He figured he wouldn’t stay long since he probably wanted to be alone. “If you need anything, say the word and I got you,” Noah offered.
“Nah I’m good, I got bread,” Mann responded, almost defensively. He didn’t want shit from Noah, nor did he need shit from Noah. Once he came up on the $600,000 Mann no longer wanted to be bothered with him. He had one final use for Noah and then he would be done with him completely.
“Oh I got that bread for you too,” he stated, before getting up off the leather recliner and heading to his master suite to retrieve Noah’s $8,750. That was his 35% of the fifty pounds of weed sold for the week. Although Mann had barely sold any of the weed he wanted to pay Noah off. Their business dealings were over.
“I’m gonna fall completely off the weed shit. I’m gon focus on burying my Grandma,” Mann said lying, before sitting back down in the recliner.
Noah took the money and didn’t bother to count it. Something was off about Mann but Noah dismissed it since he was grieving. He didn’t care about the dissolution of the business endeavor since he was good one way or the other. The weed investment was more of a favor to Mann. He still had income coming in from the laundromats as well as the two seafood trucks he owned with Nikka.
“That’s cool. You just focus on getting yaself together,” Noah stated, genuinely sincere. “Hit me up or come through the crib. Anytime you need,” Noah offered, while Mann stood up to shake his hand before he left.
“Oh and I almost forgot to tell you, Leea’s pregnant.
“Word?” Mann asked surprised. That had garnered his attention. “It’s yours?”
“Of course,” he laughed at the insinuation. He wasn’t sure where that comment stemmed from.
“I mean… yall did have that period of separation,” he slyly suggested, discreetly trying to put a bug in Noah’s ear. “But damn…, congratulations my nigga.”
“Thanks Mann. Listen take care my nigga. Get some rest and you gon be aight Bull. Don’t drink too much,” he added, before walking out the door.
Mann watched Noah walk off and went back in his master suite to nurse his bottle. He was going to eventually contact Shaleea’s ass and find out who the fuck really was about to be a father. Him or Noah?
EIGHT
Shaleea
Shaleea sat at her desk and continued to order inventory for the upcoming week. She took a deep breath and rubbed her belly. Pregnancy was such an unforgettable time but she would be glad when it was over. She was tired all the time, felt fat as fuck, and although unnoticeable to others, she could detect the presence of ugly stretch marks creeping up on her belly and thighs.
Several months had passed and she was close to five months pregnant. Lately Noah had been pressing her about them buying a larger house since he said they needed more space before the arrival of the baby. She thought there townhouse was just fine for the three of them. Nevertheless, they had just closed on a large brick house in the same development Nikka and Hakim lived. They were supposed to get the keys tomorrow.
Shaleea continued to look through the catalog, selecting products to order until the sound of knocking at her office door stopped her. She got up to open the door assuming it was Susan since Noah was watching a boxing match at a bar in North Philly.
“Hey—,” she went to greet Susan, but stopped short when she saw it was Mann.
“Wassup,” he asked with a slight slur. He reached his large hand out for hers, but she quickly pulled it back.
“Hey Mann, what’s up, Noah’s not here,” she replied nervously. She could tell he had been drinking.
“I ain’t looking for Noah. I came here to see you,” he stated, shutting the office door.
He had waited several months to approach Shaleea about her being pregnant because he had been too busy running his growing Marijuana empire. Since he had returned from New York and cut business ties with Noah, he had been getting a lot more money. This was because he was able to buy much more from his new connect and keep all of the profits for himself.
Noah had no idea Mann was still selling weight, instead thinking that his friend had taken a hiatus because of his grandmother’s death. No longer focused on longevity and a future, Mann was letting the large cash go to his head. The weed, alcohol, and pills he kept in his system didn’t help him either.
“Well wassup, I was just about to leave,” she stated, walking back over to her desk to grab her Chanel purse.
“Really?” he asked. “Well it’s Monday and I know that’s the day you come in and do paperwork. You’re usually here to around 10.” He looked down at his wrist to his watch. “It’s 9:03.”
Shaleea briefly stared at Mann. He had been following her. She was in fact usually there on Mondays until ten, and the only way Mann could have known that is if he had been following her.
“I ain’t gon take up much of your time though. I only want a few minutes…I heard you were pregnant and I just wanted to see for myself, as well as determine if that’s my baby you’re carrying,” he stated calmly, while admiring her pregnant state. Hands down she was still beautiful. Her dark chocolate skinned seemed to have a radiant glow and she carried the extra weight very well.
“I’m not sure why you would think that since we only fucked once, while we were drunk,” she reminded him. “Besides, I had a very accurate sonogram from a very excellent doctor who confirmed I conceived in January, not in December,” she explained.
The revelation was an immediate disappointment to Mann since he was hoping there was a possibility the baby was his.
“Does Noah know about us?” he asked, almost in a threatening manner.
“He doesn’t need to know and why would he know. I’m damn sure not telling him and neither are you,” she said glaring at him intensely. Throwing her bag over her arm, she prepared to walk out the door. “Look I gotta go, is that all you wanted?” she said, not really asking since she was already to the door. However, Mann stopped her.
Grabbing her by the arm he forced her into the wall and began to kiss on her neck. Shaleea’s body couldn’t help but respond to the kiss. However, she immediately pushed him off her.
“Yo are you crazy Mann? I’m fucking pregnant and Noah is still your friend,” she firmly stated. “Why are you doing this?...Look, what happened between us in the past, and I prefer to leave it there.”
“What if I don’t want to?” he asked. “I want you Shaleea. I don’t give a fuck about Noah. I want you…I care about you,” he admitted with a wild drunken look in his eyes. The sight scared Shaleea. She had started a dirty game months back and she didn’t know how to end it. She was speechless.
Mann pushed himself back onto Shaleea and rubbed his hand between her thighs while he tried to kiss her neck again.
“Mann get off me,” she demanded. He continued, so she asked again. When there was no response she used all her strength to push his stocky body from up against hers.
“Get out!” she stated, while pointing to the door. He just looked at her and smiled.
“What if I don’t?” he asked. “You gon call Noah,” he asked mockingly. “Keep playing with me and I’ll fuck that nigga over,” he spat. “Remember you fucking started this shit back at the hotel. Besides the nigga you love is playing ya ass anyway. Why don’t you ask him about that situation he got?”
“What are you talking about?” she asked, puzzled.
Although Mann and Noah were no longer doing business together they still spoke periodically. Noah had met up with him and told him about what was going on with Eve. He hadn’t decided what to do about her, but for the last few months he had been religiously sending her the money she demanded. Of course, Shaleea had no idea what was going on. At this point Mann had no problems admitting how he felt. He hadn’t spoken to Noah in several weeks.
“I ain’t telling you anything,” he stated. “You too blind to see that I really fuck with you and could do everything Noah can do. I could treat you better. You
don’t even see how you’re really being treated,” he added to get her to think. “Once you figure it out, call me.”
Mann walked out, leaving Shaleea in thought about what he was talking about. Noah was hiding something. What, was the question? She watched Mann pull away from the laundromat in a 2015 BMW 650i. He had definitely came up on some money, and he was letting it go too far to his head.
Mann had turned into an entirely different person and she wished she could tell Noah how his supposed friend “really” felt about him. One thing for sure is that he would no longer step foot in her house again. She didn’t care how Noah felt about it. Mann was a ticking time bomb ready to go off. She believed the loss of his grandmother really sent him over the edge. The problem for her was that it seemed like he wanted to take her along with him.
<><><>
“Shaleea you’re gonna have to tell Noah the truth,” Shanita stated on the phone. Shaleea had called her as soon as Mann left. She was now on her way home.
“I don’t know about that. How do I go to him and tell him I slept with is best friend?” she asked sarcastically.
“You sit him down and just tell him. You’re gonna have to. It happened during a bad time for yall. One thing led to another…That crazy ass nigga is gon keep fucking with you. The crazy part is you just admitted you sexually attracted to him even after the weird shit he been doing. Why I don’t know, but yall gon end up fucking again or shit is just gon get worse cuz he obviously can’t take rejection,” she added. “And besides, they’re clearly not friends anymore. Noah told you Mann had been acting weird. Now you know why. The nigga is like a bomb ready to go off at any time. And ya simple ass don’t know when the fuck that’s going to be.”
