by Shontaiye
Just as the pressure became too much and she started to slip into darkness, he let go. She gasped for breath as tears covered her face and saliva formed a trail from both corners of her mouth. She immediately began to take in deep gulps of the precious air she had just been denied.
Mann continued to kneel over her. “Next time I won’t let go,” he threatened, before getting up and walking into the bathroom. Naomi touched her sore neck and silently thanked God she wasn’t dead. She laid on the bed in the fetal position and continued to cry silent tears. She couldn’t believe he had just physically attacked her. She knew the comment about Shaleea not wanting him had triggered it. She knew what was going on for quite some time. She wasn’t stupid. He was using her. He was getting her high and fucking her to keep her in his back pocket so he could keep tabs on Shaleea and Noah, mainly Shaleea. She had been known it wasn’t about Noah seeking out revenge against him. He wanted Shaleea, and although he didn’t come flat out and say it, he had made it clear. He also made it painfully clear just now to Naomi, what he thought and felt about her.
She was going to help him learn to love her. She knew sometimes she talked too much. She couldn’t help it. She cared about him and was jealous of his infatuation with her former friend. She was going to show him that she could be his down ass bitch. She just wasn’t quite sure how yet.
FOURTEEN
Noah
Noah lay back on the oversized couch and proceeded to rock his exhausted daughter Eva. She was finally sleep after several hours of crying. Noah was tired but he wanted nothing more for Eva, than for her to be comfortable. The bond he was developing with his daughter was undeniable. He loved her dearly and wanted to do right by her. He wished that Shaleea would forgive him, come back and get to know Eva. He was certain she would learn to love her the same as he did. He refused to lose hope.
Noah gently kissed Eva on her pudgy brown cheek before slowly lifting his body up to carry her into her room. She looked so much like him which he was thankful for. The only thing she had inherited from Eve, was her chocolate skin. He was glad he didn’t have to look at Eva and see her mother every day.
Soon after his lawyer told him he could bring her home, he called a local interior decorator to quickly put together a custom nursery for her. The room was quite lavish and Noah had no regrets; it was perfect. The cream colored room was draped with expensive thick pink curtains, a wall lined with stuffed animals and a massive $600 recliner nestled next to a bookshelf that held several dozen children’s books, as well as bins containing baby care items such as diapers and extra sheets.
Noah often thought about what he would tell Eva about her biological mother when she was older. He figured she wouldn’t miss what she never had. He prayed that was the case. He would take to his grave the truth and vowed to shield Eva from the harmful reality of what and who, her mother really was. He honestly believed she was better off anyway. He planned to take exceptional care of her.
When he first got Eva it was bittersweet. The circumstances behind her conception were all wrong, however it was not her fault. Hands down, his daughter had changed his life, and he had to live with regrets every day. Shaleea was gone and had appeared to have moved on, while he had been quickly and unexpectedly thrust into a life of single parenting. It was hard.
He did not regret taking his daughter. Had he left her to endure what would be a hard and unfortunate life in the foster care system, he could not live with himself. He knew that world all too well and refused to put her through it when he had the means to provide for her. She would have the best schools and the best care that he could give her as long as he was able.
<><><>
“Noah, she is beautiful,” Nikka gushed, while holding a cooing Eva. Noah had dressed her in a frilly pink dressed with bows all over it. He had attempted to put stockings on her but after struggling to pull them over her chubby legs, gave up. She had put on so much weight; no one could ever tell she was a preemie. He figured since it was approaching July, it was too hot for them anyway, so he loaded her up with bare legs and made the trip to Nikka’s to see her and the boys.
“Boys come over and meet your cousin Eva,” Nikka called. Eva continued to babble and squirm around happily, her chocolate legs aimlessly thrashing about. Hakim Jr. and Xavier were in their bedroom playing the Xbox, but pressed paused so they could run out into the living room to see the baby.
“Who’s she?” asked Xavier, who was growing taller and taller every day. He hadn’t too long turned six, and was now missing several teeth on both the top and bottom.
“This is your cousin Eva…This is Noah’s daughter,” Nikka explained. She adjusted the crooked pink bow Noah had put in her curly hair. Although she didn’t have much it was enough to hold the bow in place.
“Hi Eva,” Hakim Jr cooed in baby talk with a smile. He put his finger in her hand and she gripped it tightly while still flailing around. After a couple kisses and holds, the brothers ran back in their rooms to finish playing their game.
“They’re going to spoil her,” Nikka said, before handing Eva back to Noah.
“So how are you adjusting. How’s everything been?” she asked. It amazed her how time and hasty decisions could alter lives in the blink of an eye. She had seen him only a few times since he had been shot, but tried to speak with him regularly.
“It’s been tough, but I’ve been managing.” Noah admitted honestly. “I mean when she first came home it was crazy,” he laughed. “I see what yall go through. Up all night at crazy hours, crying nonstop.”
“Yeah nigga, I’m glad you know. Never take the woman’s role for granted.” She smiled but decided to go ahead and go in for the kill. “How’s Shaleea?”
Noah looked at her and shook his head. “Mannnn, I don’t know. She doesn’t return my calls. She doesn’t return my texts. It’s a wrap. I know I should accept it, but it’s hard.”
“Well you did put her through a lot. She tried to hang in there Noah. Being the type of female she is, you kind of left her no choice.”
“What you mean by that,” he asked with a frown.
“I mean; she doesn’t have to put up with that type of shit Noah. You know that as well as anyone does. She’s pretty, as well as intelligent and has the checkbook to prove it. The shit you were doing is shit you do with young girls…I mean don’t get me wrong I’m far from a bum bitch, but why do you think I put up with Hakim shit for all those years?...Cuz I knew I wouldn’t be able to sustain the lifestyle on my own. Women like me, who just lay up and have the kids with no other title except “wifey,” tolerate shit like that…. You named her co-owner and Director of your businesses. She runs it all. She is in graduate school majoring in Finance. She is another level of woman…You’ve been known this. She put up with you because she loved you. Because she felt like you had potential…”
“I know what she’s worth Nikka, and I have changed. But now, I’m like the boy who cried wolf and she don’t wanna hear shit. It pisses me off because I was the one who was there before those degrees and shit. I put my hard earned bread up for those businesses and she just like fuck me. Fuck us…You know she filed legal papers to dissolve our partnership. She wants to either buy me out or I buy her out. That’s fucking crazy. I put up every dime to start and run them shits. She just sat back and saved her fucking money while she spent mine. It’s just hard to accept that she threw with me. I mean like, she really trying to finalize the ending of us, even threw the business…I meant to ask you too. Have you spoken to her?” Noah asked. He knew she had but just wanted to see if she kept it real with him.
“Yeah I did…And that’s what I really want to talk to you about…I know you gonna be upset Noah but hear me out first,” she said before taking a deep breath. It was now or never.
“I have been calling her and checking on her to make sure she is good. She asks me how you’re doing and I tell her…”
“Ok, what else did you tell her,” he asked. He already knew. He just needed her to co
nfirm it.
“I told her you were doing well bonding with your daughter,” she admitted. He dropped his head down and just shook it in disapproval. She had just signed the death certificate to their relationship.
“Why did you tell her that Nikka?” he asked. “I wanted to tell her my way…” he sighed. “What did she say? Be honest.”
“I’m always honest Noah…She was pissed. She lost her baby. You’re raising your daughter you conceived with another woman. I am sorry Noah. I didn’t think before telling her that.”
“So that basically sealed the deal?” he asked solemnly.
“Yeah it did.”
“It is what it is. At the end of the day I fucked up. I gotta live with that, but I’m not gon let my daughter grow up feeling like I don’t want her, even if I really didn’t initially. I’m not proud of what happened and I’m not proud of having a baby by no scandalous ass bitch, but I am proud to be the father of Eva…And that’s just how I gotta look at it going forward…I’m not gon give up on Shaleea though…I just hope that somewhere, a part of her heart hasn’t given up on me.”
Shaleea
“No, it’s okay Daddy, you didn’t know, I should’ve told you or gave you a heads up he might call…No I’m sure…I know…I’ll definitely consider that Daddy but ultimately I gotta make the best choice for myself…Ok. I love you too. I’ll talk to you later.”
Shaleea hung up the phone and crept her way through traffic. She was on her way to her new home in Hamilton, NJ, a town about 45 miles outside of Philadelphia. School was nearing and she had decided on a small condo, not too far from her Father. Although she was renting to keep her costs low, she didn’t plan to move for a while. She didn’t want to keep moving Heaven and wanted to get back to establishing some level of normalcy for her growing daughter.
“You okay kiddo,” she asked her, squeezing at her cheek. She hadn’t too long turned nine and was starting to develop her big girl looks. She was slimming down some from her infamous chubby frame and had Kanekalon-like natural hair that flowed down her back. She was still Shaleea’s hazelnut beauty.
“I’m okay. Just hot. Can we stop for ice cream?”
“Yeah sure, but if we stop you gotta promise me that you’re going to put up all those clothes in your unpacked boxes. We gotta dedicate some time to getting fully settled in.”
“Okay.”
As Shaleea attempted to take a detour to rid herself of the mid-day traffic headache, she decided to call her lawyer to see what the progress was on Noah’s response to her legal request. She picked up her IPhone 6 and dialed out. After three rings, her lawyer answered.
“Hi Shaleea, how are you?” she asked.
“I am doing well. Just calling to see if you had any word on dissolving the business.”
Her lawyer Kristina sighed. “Well at this point he is refusing to do neither. He’s saying he doesn’t see why you two can’t both act as co-owners. He’s rejected your offer and refuses to make you one either. He’s asking for a mediator.”
Shaleea rolled her eyes. Noah was making things difficult just because he could. She hadn’t spoken to him nor answered his texts, and asking for a mediator was just his way of having a face-to-face meeting.
“I don’t want to do this through a mediator Kristina.”
“I understand that Shaleea, but if that’s the case, then you’re going to have to talk to him. Soften him up some, and then we can continue to work out an agreement from there.”
Shaleea sighed and shook her head. It wasn’t that simple. Her way of dealing with their breakup was by cutting all ties. She had been with him for eight years and moving on was hard. She thought of him every day and wanted to move on with her life completely. She wanted to pretend he didn’t exist anymore.
Noah had even reached out to her father to “talk some sense into her.” Tate wasn’t into meddling and had no intention of being the middle man and politely informed Noah of this. However, he did remind Shaleea that people do change. He often expressed how he wished that when Gina left him the last time, she had given him one last opportunity to change, because when reality set in he did manage to do just that. He would have made it right and been the man she needed and desired. Her departure humbled him and made him a better man. Unfortunately, it was too late. Although he didn’t know Noah very well, he couldn’t help but detect sadness, yet sincerity in his voice.
“Ok, I’ll talk to him,” Shaleea agreed.
“Great. Let me know how it goes.”
<><><>
Shaleea sipped on a glass of Iced-tea as she watched Naomi walk into the dimly lit restaurant steakhouse, with a pair of dark shades on.
“Hey girl,” Shaleea said, standing up to give her friend a quick embrace.
“Hey,” Naomi replied, with little energy. She didn’t really want to be there and had only suggested they briefly meet up because of Mann’s insistence.
“So how’ve you been…And why you got those dark shades on. It’s dark in here and it’s nighttime?” she asked. She didn’t think nothing of it by asking. She just though Naomi looked a little silly.
“They’re prescription,” Naomi lied. “The doctor says they’re good for day or night…And they’re Versace…A little present from my new boo,” she bragged, before flashing a forced smile. Shaleea couldn’t help but notice bright white, plaque-like stains lining her teeth.
“Oh okay, well they’re definitely fly and I’m glad you got a new boo-thing…tell me about him,” she said giddily. She was expecting their conversation to be as it always had. They had their disagreements, but they had made up. However, this evening, things seemed strained, almost like she was forcing the conversation with Naomi. She wasn’t sure what the deal was since she was the one that suggested they meet up in the first place.
“Girl, that’s a whole phone call. I’ll tell you about him on a later date,” said, avoiding any conversation about herself. Shaleea found it odd, but said nothing.
“So what’s been going on with you?” Naomi asked, changing the subject.
“I’ve been good. Still settling in at the new house and hanging out with my Dad a whole lot.”
“You still running the laundromats way from Jersey?” Naomi asked.
“Yeah, same ol with that,” she said, omitting the fact that she was working on dissolving the business. “It’s mostly payroll, paperwork, maintenance issues.
“How’s Noah doing? He still living at the big house yall had bought?”
“I don’t know; I haven’t spoken to Noah in a while. Why you ask that?” she said, doing her best to not sound suspicious of her questioning. Naomi was shooting off questions and avoiding any talk about herself, which was unusual. That, along with her unusual appearance caused Shaleea to immediately put her guard up.
“Just was wondering how he was doing is all…Excuse me sir,” Naomi called. She was trying to flag down the waiter who had walked past. She turned her head to get his attention and Shaleea discreetly examined her eye in her “so called” Versace shades. She could easily tell that it was bruised from the side. The black and purple splotches weren’t completely concealed at that angle.
She immediately grew concerned for her friend. Decaying teeth and a black eye were extreme red flags for someone like Naomi. Although Naomi had some self-esteem issues, she was a pretty girl and did her best to take care of herself and look the part. The woman in front of her appeared slightly disheveled and not as meticulously cared for as remembered. Her Brazilian weave seemed a bit dry and she wasn’t fully made-up in her normal M.A.C cosmetics. Naomi loved makeup just as much as Shaleea. Additionally, she looked like she had lost over twenty pounds in several months. Things didn’t seem to add up and Shaleea didn’t want to hold her tongue any longer, especially if she could help her in any way.
“Naomi boo. Can I ask you something?” she sat her menu down on the table.
“Yeah wassup?”
“Don’t get mad, but if something was wrong would you tell m
e?” she asked.
“Yeah why you ask that?” Naomi responded, growing uncomfortable. This was why she didn’t want to come. Shaleea usually didn’t miss anything.
“Well,…how do I say it?…Your appearance has changed, and the fact that you have a black eye under those sunglasses alarms me,” she said with concern.
“I’m good girl…Had a run in with some hoes…But you know how I do.”
Shaleea smirked internally but didn’t comment. Naomi had never been a fighter and she had known her for years. They had met years ago, when both were fresh out of high school and working as servers at Houlihan’s.
“Oh okay. I hear that…So you’ve been exercising?” Shaleea asked.
“A little bit.” She shifted around in her seat uncomfortably. She was ready to go. “Been watching what I eat mostly,” she lied. Part of that was true, considering most days she didn’t have much of an appetite.
Just as Shaleea was about to probe further, her phone began to vibrate. She looked down. It was Heaven.
“It’s Heaven,” she said, before quickly answering it. “Hey honey, hold on for second okay.” She looked back to Naomi. “I’m gonna run to the bathroom. If the waiter comes back just order for me please…A Coke, light ice and the sirloin steak, medium, with mixed veggies and garlic mashed potatoes.”
“Sure,” Naomi agreed. She was half listening because she too was now looking down at her phone and texting. Shaleea hoped she remembered her order.
