Southern Gossip: A Complicated Love Story

by Tiece

  “See you later,” A’keem said continuing to rock back and forth as she started to walk off.

  “Just be safe out and have fun.” She said looking back at him. “It’s the third Sunday. Don’t forget we’ll have breakfast here as usual in the morning and if you want too, it’ll be nice if you also showed up to church afterwards.”

  A’keem smiled. “I’ll think about it, mom.”

  “At least make breakfast.” She called out before getting inside of her brand new car.

  “Bout time,” A’keem whispered looking down at his Gucci Timepiece. He felt relieved that she was leaving. He didn’t want her to be there when Jada showed up. That reunion might not have been so nice. She still didn’t like the fact that Jada turned down Marlon’s marriage proposal and moved far north where nobody could find her. If she only knew the reason behind her leaving, He thought. She’d hate her even more.

  A’keem leaned up as he heard the front door open. Damn, I hope that ain’t Mama Gray. He was a nervous. It was already crazy that he was meeting there instead of somewhere in the city or even her house, but he knew it was too risky. Someone would surely leak it back to The Rocky Spring’s, ‘Here’s The Tea,’ gossip column. His mom would have a hissy fit if that happened.

  “What are you doing out here, Cuz?” Seth asked as he bent the corner.

  A’keem’s uneasy feeling quickly subsided. “Damn Cuz, I thought you were Mama Gray coming out here.”

  “And, why would that be so bad?” Seth asked.

  “Because Jada should be pulling up soon,” he answered.

  “Jada is coming here?” He asked.

  “Yep.”

  Seth teased him by saying, “You and Jada Kent.” He grinned.

  “She and Serenity are coming together.” Seth smiled really big. He really liked Serenity and A’keem knew it. “I think I hear them coming up the driveway now.”

  “Yeah, that’s them.” Seth said as he peeped out Serenity’s vehicle coming up the path.

  “Where is Mama Gray at?” A’keem quickly asked.

  “She’s upstairs probably watching the news.” He said looking down at his watch. It was six o’clock in the afternoon and at that time you could count on Mama Gray to be posted in front of the TV until the news went off.

  “You’re right about that.” He said feeling the butterflies again as the red Range Rover pulled up and parked beside Seth’s black Range Rover.

  “I know y’all just started kicking it, but DAMN Cuz, y’all already have matching vehicles.” They laughed.

  “Quit playing man. I’ve had my shit for over a year. She just got hers a couple of weeks ago.” Seth stated.

  A’keem stood up as Seth looked at him. “Sit back down man with your nervous ass. I’ll go greet them.” He said walking toward the front driveway.

  “Good,” A’keem said feeling awkwardly anxious. Seeing Jada always felt like the first time no matter how much time had passed.

  Seth greeted Jada with a hug as Serenity sat in the Range on her cell phone. “Hey Jada, it’s good to see you.” He said.

  “Hey Seth,” she smiled. “It’s really good to see you too.” Seth’s face brought back really cool, familiar feelings of just being home. His tall slender frame hadn’t gained one pound in the time that she’d been gone and his handsome face definitely was that of the Gray genes.

  “How have you been?” He asked always admiring Jada’s beautiful brown almond shaped eyes. Her long, dark eyelashes could’ve been thought to be fake from the length of them, an undeniable trait of the Kent genes.

  “I’ve been good. I see you’re looking good as well. Always dressed in the nicest of gear and freshest of sneakers,” she said looking at the burgundy pair of signature Addidas on his feet. She knew that it was a pair that only he could have styled for himself.

  “You know this,” he said still peeking at Serenity who was just getting off of her cell phone. “Cuz is around the corner chilling on the side patio waiting for you.” He said.

  “Thanks,” she responded. “Tell Serenity that I’ll only be a few minutes.”

  “Okay,” he said as she walked off and he headed toward Serenity who was now getting out of her vehicle.

  “Hey Babe,” Serenity spoke.

  “Hey,” he spoke back, wrapping his arms around her small waist. “Important call?”

  “You can say that.” She said, feeling a little bad that it was Flow who she was talking too. She smiled. “I thought I wasn’t going to see you until later tonight.”

  He smiled. “I’m actually glad I see you now, although later tonight will be even better.”

  “Who you telling,” she said as she leaned in and softly kissed his lips. He loved it. Her voluptuous thick, sexy lips were always popping and all he wanted to do was kiss the gloss right off them.

  “So, you were doing a little shopping today huh?” He asked.

  A nervous feeling came over Serenity. “I take it that Flow must’ve mentioned us today.”

  Seth grinned. “You know Flow can’t hold water.”

  Just hearing that made her want to confess, but she didn’t want to lose him because of Flow. Seth was her sugar daddy who fed her sweet tooth. He actually wanted to be with her, not dis her for some city girl.

  “I do have something that I’d like to show you tonight.” She said thinking about her lingerie.

  “And I can’t wait to see it.” He said as his phone rang. He looked at the caller ID. Serenity could clearly read the name FLOW in all caps causing her to squirm a bit.

  Wonder why he’s calling. She thought.

  “What up Bro?” he answered. Serenity acted as if she wasn’t paying much attention as he spoke with Flow. “Nah Bro. I’m just chilling at the moment.” He listened for a second then spoke again. “I’m not coming that way until later tonight when I head to the Lion’s Den.” He listened again then spoke as he grinned. “Call that man if you wanna know what he’s doing.” Seth said then quickly added. “I’m talking right now though, Bro. We’ll see you at the spot tonight.” And with that, he ended their call.

  Seth looked at Serenity as she leaned up against her vehicle. She was a thick, county chick who had it going on and he wanted to make her his old lady, but she was hesitant for some reason.

  She looked in his handsome face, not wanting to keep the secret any longer. They’d been sleeping with each other for the past three weeks up to four times a week and if he found out that she’d been messing with Flow for over two months he’d lose all respect for her.

  She shook her head. It was best that he heard it from her and not Flow. It was just a matter of time before he’d bust her out anyway. She was surprised he hadn’t mentioned it already, but she wasn’t going to wait. Flow wouldn’t be able to stand knowing that she was fucking a one of Gray boys, let alone, someone who was like his little brother.

  “Are y’all getting out tonight?” Seth asked.

  “Yeah, we’re actually going to the Lion’s Den too.”

  “Cool,” he said feeling like the night would definitely be one to remember.

  “Uh look,” she said with a nervous smile. “I have something to tell you.”

  ***

  Jada made her way around to the side of the big three story home. Funny thing was that you could somewhat get a glimpse of the side patio from the driveway but the walk to it wasn’t a short one. She was nervous as hell as she walked at a slow steady pace. A’keem stood up as she neared him. A smile appeared on their faces. Both their hearts sped faster the closer she got to him. The adrenaline began to pump harder as they finally became inches from each other, face to face.

  “So, you weren’t gonna meet me halfway?” She asked admiring A’keem’s sexy physic as he stood there in a pair of True Religion jeans, a crispy white tee on top of another crispy white tee while rocking a fresh, white pair of Air Force One’s. He was one handsome man and the curly edges around his braids only enhanced his intriguing look as he stared at her with his dee
p gray eyes. He was one sexy ass nigga.

  “I was, but for some reason my feet wouldn’t move.” He confessed. “So you’re back.” He stared in her beautiful brown eyes. He could remember a time when a look in those eyes brightened his day and from the look in them now told him that things hadn’t changed.

  “Yes, I’m back but I don’t know for how long.” She said wanting to hug him, but she didn’t know how he felt being that she’d left him with a broken heart too, the last time that they saw each other.

  He grinned with his sexy, white smile. “I can’t believe you’re here standing in front of me.” He said. The moment felt like a dream and her presence was like oxygen. He’d stop breathing if she left again. “The last time we saw each other was.”

  She cut in. “Crazy, I know.” He listened carefully because Jada was a complicated country girl with all kinds of mixed feelings. “I honestly didn’t mean it when I said that I didn’t ever want us to see other again.”

  “After what we shared that night, I couldn’t believe you could even say that and not look back.”

  “It’s just that reality had sunk in overnight as we laid there and I was feeling real shitty the next morning then you slapped me in the face with that confession that blew me away.”

  “I’m sorry about that. I just wanted to be honest going forward, because I wanted more with you.” He sincerely said.

  Jada dropped her head. She indeed felt something seriously strong with A’keem which definitely held her back from fully being with Marlon. “I should’ve never showed up to your room that night.” She said thinking two years prior.

  “You showed up, because you wanted too.” He said continuing to stare in her eyes. She could feel the temperature rising as it bounced off of him onto her. His words rolled seductively off of his sexy lips as she stared back at him like a bitch in heat. He had a way with her; a way that no one else ever had.

  “I was going through some things and I shouldn’t have allowed myself to feel so vulnerable. I mean, I wanted to see you, but afterwards it reminded me of the time when we’d first slept together five years ago. That was the only reason why I didn’t accept your brother’s marriage proposal that day. I had no clue that he was going to propose, but you did and you didn’t tell me until three years later.”

  “Don’t remind me.” He said feeling ashamed all over again. He wanted her and he wanted her bad. There was no way that he wanted to sit back and watch her be happy with his brother when deep down he felt that she loved him more.

  Jada stood there thinking five years prior at how things had gone down then she started. “All before your confession of knowing that your brother was going to propose to me the next day, I thought us hooking up was innocent. I can remember like it was yesterday. You were drunk and called me for a ride to Flow’s house, because you couldn’t drive. Of course you knew that I’d come. Come to think about it, you knew that I’d help you walk inside of his house and you also knew that he was gone for the weekend. You lured me in that house that night and,” she paused as her heart fluttered from the hot flashbacks of A’keem going all in and not holding anything back that night. Even though she’d been with two different men by that time, he still made love to her like no man had ever done in her life. “Anyway,” she continued. You lured me in that house that night and you had your way with me,” she finally said to complete her sentence. She was wrong and she knew it, because technically at that time Marlon was her man and they’d never had sex. She wasn’t supposed to have sex with him or A’keem until after she’d made up her mind totally. Sad truth was that her mind was made up until after that night with A’keem.

  “Come on, Jada. Don’t scroll down memory lane if you’re only looking for the bad.” He said with his head down.

  “Who said that it was bad?” She questioned as he raised his head to look in her face. “But, after your brother proposed in front of the family, all I could think about was how badly I’d break his heart if I confessed it. So, I ran and I ran as fast as I could.”

  “Tell me about it.” A’keem said remembering that day, five years ago, like it was yesterday. He’d been the culprit behind his brother’s heartache. It wasn’t a day that went by that he didn’t feel bad for how Marlon was taking the unexpected break-up; especially since he knew the reason why it happened and who started it all because he’d just found out the night before himself from Jennifer who was, at that time, just someone who wanted to be with his brother. Luckily, she’d overheard the happy news as Marlon and Denise discussed the surprise engagement party. She couldn’t wait to report back to A’keem in hopes that he’d do something about it.

  “I knew that I wanted you, but I can’t lie. After that happened I wished many nights that I’d just let y’all be together.” A’keem said. “At the end of the day, you leaving like that hurt us both. It hurt my brother more than me just on another level. Even if he knew about us sleeping together now and he still loved you like he did back then, I believe that he’d forgive you if you ever chose him.”

  Confusion set in. “Are you pumping your brother up now?” She asked, knowing that prior occasions would lead to A’keem getting very upset with his brother in not feeling like he was worthy enough for her.

  “Nah, you know that ain’t my style Boo. I’ve just grown over the years. My brother has been in love with you probably way before I realized I was. I guess all along he was the better man for you, because even though we went there you still couldn’t choose me. So did you come back home to stop him from proposing to another?”

  “I’m not back for that, although it was great to see him this morning.” She smiled. “It feels just as great seeing you too, though.” She said trying to feel him out. He was a bit standoffish and she knew why, but she didn’t want him to feel like that. “I take responsibility for anything that has happened in my life whether good or bad. I just want to make amends for those that I’ve hurt, including you, and then I can move on regardless of who I end up with.”

  “So, you’re back to make amends?”

  “Yup,” she responded.

  A’keem smiled but inside it was no telling what Jada Kent was up to. She was indeed a very unpredictable female. Unfortunately, he had the pleasure of witnessing it firsthand.

  “So are you seeing someone?” She eagerly asked.

  “I’m always seeing someone.” He joked.

  She smiled. “You’re right about that.”

  “I was only playing.” He said with a smile. “But I am seeing this lil female from the city. It’s nothing major, but she’s cool and down to earth.” It was nothing for them to have talks like this, because if nothing else they grew up as neighbors and best of friends, just the kind that were in love with each other since childhood.

  “A city chick?” she grinned. “That doesn’t surprise me. It’s nothing wrong with that as long as she makes you happy.”

  “We’re not serious or anything, but she has the potential to keep a smile on a brother’s face.” He stated while observing Jada’s body language. The way she looked him in the eye then frowned a bit as he talked about his city chick was quite amusing. She slightly swayed from side to side as if hearing the news was a bit bothersome. This was all he needed to see. She still cares, he thought.

  “I have a few things to do before we get out tonight.” She abruptly said.

  “I understand,” he responded.

  She smiled, looking down at her watch as the sun begin to set. “It’s starting to get late and well you know.”

  He grinned. “Yeah, I know.”

  “Anyway, it was really good seeing you.”

  “Likewise,” he said back while finally reaching out for a hug. Jada didn’t hesitate to feel his body close to hers as she gently hugged him back. The moment was surreal as they stood there lost in another world; a world that only they lived in.

  A’keem took his time inhaling the sweet smell of her perfume. If only this smell could last forever, he thought. This was a f
eeling that he didn’t mind having for the rest of his life, but according to Jada’s actions, things had changed since he’d last saw her. He was determined to keep his feelings tucked away, at least when it came down to her.

  Jada hugged him tightly, not wanting to let go. She could tell that he still loved her, but she knew that he wasn’t about to let her get that close to him again. He was nothing like his brother. He was stubborn, aggressive, a fighter, and a little rough around the edges, but that’s what made him sexy and different. He showed more emotion and feeling when it came down to her; so much so that she didn’t know if she was coming or going when near him.