His Last Name

by Daaimah S. Poole

  He stepped out of the bathroom first. I waited a few minutes, fixed my clothes, and then left.

  I walked around the party and that woman Adrienne appeared next to me while I was sipping my second drink.

  “It must be so nice to see each other after all this time.”

  “It is, since Warren always refers to me as the one who got away.”

  “Really? That’s not what he told me. You’re the one that left him in college for the guy that is now bankrupt. I’m happy that Warren is such a good man, that he would invite a friend that once betrayed him to his house.” She came closer and then said, “Listen, I understand you had something special about ten years ago, but he is done strolling down memory lane with you. It is over and you can leave.”

  “I’ll leave when I’m ready.”

  “You’re ready now,” she said, stepping closer to me.

  Before the conversation could go any further, Warren’s friend Edwin pulled Adrienne away from me and over to Warren. Then Warren dropped to one knee and did the unthinkable right in front of my face.

  CHAPTER 62

  Adrienne

  I’d known Warren four months and I knew we had great chemistry and I saw a future with him, but even I was shocked when he knelt down in front of me and presented me with a canary-yellow diamond engagement ring in front of his parents, his best friend, his ex-girlfriend, and all of the attendees at his birthday party.

  “Adrienne, I know it has been a whirlwind romance. And I know we are just getting started, but I know I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?”

  It took me a few moments to process everything. I knew we liked each other and I did see a future with him, but I wasn’t sure if I loved him. There was about a forty-three percent chance that I did and the other fifty-seven percent would have to catch up, because I said, “Yes!”

  After he heard my answer, he picked me up and swung me around. His parents would have to like me more now because I was about to become their daughter-in-law.

  Warren represented everything I needed in my life and in a man. I was so happy I hadn’t lost my cool and beaten ole girl’s ass. I would have missed my happily ever after.

  The next morning while I was still in bed, it hadn’t quite sunk in that I was engaged and my last name was about to change. I hadn’t decided on Adrienne Sheppard-Joseph or Adrienne Joseph. I didn’t know which one I would choose.

  “So when do you want to set a date? This weekend in Vegas? In the Bahamas? Where?” Warren asked.

  “We don’t have to rush. I have to find a school for Asia. And you still haven’t even met my mom.”

  “You know your mom is going to love me and Asia will go to whatever school you pick. I’ll make a phone call. We need to make you a Mrs. as soon as possible. My parents want grandkids.”

  “Then let’s set a date.”

  He pulled up his calendar on his phone and said, “How about April?”

  “I need more than three months to plan a wedding.”

  “Okay, let’s have a June wedding.”

  “June it is.”

  * * *

  Warren was out shooting a commercial for Grub Burger and I was in the big house alone. I walked around amazed at what I had accomplished in such a short amount of time. Warren loved me unconditionally and hadn’t even brought up a prenuptial agreement. I called my mother to inform her about Warren’s proposal. “So when is the wedding?”

  “In June. Right after Asia gets out of school.”

  “I’m happy you found love again. I just want you to be sure.”

  “I’m sure, Mom. I want you to come out in a few weeks to meet him.”

  CHAPTER 63

  Tiffany

  What would possess me to travel three thousand plus miles unannounced? I felt like a desperate dumbass. Why had I let Liz convince me that it was a good idea? I was so glad I hadn’t told my mother my plans. I think she would have probably permanently disowned me.

  I cannot tell anyone that Warren proposed to another woman in front of my face. Karma was a hard and swift bitch. He didn’t even know I was coming; I guess he had already planned to do that. I had horrible timing.

  I was back to square one, which was nowhere. I sat at the kitchen table wondering what I was going to do with my life, since winning Warren back was no longer an option. I was back home and my mother and Wilson were on their way out, but first they had to bother me and let me know how much my life sucked.

  “Please put some makeup on and fix yourself up. I do not want to come downstairs and see you looking this way.”

  “I will after I get something to eat.”

  “You really shouldn’t be eating anything. Your waist is expanding more and more every day.”

  “Be nice, Helen. There is some fruit in the pantry,” Wilson joked.

  “Yes, and please return Damien’s calls. He has started calling Wilson at his office and I have twelve messages from him on my phone asking me to tell you to call. I don’t understand why he won’t leave you alone and just sign the divorce papers.”

  “I don’t know, either, but I will ask him to stop contacting you both.”

  After my parents left, I gave Damien a call. “Damien, sign the divorce papers and stop calling my family. It’s been months. Don’t you get it, I’m not coming back.”

  “I understand that, but can you give me one weekend? Just one. I want to prove to you that I have changed and I’m doing better.”

  “No. I’m not coming ever.”

  “Tiffany, I have a place, just come and I’ll show you. If you like it, you can stay. If you don’t, you can go home.”

  “Leave me alone and sign my divorce papers. I’d rather live in the room I grew up in than in poverty with you.”

  “No, Tiff, it’s all good again. I bought another house. My investment paid off like I told you it would.”

  “What investment?” I asked curiously. This had to be good.

  “Remember, I told you people owed me money and they were going to pay me back ten times? It happened and I flipped a few houses. And I made enough to buy a new house in the next town over from our old house. I told you to be patient and things were going to start turning around, didn’t I?”

  “Yes, you said that.”

  “I put some money in your account. That’s what I wanted to tell you.”

  “What account?”

  “Your checking account. Do you see it?”

  I pulled up my account on my phone and saw ten thousand dollars.

  “Yeah, I see it. Thank you, Damien.”

  “So go shopping today. And I’m going to put more money in there later in the week. I’m going to get you a flight. What day are you coming?”

  “I’ll come on Friday.”

  * * *

  I couldn’t wait to go to South Park Mall. I felt like a kid who had been let off of punishment. I hadn’t been shopping in so long. When my mother and Wilson returned, I was dressed and heading out the door.

  “Where are you going? You seem like you are in a good mood,” my mother asked.

  “I am. Did you need anything? I’m going to South Park. Damien sent me money.”

  My mother gave me a look like she didn’t approve.

  “What? I can accept his gifts. That doesn’t mean I’m going back to him.”

  “You most definitely shouldn’t.”

  “Well, if you decide you need something, call my phone. It’s been a while and I’m just happy that Damien is trying to make it up to me.”

  “That’s impossible, but enjoy your shopping.”

  On my way to the mall down Interstate 77 my phone began to ring. It was Warren, but I wasn’t sure if I should answer.

  “Yes.”

  “Hey, Tiff, it’s me, Warren.”

  “Warren? Yes, how can I help you?

  “Don’t act like that, Tiffany.”

  “Act like what? Act like you proposed to another woman in front of my face and didn’t embarrass m
e.”

  “Ha, I embarrassed you? You don’t know about being embarrassed, but I can tell you about it. Embarrassed is having your girl stolen by a player on the same team and almost losing your mind and having to go to another school to save face.”

  I was silent.

  “So this is what this is about? Huh? You wanted to get revenge. Well, you got it.”

  “Actually, it wasn’t. When I saw you at the auto show, I was excited and old feelings came back. I was in love with you. You were supposed to be my wife. I know I was wrong. I had a girlfriend and I should have told you about her.”

  “A fiancée,” I corrected him.

  “Okay, a fiancée. I’m sorry everything happened like this. I apologize. The timing is wrong this time around. You’re still married. I’m getting married.”

  “Yeah, the difference is your knew my situation. And I can get a divorce, because we are not together and I have nothing to hide.”

  “Well, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen this way. If you are open to us being friends, I want to be your friend. You know me. The real me, before all of this fame, and you know we had something special. Just know that I will always be in debt to you.”

  “I know that you have changed. You are a big movie star now and one day you will have to pay that debt. Have a pleasant day, Warren. If I ever need you, I will call you.”

  I ended the call. At least he had the decency to apologize.

  CHAPTER 64

  Tiffany

  I didn’t know how I would feel when I saw him. I had been so evil and nasty to Damien and yet he still was showing me kindness. I’m not sure what he expected of me, but I knew it was worth a try to see what he had going on.

  Damien looked like the young champion I married when he picked me up from the airport. His hair was cut, his body had returned to an athlete’s frame. He was wearing a tight gray shirt with blue jeans and boots and a black leather jacket. He kissed me on my cheek and took my bags. We walked to his new black SUV. It had the new car smell. There were three dozen red roses waiting for me in the backseat.

  “My flowers are pretty, baby. Thank you.”

  “Anything for you. Babe, I’m so glad you are back.” He wrapped his arms around me and held me firmly for an entire minute. “I’ve been lost without you. Wait until you see the new house. You are going to love it.”

  “I’m sure I will.” I placed my seat belt across my body. He typed in the address and he sped out of the airport. He followed the GPS, which led us into a double garage of a modest single home. The residence wasn’t the nine thousand square feet that I used to live in, but it was very nice.

  “So what do you think?”

  “From the outside it looks nice. How many bedrooms?”

  “Just four, but at least we own it and no one can come and take it from us.”

  “What do you mean, we own it?”

  “It was a foreclosure. I bought it in straight-up cash. We don’t have any loans or a mortgage. We own it outright. My cousin put it in his name for us so no one can try to claim it. I got it for one hundred and seventy-five thousand, but it’s worth way more. It needs some work, but it is ours.”

  New and no liens made the house beautiful. I got out of the car and Damien unlocked the front door and gave me a tour. There was a big backyard and lots of land. I followed him up the stairs into the master suite.

  “This looks familiar, right?”

  “You made the bedroom exactly like the old house.” I wanted to cry. I couldn’t believe it.

  “I’m not done with your surprises.” He took my hand and told me to close my eyes. “Now open them.”

  I opened my eyes and saw a custom-made closet with all my clothes I had left behind perfectly hung, and in the corner was a new dress, bag, and a pair of Gucci shoes. I cried right there.

  “So do you like it?”

  “Yes.” I didn’t know what to say.

  “Babe, this is just the beginning. I know I put you through a lot, but I’m going to make it up to you. I promise. I told you I would take care of you. Didn’t I?”

  “Yes, you did. But how?”

  “So what I’ve been doing is real estate. I flipped six houses.”

  “I thought the real estate market wasn’t good right now,” I said.

  “It wasn’t, but it is coming back. And me and my cousin, we’re coming in at the right time. He has his Realtor license and we are killing the game. Look at this.” He showed me a bunch of pictures on his tablet. “This is one of the houses we flipped. The first one was grandkids that just wanted money immediately. They didn’t research the value or anything. We offered them fifty thousand and they took it. We put in a new tub and fixed some other things and we doubled our money in a few weeks. Did I do good, baby?”

  “Yes, you did very good.”

  “Well, can you show me some love?” He pointed to his cheek. I gave him a kiss on his cheek. “So now you have to call your mom and tell her I’m taking care of you again and she can stop calling me a loser.”

  “She knew you weren’t a loser. You’ve never been a loser, Damien.”

  “Try on your dress.”

  I put the dress on. Damien zipped the back. It was a little snug.

  “I gained some weight.”

  “That’s okay. I like the extra meat. I love you, Tiffany, at any size or weight. I’ll put a gym in the basement for you if you want. I just want you to come back home. I don’t want you to have to worry about anything ever again. Please just never leave me again. I couldn’t take not having you by my side.”

  He locked up the house and we walked toward the car. I noticed he was staggering.

  “Why are you limping?”

  “My leg has still been bothering me a little; I think I have been working out too hard and then fixing the houses. I go by and help the contractor and the workers sometimes. The faster they fix the houses, the faster we sell and get checks. I wish I knew about flipping houses when I had more money, but everything works out for a reason, right? Here, you drive. I have to make a deposit at the bank and then we’ll go to the city.”

  I drove and he stopped at the bank. He went in and made his deposit and came back out.

  * * *

  By the end of the night I felt like I did when I first married Damien: like a queen. I appreciated all he did for me. I decided that I would move back in with him and work on my marriage. I was thankful that I didn’t have to go back to my mother’s.

  CHAPTER 65

  Tiffany

  Damien asked me to answer some calls, organize his receipts, and call around to see if we could get cheaper building supplies. I didn’t mind working for the greater good of us. After seeing how much money he was making, I was thinking about getting my real estate license. He could fix the houses and I could sell them. Win, win, and win. Now that everything was settled, I felt confident calling my mother to tell her I wasn’t coming home.

  “Mom, I want to talk to you about everything.”

  “Go ahead. So what have you been doing up there? How long are you staying?”

  “This may disappoint you, but this is my life. I wanted to tell you that I am working it out with Damien. He is doing very well again. He had a few investments come in and he is flipping houses with his cousin now. He is starting small, but he showed me some of the properties.”

  “He’s in real estate now?” she huffed.

  “Yes, he is.”

  “He wasn’t that good of a football player, so I know he will not be a great businessman. When you are burned again don’t come running to me. I’m closing the door on you.”

  “Fine, Mother, do what you must.”

  “You’ve been warned.”

  I couldn’t let my mother worry me. She would come around.

  Right then, Damien came in the room and told me to plan a trip for us.

  “To where?”

  “Somewhere hot.” A horn beeped. I looked out the window.

  “Who is
that out in the car?”

  “That’s Rich. He wants me to invest in a car lot. He’s going to take me to the auto auction in Fort Dix. His dad has a dealer’s license. He said you can flip cars in days and make thousands of dollars. I can take that money and put it into the properties.”

  “Oh, I never heard you talk about him. But, baby, we don’t want to invest in too much, right?”

  “No, we are good for money. I’m never touching our reserve again. He leaned over to me to give me a kiss. When his shirt rose I saw a gun on his hip.

  “What are you doing with a gun?”

  “I’m hanging out in the city more and I don’t want anyone rolling up on me and thinking it is sweet. I’m going to have to shoot them.”

  “But having a gun is asking for trouble.”

  “No, having a gun is smart. And I will only use it if I have to.”

  CHAPTER 66

  Zakiya

  Jabril and I were getting along again, until he injured his knee. He was at practice and fell during a drill. The doctor said he would be out until the end of the month. Which wasn’t the end of the world, but Jabril’s pessimistic behind could not see it that way. He just sat on the sofa and moped the entire day, barely talking to me or interacting with Jabrilah. She was lying on top of him since Daddy was in a bad mood.

  “Do you want anything to eat, Bril?”

  “No, I’m not hungry.”

  “Are you sure? I can make you a sandwich or order something before I go out.”

  “Can you leave me alone?”

  “Everything will work out. It’s midseason, Bril. You just have to keep a positive attitude and pray and everything will turn around.”

  “Zakiya, you’ve been saying the same shit all season. Nothing has changed.”

  He was depressed. I thought if he got out of the house he would feel better. But Jabril didn’t want to go to All Star Weekend. He said he felt like a loser and he wasn’t playing so what was the point. Instead he stayed in the house watching Netflix.