by Hazel Mills
Chapter 15
Ahmad
What the fuck? Shannon is Nikki’s sister? No, it can’t be the same Shannon. I know there is more than one girl named Shannon at Howard University. There has to be. There can be no way that the Shannon I know and Nikki can be related.
When Nikki revealed that her little sister, Shannon, was a student at Howard University and not Hampton University, I almost swallowed my tongue. I could have sworn she said Hampton. It was hard to keep my car on the road as I thought about all of the nasty shit Shannon and I had done and, on occasion, were still doing. Although I wasn’t calling her as much, there were still those nights when my dick needed a hole to fill and Shannon was right there.
For whatever reason, Nikki and I were not having sex yet. Every time we’d get close to doing it, she pulled away, saying she wasn’t ready. I didn’t understand it but I didn’t want to press the issue either. I didn’t think there were many girls on any college campus that were not ready. I had not met any. Nikki was the first and that was one of the things that intrigued me about her. Sex didn’t seem to matter to her, unlike her little sister, who wanted it all the time.
I decided the best thing to do for now was to keep my damn mouth shut about Shannon. I couldn’t risk telling Nikki just yet. I was grateful she and her sister were not talking.
How long will that last? They will talk sooner or later and then what? My ass will be grass. I can’t think about that right now.
When we arrived in New York, I was surprised that Nikki was less than impressed. I thought it was funny that someone from Alabama would not be in awe of the Big Apple. As we passed through the Lincoln Tunnel, her facial expression changed drastically. She seemed to go from excited to disgust in thirty seconds flat.
“What’s wrong? Why are you frowning like that?” I asked.
“Umm, no reason.”
“Don’t lie. I can see it on your face.”
“Well, I don’t want to hurt your feelings, Ahmad.”
“Hurt my feelings? You can’t hurt my feelings. Tell me what it is that you’re thinking. Seriously. I want to know.”
“New York is a mess.”
I laughed. She was right. The city was a messy and loud place to be. I loved it but I could certainly understand why someone who was not used to it would hate it. There was obviously much to take in. The streets were crowded with noisy yellow cabs and buses. On every street corner were vendors of food or African goods. People, all kinds of people, were everywhere.
“Yes it is. But it is a wonderful mess.”
“We’ll see.”
I was excited for Nikki to meet my daughter. As I thought about it, I realized that this was the first time I had introduced my daughter to one of my girlfriends. I kept that part of my life totally separate from my life with Corrie because I didn’t want to confuse her, but mainly because I hadn’t been as serious about anyone as I am about Nikki. I can potentially see us together for a long time.
When we pulled in front of my mother’s apartment building, Nikki’s mood changed from disgusted to nervous. It was as if the anxiety of meeting my mom and my daughter was overwhelming.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m a little nervous. That’s all,” Nikki said as she adjusted her pink sweatshirt.
“Ahh girl, there’s nothing to be nervous about. I love you and so will my family.”
Damn, did I say that out loud? I said I love you. I hope she didn’t hear me. I didn’t mean to say it. Not yet, anyway.
Nikki raised an eyebrow and smiled. She heard me. Loud and clear. I couldn’t take it back now.
“You what?” she asked.
“What?”
“What did you say just now?”
“I said that my family is going to love you.”
Even though it was a comfortable sixty degrees outside, I had begun to sweat like I had just finished the basketball game of a lifetime.
“Yeah, right.”
“Why wouldn’t they love you?”
“I heard what you said, Ahmad Jacobs. I heard all of what you said. It’s fine if you want to act like you don’t know what I’m talking about,” Nikki revealed.
“Come on. Let’s go inside.”
I heard Corrie shriek from the third floor window. She had obviously seen my car parked outside. As soon as I opened the front door of the building, I heard the pitter-patter of her feet running down the stairs, calling my name.
“Daddeee,” Corrie screamed as she jumped into my arms.
“Corrie-boo.”
“Daddy, I didn’t know you were coming today. Did you come to see me? Did you bring me something?”
“Of course I came to see my Corrie-boo. Yes, I brought you something. First, I want to introduce you to someone special.”
Corrie turned and looked at Nikki as if she’d just realized that someone else, besides the two of us, was standing in the hallway.
“Corrie, this is Nikki.”
“Hello, Corrie. I am so happy to finally meet you. Your dad has told me some wonderful things about you. He talks about you all the time.”
“Yeah, I know he does. My daddy loves me,” Corrie answered as she kissed my cheek and melted my heart. “Are you my daddy’s friend?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Nikki goes to school at Georgetown, too,” I explained. “Oh. Come on, Daddy. Let’s go. Poppi is here, too.” Damn, not my pops. Not today.
I was feeling pretty good about the day so far until Corrie said those words. I was not in the mood to deal with my pops. I knew he was going to have a lot of shit to say about me quitting the basketball team and God knows what else. I hoped that he had enough respect for me not to bring it up in front of Nikki and Corrie. It would be great if he didn’t bring it up at all but I knew that was wishful thinking.
I grabbed Nikki’s hand and led her up the rest of the stairs and into the apartment.
“She’s adorable,” Nikki whispered in my ear.
“Ahmad, what are you doing here,” my mom asked when we walked through the door.
“Hey, Ma. I just wanted to come up for a minute to see how y’all were doing. Mama, I want to introduce you to Nikki. Nikki this is my mother, Pat Jacobs.”
“Hello, Mrs. Jacobs. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Call me Pat. It is nice to meet you as well.”
My mother glanced curiously at me and smiled. I thought it was strange at first then I realized that Nikki was the first girl that I’d brought home to meet my mom. Even though I dated many girls in high school, I never brought them home. What was the point? When I found out that Kim was pregnant with Corrie, I told my mom about her. My mother didn’t actually meet Kim until after she had given birth to Corrie in the hospital.
“Ahmad, your dad is in the room asleep. You can go in and say hello,” my mom said.
“Naw let him sleep. I know he’s tired from working,” I said, sarcastically. I knew good and well that niggah didn’t have no fucking job. My mother rolled her eyes and turned her attention to Nikki.
“Have a seat, Nikki. Would you like something to drink?”
“No, thank you.”
“Nikki goes to Georgetown with Daddy. Nana, I think she’s his girlfriend,” Corrie said, giggling and covering her mouth.
“Corrie Samantha Jacobs!”
Nikki and I laughed. Corrie was so cute.
“I’m sorry, Nikki,” my mom said, waving her finger at Corrie.
“It’s okay.”
“She’s right. Nikki is my girlfriend.” Those words poured from my lips a little too easily.
“See, Nana. I told you,” Corrie defended, still giggling.
“Oh, I see. Okay. Congratulations you two.”
Nikki turned to me and smiled. I could tell from the sparkle in her eyes that she was pleasantly surprised by my announcement. To tell the truth, so was I.
Girlfriend? Committed relationship? What are you saying?
Where did that come from? What the
hell am I doing?
“Have you guys eaten anything?”
“No, Ma. You know I was waiting to get home and get some of your good cookin’. I’ve been bragging to Nikki about how you can burn in the kitchen.”
“Lunch should be ready soon,” my mother responded as she went into the kitchen.
“Do you need any help with anything?” Nikki asked, rising to follow my mother with Corrie on her heels.
Nikki seemed to fit right in. More importantly, she was a winner with Corrie. I could tell instantly that Corrie liked Nikki. She sat close to Nikki on the couch and held her hand while we talked. Now, Corrie was following Nikki around the house like they were new best friends. I must admit, I liked it.
Just as things were going good, my pops appeared from the bedroom. If there ever was a way to fuck up a good thing, he was the man to do it. If I’d had any idea that his sorry ass was going to be here today, I would have stayed my black ass in DC.
“Well, if it isn’t my arrogant son,” he spewed.
“What’s up?”
Normally, I would have just ignored him. But I didn’t want to make Nikki uncomfortable and more than that, I didn’t want to disrespect my father in the presence of my daughter. I tried to avoid that at all costs.
“What’s up? Looks to me that I should be the one asking you that question, Ahmad. What’s up is that I heard you quit the basketball team without talking to me about it first. What’s up with that?”
“I didn’t need your permission to start playing basketball for Georgetown University and I damn sure didn’t need your permission to quit.”
I was beginning to lose my temper.
“You don’t think I’m owed an explanation?”
“Man, I don’t owe you shit.”
My mother appeared from the kitchen carrying a platter of akee and salt fish.
“Come on to the table. Food is ready,” she called.
Nikki walked behind my mother but her questioning eyes were glued to me.
“Daddy, Nana made your favorite. She made callaloo,” Corrie said.
“Everything smells wonderful, Pat,” Nikki complimented.
“Thank you, Nikki.”
“Nikki, is it? I am Ahmad Franklin Jacobs, Sr.,” he said, rising from the arm of the couch.
My father took the opportunity and introduced himself to
Nikki because I sure as hell wasn’t going to introduce them.
What would be the point?
“Oh, Mr. Jacobs, it is nice to meet you.” That’s what you think.
We all sat down at the table and began to serve ourselves. I hoped that we could do so in silence because I knew that pleasant and civil conversation was out of the question while my father was present.
“Nikki, have you eaten Jamaican cuisine before?” my mother began.
“No, Ma’am. This is my first time. Ahmad tells me that I’m in for a treat.”
“You are, darling,” my mother continued. “I was born in Kingston and lived there until my family moved to New York when I was seventeen years old. All I know is Jamaican food. Over the years, I’ve tried to get used to the bland American pallet but it is just too difficult.”
“Wow,” Nikki said, putting the first taste of akee into her mouth. I looked into her face for an expression of like or dislike, but neither appeared. I could feel my father staring at me from across the table.
Why don’t you evaporate?
“Nikki, you and Jr. are obviously close so I’ll ask you the same question I asked him. Why did he leave the basketball team?”
“Frank…don’t do this. Not today,” my mother begged.
“No, Pat. I need some answers and somebody is going to tell me why my son, an excellent basketball player at Georgetown University, up and quits the goddamn team, throwing away all possibility of being drafted into the NBA.”
“If you came around more, you’d know why. But since you don’t and won’t shut the fuck up about it, okay, fine, I’ll tell you,” I said.
“Corrie, why don’t you take your plate and go into Nana’s room and watch television,” my mother interrupted.
“But Nana, I want to sit next to Nikki and eat my lunch.”
“Corrie, you heard me.”
Corrie recognized the urgent tone in my mother’s voice and did as she was told even though she didn’t agree. When I saw that Corrie was safely in the confines of the other room, I continued with my explanation.
“That little girl is the reason I quit the damn team.”
“Corrie? What does she have to do with it?”
“Where have you been, man? Corrie lost her mother. Kim is dead. I am responsible for Corrie now. Me. Her father.”
“Yeah, but you could be a much better father with a million dollar contract. Hell, you’d be a better son.”
“What the fuck could you possibly know about what it takes to be a better father? Man, I can count the times you were here for me when I was growing up on one hand.” “Ahmad…” my mother whispered.
“Naw, Ma. This needs to be said and then I’m out. A man, a real man, puts the needs of his child above his own. He thinks about what is best for the child not just what is convenient for himself. What is best for my daughter is for me to finish school and to be able to provide for her. There was no guarantee that the NBA was going to be beating down my door to play ball for them. Even if I did get drafted, the chances of being cut are still there. I couldn’t gamble with my daughter’s future like that. So I made the decision to quit the team and that’s that.”
“So what now? Huh? You gonna work at Wal-Mart for the rest of your life? Is that how you plan to provide a wonderful future for Corrie?”
“If that’s all I could do, yes, I would. But fortunately for me, I have other options.”
“What other options?”
“Law school.”
“What?” my mother asked.
“I was saving this for later but I might as well tell you all now. I’ve been accepted to Columbia University’s School of Law. I start next fall.”
“That’s wonderful, Ahmad,” Nikki said, clapping, “Congratulations.”
“Oh, son, I’m so proud of you,” my mother said as she wiped her tear stained face.
“So you see, I have a plan and I have my priorities straight. I must have picked that shit up on the street ‘cause I damn sure didn’t learn that from you.”
Things had gotten out of control and I was sad that I couldn’t do anything to stop it. Nikki had seen a part of me that I wished she didn’t have to see. All of this strife had caused me to lose my appetite. I decided to leave the table and check on Corrie.
What an asshole. Did he think that I wouldn’t tell his trifling ass off because we had company? He thought he could play the
concerned father role in front of Nikki and get away with it. He should have known better than to question any of my decisions. I gave him exactly what he deserved. Sorry ass motherfucker.
