by Natavia
“Someone’s going to end up hurting that girl one day,” I said to him.
“I would body bag a nigga,” Dez said. “Lee got shot, huh? My mother went to pick him up a few hours ago,” Dez said. No wonder Lee wasn’t answering his phone or calling me back.
“That shit was wild. Desiree knows she only want the nigga for his money,” I said to Dez.
“Mannnnn, Lee knows my mama only wants him for his money.” Dez chuckled.
“What’s up with you and Kyree?” Dez asked me, rolling up a blunt.
“Nothing, nigga. I’m attracted to her, she’s attracted to me. That’s just what it is, but both of our hearts belong to different people, end of story,” I said to Dez. My phone beeped letting me know I had a message. “Dez, check that for me. It could be an emergency and I’m not trying to get a ticket,” I said to him.
“GOOOOOOOTTTTTTT DAMMMNNNNNN!” Dez shouted looking at my phone. I almost swerved off the road grabbing it. When I looked on the screen it was a pic of Tassana naked with a big black dildo in her pussy.
“Nigga, I see why you let that broad steal from you. Shit. Her pussy is fat and that hole tight. I’m not going to be able to look at her the same again. Shit, if Shimmy hit her I would hit Shimmy my damn self. If twins got the same thing, Kauzie had the best of both worlds. That nigga was fucking both sisters,” Dez ranted.
“Yo, just be quiet,” I said.
“Tassana’s ass a freak. Most of those bougie broads are anyway. They would fuck you better than a hoodrat,” Dez said. Dez and I kicked back and chilled for the rest of the night. We hit up the strip club and a few other spots. Tassana wasn’t happy about me hanging out, but I was going to make it up to her.
Ivanka
I pulled into Newtowne where Lee’s side chick lived. I wanted to see what was really going on. Kyree told me everything she heard and I believed it. I always saw the signs he was cheating, but I ignored them. I used to always tell myself that I was too good of a woman to go through that, but I realized no matter what, a man will cheat when he feels the need to. The gloves were off. I wasn’t going to play fair, I was going to make his life a living hell. I stuck by him through a lot. I moved to Maryland and away from my family. I changed my job and even dealt with a salary cut. I was making more money in Virginia. Lee paid all of the bills, but that was besides the point. I gave up my whole life for him.
I parked my two-door Audi coupe, then got out of the car with my shades on. I still had on my work attire but I wore a pair of Pumas just in case I had to kick a bitch’s ass. I was never a fighter nor was I confrontational, but this was personal. I knocked on the door to the address Kyree had given me. A woman opened the door with a nicely shaped body, her make-up flawless. Kyree told me she was thirty-three, but she looked twenty-four, around my age. She stood in the doorway with her hands on her hips.
“What the fuck do you want? Dez ain’t here if that’s who you're looking for. I keep telling that lil’ nigga stop bringing drama to my door,” she mumbled.
“I’m Ivanka, I know we haven’t met, but I think I should introduce myself. I’m Lee’s fiancé who is carrying his child by the way. I see his truck is in the parking lot. I don’t want any problems, just tell that nigga to walk out here and get his shit out of my car,” I said to her.
“You are a bold little bitch to be knocking on my door,” she said.
“Oh, honey, you ain’t seen bold yet and neither has Lee. I can speak hood ebonics and snap my damn neck too, bitch. Tell that nigga to bring his black ass out here, now,” I said to her.
“Lee, you better come out here and get this black bitch away from my door before I throw hot grease on her ass!” Desiree shouted. My fiancé came limping down the hall with a tank top and baller shorts on. As bad as I wanted to break down and cry, I couldn’t. I held my head up high and stood tall. The look on his face was priceless. He couldn’t look me in the eyes. “Bring yo’ black ass out here,” I said to him.
“Just go home, Ivanka. I will be there and we can talk, but not here,” he said.
“What home? Your shit is in my trunk. Oh, and give me the keys to the truck. I believe that’s in my name. Matter of fact, everything is in my damn name,” I spat. Lee made more than me because he was in the streets, but he didn’t have legal income, so everything he has, had my name on it.
“Wait a damn minute, Ivanka,” he said, stepping out of Desiree’s apartment.
“You think I’m going to let you ride around in a truck with my name on it? I don’t give a damn who paid for it. If it wasn’t for me, it wouldn’t be yours,” I said. A crowd started forming outside the building, I guess, waiting for a fight.
A tow truck and a police officer pulled up in front the building. “What the fuck?” Lee said, limping down the steps. The police officer got out of his car.
“Is everything okay, ma’am?” he asked me.
“Yes, I reported a stolen truck earlier. I came to visit a friend and it just so happens it is parked in this neighborhood,” I told the officer.
“That’s my fucking truck, bitch,” Lee said to me.
“Sir, back away,” the officer warned. Lee looked at me with murder in his eyes. I heard the stories about how trigger happy he was, but I didn’t care.
“Sir, do you have the tags and the title?” the officer asked him.
“Yes, but my name isn’t on them,” Lee said. I laughed.
“My name is on them and I want this truck towed,” I said to the officer. The officer gave the tow truck guy the signal letting him know he could take the truck. Desiree stood on the steps smoking a Black and Mild grilling me. I gave her a dirty look back, then walked towards my car. Lee walked closer to me. “Sir, I said take a step back,” the officer said.
“I just want to talk to my fiancé,” Lee said. I let the officer know I was okay then the officer got into his car with his eyes trained on Lee.
“You know I don’t like blue uniforms,” Lee gritted.
“I don’t like cheaters. Charge it to the game,” I said to him.
“Can we just go home and talk?” Lee begged.
“This is your home, Lee,” I said walking away from him. He grabbed my arm gently, looking at me with pleading eyes. Desiree was burning a hole into Lee with her eyes.
“Your girlfriend is getting jealous,” I said.
“Can I come home so we can talk, please?” he begged.
“Come get your man, Desiree. Maybe you can tell him better than I can that he can’t come home. I’m sure he will listen to you since you have that mother figure thing going on,” I said to her. The tow truck left the hood with Lee’s Infiniti truck on the back of it, the officer following behind the tow truck. I popped my trunk then tossed some of Lee’s clothing and shoes out onto the sidewalk.
I got into my car. “You can have him now, bitch. I hope your welfare checks can help him take care of this baby when I put him on child support. After I get done with him, there will be no more Brazilian hair for you, hoe,” I said to Desiree. She walked down the steps cursing me out. She and I exchanged words. All of a sudden I was being hit in the face because Desiree reached through my window.
Lee pulled Desiree back. “Chill the fuck out! She’s pregnant!” Lee yelled at her. I opened up my door then got out. I reached over Lee, clocking Desiree in the face.
“You got me fucked up,” I told her. Lee picked me up then put me in the car. He climbed into the driver’s seat then sped off. I clocked him upside his head as he drove. I scratched his face and slapped him upside the head. I fought him until we got home. When he pulled up in our driveway I was exhausted.
“I hate you so fucking much. I fucking hate you.” I burst into tears. “You hurt me!” I screamed making Lee jump. His eyes watered up. I had never seen Lee cry before. Lee didn’t wear his feelings on his sleeve.
“I’m moving back home,” I said, getting out of the car. I honestly hadn’t thought about moving back home all the way through. I liked Maryland, besides, I would just have to look f
or another job and a place all over again. I really didn’t feel like doing all of that, but he didn’t have to know that.
I unlocked the door then walked into our townhome. I headed straight upstairs. When I made it into the bedroom, I had the urge to puke. I ran to the toilet giving it everything that I had in my stomach.
After I flushed the toilet I stood up. Lee was standing in the doorway. “I fucked up,” he said. I rolled my eyes at him then brushed my teeth and washed my face. When I tried to walk past him he grabbed me, hugging me tightly.
“Get off me, Lee.” I tried to push him off, but he wouldn’t budge.
“I’m all tired out, I’m drained. This is a dream, a huge fucking nightmare. Five years, five long years I gave to you. Court dates, going to jail, seeing your PO and working overtime just so I could afford to hire you a lawyer. I did it all and you do this to me, with your homeboy’s mama at that. That’s why you and Dez got into that fight. All your damn dirt is out,” I said to him. He let me go then sat down on our bed, brushed his hands over his face.
“You can have this,” I said, dropping my engagement ring on the floor in front of him.
“I don’t think I can live without you, Ivanka. I know what I’m saying is falling on deaf ears, but I can’t. I took you for granted, I knew you wasn’t going to go anywhere. I don’t know what to do,” Lee said, with tears falling from his eyes.
“I think you should leave. Call Osari so he can come pick you up. I don’t want you here anymore,” I said to him. Lee grabbed me by the wrist then held me. “I fucked up, shorty. I fucked up.” His voice trembled.
Days later I was still in a funk. I still went to work, but my heart wasn’t in it. I worked for the government in the social services department. Lee had been calling and texting me nonstop. I had to put him out of the house, so he has been crashing at Osari’s, then again, he could’ve been over Desiree’s house. I couldn’t believe Lee was messing with a woman that was almost eleven years older than him. My cell phone rang, it was Osari calling.
“Yes, Osari,” I answered.
“Can you talk to this dumb ass nigga for two minutes? I can’t take it, Ivanka. He sick or something, throwing up and shit. Nigga ain’t eating and I’m not trying to have a dead body lying on my couch when I come in the crib,” Osari fussed. I couldn’t help but to giggle.
“I’m not talking to Lee until I’m ready, Osari. That might take time honestly because I’m not feeling him right now,” I replied.
“I’m not feeling the nigga right now either. Shoot him in the other ass cheek or something. I think this nigga is ready to flat line on my fuckin’ couch, Ivanka. Nigga, throw up over the trash can. What the fuck, man. I’m tired of muthafucka’s throwing up around me,” Osari fussed.
“When you cheated on Tassana with Kyree, did that mean you didn’t love her?” I asked Osari.
“Naw, that wasn’t the case. I cheated because I felt like I could do it and get away with it. That shit’s a headache though, but we all are young. I guess we gotta live and learn,” Osari said.
“That was the smartest crap that ever came out of that ratchet mouth of yours,” I said to him.
“Look, here, shorty. I’m only being nice to you because you are pregnant,” he spat.
“Let me talk to her,” Lee said in the background.
Lee got on the phone. “What’s up with you?” he asked me.
“Nothing,” I answered dryly.
“I just wanted to hear your voice, but we do need to talk about this pregnancy, Ivanka,” he said. I knew he was going to hold that against me. He knew that was his only way of being connected to me.
“When I’m ready to, we will, Lee. Like I seriously do not understand why you are playing the damn victim. I didn’t cheat on you. All of this is because of you, Lee. Have a nice day,” I said hanging up. I called Kyree and she answered the phone giggling. “What are you so happy for?” I asked her.
“Pernell and I are on a date and like always he is acting a fool.” She burst into laughter.
“Come here, baby, I’m sorry,” Kyree said to No hands.
“I didn’t mean to intrude, you can call me back,” I said to her.
“Is everything okay?” Kyree asked.
“Yes, it’s just hard, you know? Like, I have not been away from Lee this long since he was released from jail. The house is empty, I’m all alone in this state,” I said to her.
“Tonight I will come over to keep you company. I might even bring Tokyo if Kauzie lets her out of the house. Tokyo’s words are uplifting,” Kyree said. After I hung up the phone, I grabbed my things to head home. I stopped to get something to eat on my way there. When I pulled in the driveway there was a car sitting across the street. The driver got out, it was Desiree.
“You don’t like to be popped up on, do you? That’s how I felt when you knocked on my door the other day. You are lucky you are pregnant, because if you wasn’t, I would have you stretched out like an old pair of leggings,” Desiree said to me.
“Bitch, do you know I would shoot you?” I asked her.
“I heard, and I don’t care, but I didn’t come here to talk to you. Where the fuck is Lee at? That nigga is supposed to be getting my hair done and I want my damn money,” she said. I was beyond disgusted that Lee was even screwing around with such trash.
“Call his phone, but you have ten seconds to get away from my house,” I said to her. She rolled her eyes then switched back to her car. When she got inside she sped off with Rihanna’s song “BBHMM” playing loudly. What did I get myself into? I asked myself.
I went into the house then ate my steak sub. After I was done, I called Lee. He hurriedly picked up the phone like he was waiting for my call. “Your mother just came to my house looking for money,” I said to him.
“My mother is in Hawaii on vacation. What are you talking about?” he asked.
“Stella came to my house. You don’t know who you are fucking? Are there that many?” I asked him.
“Where is my fucking money, Lee?” I heard a noise in the background and the sounds of a door being banged on. All of a sudden there was yelling and fussing in the background. Lee’s phone hung up on me. I laid on the couch and cried myself to sleep. I wanted everything to go away but this was my reality.
Shimmy
“You better not tell Dez about this, Speedy,” I said to him. Speedy and I were in the Nordstrom. I thought he was lying when he said he could fit into a stroller. It was one of those sport utility strollers that you could fit two kids in. Speedy had a blanket over him with stars and bears. Speedy was very light in weight, you could pick him up like a baby. Dez said that even when Speedy had legs he was really thin. I pushed the stroller and Speedy would hurriedly snatch items from under the blanket. I kept the items in my hand that Dez gave me money for. As I was walking around in Nordstrom, I ran into Kiwanna.
“Bitch, you better not have my son in that stroller,” Kiwanna said as she tried to pull the blanket back.
I slapped her hand away. “Bitch, don’t be touching shit and the last time I checked you didn’t want your son,” I said to her.
“You’re stealing, aren’t you?” Kiwanna asked me. Just my luck I’d run into her. I was going to quit if I made it out okay.
“Yes, I’m a thief. I stole your baby daddy,” I said laughing.
“Security! Security!” Kiwanna screamed. I hurriedly pushed Speedy through the aisles. When the security officers started chasing me, I ran out of the store then through the mall. Speedy’s stroller was slowing me down. “Speedy, I have to leave you behind,” I said to him.
He tossed the blanket off of his body then leaped out of the stroller. The people in the mall started screaming when they saw Speedy balancing himself on his short stubs to get away. He looked like a no-leg-having dark-skinned Dave Chappelle, speeding through the mall. Speedy moved very fast and I was surprised that he got away without them seeing him. I stuffed the items in my duffle bag then took off in the opposite directi
on. The mall was crowded, so it was easier to get away.
When I made it to me car someone grabbed my ankle from underneath my car. “Speedy, don’t scare me like that. What the fuck is wrong with you?” I asked him. I helped him into the backseat and he put his seat belt on. I got inside my car then hurriedly sped out of the parking lot. The only item I left behind was Speedy’s stroller.
“I left my damn stroller. You know how hard it is to find one that I can get into? Those damn strollers cost three-hundred dollars,” Speedy fussed.
“I’ll get you a new one,” I said to him.
“You’d better. That was my damn money maker right there,” he fussed. I went to a drive-thru to get us something to eat then headed back to Dez’s grandmother’s house. Nana was waiting on the front porch smoking her cigarette and drinking her beer. I got Speedy’s wheelchair out of my trunk.
“I really appreciate you, Shimmy for taking Speedy to his doctor’s appointment. That was a big help for me. It gets hard lugging him back and forth,” Nana said. I looked at Speedy then grilled him. It was wrong of him to make Nana do the things she does for him when he could do a lot himself. Nana kissed me on the cheek then walked back into the house.
