“Ma, I ’ont know,” he said nonchalantly. The ringing didn’t ease up, until he angrily snatched the phone up. “Hello,” he yelled into the phone. “Say what?” He sat up in the bed. “I’m on my way, yo.” He hung the phone up and jumped out of the bed.
“What’s wrong, babe?”
“That was my nigga. My baby mama got shot and is at Grady Hospital,” he said and he grabbed his pants, slid into them, and grabbed his shirt, and his keys, and ran out the door.
“Micah,” I screamed, but he was down the stairs and out the door already.
I sat back down on the bed shocked that my fucking friend had gotten shot. The first thought that crossed my mind was the kids. Were they all right? I didn’t know who to call to find out what the hell was going on. I continued to pace my bedroom as I dialed Micah’s number, but it just rang out. I cut the TV on to see if it was being reported on the news but nothing was on at the moment. I swear, I knew that messing with Micah was wrong, but I damn sure didn’t wish death on her.
* * *
Later that night, Micah called me from the hospital. He was furious!
“What’s going on, Micah? I tried to call you, but your phone kept ringing out.”
“Ma, this fuck nigga shot my baby mama and now she lying up in the hospital fighting for her life. Word to my mother, he better pray she pulls through, ’cause if she don’t I’ma cause havoc on this whole fucking city.”
“Baby, calm down. This ain’t the way to handle it. Do you know who did it and why?”
“Ay, ma, no disrespect, but this is the mother of my children. Fuck why he did it. All I know is this bitch nigga done violated her and I have to touch him,” he yelled.
I ain’t gon’ lie, I was all in my fucking feelings. I knew this wasn’t the time to be feeling jealous and shit, but I was. Just a few days ago, he was hollering about how annoying her ass was; now he was acting like he was all in love with the bitch. Yeah, nigga, I feel fucking disrespected. I just didn’t say it out loud, but I was pissed the fuck off.
“A’ight, I’ma hit you later.” He hung the phone up.
Was I being selfish? I didn’t think so. I was hoping she made it out alive and well, but I didn’t think my man/ baby’s father should have been getting himself all worked up over a piece of pussy he claimed he didn’t want anymore.
That night I lay in bed feeling lonely and missing him. I tried calling him, but the phone kept going to voicemail. I was fuming with anger and resentment. How could he leave me and his baby alone and go out in the streets playing Captain Save a Ho? I just hoped this bitch didn’t get my man in any kind of shit that could cost him his freedom or possibly his life. “God, please protect my baby out in them streets,” I whispered before I dozed off.
* * *
I was tired of sitting around waiting to hear what happened. I needed to know that she was going to be all right. I knew that it would look crazy if I didn’t show my face. The last thing I needed was for people to start suspecting anything. I got dressed and decided to stop by her mother’s house. I was pretty sure she still lived in the same house that we used to stay in when I was younger.
I parked and walked to the door. I rang the doorbell and waited.
“Hello? Oh, child, it’s you. Long time no see.”
“Yes. I’ve been meaning to come by and see you.”
“Well, I guess you heard what happen to Ayana. Some coward ass done tried to take my baby from me. My one and only child.” She busted out crying.
I stepped in and hugged her tight. I hated to see her in so much pain. She was a second mother. Shit, fuck second; she was the only person I could really call Mother. Even though she stayed drunk, she kept a roof over our heads. For that alone, I’d forever be grateful to her.
After a few minutes, she managed to get the crying under control.
“So what really happen and how is she doing?” I quizzed her.
“Well, the doctors say she gon’ pull through, but she was lucky that the hotel people found her. A few minutes later and she would’ve been dead,” she said as she trembled while I held her tight.
“What? Hotel? What the hell happened and who would want to hurt her? I just saw her the other day. She didn’t mention that she had a problem with anybody. And where were the kids?”
“Luckily, I had the kids so they were not in harm’s way.”
“So do they know who did it?”
“Yes, she said some boy’s name, but you know I don’t know them young people’s names. I told my daughter a long time ago to leave that damn thug alone, the baby daddy, that is. If you ask me, I believe he the reason why my daughter is lying up in that hospital fighting for her life. I told the detectives that they need to look into him and his cronies.”
At that moment I let her loose. I was irritated as fuck when she mentioned that police shit. What the fuck my man has to do with this shit and why would she set the police on him? See I felt bad and all that she was up in the hospital, but I knew damn well that he didn’t have anything to do with it.
“Well, if you don’t mind, I’m going to go see her.”
“You know that’s yo’ sister so I’m sure she’ll be more than happy to see you.”
“Well, I will see you then. By the way, where are the kids?”
“The kids are here with me. Their daddy is at the hospital with her so that’s why I’m here. They keep asking for their mama, but I can’t bring myself to tell them that their mama is in the hospital. It’s really sad, you know.”
“Yes, it is. I got to go see her.” I gave her a hug and jetted out the door.
I jumped in my car and pulled off. I swore I hoped Micah didn’t get himself into no bullshit. What the hell was she doing at the hotel and who was this dude who shot her? I knew there was only one way that I would get these answers and that was to go to the source itself.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Ayana
Two weeks later
Can you believe it, this bum-ass nigga tried to take my life? I was either one lucky bitch or somebody up above was watching over me. I woke up to see myself hooked up to all sorts of wires and machines. My man was sitting in the chair across from my bed.
“Hey, babe,” I mumbled.
“Hey, you. You’re awake!” He walked closer to my bed.
“Where are my children?” I panicked.
“They at home with your mama.”
“I thought I was going to die, baby,” I mumbled as tears welled up in my eyes. My mind flashed back to the day that I got shot. I remembered how that dude raped me as I screamed.
“Ay, ma, I’m happy you’re doing better. All I need to know is what the fuck happened? What the fuck were you doing at that hotel?” He rushed me with questions.
“Baby, calm down. I’m trying to remember everything, but I only remember when I got shot.” I started to cry. I knew him all too well.
“Man, calm down. Who is the nigga who did this shit to you?”
I paused. I wanted to tell him, but how could I set my mouth to tell him that it was the nigga I was fucking? I couldn’t. There was no way I could let him know any of this. He was already acting funny toward me. I just knew if I told him this shit, he would snap.
“It was Tahj. He did this shit to me,” I busted out, bawling.
“What? What the fuck you talking ’bout? Which Tahj, the nigga I was beefing with? I know that pussy nigga didn’t kidnap and shoot you,” he yelled out.
Before I could respond two detectives walked into my room. I swear, they were the last people I wanted to see. I had an episode with them earlier. I sensed that they didn’t believe my story.
“Miss Beasly, we were wondering if you remember anything else. Something so we can find the thugs who did this to you,” the white detective said with a smirk on her face.
“I—”
“She already told y’all she don’t remember. She is the victim here, so why I got a feeling y’all treating her like she is the motherfucker who
did this shit?” Ant opened up his mouth and cut me off.
“And you are?” the middle-aged detective asked Ant.
“Why? Y’all should be out there finding the niggas who did this to her instead of worrying about my name,” he mouthed off.
“Give me your name and your ID,” one detective said.
“For what? I ain’t did shit, man.”
“Give me your ID.”
“Man, for what?”
“Boy, just give them the damn ID!” I used the little bit of strength that I had to utter.
He gave me a fucked-up look, then reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet, handing it to the officer. I watched as they went through his wallet and took out his driver’s license. I hoped this fool didn’t come up in here knowing he had a warrant.
I guessed he was straight because they didn’t lock his ass up.
“I guess you the baby daddy. So let me ask you, you know anything about who shot Miss Beasly?”
“Nah, I ’ont know and, if I did, I wouldn’t be tellin’ y’all motherfuckers,” he spat.
“Calm down. I’m up in here sick and you up here showing your ass.” I couldn’t believe that this nigga was behaving like that. He needed to shut the fuck up so the fucking detectives could leave. I had a feeling they wasn’t buying my story and I needed to distant myself from them and their investigation fast.
“Well, Detective Robinson and myself are about to leave. Here’s my card. If you remember anything about the shooting, please don’t hesitate to give us a call. We’ll definitely be in touch.” He turned to walk away.
He turned around, then spoke. “Be careful of the company you keep,” he said as he stared Ant down.
After they walked out, I was ready to give Ant a piece of mind, but my energy wasn’t there. The pain was kicking my ass, so I pressed my morphine button. I was ready to fall asleep and get rid of this pain.
“Yo, I’m about to bounce. I will be up here first thing in the morning, and I’m going to bring the kids with me.”
“All right. Ant, I love you. I’m happy God saved my life and we can finally be a family. I think we should get married as soon as I get out of here.”
I looked at his face to catch a glimpse of excitement, but instead all I saw was a man with displeasure written all over his face.
“Why you looking like that? You don’t want us to be a family?” I asked confused.
“Ma, you need to get some rest. I will be up here tomorrow wit’ the kids.” He kissed me on the forehead.
I wasn’t feeling his response, but the morphine had kicked in and my eyes wouldn’t stay open. I laid my head on the pillow and dozed off.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Tiana
I didn’t see Micah last night but he called and told me that he wasn’t coming home because he had some business to handle. Ever since Ayana got shot, he hadn’t been the same. When he was home, he was always sleeping, maybe because of my pregnancy. What bothered me was as soon as he got up, he was out the door.
I got dressed in a sweat suit from Aeropostale. These days there wasn’t much that I could fit into. I would be happy when this baby came so I could get back to some sort of normalcy. I grabbed my car keys and walked down the stairs. I walked out the door and into the brisk air. I was happy that the nausea kind of calmed; now I was able to hold down a little bit of food.
I pulled into the Grady Hospital parking lot and parked. I hoped this girl wasn’t on no bullshit today. Shit, this experience should have humbled her and forced her to take a look at her life. She loved to be in the limelight and fuck niggas with long paper. Shit, all that shady shit that she used to do, might’ve caught up with her.
I walked to the front desk and gave them my name, and the clerk asked for my ID. I already knew that when a person got shot, they usually had some kind of security. I peeped into the adjacent door; she looked like she was asleep. I turned to walk away, but decided not to. I needed to see how she was doing. After all we grew up like sisters.
“Hey,” I said as I walked up to her bed.
“Hey, sis. It’s about time you showed your face.” She gave me a big smile.
“Yeah, I know I should’ve come before, but this pregnancy along with my classes are kicking my butt.”
“How is my godbaby doing? Did you find out what you’re having? And where is this baby daddy at? I need to meet him.”
“Well, the baby is doing fine, and no, we have no idea as of yet. And you haven’t met the mister yet because you are in here and he’s always busy,” I lied.
“Oh, okay. So you hear about what happen to me?”
“Nah. I stopped by your mama’s house and she was saying something about some dude. I couldn’t understand. Who the fuck would want to hurt you? Did you see who did it?”
She lay there, staring at the ceiling, then she spoke. “You know you my best friend and you know I trust you right?” She stared into my eyes.
“What’s going on with you? You’re scaring me.”
“What I’m about to tell you, you can’t tell nobody at all. Promise me,” she demanded.
“Damn, chill out, bitch. I got you.” I was feeling annoyed.
“Ease up this pillow underneath me.”
I fixed the pillow and sat on the edge of her bed. She started to tell me what happened between her and dude, how he raped her then shot her. What shocked me the most was when she mentioned how she was about to set her baby daddy up. I wanted to reach over and grab that bitch’s throat, but I kept my cool. “Really? Wow, so how do you know dude?”
“Girl, him and Ant was beefing. I was so mad when he told me he wanted out of the relationship, so I called dude up and had him come over the house. I fucked him that first night in the bed me and Ant share. Girl, I never thought in a hundred years that dude would flip like that. I ain’t gon’ lie, I thought dude really fucked with me.”
“So did you tell your baby daddy all of this?”
“Bitch, what the fuck you smoking? I told him dude shot me, but I told him that I don’t know why. I can’t tell him because I don’t want to lose him. I swear if he ever finds out, he will leave me and probably file for custody. I can’t risk that.”
I sat there trying to find the right words to say to her, but I was speechless. I couldn’t believe this bitch was that cruel. I just sat there staring at her.
“I ’ont know, T. I think he fucking with some other bitch. He acts funny now. Yesterday, I mentioned marriage to him and the nigga looked like he was sick. I swear whoever this bitch is she is fucking with the wrong nigga. Ain’t no way my baby daddy is gon’ leave a bad bitch like me for an old ‘around the way’ bitch,” she bragged.
“How you know that she is an ‘around the way’ bitch? I mean what if the nigga wants to leave? Me personally, I ain’t tryin’a hold on to no nigga who don’t want to be with me. There are too many dicks out here to be doing all of this over one nigga.”
“Damn, bitch, you defending him like you the one he fucking. I put in time behind this nigga. I gave him two little girls. I gave up my fucking life to play house to him and our children. This shit ain’t going down like that. I swear it’s not.”
I heard the hatred in her crackled voice. I couldn’t believe any of what she was saying. This bitch should have been happy she didn’t die, but instead of thanking God, her evil ass was plotting on how to keep a grip on this nigga.
“Listen, how you feeling? Did they tell you when you’re gonna leave up out of here?” I changed the subject fast because I couldn’t take any more of this craziness.
“Yeah, the doctors say I should be able to go home to my man and kids next week. I can’t wait. I hope he ain’t got no bitch up in my shit. That nigga playing with the fire I tell you.”
“All right, boo, if I don’t come back up here then I will see you when you come home.” I got up and grabbed my purse.
“Love you, chick. I promise after you have my nephew, we gonna chill more often. I sure miss your a
ss.”
I nodded, gave her a hug, and walked away. I breathed a sigh of relief. Being around her ass made me feel like I was suffocating. I was still in disbelief as I walked down the hallway. I had no idea what I was about to do about all this information that I had.
I tried calling Micah, but his phone went directly to voicemail. I wondered where the fuck he was at. I needed to talk to him. My loyalty was to my man, not to her. We grew up together, but that was years ago. That bitch had changed and obviously we were not as close as before. I dialed his phone one more time, but there was still no answer.
“Where are you? You need to call me ASAP when you get this message.” I hung the phone up.
I got into my car and pulled off. I was starting to feel ill. Not from being pregnant, but from all the fuckery that was going on. He was out there trying to get revenge on a nigga he thought had done him wrong, but in reality, that bitch played him like a fool.
I had to figure out a way to break the news to him, about Ayana being my friend and all the shit she had done. I wished he’d hurry up and call me back. Maybe he was at home sleeping.
* * *
I pulled up at the house, only to be disappointed. His car wasn’t there and he hadn’t called me back. I walked into the house feeling some kind of way. I didn’t ask to be involved in none of this shit. I thought I found the perfect man, but here I was caught up in a love triangle that might get deadly.
I took a shower, made some tea, and got in bed. My mind couldn’t rest because I hadn’t talked to him since yesterday. I picked up the phone and dialed him again; still no response. I threw the phone on the bed and lay down with tears in my eyes.
I got up early, because I couldn’t sleep. I looked around and Micah wasn’t lying on his side. I grabbed my phone because I remembered that he told me if anything happened to him to call his mother. I’d never met the lady, but desperate times called for desperate measures.
I dialed his mother’s number and waited for a response. The phone rang out so I hung up. But before I could put down the phone, it started to ring. Without hesitation I picked it up.
Your Man Chose Me Page 7
