Candy Shop

by Nicety

  2 Fridays Later

  Drool crept out of Red’s mouth making a gigantic puddle on her soft plush pillow. Pulling damn near all nighters every night at the Candy Shop was beginning to take a toll on her sleeping habits. She dreamt of the $5000 shopping spree Messiah had bestowed upon her two weeks ago. With all of the Fendi and Prada that surrounded her, she was truly a kid in a candy store that day and desperately yearned for another one. Her mouth was open and her eyes fluttered rapidly as she gradually entered the REM state of sleep and then there was a loud banging on the front door. She snorted up out of her slumber in a daze but highly upset at the disturbance. At first it seemed like it was all a dream since dead silence filled the room as she looked around for the cause of the sound. Just as she was about to choke it up as other people in the building, the banging returned.

  “Who the fuck is it? Come knocking on this damn door like you the fucking police. It better be Publisher’s Clearing House with a huge check or somebody’s ass is on the line.” She snapped as she dragged slowly to the door whisking it open angrily so that whomever was behind the door knew she meant business.

  “Well, it’s your lucky day because I’ve got a big check.” Messiah said waving a white envelope in her face. She smiled at the news quickly snatching the check out of his hand and clenching it to her chest. She rubbed it all over her body and under her arms loving every bit of her hard earned penny. Red wiped the drool from her mouth and tussled her hair in hopes that she hadn’t looked so bad.

  “Thanks! I can’t believe it’s the end of May already,” she said kissing the envelope then slapping it down on the island counter centered in her kitchen, “but do you always deliver your employee’s checks this early in the morning? Shit it’s 8 am and I literally just went to sleep like five hours ago.” Red said as went to the kitchen to make coffee and secretly stopped her ass cheeks from swallowing her shorts whole.

  “Nope, just yours.” Messiah looked around the condo loving the way she kept it immaculately clean as he plopped down on the sofa. He landed his arm right in the pillow drenched in drool. He raised his arm looking to see what was the moist substance lingering on it. Red raced over horribly embarrassed grabbing the pillow.

  “Oh my gosh. I’m so sorry. I must’ve been sleeping harder than I thought.” Red went to get him a towel from the washroom then returned to clean him off. She sat on her knees very close to him on the couch cleaning the wet patches of spit on his arm.

  “It’s all good, baby. It’s just a little saliva.” Messiah’s eyes sparkled as they gazed into each other’s eyes romantically.

  There was just something about her that drew him in. He couldn’t place his finger on it but whatever it was he liked the way it felt. He moved his arm around to her backside landing right on the top of her ass making sure not to grasp it fully. Red had gotten some weight back on her in the past few weeks, he noticed, as he pulled her in close to him. She was so close that she could feel his body temperature rise with every waiting moment. She could feel his breath slightly coat her cheek as he leaned his head to her ear wanting to nibble passionately on it but caressing the side of her face with his manly stubble instead.

  Messiah moaned silently sounding like a purring tiger as he felt her smooth skin against his body. Her soft supple skin felt like it would melt like putty in his hands as her temperature now began to rise. Red’s sexy feminine moan was just as soft, as she wrapped her arms around him inviting him into her warmth. The two rubbed each other’s bodies, desperately needing, wanting more.

  For the Love of Money, the Bone Thugs in Harmony song eroded from his jeans pocket loudly. Messiah dreaded answering, already knowing whom it was. He had assigned that ringtone for one person and one person only. He took the phone out of his pocket never batting an eye at it before he hit the button and put it to his ear.

  “Hello?” He got up walking towards the door as if he was about to walk out.

  Red was used to it. He was a busy businessman she got that aspect. There was no need for her to question his time since she knew she would see him soon. She returned to the kitchen hornier than a toad in heat, though, to retrieve the coffee from the maker. Just as she took a sip of the boiling hot drink from her mug, she was greeted with a hard schlong to her backside.

  “When do you turn eighteen?” Messiah whispered into her ear seductively.

  “Next week, June 7th.” She closed her eyes leaning back into his strong embrace.

  “Get at me then.” He said slapping her on her ass mighty hard as he walked back towards the door. “Do something big, chick. Like a party or something, and don't worry about the dough, it's all on me. I’ll come check you out.” The door closed behind those words.

  Red was elated bouncing up and down like a schoolgirl and displaying a smile like the Joker loving the fact that he was treating her with the utmost respect. She loved the restraint he exhibited even though it was clear they wanted each other bad as hell. Now all she had to do was get that nasty looking Zadie out of his life for good. She knew she had to keep her eyes open for any opportunity she could to axe that bitch out of his life for good and she knew just how to do it, catch that bitch stealing.

  ****

  “You seem to be mighty chipper today. Did you get some pussy from your other little trick today? Let me guess, it was the one I saw in the condo over there on Harlem.” Alexis said picking through her garden salad as Messiah took a seat at the table.

  He sat there watching her with his hands folded on the table and a daunting look on his face. He wondered what the hell she was even doing at the condos since she never showed interest in wanting to do maintenance or even collect the rent from over there. The waiter made eye contact with him but he shooed him off. He waited for her to say anything else but she just kept stuffing her face so he decided to kick it off.

  “We come to this expensive establishment every week, order the most expensive meals, drink the most expensive wine, and then when we’re done we leave separately. You go back to your paid escorts and nothing changes. What’s the point in doing this and marriage counseling if none of it is working?” He leaned forward to take a sip of the water from the wide wine glass. He pulled his suit jacket straight then checked his all white jumpers for any signs of dirt while dusting off his jeans.

  “I think we both know what to call this.” He said signaling the waiter for the check.

  “No, Messiah, what do we call this? What I do is no different from what you do. You go to your ready made whores everyday and you expect me to believe you’re not banging none of ‘em?” She said sliding back a whole glass of Chateau Haut-Brion Blanc.

  She sucked the food out of her teeth looking at him like she was hunting prey. She went back to her salad attacking it like animals on Animal Planet.

  “Where you been all night, Alexis?” He asked calmly placing his finger to his lip and resting his head in his hand.

  “I was at my sister’s. Why?” She said stuffing her face.

  The waiter brought her well-done steak and potatoes placing it next to her salad on the table then went around to the other side of her to pour her another glass of wine. Messiah signaled once again for the check figuring he may have forgotten as it was understandable. The restaurant was rather noisy for a brunch, busy for that time of morning, but at least no one could hear them arguing.

  “You weren’t there, Alexis, I know you weren’t. I drove past there last night and I didn’t see your truck.” He said pouring himself a glass of wine.

  “Why the fuck are you stalking me now? Don’t you have other bitches to tend to?” She said carving a slice of her steak and stuffing it in her mouth closing her eyes in enjoyment.

  “You started all this shit Lex. You haven’t been faithful since the miscarriage. It’s not my fault you can’t have kids but I’ve never held that against you. Now look at you. A fucking X junkie. What keeps me with you, I’ll never know. But I’m here and I’m trying to make this shit work…” Messiah said leanin
g in to touch her hand.

  Alexis yanked it back before he got halfway across the tablecloth. “Make it work? Please. Yeah you fucking other bitches is really working for me. To tell you the truth you are wasting your money cause counseling is boring.”

  Alexis stuffed her face heavily like a raccoon but Messiah couldn’t bring himself to say he wanted to let her go. She was his wife of four years and he wanted his marriage to work but if she wasn’t willing anymore, there was nothing left for him to do but end it.

  “Alexis, I love you…but I think it’s time we split baby.”

  “Split what? Your money? ‘Cause that’s the only thing getting split if you divorce me bitch.” Alexis said glugging down her final glass of wine and checking her Evo for the time. “File the papers and bring ‘em to me. If you’re ready to pay then I’ll sign them, until then you’ll have to excuse me. I have a date with Danger, you know your big brother right?” She stood plumping her 38C breasts her white tight fitting one shoulder dress and flipping her weave.

  “Danger? Oh that’s the reason why he ain’t been to the shop in a few days, huh? ‘Cause he’s banging you.” Messiah stood ready to slap her ass down to the ground right in the middle of the restaurant.

  “Yeah, but what you don’t know is that he’s been banging this for way longer than a few days baby. I thought since we were being honest now, there was no need for me to keep hiding the shit anymore. So, when I’m out don’t call my phone back to back like you’ve been doing. I’m busy. Okay hubby?” Amusingly blowing a kiss to him, Alexis snatched her snakeskin clutch off the table then rolled her eyes and pimped off feeling herself.

  The waiter saw her leave and quickly shuffled to the table to finally hand Messiah the check. He looked down at the half eaten steak, barely touched potatoes and a smidgen of the thousand-dollar bottle of wine left. Alexis wasted money every chance she got. She found it funny to spend all of his hard earned money on bullshit because she knew he would always get more. She knew being broke was the root of all evil in his eyes and he would never subject himself to that.

  Messiah sat down to finish the meal and wine while handing the waiter his Discover Card. Once he was done he dropped two hundred dollar bills on the table as a tip to the inattentive waiter and signed his government on the receipt then bounced.

  ****

  “He knows baby, he finally knows!" Alexis exclaimed on her Evo driving frantically on the winding road as she left the restaurant.

  “What does he know, Lex?" Danger asked seemingly out of breath.

  “About us. He knows about us and ain't a damn thing he can do about it. His soft ass can't divorce me unless he gives up that cheddar. So we can be together out in the open now and we still got dough, baby." Alexis drove happily cheesing down the road. She was proud of herself having accomplished something not many women could claim.

  “You shouldn't have done that Lex. You know I got things at home that ain't straight and you doing that just fucks things up between me and my little brother.” Danger said.

  “I thought that’s what you wanted. You said you didn’t care about him knowing about us now you bitching up on me?”

  “Girl, call me back when you got that ass off them shoulders, ya heard?”

  The dead silence crept through Alexis’ soul like thieves in the night. She couldn’t believe that he had treated her like this after all they shared together and she wasn’t having it. She put the pedal to the metal as she raced for Danger’s home on the East Side. She swerved through traffic luckily evading the law wanting to make it to his house before he tried to dip off. The engine roared on her 2011 Lincoln MKX, as the rage rose inside of her pulling up without parking in front of Danger’s 2-flat building over looking the lake. She jumped out slamming the door and screaming at the top of her lungs, crazed and deranged.

  “Danger! Get your punk ass out here!”

  An otherwise lively neighborhood stood still trying to figure out whom this crazy chick was yelling like that and pulling out a bat from her trunk. Danger looked out the window in disbelief. Alexis had lost her damn mind and she showed no signs of gaining it back. He lowered his head shaking it hoping he would be able to diffuse the situation before it escalated.

  “Who the fuck is that, D?” Amy asked.

  “Nobody boo. Go back to sleep.” Danger slipped his blue jean shorts on and then his all white Nikes leaving his bare breasted muscular chest to breathe.

  He ran down the stairs swiftly running up to Alexis grabbing the bat in a game of tug of war, as she was about to swing on the taillights of his 2011 silver Dodge Charger.

  “Bitch, is you crazy?” He asked breathing hard finally yanking the bat out of her hand.

  “Bitch? Oh now it’s bitch but last night it was baby.” Alexis tugged on his shorts pulling him closer to her. “Why you actin’ funny? Two years, Danger, and this is how you do me?” Her acting skills were superb, putting on the fake crocodile tears for Danger’s sympathy.

  “What is you talking about? I never said we was quits, you just trippin’ too hard. You married girl, you need to stop this shit for real. Plus my baby mama is in the crib seeing all this…”

  “Yo’ baby mama? Like I give a fuck about her. My husband knows about you so why shouldn’t she know about me, huh? This ain’t nobody’s business but yours and mine.”

  Just then Amy came wobbling her 6-month pregnant stomach out of the hallway.

  “Danger, what’s going on?” She asked flipping her long dirty blond hair to the back. She was a very quiet and subtle skinny white chick but piss her off and there would be hell to pay.

  “Nothing baby, gone back in the house.” Danger waved her off but she wasn’t having that.

  Clearly the chick he was talking to had some kind of beef with him and she wasn’t leaving until she found out what it was. He turned back to Alexis hoping to reason with her but knew it would be damn near impossible.

  “Look here, meet me tonight at our usual spot, Hard Rock, and we’ll discuss this shit. I’m fucking begging you, man.” The look in Danger’s eyes was not of love or concern but of hatred.

  He had already been going through relationship problems with Amy with her wanting to leave his cheating ass and that little spectacle wasn’t helping one bit. He originally wanted to make Amy his wife and live the fairytale that his brother, Messiah was presumably living but it seemed like it would all be a dream if Alexis had anything to say about it.

  “You’d better be there at 8pm or else I’m coming back and this time me and preggos over there will sit down and have a little talk.” Alexis smirked as she walked off snatching her bat and tossing it back into her truck.

  She winked at Amy as she got back into the car and pulled off wildly. Amy stood on the porch with her arms folded on top of her small tits with her lips curled up. This wasn’t the first time some crazy broad had showed up at their spot ready to blow Danger’s shit out of the water. But it was the first time he tried to reason with one. Amy wasn’t stupid and Danger knew it. She was one of those females that gave you enough rope to hang yourself so that when you she left you it hit you harder than a ton of bricks. She knew Danger’s conscience would eat away at him eventually with all the wrong doing he had done to her and her love for him wouldn’t allow her to give up on him just yet.

  “Not still fucking nobody, huh? I don’t know why you keep fucking with me knowing what I’m capable of. Don’t think just cause I’m pregnant that I’m vulnerable.” She snapped all the way back into the house waddling the whole way.

  Danger put his head down once more rubbing it roughly, thinking about all the times he had done her wrong. It wasn’t that he didn’t love her, it was that when he saw a fat ass or some nice plumped tits he couldn’t control himself. But he never gave them his heart only his piece for a limited time. Alexis was the only one of his many women who ever caught feelings so tough. He was pissed off at himself for the fact that he may never get right with Amy at this point.

  Ha
ppy Birthday

  Red walked through the “belly” of the Candy Shop conducting business as usual. The girls were all working overtime so they could leave and go to her party at the Vertigo Sky Lounge at the Dana Hotel and Spa downtown. Quitting time was going to be a little early tonight for the elaborate affair that Messiah graciously funded. Zadie was even invited but of course not by her. She walked to the end of the “belly” to glance into the room she and her minions were working in. The soldier standing there, Pet, was on his cell phone chattering away with one of his many chicks of the night, inviting her to the party. He was so engrossed in his conversation that he barely saw her walk up. When he finally caught wind of her he knocked on the thick paned glass window pretending that the dog forced his hand back against it. The girls looked up noticing her white coat peeking around the corner and quickly returned their fingers to the table acting as if nothing was wrong.