16: Shantell
“What’s up, baby daddy? You miss me?”
Yes, I’m back. DeMoni had life fucked up if he thought I was going to let him move back in with this bitch and take care of her child and act as if mine didn’t exist. I left for a few months to get my mind right and decide on what I was going to do. See, DeMoni wasn’t going to force me into getting an abortion, hell no. This was my body and I’d be damned if I let him tell me what to do with it. So, here I was, six months pregnant with our daughter.
“Shantell, what the fuck are you doing here?” he asked as his eyes zeroed in on my stomach.
“Don’t be rude. Invite me in.” I rolled my eyes.
“Uh, no, bitch,” Tahtiana spoke. “This is not DeMoni’s house so you won’t be stepping a toe up in this bitch.”
I looked at this bitch with the screw face. I never did like her ass. She must have thought I was stupid, thinking I didn’t know about her and DeMoni fucking while we were together.
“DeMoni, tell your little guard dog she can pipe down. I gave her her position back so there shouldn’t be all this hostility. I mean, after all, she’s in the same position as me.” I smirked.
This bitch had the nerve to bust out laughing. “Wait, what position did you give back, honey?”
“Tahti—” DeMoni tried to speak, but she cut him off.
“Nah, Moni. Let’s listen to what this pathetic bitch has to say.”
“I gave you your position as the main bitch back. When I came into the picture, you went from being the main bitch to the side bitch. Sneaking around with him and stuff, but I’m the pathetic one?” I had to laugh at that one.
She and DeMoni looked at each other and started chuckling. I was confused because I didn’t see what they found so funny. She walked up on me but he grabbed her back by her waist, reminding her that she was carrying his son.
“You better thank the heavens for my son, otherwise I would be whooping your ass up and down this street just off GP. But let me let you in on a little something, sweetie. I could never fit in the category as being one of Moni’s side bitches. See, we never snuck around, what reason did we have to? Everybody knew, just like you did, that DeMoni would never stop fucking with me. So yea, you are pathetic because you thought by getting pregnant it would make him stay with you because I didn’t want his ass at the time. How did that work out for you?”
I reached up to slap the smirk off that bitch’s face but before I could even reach her, DeMoni had already moved her out of the way and had my throat in her his hand.
“Moni, let her go. The bitch is pregnant,” she said from behind him.
“Stay the fuck away from me, Shantell. I’m not fucking playing with you,” he sneered.
“Oh no, sweetie,” Tahtiana spoke up. “You laid with the bitch, so there’s a possibility that the baby is yours. You’re going to take care of your responsibilities. Shantell, don’t call DeMoni’s phone for shit. You need him, you go through me,” she said before slamming the door in my face.
Those two had me fucked up. Tahtiana was right about one thing. DeMoni laid with me so he was going to help me take care of my daughter. I didn’t make her by myself so I wasn’t going to raise her by myself.
17: Tahani
As we walked through the mall, I grabbed everything I could for my nephew. I was so excited that I was buying everything I laid my eyes on. My sister was finally able to carry to full-term and I was feeling even more like a bitch for what I’d said to her when we got into it before all this bullshit with Tristan went down.
“Tahti,” I said.
“What’s up?” she asked as she looked at me.
Just thinking about what I said about her not being able to have kids made me feel bad and I started to feel like I was going to cry.
“Oh hell no, Tahani. What’s wrong with you?” she asked.
“I’m sorry,” I cried.
My crybaby ass was really standing in the middle of Baby Gap crying. Tahti just pulled me into her arms, confused as to what the hell was wrong with me. Every emotion that I had been keeping bottled in since I’d gotten out of the hospital came pouring out.
“Come on, Hani. Stop with the water works, okay?” she said as she led me out of the store.
We found a bench to sit on while I wiped my eyes and tried to get myself together. She handed my some tissue and waited for me to get myself together so I could tell her what was wrong with me.
“I don’t have anybody, Tahti, absolutely nobody and I have nobody to blame but myself. The only people that I talk to on a daily basis are Juanie and Cuba. Moni calls me every other day to check on me but other than that, I have nobody. Mom and daddy don’t even call to check on me. I don’t complain or say anything because I know I deserve it,” I exhaled.
“Hani, look, I can’t speak for everybody else, but I forgive you. You’re my little sister; my only sister and I’ll be damn if I let a nigga come between us. I won’t lie and say I wasn’t hurt by what you said but when you were in the hospital, I realized that life is too short to dwell on the bullshit. Just know I’m going to be by your side through whatever. I also owe you an apology because when you and Omega had your little spat about the custody thing, I was quick to jump on his side because of my dislike for Tristan’s bitch ass.”
I quickly shook my head in disagreement with what she said. “No, you don’t owe me an apology because you were right. You and Omega were both right. I never should have allowed Juanie to witness me getting my ass beat. Because of my stupidity, my family doesn’t want anything to do with me, even my child’s father.”
“Girl, fuck Omega’s ass. If I were you, I would be trying to jump Cuba’s bones, with his sexy ass.”
I glanced behind us where Cuba was posted, quiet as usual, with that signature smirk on his face. I was pretty sure he’d heard what Tahtiana said because she was loud enough, but he was paying her crazy ass no mind.
“Girl, you are crazy. I’m not even thinking about being in a relationship after dealing with Tristan’s crazy ass,” I told her.
“Who said anything about a relationship? Girl, I’m talking about getting your back blown out. Do you know what some good dick will do for you? Girl, I’m trynna tell you,” Tahti said as she fanned herself like she was hot.
“You are so crazy. That’s how you got in this situation now,” I said, pointing to her belly.
“Don’t I know it?” she laughed.
“You need help. I’ll be back. I’m going to the bathroom,” I told her.
“Okay, I’m going back in Baby Gap. I seen this outfit I wanted to get my baby before your ass started to get all emotional on me,” Tahti told me as she walked back in the store.
Sure enough, as I headed for the bathroom, I saw Cuba fall in line out the corner of my eye. I just shook my head. I would be happy when this thing with Tristan was be over because even though Cuba was cool and sexy as hell, I could never get used to someone following me around everywhere I went.
As I was washing my hands, a girl came in the bathroom looking around like she was confused.
“Is there someone named Tahani in here?” she asked.
“That would be me,” I told her as I dried my hands.
“A man gave me ten dollars to give you these.”
She handed me a teddy bear, some flowers and a card. Confused, I just took the items from her, thinking nothing of it. I didn’t know who the hell would send a little girl into the bathroom to give me some flowers and a bear when they could have easily just given them to me themselves, but I just pushed it to the back of my mind.
___
“Don’t you have to get home to your man?” I asked Tahti as we sat on the couch eating pizza with Juanie.
“Let me find out you’re trying to get rid of me,” she said as she rubbed her pregnant belly.
“Nope, I’m just saying.” I shrugged.
“Shantell popped back up,” she sighed.
I snapped my head back up at the
mention of that name. “What she say?”
“She wants him to take care of her baby.”
“Baby?” Juanie and I asked at the same time.
“Juanie, go to your room and play the game or something,” I told him.
Getting up, he walked over to the flowers and bear. “Who get you flowers, mom?” he asked.
Until now, I had forgotten all about those damn flowers and that bear.
“I was wondering the same thing. I meant to ask you when we were at the mall,” Tahti said.
“Honestly, I don’t know. This little girl came into the bathroom and said somebody gave her ten dollars to give them to a lady named Tahani.” I shrugged.
“Give it here, Juanie. Let me see,” Tahti said.
Juanie gave her the flowers that held the card and she ripped it opened before she started reading it.
“Oh hell no, Tahani! What the fuck is this shit?!” she yelled.
“What? What happened?” I asked.
Jumping up, I ran over to the couch she was sitting on and snatched the card from her to see what she was yelling about.
Hani Baby,
It’s just me and you against the world. I know you’re probably mad at me and you have every right to be but believe me, I’m so sorry. Don’t let them tell you shit about us, baby. Remember, they don’t know shit about our love.
Tristan
I sat there in total disbelief. This nigga had some big balls to be doing this shit. Not only did he beat my ass to the point where he’d almost killed me, but he had the nerve to be back in town and following me. I heard Tahti yelling on the phone with who I’m assuming was DeMoni, but my mind was all over the place.
Before, I was feeling a little safe with Cuba around but now, I wasn’t so sure. Even with Cuba around, Tristan was still able to get close to me. He may not have touched me but he was bold enough to make his presence known.
18: Omega
If it ain’t one thing, it’s damn sure another. I was just about to hit up my little bitch from the jewelry store and see if I could get a shot of head of her when I got a call from Moni telling me to get Tahani’s house quick. So here I am, once again caught up in my baby mom’s bullshit.
“This shit not adding up,” I said.
And it wasn’t. By no means was I a dumb nigga, so Tahani’s story just wasn’t checking out to me.
“What’s not adding up, Omega?” Tahani asked like she had an attitude.
“Oh, I don’t know,” I answered sarcastically. “Maybe the fact that you: A) Took the stuff from a little girl that you don’t know, and B) didn’t think to check to see who it was from, and C) the message on the card,” I told her straight up.
This nigga was talking as if they had been communicating. He had Tahani’s mind gone before and I didn’t put shit past him. I honestly didn’t trust her. There’s no way in hell that this nigga was going to be back in town, know she was going to be at the mall at that day, at that particular point in time, and know to send that little girl in that bathroom.
“So what are you trying to say, DeJuan? That I’m working with Tristan? That I knew he was in town? Do you honestly think I’m that fucking shallow?” she chuckled.
“Honestly, yes. Plus, where the hell where you when all this went down?” I asked this nigga Cuba.
His ass had been sitting in the corner quietly the whole time, not saying a damn word. If he was supposed to be protecting somebody, he was doing a damn poor ass job of doing so.
“He was right there with us, Omega. What was he supposed to do, go in the bathroom with her? Stop acting like you care about Tahani’s safety, please,” Tahti snapped.
“I don’t, I’m worried about my son and my son only.”
I could see a look of hurt flash over Tahani’s face but I honestly didn’t care. She brought this shit on herself and something about this shit just didn’t sound right to me. At that point, I didn’t trust Tahani for shit. For all I knew, she could still have feelings for that nigga and he could still have a hold on her mind and her heart.
“I don’t owe you shit, DeJuan. I gave you an apology just like I did everyone else; whether or not you accept it is on you. You really don’t have to be here right now because time after time, you have not only said but proven you don’t give a fuck about me, so just leave. Without a doubt, Juanie is going to be good because everybody in this room will make sure of that. You don’t have to worry about hearing from me again, Juanie has his own phone so he will contact you when he wants to speak to you,” Tahani said as she pointed to the front door.
“Now is not the time for that,” my pops spoke for the first time. “Omega, regardless of how you feel about Tahani, it’s your job to make sure she is safe just off the strength of her being the mother of your child. I—”
“Nah. Fuck her. I’m out,” I cut him off.
I wasn’t about to bow down to Tahani and kiss her ass. Just like she said she didn’t owe me shit, I damn sure didn’t owe her shit. It was crazy because this was the same girl I would have done literally anything for. Sure, our relationship was never perfect and we had our share fair of arguments and fights, but we’d never went this hard.
The last fight we had with each other before I got locked up was the when I came home at four in the morning and she punched me dead in my nose, busting it instantly. I had to laugh because to be so little, she hit hard as hell. But that was then and this was now. She was no longer the Tahani I used to love.
___
“You gon stand there all night or what?” I asked.
“You didn’t even give me enough time to change into something decent or take my bonnet off,” she complained.
After leaving Tahani’s I hit up Rachael, little mama from the jewelry store, and told her I was coming through. Of course, she had no problems with that.
“I don’t care about none of that shit,” I told her as I pushed her back, making my way in the house.
Looking around, I nodded my head in appreciation. It was tidy as hell in here. If it was one thing that turned me off, it was a woman that couldn’t keep her house clean, cause nine times out of ten, her pussy wasn’t clean either.
“You want something to eat or drink?” she asked as she shut the door behind me. “Or is this one of those visits where you just come to get what you came for and bounce?”
“Don’t be offering no food if you can’t cook,” I told her.
“What? Boy, please. You better stop playing with me. I come from a long line of cooks and bakers,” she said as she went to what I assumed was the kitchen.
Taking a seat on the couch, I pulled my phone out of my pocket that hadn’t stopped ringing since I’d left Tahani’s house. I wasn’t interested in hearing shit they had to say that had anything that had to do with her. She was a grown ass woman that could take care of herself. If it weren’t for Juanie, I wouldn’t want shit to do with her ass, period.
Powering my phone off, I looked up just as Rachel poked her head around the corner.
“You eat pork?” she asked.
“Hell yea, I don’t discriminate,” I told her.
“Just wanted to make sure,” she said as she disappeared again.
A few seconds later, she walked back in the room with a plate fit for a king. It was stacked with pork chops, greens, mashed potatoes, corn, and hot water corn bread. Just the smell alone had my mouth watering. Glancing up at her again as she walked away, I caught a glimpse of her round ass as it swayed from side to side. Cooking like this explained why her ass was so thick and healthy.
“I don’t have any beer around because I don’t drink it but if you do, I can run out and get you some,” she said.
“Nah, I’m good. Just get me whatever you got,” I told her as I stuffed my face.
After I finished stuffing my face, I was ready to KO. No lie, little mama could cook her ass off. She was almost up there with my mama but I didn’t think nobody could cook better than my mama.
We sat on the couch and
talked. I learned that she was born and raised in Miami, she was the youngest of three girls and had just graduated from college two years ago with an Associate’s. She would go back, but she was still indecisive about what she wanted to do with her life so she was going to work at the jewelry store until she could figure it out.
She seemed cool so I was going to keep her around until she got on my nerves or until I got bored with her, whichever came first.
19: Jazz
“Oh my gosh, Jazmere!” Tahtiana exclaimed when I opened the door.
“You like it?” I chuckled.
“I like it, it’s cute,” she said as she ran her hands through my new haircut.
My hair was cut short into a curly taper. I thought a little change would do me good. I was nervous at first because I had never had my hair cut before but the outcome was better than I’d expected.
“Girl, you better stop. You know what them damn fingers do to me,” I told her seriously.
“Don’t start none, won’t be none. Now let’s go,” she said.
Today I was playing the good friend role and taking Tahti out to eat and buying her something for the baby. I wasn’t too thrilled about her getting back with DeMoni, but I would hold my peace on the matter for now. All I had to do was sit back and let the cards fall where they lay and show her where it was really at.
“We taking my car,” I told her as I handed her my keys.
She happily walked her ass to the driver’s side and got in. After adjusting the seat to her liking, we were ready to go.
“Since I know the baby really don't need nothing, what am I supposed to get him?” I asked.
“Honestly, you can get him whatever you want. As of right now, he has newborn stuff but nothing really for when he starts to grow so I guess we can start that off today.”
I just nodded my head. I tried to fight the smirk that was threatening to form on my face. I wonder what DeMoni’s bitch ass would say once he found out that the same person that was intimate with his son’s mother was out treating her to lunch and buying his son clothes and shit.
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