by Ambria Davis
“Look, ma, I don’t have time for this stupid shit. You’re trying to find any and every reason to hate your sister, but you won’t be using me,” I said, walking away from her. I thought she was going to follow behind me, but she didn’t, and I was glad. I didn’t know how much more of this shit I could take. This shit was beginning to get out of hand. I know the truth was going to come out one way or another, I just wasn’t ready for it to come out this soon. I had too many things to do before I could really come clean.
Chance
Shit like this you don’t normally see in real life. I mean, I’m used to seeing shit like this in a movie or reading about it in an urban fiction book. I would never have thought that my cousin would’ve gotten himself into some deep shit like this.
When I first learned that Brinay and Sky were sisters, I was shocked. Hell, I was speechless. Here we were, celebrating Dontie and Skylar’s union when his other chick up and walks in. At first, I thought the shit was a plot that Brinay and Sky were playing, but they actually had no idea that they were fucking the same man. Well, Sky didn’t. After the dinner, Brinay didn’t want to have anything to do with Dontie, and I can’t say that I blamed her. When she found out that he was married to Sky, the look of pain on her face was unlike one I’d ever seen. She was really hurt by that. Shit, he’s lucky that she didn’t put his ass out. I would feel the same way if I was in her situation. What fucked him up the most is when he found out that she was pregnant. Shit, knowing that he was married to one sister, while the other one was pregnant by him had to be stressful.
He spent months trying to get back on Brinay’s good side, but nothing he did seemed to work. He tried showering her with gifts, giving her money. Hell, he even offered to divorce her sister, but nothing he proposed moved her. She really wanted nothing to do with him. She didn’t even want him to be a part of her child’s life, which I thought was fucked up. She always talked about her father barely being there for her, so I couldn’t understand why she didn’t want him to be in his child’s life.
I know her coming to the wedding was her father’s doing, because she and her sister couldn’t get along if they wanted to. Shit, someone could offer to pay them top dollars and they still wouldn’t budge or attempt to act like normal sisters. I don’t know what it was, but they couldn’t stand each other. They barely were able to stay in the same room together for a long period of time. Everything is like a competition with them. That whole day, I watched her as she walked around the church. I can’t lie, she was beautiful and being pregnant gave her an extra glow. I’ve seen some females that wore their pregnancies bad, but she, she wore it like an angel. The baby really had her hair growing beautifully. Gosh, I wish she was my woman, I thought.
“What you over there thinking about?” Dontie asked, pulling me from my thoughts. We were on our way to my apartment.
“Just thinking about life, man,” I lied. I can’t tell him that I was really thinking about his baby mama, because I knew things would probably get hectic between us.
“Shit, I don’t want to even think about my life right now,” he replied. I couldn’t imagine how I’d feel if I was in his situation. Hell, he makes me want to do a background check on every female I come in contact with. Shit, I definitely wasn’t trying to mess with females that came from the same family. I saw the way he was going through it, and I knew for sure that I couldn’t go through the same thing.
“So what are you going to do?” I asked, even though he said he didn’t want to think about it. His problems weren’t going to go away, no matter how hard he tried to ignore them. He was going to have to face this eventually. Might as well do it now.
“Honestly, man, I don’t even know. It’s like I keep hoping and praying that all of this is a joke, but I know that it isn’t,” he said, shaking his head. I didn’t know what he was going through, and I didn’t want to know. “My life is spiraling out of control right now. It’s like I have the woman who I really want, but I can’t be with her, because I’m stuck in a committed relationship with her sister. Fucked up part about it is, I really wasn’t supposed to marry Skylar. When I bought that ring, I had one person in mind, and it damn sure wasn’t her.”
“So you saying that you actually bought the ring for Brinay?” I asked, to confirm my theory.
“That’s exactly what I’m saying,” he replied, rubbing his hands up and down his face repeatedly.
“So how the fuck you end up marrying Sky then?” I asked, because the shit wasn’t adding up. He went on to tell me how and why he married her in Jamaica. He told me that somehow, getting caught and temptations would pressure you into doing things you don’t want to do.
“Wow!” I said when he was through telling me everything.
“Yeah . . . Shit is crazy, huh?” he asked sarcastically.
“I mean, man, this ain’t something you hear on a daily basis,” I replied. “So what are you going to do about the baby?”
“What do you mean? That’s my son.”
“I know that, but you know Nay’s probably going to be in the hospital a little longer. Are you going to take him home with you and Skylar?” I asked.
“Man, you know I can’t do that,” he replied.
“So what are you going to do then?”
“I’m going to call her friend down here to come and get him while I work on the shit that I have to do.”
“I already called Kourtney, if that’s who you’re referring to. She’ll be here first thing in the morning,” I told him, just as we pulled up into my apartment complex.
“Thanks, man. With everything that’s been going on, I had totally forgotten about calling her.”
“I know,” I said, just as I parked the car.
He grabbed his bag out of the backseat, and we got out.
“I’m going to get through this, though. I know it may seem like I should give up, but I’m not. There’s no way I’m giving up on my girl or my son. Brinay may not want anything to do with me now, but in due time, all of that will change.”
I didn’t say anything. Well, I couldn’t say what I wanted to, because we would’ve probably been out here squaring up. Instead, I kept my ears open and my mouth shut. If he and Brinay were meant to be together, they would be, but if not, then they wouldn’t. Even though I’ve had a crush on her since before they got together, I concluded that I was going to leave well enough alone. Our family had enough problems as it is. It didn’t make sense trying to add fuel to already lit flames. Come to think about it, the nigga could have her. I know I was crushing on her, but after all, he was still family, and I wasn’t about to go against the grain.
Chapter Sixteen
Kourtney
I’ve been running like a chicken with my head cut off all afternoon, ever since Chance called and told me what happened to my best friend. No wonder she wasn’t answering my phone calls and text messages. I couldn’t even begin to understand the things she was going through right now. To get in an accident while being pregnant and not having anyone there for you is crazy. I mean, with everything that’s been going on, finding out that her sister was married to her baby daddy and stuff . . . Things have been crazy. Now, on top of that shit, she has to add this to it. My poor friend can’t seem to get a break, but just like any other time, I’m going to be there for her. Always.
I know I told Chance that I was going to catch a flight the first thing in the morning, but I couldn’t sit around, knowing that my friend was hurt in the hospital and I wasn’t there for her. Instead, I decided to drive. Before doing anything, I went to my school and transferred all of my classes online. I then went back to my apartment and began to pack for my trip. I made sure that I brought quite a bit of clothes with me, because I knew that I’d probably be down there for a while. When I was done packing my things, I double-checked that everything in my apartment was unplugged and turned off. After doing an inspection of my apartment to make sure that I wasn’t leaving anything on or that I needed, I grabbed my things and hea
ded down to the car. Before getting on the road to head to Miami, I stopped by Brinay’s house to get a few things for her and the baby.
I knew she most likely didn’t have anything down there for the baby, since she wasn’t scheduled to deliver for about another week or so. I tried to get everything that I thought he was going to need. Bottles, diapers, baby wipes, clothes, nipples, bibs, socks, onesies, etc. I got everything. I had to make almost ten trips to the car before I had finally hauled everything off. When I had gotten everything into the car, I did the same thing in her apartment that I had done to mine. I unplugged everything, including the stove.
Once I was through, I made sure to lock every window and both doors before I left. On my way out of town, I stopped at the gas station to fill up my tank. I wasn’t trying to make any unnecessary stops. All I wanted to do was hurry and make it to my friend. I knew that she was probably looking for me. I was supposed to be there when she had my god baby, but unfortunately, God had other plans. That was fine, though, because I was on my way. I just hoped that nothing was going to happen when I made it down there. I had a weird feeling that things were about to pop off. I hoped like hell that my friend wasn’t about to get into some shit behind Dontie’s ass. Truth be told, I thought that they made an awesome couple, but after I found out that he was married to her sister, I quickly changed my mind. Who sleeps with one sister while married to the other one?
“God, just be with and watch over my friend and her son. I know things aren’t right with them right now. Which is why she needs you now more than ever,” I said, praying for Brinay and her baby. It suddenly dawned on me that I have a god baby, whose name I didn’t know yet. I couldn’t wait to get there and see him. Hopefully, he looked like his mother and not his father.
After pumping my gas, I hopped in the car, threw on my Monica’s New Life CD, and hit the road. I was going to be there for my best friend, no matter what the situation was.
* * *
I made it to Miami faster than I anticipated. I was going to go straight to the hospital, but the way my eyes were set up, I needed a quick nap. My body was drained, and I was beginning to catch a migraine from worrying too much. Besides, I really needed to take a bath. Instead of going straight to the hospital, I went to the address Chance had texted to my phone last night. I knew it was early, but I was hoping and praying they were up, because I didn’t have any strength in me to look for a hotel right now. Pulling my phone out, I decided to call him first.
“Hello,” he answered the phone groggily.
“Umm . . . Good morning, Chance, it’s me, Kourtney,” I replied. “I’m here in Miami.”
“I thought your flight wasn’t scheduled to arrive for a few more hours,” he said.
“It was, but I didn’t take a flight. I decided that I was going to drive. I couldn’t sit at home waiting on tomorrow to come,” I told him. “If you’re still asleep, I can go check into a hotel.”
“No, it’s fine. I was about to get up anyways. Dontie isn’t here right now. He’s probably at the hospital with the baby.”
“Oh my God, I can’t wait to see him,” I said, beaming with pride. I was finally an aunt and godmother.
“I can take you there when you get here, if that’s what you want,” he suggested.
“I’d like to, but right now, I really need a hot bath and a bed. I’m tired and worn out,” I said, blowing out air in frustration and exhaustion.
“Okay, well, you can come over and take a nap or whatever here.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive. Besides, Dontie really needs to talk to you. So the faster you do whatever it is that you have to do, the faster y’all can come up with a solution to his problem.”
“What problem?” I asked, confused.
“I don’t know. You have to ask him whenever you see him, ma.”
“Oh, okay, well, I’m outside,” I said to him.
“Okay, I’m about to come out and help you with your things.”
“All right,” I said, hanging up. I got out of the car and went around to the passenger side backseat where my things were. The other side was filled with things for Brinay, and the baby’s things were in the trunk. I was only able to pull two of my five bags out before Chance came down.
“How many bags do you have?” he asked, walking over to me. I pointed to the rest of my bags sitting in the backseat.
“Damn, you moving down here?” he asked jokingly.
“Hell, no, but I did bring a lot of clothes. You know a girl changes her mind like clockwork.”
“Do I,” he agreed just as a car pulled up behind us. I couldn’t see who it was, because the windows were tinted.
“Who the hell is that?” I asked Chance, but he was already walking toward the car. A few seconds later, the window came down, and Dontie stuck his big-ass head out.
“What’s up, ma?” He waved with a Kool-Aid smile. “It’s nice to see you. It’s been a minute, huh?”
“Nice to see you too, and yeah, it’s been awhile,” I said, grabbing my bags out of the car.
“Wait, hold on,” Dontie yelled, causing me to stop.
“What?” I asked, stepping a few feet back.
“You can leave your bags in the car. I already got a spot set up for you to go to,” he told me. “Chance, why don’t you help her put her things back? Then you hop in the car with her and y’all follow me.”
“All right, cool,” Chance said, walking over to me. He placed my things back into the car faster than he helped removed them. I then walked around and got in as I waited for him. About a minute or so later, he climbed in.
“He’s going to be waiting for us by the front gate,” he said, as he leaned his seat back and got comfortable.
“Okay,” I replied, starting the car. I backed out of my spot and went to meet Dontie by the gate. When he saw that we were behind him, he pulled off. I had no idea where we were going. I just hoped that we would get there soon, before I fell asleep at this wheel.
Dontie
I was up early the next morning. I had a lot of things to do and not much time. Since my son would be coming home soon and his mother would be most likely staying in the hospital, I decided to head to the store to get him some things. Before I did that, however, I drove out to my house in South Beach. I needed to check on something.
When I pulled up to my brownstone five-bedroom, three-and-a-half bathroom, three-car garage, I felt a sense of peace. However, I also felt a sense of sadness. This was the house that I was supposed to move in after I married Brinay. Marrying Sky had obviously put a dent into my future plans. The good thing about it is that Sky doesn’t know anything about this house. She was too busy trying to fuck and suck these old duck-ass niggas to climb to the top of the corporate ladder. She didn’t think I knew about her and that old-ass nigga she been fucking throughout our relationship, but I wasn’t worried about that. If she wanted to fuck him, then that was her problem, especially since I had the woman I really wanted to be with in my life. Whatever she did didn’t matter to me one way or another.
Hell, she was so busy working that she didn’t pay my ass any attention anyway. Not that I cared. It just gave me the opportunity to fall more in love with Brinay. Brinay and Skylar are like day and night, which is why I could never love Sky the same way I loved her sister. Even though I was now her husband, Sky still believes that I’m somewhat beneath her. I don’t know how, because the same things she can get, I can get. She’s not the only one with money in this marriage.
Getting out of the car, I pulled my keys from my pocket and walked up to the house. I wanted to make sure my sister was keeping my shit in shape. When I opened the door, the scent of Pine Sol immediately invaded my nostrils. I haven’t been here in a few months, since before the wedding actually, but I see that my sister has been doing her job. I wandered around the house, inspecting everything. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust her. I just wanted to see how everything looked. Since the guest room and a bathroom were o
n the first floor, I checked them first.
Once I was pleased with the way things looked, I made my way upstairs. The first place I decided to go was my son’s room, which was across from the master bedroom. Slowly, I made my way over to the blue door that had the letters DJ written in cursive on it. I turned the knob, opened it, and made my way in. I can’t lie. My sister really outdid herself on this one. The whole room was blue, with footballs, basketballs, baseballs, and soccer balls all around the room. He had a wooden crib that could transfer into two different-sized beds when he got older. On the bed was one of the softest mattresses that I’d ever felt. Shit, it made me want to hop in and take a nap. There was also a rocking chair in one of the corners.
Right across from the crib was his changing station and his dresser. I knew he didn’t have much of anything in there, which is why I decided to go shopping for him. I finished looking at the room before I inspected the rest of the house and was out. By the time I was done, it was almost nine that morning. I wanted to call and wake Chance’s ass up, but I knew he was tired from last night, so I made the trip alone.
When I pulled up into Walmart, I grabbed two carts and headed straight for the baby section. I started throwing any and everything into the carts. I didn’t check age range or size. Everything from lotion, soaps, six boxes of diapers, wipes, baby powder, milk, two different types of bottles, onesies, socks, bibs, T-shirts, a car seat and stroller, a swinger, high chair and bouncer . . . You name it, I had it. I had so much shit, I had to get a third cart and some assistance. When I was done, I made my way to the register and checked out. I spent almost two grand in Walmart, and I wasn’t finished getting everything that I needed. When I checked out, they sent two associates out to help me with my carts. Once I had everything packed and loaded in the car, I made my way back to the apartment to get Chance. I most definitely was going to need some help getting everything out of the vehicle.
I had perfect timing, because when I pulled up to the apartment to get Chance, Kourtney was also there. “Good! Now there’s even more help,” I said aloud. Chance was getting her luggage out of her car. I pulled my car directly behind her to stop him. She wasn’t going to be sleeping there. I had already made up my mind to let her, Brinay, and my son stay in the house over in South Beach until I got everything under control.
