She Ain’t the One

by Mary B. Morrison

  “You want some of this, baby? You wanna fuck me in my ass?” she purred in the most erotic voice I’d ever heard.

  Lord forgive me but I nodded my head yes.

  “Okay, baby, Mama’s gonna give you some.” She walked seductively over to the kitchen counter where she’d been cooking and grabbed a bottle of olive oil. She laughed as she opened the bottle. “Guess what, baby. Extra virgin, just like me.”

  She turned around again and poured the entire bottle onto her ass, making it shine like a bright yellow lightbulb.

  “What you waiting for, baby? Don’t you wanna take my virginity?” She grabbed hold of the kitchen table, stuck out her ass, and started to make her booty clap like the video dancers do. “Come on, baby, she’s calling you.”

  I’m sorry but at that point I was done. I swallowed hard, letting my pants fall to the floor, as I rubbed the five o’clock shadow of my beard. There was an awkward silence in the room and both of us knew I was about to do what I didn’t want to do.

  That is, until the answering machine clicked on. I had forgotten that I’d turned the ringers off on my phones, so Tracy’s voice was a shock to both me and Ashlee.

  “Hey, baby, this is Tracy. I got the new number. I’m glad you did it,” she said. “I just wanted to remind you that Jason’s program’s at his preschool begins at eight o’clock tomorrow morning. I know you wouldn’t miss it for anything, so I don’t know why I’m so worried. I guess I’m just nervous. I figured I should’ve heard from you by now, so I was just touching base. I’ll probably call your cell phone, but if you get this message before I talk to you, give me a shout. Thanks. Love you.”

  I don’t know what came over me, but I couldn’t move during her message. Ashlee and I both froze when we heard Tracy speak. “Forget her, Jay. Come on over here and get some of this virgin stuff. Come’re, baby, and make it hurt so good.”

  “Oh my God what the hell is wrong with me?” I glanced at Ashlee, then the phone. My dick immediately went limp and I reached down for my pants. “Ashlee, put your clothes on ’cause you got to go.”

  “You mothafucker,” she yelled. “You’re shooing me away for that bitch! And after all I did for…all I was about to do for you?”

  “Save it, Ashlee. You wasn’t about to anything but get me in trouble. Now where’s my key?” I spotted it on the counter, then snatched it before she could.

  “Mothafucker, I don’t believe—”

  I interrupted her. “Ashlee, like I said before: I don’t have time to fight. I’ve got things to do, so I need you to leave.”

  “You can’t treat me like this!” Ashlee screamed like a mad-woman. “You’re not going to get away with this! I promise you, Jay. I’m gonna get you for this.”

  “Yeah…yeah…I hear you. Now get the fuck out.”

  She began putting her clothes on. She cussed me between sticking each leg into her pants and pulling her top over her head. “You motha…fucking…son…of…a…bitch! You won’t get away with this, and I mean it, or my name isn’t Ashlee Anderson.”

  CHAPTER 24

  Ashlee

  Some men don’t recognize a good woman until she slaps him in the face.

  I sat by my window all night waiting for Tracy to show up. Lucky for her she didn’t, ’cause I probably would’ve burned down Jay’s apartment with both of them in it. Barely keeping my eyes open, I paced the floor still in shock about what had happened last night.

  Jay was standing there all big and bad with his chest stuck out telling me to get the fuck out. I tried being nice to Jay, but after that bastard threw me out of his house—greasy ass and all—he left me no choice except to get real ugly. What man in his right or wrong mind would turn down a home-cooked meal, a blow job, and a butterball virgin booty oiled up for him to hit all night long? Jay would pay for that one because what he didn’t know was I had the power to destroy his life within minutes. I knew all about Jason’s little program.

  Tracy had left several messages on the answering machine earlier, interrupting me in the middle of preparing my fiancé’s dinner. How rude of her. I deleted them all. When a woman suspects another woman is fucking her man, she’s usually right, and I could tell from the tone in Tracy’s voice that she had had some of my dick. That and the “I love you” and she had his new home and cell numbers and I didn’t. That was not okay, but I wasn’t focusing my energies on Tracy. Not yet anyway.

  The only way Tracy deserved more attention than Jay was if she had my wedding ring on her finger. If that was the case, all of America would see her hold a microphone with three fingers and a thumb! Tracy would publicly become my enemy, and I didn’t give a damn if Newsweek had us on the cover every week. Oh, if she had my ring on, she’d best believe I was fuckin’ her up. I’d battle with her ass until she coughed up a lung, gave up my man, and handed over my precious jewel. If Tracy valued her three-year-old crumb snatcher, she’d readily concede. Jay would too if he had sense.

  Didn’t Jay know I’d made a triplicate of his house key? I didn’t have to go past the living room to borrow the key to his rental car that he’d left on the coffee table. Grabbing a plastic bag from his kitchen, I stuffed it with oregano. I unlocked Jay’s car, hid the seasoning in Jay’s glove box, returned his car key, then snuck back to my apartment and made a phone call to my father’s investigator.

  “Hey, Raymond. I need a really big favor.”

  After a few huge lies, Raymond agreed to help me out. I was becoming pretty good at lying to people.

  Easing into my bed, I had to think this plan all the way through or else my conniving ways were going to backfire in my face. Jay would explode if he ever found out the truth. Let’s see, I couldn’t kill Jason like I’d…I got it!

  The only way I’d serve time for kidnapping was if I got caught. But I wouldn’t. I could sell Jason on the black market. Hell, I thought, I’ma give his spoiled butt away for free. There’s lots of families looking to adopt a cute, adorable, well-mannered toddler.

  According to Raymond, Jay’s BMW would be delivered to his job today fully repaired. That was good because the next and only woman riding in that car would be me. That is, after Jay was set free.

  Raymond had agreed to have a police officer stationed outside Shining Star Day Care. Since rookies were underpaid, they were relatively easy to bribe. The officer would stop Jay, illegally search his car, and find the bag of oregano that resembled weed. In an attempt to defend her baby’s daddy, Tracy would leave Jason’s little program to go argue with the cop in Jay’s defense. As instructed, the cop would arrest both of them. Then I’d make my move.

  Hurrying across the street back to my apartment, I ran into my landlord. What was he doing up at six in the morning?

  “Hey, I’m gonna need that app and you need to remove that ‘for rent’ sign from the window,” the manager said, greeting me at my front door. “People keep calling me.”

  “I’ll get that to you today,” I lied, unlocking my door.

  “You could get me in trouble with the owner if he finds out I moved you in without a lease.”

  “Aw, you look so sexy when you’re begging.”

  “I do?” he said, looking down, trying to see what I saw.

  “Yes, real sexy. Why don’t you…” I puckered my lips, then continued, “Come by later and get whatever you need?” Easing in sideways, I closed the door.

  Sucker. Did he honestly believe I’d give him anything, including an application? By the time I left his apartment, no one would ever know I was there.

  What was it going to take for me to get through to Jay? That’s what I wanted to know.

  Quickly I showered, changed clothes, then headed to Jason’s preschool. “I hope I’m not too late.”

  Shining Star Day Care had four rows of six chairs. I divided my time between watching the play and glancing at the faces in the audience. They had the same worried expressions. After the preschool play was over, observers weren’t so observant. No one noticed I’d walked behind
the stage into the kid’s dressing room.

  A woman who appeared to be in her late teens to early twenties asked, “Can I help you, miss?”

  I pulled her aside, then whispered, “I know everyone doesn’t know that Jason’s father and mother were arrested. It’s best if we keep this quiet as possible and that you cooperate fully.”

  “Did I do something wrong?”

  “No, you’re going to do something right. I’m from Child Protective Services and I’m here to pick up Jason Brown.”

  “What do you want me to do?” she asked.

  “Go get Jason and his things, bring him to me, and escort us out of the back door. I don’t want to cause a disturbance. Hurry.”

  Quickly I ushered Jason into my car. I stopped at the grocery store, toy store, video store, and bought enough to keep Jason happy for a few days. I parked in my garage, then sat by the window all evening watching Jay’s apartment.

  “I’m hungry, An-tee,” Jason said, addressing me as I’d told him.

  “What would my favorite nephew like? Huh? Let’s see, we have chicken.”

  Jason shook his head.

  “You can have an apple.”

  Jason continued shaking his head.

  “Or you can have milk and cookies.”

  A big smile accompanied several nods.

  “And ice cream,” he added.

  “It’s your world, kid. Whatever keeps you happy.”

  I sat to the side of the window so no one would notice me. I started to nod until right around midnight I noticed Jay opening his door, escorting Tracy inside. I couldn’t breathe. We hadn’t been apart for two weeks since Jamaica and he already had her staying at his place.

  Jason started crying. That kid shocked the hell out of me when he screamed, “I want my mommy.”

  I yelled back, “Well, I want your daddy, so that makes us even. Now shut up.” Not knowing what to do with Jason, I handed him a toy, popped in a Barney DVD, and gave him some more milk and cookies.

  That lasted all of twenty minutes until Jason screamed a piercing howl into my face. With his snotty nose and teary eyes, I coaxed Jason into the bathroom and slammed the door. I grabbed the scissors, cut the bottom of my shirt, and wrapped his mouth to muzzle his screaming.

  “Jason, your mommy will be here shortly,” I lied. “You need to calm down.”

  He screamed again.

  Not being a good mother to my own child, I grabbed Jason by his biceps, rattled him, and said, “Shut up before you make me hurt you.”

  Jason screamed again. Tying the cloth tighter, I barely heard him muffle, “I want my mommy,” as tears streamed down his cheeks.

  “That’s better. An-tee tried to ask you nicely to be quiet. See what you made me do? Now if you promise not to yell, I’ll take this off.”

  Jason nodded, sniffling, trying to behave. Slowly I untied his mouth.

  What had I gotten myself into? The last thing I wanted was kidnapping charges pressed against me for detaining some snotty-nose kid. Laying Jason across my sofa, I comforted him as best I could until we dozed off.

  We awakened to loud sirens outside my door. Peeping through the window, I thought, Oh, shit! The kid was barely missing a day, and six police cars were swarming in the middle of the street. I knew after calling Shining Star Day Care and CPS that Jay and Tracy would discover CPS hadn’t taken Jason, but my gosh, the cops were responding this soon?

  What were they telling the police? Tracy had on one of Jay’s T-shirts, and a pair of jeans.

  The police were going door to door. I started to get nervous but I was glad I’d never taken the FOR RENT sign out of my window when the police didn’t knock on my door for questioning. This random nonsense lasted over an hour. I stood back from the window peeping until all except one police car left. I kept a watchful eye on Jason as he dozed back off.

  “What am I going to do with this kid?”

  Dialing 411, I said, “Yes, may I have the number to Child Protective Services?”

  Since they’d taken away my kid, hopefully I could convince CPS that Jason was abandoned by his parents. All I had to do was give them copies of the nude photos of Tracy, and CSP would place Jason with a foster family. If they needed more convincing, I’d tell them about the verifiable arrests. Once Jason was out of the picture, Jay would have no need to keep Tracy around.

  When the last police car left, I sat by the window for hours. I don’t know what came over me, but I picked up Jason and whispered, “I’m taking you to your mommy, sweetheart,” praying he wouldn’t start screaming. “Lay your head on my shoulder like a good little good boy.”

  Right before sunrise, I crept across the street with Jason. “When you can’t see An-tee anymore, ring the doorbell.”

  “Okay,” he said, immediately pressing the lighted doorbell.

  I didn’t have time to argue with a toddler. Quickly I ran back to my apartment and shut the door.

  Through the curtains, I watched Jay scoop up Jason. Tracy smothered his face with kisses, and then that bitch kissed my man. I never should’ve given her back her damn kid. That was okay. I knew where to find Tracy and I also had a few more tricks up my sleeve. This wasn’t over by a long shot.

  CHAPTER 25

  Jay

  Two weeks after the whole Jason going missing thing, I opened the door, expecting Tracy to welcome me home with open arms. I was in a good mood and was having a pretty good day, which meant no calls at work from Ashlee’s crazy ass. I thought it was going to be even better when I saw the lights from the house were dim. I smiled. Tracy probably had something romantic planned.

  Oh, how wrong I was! She had something planned all right, but it damn sure wasn’t romantic.

  Crash!

  Just as I closed the door, a still full coffee cup went flying by my head. The cup missed me, but severely attacked the door. What the fuck! I thought, shaking my shirt, trying to keep hot tea from sticking to me. I looked up, and Tracy stood less than three feet away with her hands on her hips. She looked a hot mess, with bloodshot red eyes and mascara running down her face. The first thing that came to mind was What the hell has Ashlee done this time? The next thing that came to mind was Jason. Little man usually met me at the door, but he was nowhere to be found.

  “Baby, what’s wrong? And where’s Jason?” My heart started beating fast and my stomach started to do flips. After his little disappearance the other day, I was more than a little paranoid.

  Lord, please don’t let nothing have happened to my boy.

  “Where’s Jason, Tracy?” I asked again.

  “I asked my mother to pick him up.”

  I let out a long sigh of relief. “Okay, so then what’s the matter with you? Why you acting nasty?”

  Her face was sorely angry, and she sounded like a demon when she spoke. “I know you ain’t talking about nasty! With that shit you carrying?”

  “Carrying? What the hell are you talking about?” I walked toward her and tried to touch her, but she flinched. I reached for her again. This time she didn’t flinch, she began beating my chest with both hands repeatedly. At first she was swinging with all her might. Then a few seconds later, she stopped. I pulled her into me close. She resisted, then finally collapsed in my arms. I could feel her tears on my chest.

  “Tracy, baby, what’s going on? What’s the matter?” I looked at her, hoping she’d explain, but she just kept crying. “Tracy, what’s going on?”

  “Don’t act like you don’t know. That bitch! Your bitch! She came by to see me today at my job.” She continued to sob as she spoke. “At my fucking job, Jay. How does she know where I work? How the fuck does Ashlee know where I work?”

  “I don’t know, Tracy. I really don’t know.” I was so mad I could spit fire. “If it’s any comfort, she’s stalking me too.”

  “I don’t wanna hear that shit, Jay. You’re not rich and you’re no celebrity. What other bitches have you been fucking?”

  The evil way she was looking at me gave me g
oose bumps.

  “I hate you.”

  “Tracy, please. Baby, just tell me what’s wrong. What did Ashlee do?”

  Tracy let out a loud scream, something she obviously needed to get off her chest. She took a few deep breaths before answering. “I trusted you, Jay. I was just beginning to think I’d gotten myself on the right track. I began to feel good about being with the man I love and raising my son with you. My music and acting career is starting to shape up, and I figure I could actually win the Pop Star contest. Now it’s all going right down the fucking drain, and it’s all because I trusted you.” She cried some more. “God, I hate you.”

  I tried to touch her again, but she jumped back. “Tracy, I love you. I would never do anything to hurt you. What could Ashlee possibly have said to tear you apart like this? She’s crazy, and you know she’ll do anything to get back with me.”

  Tracy frowned. “Well, as far as I’m concerned, she can have you.”

  She handed me a piece of paper. I unfolded it and discovered a letter from the District of Columbia Health Department, stating that Ashlee was HIV positive. My knees almost gave out from under me. “No…no…no, this can’t be. Ashlee and I took an HIV test together when we went down to give blood. The results she showed me were negative. This isn’t right. It can’t be.” I grabbed one of the kitchen chairs and sat down. I was confused and suddenly scared. Beads of sweat were pouring down my forehead.

  “Damn right it isn’t right. You were fucking that bitch raw, Jay. And don’t try to lie because she already told me.”

  Our eyes met, and I didn’t know what to say. I’d already lied and told her we hadn’t had unprotected sex.

  “You bastard. You fuck me without a condom. You knew, didn’t you? You fuckin’ knew and still exposed me to this shit, didn’t you?”

  I lowered my eyes and noticed her ring finger was bare. “Tracy, where’s your ring?”

  With a smirk on her face, she hissed, “I threw your fuckin’ ring down the toilet, Jay.”