“What is it Vernon. I don’t know what I’m going to do without a job. My sister is going to be mad with me.”
Tracie had not told Vernon of her plans to relocate at the end of the year. It was her way out of the relationship. When Tracie started to see signs that Vernon was mean and could be violent, she tried distancing herself away from him. Vernon would then start with a sob story that his family cast him out because of a small mistake he made. He told Tracie that when his father was alive and owed a limousine business, that he totaled one of the limousines. Vernon said he had got into an accident and that his father treated him like any other employee and fired him. The fact that he had to replace the limousine and pay damages to the other driver, that Vernon would pay by being axed out of the Will. Vernon said what he would have received was going to go toward the damages.
Vernon lied again when he told Tracie he had hired an attorney to look into the Will, and then promised her when he got his share of the money that he would take care of Tracie the way a woman should be taken care of.
Tracie, though she was a bit skeptical, stood by Vernon’s side. One thing she did like about Vernon was that he liked Cassidy. He would always bring her something when he visited. But that was then. Now his constant needing money from her and somewhere to lay his head was stopping her from getting ahead.
“Here,” Vernon said and removed a gold chain from his pocket. “The ship is starting to sail, girl. Didn’t I say I was going to take care of you?”
Tracie just looked at the gold rope style chain.
“Vernon, that is not going to pay my rent,” and Tracie crossed her arms, twisted her mouth at the gift.
“Girl, turn your butt around and let me put this chain on you,” Vernon said walking closer to her.
Tracie did as told. She rolled her eyes relentlessly while he placed the gold chain around her neck then locked it.
Tracie then turned to him. “Vernon, I still don’t have a job.”
Vernon went into his front pants pocket and pull out some bills. “Here,” he said. “You need to start having faith in me.”
“Where did you get this Vernon?” Tracie asked taking the money then counted six one hundred dollar bills. I’m still gon’ leave you.
“Don’t worry about where it came from. And you’ll find another job. It’s too many nappy headed females walking around out here for you not to be employed. Make sure you buy my baby girl something out of that. And give her five dollars and tell her who it came from. I told you I got your back.”
“Still, your sister, my boss was wrong for firing me. She could have let me find another job first. I told you she had warned me. You thought she was playing.”
“Girl, forget all that,” Vernon said waving his hand down. “I got plans for her,” he said and spit the toothpick out that was in his mouth. He then tilted his head up and puckered his lips some at Tracie as an indication he wanted a kiss.
“What do you mean you have plans for her? Is she the one that gave you this money?” Tracie asked and crossed her arms again with the money folded in her hands. She then hoped that Vernon didn’t do anything bad for the money.
“Girl, if you don’t shut the hell up and kiss me,” Vernon said.
Tracie not really wanting to moved closer and kissed Vernon on the lips.
“That’s what I’m talking about, showing me some love. You know I’m going to want some in a couple of days. So you need to make some plans for Cassidy,” Vernon said referring to having sex with Tracie while her sister is at work.
***
A few hours later and after putting her bedroom back together, Vivian was lying comfortably in Toni’s arms across her bed. She was thinking about her poodles. The veterinarian kept both poodles in his care. A small cast was placed on Darling’s broken leg and what resembled a heating pad was around Darren’s stomach. They were then given pain medicine and placed in a small padded cage.
“He just better be glad my poodles didn’t suffer a life threatening injury,” Vivian said, still sad about them getting hurt. “I don’t know what I would do to Vernon or would have done.”
Toni giving soft brushes to the side of Vivian’s hair with his hand said, “You really believe your brother is responsible for breaking into your home.”
“I’m almost positive it was him Toni. You don’t one day come around asking for money, looking disheveled, and the next day dressed like you’re in line to be congressmen. It’s just too coincidental that he would show up again. He did the same thing a few weeks ago when my salon was broken into.”
“Really, are you serious?”
“Toni, he was standing across the street shortly after it happened.”
“Wow, that’s bold.”
“He just watched from across the street with the police present. It was as if he wanted to see my reaction.”
“Maybe he’s just trying to scare you.”
Vivian reached for Toni’s hand and cuddled it into hers, snuggled it underneath her chin. “I’m glad you’re here,” she said softly. “Toni my father left my mother and me a lot when he died. Vernon did something against my father when he was living and it landed him time in jail. My father took Vernon out of his Will. He’s upset and is looking for me to help him out financially. He’s using me as an outlet for his hate towards daddy. He feels that he is entitled to some of the money daddy left.”
Toni shifted on the bed and now Vivian’s head was in his lap and she was looking up at him.
She continued, “I have given Vernon money several times. It’s just not what he feels he’s entitled to. I think he wants thousands, if not a couple hundred thousand. Well he found a great deal of what he wanted.”
“I don’t know what to say. That’s a touchy subject when it comes to siblings. If he is that unhappy he shouldn’t be taking his frustration out on you, he should have contested the Will…not that he could have done anything about it.”
“Believe it or not Vernon is intelligent. He just let himself go after he got into trouble. He’s probably going to sell the gun he stole from me. It’s still in my daddy’s name. Toni, don’t be deceived by what Vernon was wearing. He probably bought that outfit with money he stole from me today. Vernon...”
Toni didn’t hear anything else Vivian was saying after the word, deceived. He quickly reflected on his situation, maybe this might not be a bad time to tell her. The last I want her to think is that I’m deceiving her.
Vivian shifted Toni back into focus by pulling softly on his purple and black striped silk necktie. “Where did your mind just wonder off to? Was I boring you? Kiss me,” Vivian kindly demanded and gently pulled Toni down by his tie to meet her lips.
Toni being obedient kissed who he classified as his woman and with no objection from her just a couple hours ago. The kiss was more passionate than any others they shared.
“My goodness you can kiss,” Vivian acknowledged and breaking away to get a better look at the man stealing her heart.
Toni was just as hypnotized by what felt like a devoted kiss.
After a few more seconds of kissing, Vivian paused again. “Uh umm, I’m getting some tonight,” she expressed and rose from the bed to undress. She began removing her clothes one piece at a time with her eyes softly on Toni, desiring to connect deeper with him.
Toni watched in a bit of enchantment, hesitant on what he should do. He surly didn’t think she would be in the mood for intimacy after what she had just gone through. But man, he thought. This woman is stunning and turning me on.
Vivian after undressing reached to turn the lamp off on her nightstand. “I get it,” she said and gave a pull to the little chain on her lamp, shutting it off. “You were hesitant the last time; shy, don’t want me to see what you’re working with. That’s cool,” and she turned to Toni and began unbuttoning his shirt.
Toni stopped her after the second button by placing his hand over hers. “I think I can handle it,” he uttered.
“I’m sure you can,”
Vivian responded seductively and began to move back into the bed.
“You’re something else,” Toni said and stood to undress. He was glad she turned the lamp off. The obscurity would hide him removing the spandex top that he wore daily. It would save him the stress of explaining his small breast and penis.
Toni could feel after moving to the foot of the bed that she was waiting readily for him. Vivian had spread her legs. Her insides were warm and now hot waiting his arrival.
“Sweetie, move to the edge of the bed,” Toni said softly and his request was fulfilled.
Toni eased inside Vivian and the sensation quickly zipped through his body like he just stuck his finger into an electrical outlet. The instant zap of them connecting overwhelmed them both as they simultaneously inhaled deeply. Toni secured Vivian’s hips delicately with his hands and gently eased in and out of her.
“Ooh,” Vivian muttered. I was hoping he wasn’t a power house. More murmurs then followed. “Ooh, Toni, baby, you’re so gentle. I like the way...it feels. Ooh...”
Toni’s hard four inch penis was starting to send Vivian on a whirl spin. She wrapped her hands securely around Toni’s arms and moved to his motions in near perfect sync.
The additional warm touch to his wrist had Toni wishing he could go deeper. “Oh...baby you were made for me,” he said at the good feeling, panting softly as he eased in and out. Toni was so comfortable making love to Vivian that he didn’t want to come out of her. He moved one hand to massage her clitoris with his thumb as if he was adding a new ingredient to the blend already brewing.
“Ooh...Toni...Toni, you gon’ make me cry,” Vivian softly murmured. “What are you doing to me,” she said tenderly, her breathing increasing by the seconds.
Toni’s head slowly leaned back as he continued to work his thumb magically while staying solid inside her. The sensation began to overwhelm Vivian and she felt the urge to explode. Though his penis was small it filled her up inside to the point pleasurable tears began to spill from the corner of her eyes. She was on her way to climax, but not before Toni whispered, “Oh, Vivian...baby...Ah...” and he began to experience what he never had before a climax inside a woman.
“Toniii...,” Vivian suddenly cried out as they reached absolute pleasure together. They stayed still for close to twenty seconds before Vivian released his wrist.
Toni then moved into bed and covered them with the sheet from the waist down. He laid one hand on his chest still descending from their peak and anticipating a change in Vivian’s mood. He had no intention of covering the rest of himself up.
Vivian lay by his side in total contentment. “I surely didn’t expect that. Toni...Toni...Toni,” she said and then slowly rolled over laying a gentle hand on his mid-section. Vivian smiled and happy with the way she was feeling moved her hand slowly up his lightly haired chest and near his shoulder. Her pleased expression turned perplexed at what felt like her hand moved over a small muffin.
Toni squeezed his eyes shut. He was motionless. God please let this go smoothly.
Vivian as if her hand was a gear put it in reverse and backed over what felt like the same muffin. Is that a breast? She had a slight frown on her face. That’s kind of big for a man. Vivian rolled over to turn on the lamp on her side of the bed. She looked at Toni’s chest and quickly covered her mouth with her hand. “Toni, baby...,” she said in shock of what she was seeing. “You have...” and she looked in the direction of his penis and swiftly removed the sheet from him. Her expression quickly turned to repugnance. She rapidly sat up.
Toni closed his eyes again sending another quick prayer to the Lord.
Vivian gawked at the package that just rocked her world.
“Where is your other testicle it’s so big and why are your breasts so large?” She looked at Toni for an explanation and traumatized by his condition covered her breast with her hands as if she had found herself in bed with a stranger.
Toni disappointed at her reaction sat up and against the headboard. He waited before trying to explain.
While he collected his thoughts Vivian thought back to when they met and how she felt something wasn’t quite right about Toni. How she felt he was almost too cute to be a man. Her next thought came rapidly and aloud. “Oh my God you’re one of those people, an Aphrodite!”
Toni gave a pinch of a smile. Close, but not exactly.
“Vivian.” He opened his arms to her. “Come here,” he softly said as she began distancing herself from him scooting to the edge of the bed.
“Just tell me are you an Aphrodite?” She looked over at the size of his breast again and closed her eyes, shuddered at how large they were. “They’re so big,” she said.
“I wear a spandex top to hide them,” Toni softly said. “Vivian I was born a hermaphrodite. I have both X/Y chromosomes. In more laymen terms, I was born as both sexes. I have dual genitals. My mother could have made a decision when I was born for me to be male. It would have resulted in surgery to remove the female parts of me.”
Vivian looked befuddled. Parts?
A despondent Toni looked toward his covered genitals. “She said when I got older that they would have placed me on hormones to reduce the size of my breast. My mother wanted the decision to be mine. She didn’t want to select the wrong gender for me. There are a lot of people who were hermaphrodites who feel their parents made the wrong decision in selecting their sex. She didn’t want that for me.” Toni then closed his eyes a couple seconds. “As I mentioned before, my mother died when I was eight.”
“You said parts?” Vivian was looking stunned at Toni.
Toni in the awkward moment said, “Yes, I have the other female part.”
Vivian jumped out of bed devastated by his disclosure. “A vagina I can’t do this!” and she hurried over to the other side of the room for her underclothes. “You’re scaring me, Toni.” Vivian was visibly shaken up by this disclosure. “Shit, shit, shit,” she uttered sliding into her panties. She looked over at her bra lying on the deep brown ottoman and moved her head rapidly as if it wasn’t enough to shield her. Instead she grabbed her red satin robe and quickly slid her arms into it and tying the thin straps into a bow. “You have to leave Toni. I can’t do this,” throwing her hands up, refusing to hear anymore.
What Toni hoped against was playing out, her rejection of him. He outstretched his palm to her again.
“Don’t do this Vivian,” he pleaded and with rejection fast filling a place that housed love for her. “Please...don’t push me away,” he implored. “I was hoping for a more positive response.”
Vivian couldn’t look at Toni anymore. She turned away putting her hand out as if it were a stop sign. Tears filled her eyes.
“Toni, please, please leave...I need some time...you’re a woman. Please, just go.” Vivian kept her back to him as tears slid down her face.
Toni on the verge of weeping himself rose from the bed. He began putting his clothes on sliding into his brief and pants and with a sunken heart glanced over at her. She still refused to look his way. God why did I know this was going to happen, he though shaking his head as he pulled his black spandex t-shirt over his head then his shirt. A dejected Toni looked at Vivian again with a tight smile. He then proceeded to comply with her request and departed without another word. Toni knew no matter what, he had to give her space. As he reached the living room he slowed his step contemplating another plea, but within seconds moved on.
Toni got inside his black Ford Explorer and hurting couldn’t start his SUV. He placed the key into the ignition then helplessly leaned over the steering wheel and cried. He balled his hand and slammed it down on the steering wheel sounding the horn.
“God, please don’t let me lose this woman,” he prayed.
Vivian moved quickly to shower. It was as if Toni had lied and giving her a STD, and if she acted quickly enough she could decontaminate the infection before it spread. She stepped inside and turned both the hot and cold water on full blast. The only thing the water did
was quickly flatten her hair that she had done yesterday by her assistant. Vivian threw her head back as the water streamed fast down the sadness in her face.
“Why didn’t he tell me? Why didn’t he tell me? I can’t do this!” she cried out.
***
The sound of Toni’s horn had Jennifer raising her head from her pillow. She had been asleep. She got up out the bed in her cotton pajamas and went over to the bedroom window. Charles was so deep into sleep he didn’t feel Jennifer rise out of the bed. He could sleep through a severe thunderstorm, which he actually did once. While shingles flew off roofs, including theirs, and while trees were being struck by lightning, Charles continued to sleep. It usually took a couple of nudges from Jennifer to wake him from a slumber.
Jennifer was straining her neck spying on the car in Vivian’s driveway. She saw the back end of a black SUV. “Is that Toni’s car?” she quizzed and then glanced over at the digital clock on the nightstand. “What’s going on over there?” It was 2:30 A.M. Jennifer left her bedroom and headed to the living room to get a better look at her friend’s driveway. “First the police now car horns sounding,” she uttered. “It’s probably that damn brother of hers again,” she assumed then corrected her assumption after arriving at the dining room window. It gave her a broad view of Vivian’s driveway. “Wait, that is Toni’s car,” watching it back out of the driveway. “Why did he sound the horn? Maybe he hit it by mistake,” she concluded.
Toni saw the woman who had called out to Vivian earlier watching him from her glass pane window. Jennifer didn’t attempt to hide she was looking. Though Toni had been to Vivian’s house a few times he had yet to meet Jennifer. He continued backing out of the driveway and then down the street.
Jennifer waited a moment before leaving the window. Maybe the horn was nothing, she told herself and then turned from the window. Her next words came loud. “Then again, she hasn’t known him that long. He could have strangled her or something. I know it’s late, but I have to make sure Vi is okay.”
Jennifer went to the phone on the counter in her kitchen. It was a model of the black rotary phones used in the fifties. She liked sticking her fingers in the holes to dial. She dialed Vivian’s number and didn’t get an answer.
Trickery & Envy Page 8
