You Ain't My Type

by Nicole Jackson

  Holding the phone, Jaylen stared at it. His pride wanted to tell her that he was cool. He didn’t need to see what was in the phone. However, his heart said something completely different. He was in deep with her, with his feelings on the line, and he wanted to be reassured that they were on the same page. So, he unlocked her phone.

  Rye scrunched her face. “You already knew my password?”

  He nodded. “Yeah, but I never really went in it…plus, you got a different code for your text messages. What is it?”

  She tittered. “This man has really been going through my phone.” She shook her head. “Your birthday is my password, Jaylen.”

  “The month and day?”

  “Yeah.”

  He silently entered the code, gaining access to her texts. Scrolling through, he saw that several men were still reaching out. He mostly glanced over those, after seeing that she hadn’t replied, since they’d been dealing with each other. What piqued his interest were the texts from Brad.

  “So, this clown ass nigga is still trying to get with you?” he fumed. “He’s lowdown. Hating on his own boy. Talking down. Then the nigga just texted you the other day, talking about some love shit,” he had to laugh at this. “Is this nigga serious?” Sitting there, he went from Brad’s texts to Tori’s, and his mind was blown. Every other day without fail, the man would send Rye texts. Of course, they went unanswered, but that didn’t deter him. Jaylen sat and read how Tori was whining about her moving on, her getting pregnant when she would make him strap up, the whole nine. “Oh, he’s a clown, for real. Lying on his dick.”

  Seeing all that, he could laugh now. Rye had been true, and he’d been stupid for allowing the haters to get in his head. He was about to hand her phone back, until he scrolled down to the last text from Tori.

  If I can’t have you then nobody can.

  “Why the fuck you didn’t tell me about this shit?” Jaylen growled.

  “What?” Rye gazed at him confusingly.

  “The last text he sent you last night.”

  “Oh, that?” she rolled her eyes, and waved him off. “Aint nobody worried about Tori’s punk ass. He’s not going to do anything crazy. Trust me.”

  Jaylen narrowed his eyes. “Are we talking about the same nigga that didn’t mind punching you in the eye from time to time? Cause I know that you can’t be that damn naive. When a muthafucka shows you who they are, you better believe them.”

  She sighed. “I guess I hear you.”

  “Yeah, alright. I’ma deal with that nigga. Don’t even worry about that. You just make sure that when shit like this happens that you tell me.”

  She lifted both brows. “And you gotta make me comfortable enough to tell you. Trust me, unless I give you a reason to think otherwise.”

  He nodded. “I feel that. I’m uh…new to this part of life, so please be patient with me. I’m gonna fuck up, because I don’t know what the hell I’m doing. All I do know is that I love you and I’ll do everything within my power to prove that to you, daily.”

  Instantly, Rye’s heart internally smiled. “And that’s all I ask for.”

  Chapter 33

  “I just need one more chance to prove my love to you. If you come back to me, I’ll guarantee that I'll never let you go---" Boyz II Men’s Bended Knee floated from the speakers installed in the ceiling.

  “You hear that, Jay?” Jaylen spoke to his son as he swaddled him within his arms. He stood in the middle of the living room with the baby, getting him to simmer down, after he’d been crying at the top of his little lungs, while Rye showered. “That’s daddy’s finessing music. That’s how I got ya mama. I learned that move from my daddy who is your granddaddy. This is something I’d probably have to play for ya mama, cause she keeps a nigga begging.”

  “When I open up my eyes. To face reality. Every moment without you. Seems like eternity. I'm begging you, begging you, come back to me---"

  “See, you hear that nigga Wanya? That’s the kind of stuff daddy has to say to ya mama, when she won’t act right. She’s stubborn as hell, and I hope you don’t be like that. That’s the last thing I need. On God. At least not with you. Maybe if you have a sister one day, she can take after her. But not you. You gotta be a finesser like daddy. Get ‘em with a bridge like this. Just listen.”

  “Gonna swallow my pride. Say I'm sorry. Stop pointing fingers. The blame is on me. I want a new life. And I want it with you. If you feel the same. Don't ever let it go. You gotta believe in the spirit of love. It can heal all things. We won't hurt any more. No, I don't believe our love's terminal. I'm down on my knees, begging you please. Come home---"

  Rye stepped into the room with a towel wrapped around her. “Oh, now I know your game. Okay, you finessed me,” she giggled.

  He gazed down at her, before leaning in for a kiss. “Not at all. That shit be from the heart.” He pecked her lips again. “You smell good.”

  “Okay, let me get away from you.” she backed up.

  He chuckled. “Let me find out that you scared of the dick all over again.”

  “No, I’m scared that baby number two would come sooner than I want it to. It’s only been four weeks, Jaylen. I’m not on birth control, and you can’t seem to remember that factor when it’s time to pull out.”

  “Okay, I’ll remember this time. Come on, let’s go get a quickie in, right quick,” he suggested.

  “Boy, bye. Get your head out the gutter. I’m putting this pussy on ice, before you have me walking around, looking like a plum fool. I aint the one. You are not about to rob me of all the bopping years I have left.”

  “Bopping?” he jerked his head back. “Nah, your bopping days ended the minute I stuck this dick in you, so you might as well hang that shit up. It’s a wrap.”

  Her head fell back with laugher, knowing she’d told herself that exact thing a few times before. Just as she was about to say something, the doorbell sounded. “Oh, shit, that must be my mama. Let me run upstairs and get dressed. Answer the door for her,” she urged, before scurrying upstairs.

  With the baby still in his arms, Jaylen trotted over to answer the door.

  “Hey,” Konya sang with a bright smile on her face.

  “Aye, how you doing?” Jaylen greeted her, giving her a half-hug.

  “I’m fine, baby,” she replied, hugging him back. Once she released him, she stepped into the house with her companion by her side. “And Jaylen, this is my…boyfriend Calvin.”

  “What’s up, man?” Jaylen addressed the guy, who looked awfully familiar.

  They clasped hands briefly. “Nice to finally meet you, young blood,” Calvin responded.

  “For sho.” Jaylen squinted. “But I could’ve sworn I’ve seen your face around somewhere.”

  Calvin smiled. “You could have. I know you kind of young, so maybe you know me through my son or daughter-in-law, like most youngstas do.”

  Jaylen lifted his chin, while Konya locked the front door. “What’s your son’s name?”

  “Kaydoa.”

  Jaylen nodded. “Married to Black Reign, right?”

  “Yeah, how you know them?”

  “Well, we know quite a few of the same people. Plus, my cousin is with his cousin.”

  Calvin narrowed his eyes. “What’s your cousin’s name?”

  “Keyasia.”

  “Let me see the baby,” Konya whispered, as she retrieved her grandson.

  “Oh, okay,” Calvin continued. “She’s with Wale, huh?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Well, he’s my nephew.”

  “I got cha,” Jaylen nodded.

  “Well, damn, It’s a small world, bae, because Keyasia is also Rye’s niece on her daddy’s side,” Konya spoke up.

  Calvin nodded, fully knowing exactly who Ray-Ray was. They were from the same hood and knew all the same people. Calvin was a few years older than Ray, but they still ran in the same circles and would often club together back in the day, during the height of Calvin’s street running era.
>
  After a few minutes, and everyone was chilling on the couch, Rye stepped downstairs. Clad in Pink leggings and a racer-back tee, she was dressed comfortably. A silk scarf was wrapped around her head, as she attempted to preserve her hairstyle and edges underneath.

  “Rye, this is Calvin,” Konya immediately introduced. “And Calvin, this is Rye.”

  “Hello,” Rye waved, as she sat down next to Jaylen.

  “How you doing, baby girl?” Calvin asked.

  “I’m fine,” she answered, as she tossed a leg over Jaylen’s lap.

  Konya snickered. “Girl, get off that boy. Give him some space.”

  “Ma, why would I do that?” Rye fluttered her lashes.

  Konya waved her off, as she focused on the baby. “He is just too perfect. I can’t wait for him to get a little older. He’s gonna be at my house every weekend. Just wait.”

  Jaylen smirked. “You sound like my mama. I think yall are gonna have to get a calendar for him, and we’ll pencil yall in.”

  “Yeah, my bae is really prepared to have him over. He even has his own room at the house,” Calvin offered with a smile, revealing a mouthful of gold.

  Rye lowkey checked Mr. Calvin out, quickly concluding that he was handsome. He sported a fresh tapered fade, coming fully equipped with waves. He was on the taller side, had a lean frame, his chocolate skin was smooth and littered with tats. Everything about this man seemed the exact opposite of Dewayne, which made Rye wonder if he’d ever been Konya’s type to begin with. Dewayne was a square in every sense of the word, while Mr. Calvin seemingly had more than a splash of hood in him…much like Ray-Ray.

  She gulped. “Ma, yall are getting pretty serious, huh? You’re living with him?”

  Konya slowly nodded, not sure of how Rye would receive the information. “Yes, we are.”

  “Right,” Calvin co-signed. “Now, she just needs to move her stuff in too. She’s procrastinating on that part,” he called her out.

  Konya cut her eyes at him. “Bae, don’t start. You know my situation. I’ve been trying to make this transition as smooth as possible---”

  “Girl, stop. You’re just avoiding dealing with your ex and his feelings, but I’m tired of dancing around him. You need to go over there and move your shit, ASAP. Or it’s gonna be a problem.”

  “Here, baby,” Konya handed the baby back to Rye, before focusing on Calvin. “Now, run that shit by me again.”

  Rye’s eyes bucked, as she’d never heard her mama speak like that.

  “You heard me,” Calvin contended. “Don’t make me fuck you up, girl.”

  “I wish the fuck you would,” Konya sassed, twisting her neck, as she lifted off the couch, getting in his face.

  Both Rye and Jaylen were bracing themselves for a brawl to break out but were thrown off when Calvin grabbed the back of Konya’s head, kissing her deeply.

  “The fuck?” Rye mumbled. In all her life, she’d never seen her mama exhibit that much passion. “Ma,” she cleared her throat. “You’re ready to help with dinner, like you promised?”

  Jaylen chuckled, as he tapped her thigh. “Stop hating, man. Let that woman get her freak on.”

  She sucked her teeth. “The hell you say. Aint nobody trying to see all that. Ma---”

  Konya pulled back from Calvin. “Okay, okay, lil’ girl. Let’s go cook this food.”

  “Good,” Rye smiled, as she carefully handed Jaylen their son. “Let daddy hold you down, while I cook, Stinky Butt,” she cooed, as she kissed Jaylen III’s forehead, before easing off the couch.

  Rye was halfway to the kitchen, when she realized that her mother wasn’t behind her. She spun around, realizing that Konya was now sitting in Calvin’s lap. “Ma!”

  Calvin popped Konya’s ass hard.

  Konya’s head fell back, as she released a laugh that was foreign to Rye. Unquestionably, it was sincere and sounded like it had come from somewhere deep within. Clearly, this was somewhere that Dewayne had never managed to reach. “Okay, okay, bae,” she laughed hysterically. “Let me get up.”

  “Go’on head,” he released her. “Go whip up something for daddy,” he grinned.

  “Oh, you know I am,” Konya winked, before sauntering off.

  Rye rolled her eyes to the ceiling, as they entered the kitchen.

  “My goodness, I love this house. Especially the kitchen,” Konya chattered. “I can admit that I was leery when you said that you were moving into his house. For some reason, I’d pictured a cozy starter home, just for him. You know, really basic. But this…my God. This boy is blessed and when I grow up, I wanna be just like him.”

  Rye giggled, as she grabbed the pots they’d need to cook. “Ma, you’re different.”

  Konya nodded with a smile. “I’m happy.”

  “I see.”

  Konya gazed at her daughter with a twinkle in her eyes. “Can I tell you something?”

  “Sure.” Rye shrugged, enjoying this new energy from her mother.

  “You inspired me.”

  “Come again.”

  “You heard me. You inspired me. Looking back at it, I was projecting a lot of my bullshit onto you. I was in a miserable relationship, so I thought that it was cool for you to be in one too. I was with Dewayne for all those years, just existing. Hell, about ten years ago, I realized that I could be with him ‘til I died, if I wanted to. He’s proposed three different times. Of course, I would say yes, but hold off on setting a date. Then when he’d piss me off, I’d make up a reason for us not to be engaged, anymore. Even then, I wasn’t being honest with myself. My mama told me all about what a man is supposed to provide for me, but she mentioned nothing about what’s he’s supposed to feed my soul. I thought that as long as I lived a comfortable uncomplicated life, then I’d be good. So, I tried to get you to do the same. I knew that you didn’t love Tori, but it wasn’t about love to me. Thank God that you were blessed with a brain to think for yourself. You didn’t settle for Tori. Went out and found you a good man. I’m witnessing the woman that you’re transforming into and I love it. You’ve matured beautifully. Every time I’d see you with him, you were smiling. And that made me want that for myself.”

  “Aww, ma, you’re gonna make me cry,” Rye blushed.

  “Well, I’m just telling the truth, baby. You did good for yourself. You’re making your own money, and Jaylen is good to you.”

  Rye nodded her head, trying to ward off tears. “He is. And then since I’ve had Jay,” she referred to the baby. “I see a completely different side to him. The way that he handles our baby just made me fall deeper in love with him. Like, he’s really a man for us.” A few tears slipped from her eyes. “I feel safe, and I’ve never felt like that before,” her voice quivered.

  Konya cried tears of joy, as she nodded. “You see what I’m saying? You got something that makes you feel. And it was sad that for the longest I didn’t know the feeling.”

  Rye wiped away her tears. “Yeah, that’s sad, but I’m happy for you.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Okay,” Rye sighed. “Tell me why are you hesitating to completely move in with Calvin. I mean, clearly, he makes you happy.”

  “Girl,” Konya breathed. “Now that your lease is up at the apartment, I’m feeling the pressure. A majority of my stuff is still at the house with Dewayne, and it’s gonna devastate your sister when I move everything out. Not to mention, I really haven’t allowed yall to get to know Calvin. I’d hate to be completely settled in, and yall feel out of place whenever you come to visit. Then I’d feel like I’ve started a new life without yall. Hell, I know that I haven’t been the best mom, but I’m trying to do this right.”

  “Ma, I hear you, but only to a certain extent do I agree. Yes, we should get to know Calvin, but that has nothing to do with your living arrangements. We live our lives and you need to live yours. And avoiding the inevitable wont change anything. So, let me know when you’re ready to move your things out of Dewayne’s. We’ll help,” Rye volunteered.

/>   “Okay,” Konya agreed.

  Rye glanced down at her vibrating phone. “Ewe, the hell does she keep calling me for?”

  Konya arched a brow. “Who is that?”

  Rye cleared her throat, as she gazed her mother’s way. “Okay, so when I was pregnant, Jaylen’s ass, excuse my French, ma, stayed out late at the club. So, I goes up there to drag him home. When I get there it’s this chick all over him. So, I cussed him out. The chick tried to get in my business, so I cussed her out too. Long story short, I dragged Jaylen home. We fussed and eventually got over it. Moving forward, the chick from the club comes through the salon with some other chick who claims to know Jaylen’s friend Amir. I remembered the chick immediately and so she pulls me aside to apologize about what happened in the club and claims that she was drunk. Anyway, I ended up doing their hair, and now the chick from the club is trying her hardest to be my friend. She always calls my phone and asks about the baby. You know, she’s always just super friendly.”

  “Well, if you believe she’s being fake, then tell her to stop calling. Let her know not to contact you outside of business hours,” Konya suggested.

  “No, she can keep calling. I’m just gonna keep playing stupid with her, until I figure out what she’s really up to.”

  “What’s the purpose of that?”

  Rye shrugged. “Keep your enemies close.”

  “Okay, but you know that can backfire, right?”

  “Yeah, I know, but I feel like I can handle it. Hell, I have to do something to stay ahead of the haters. They’re coming left and right.”

  “They’re coming left and right? Girl, what the hell you got going on?”

  “So—” Rye scratched her forehead. “Me and Jaylen got into a huge argument the day I went into labor, because of things people told him.”

  “They told him what?”

  “Well, Tori walked up to him at a party and claimed that my baby could possibly be his.”

  Konya gasped. “No, the hell he didn’t. Why would he lie like that?” she wanted to know, because she knew for a fact that Rye hadn’t been dealing with him. In fact, Rye had shown her a few texts around the time she’d shared that she was pregnant. Those texts exonerated any thoughts of Tori being the father. He hadn’t touched Rye anywhere near the time she’d gotten pregnant.