by Ivy Symone
Nola smiled, “You did a great job. How much Bebe paid you to do all that?”
Keyma was about to answer until Bebe interrupted her. “Don’t tell her nothing. It’s none of her business.”
Nola pointed an accusatory finger in Bebe’s direction. “You don’t want me to know cause you know I’ll say something.”
Bebe chuckled. “I know, and that’s why you don’t need to know. Just let Yanis have his day.”
Nola crossed her arms over her chest and side-eyed Bebe with playful scorn. “You get a pass today, sir.”
Before Bebe could respond, Uncle Russ came walking by and grabbing Nola around the waist in the process.
“C’mere Sugar, let me holla at’chu,” Uncle Russ said sweetly in his throaty voice.
“Russ!” Bebe warned, “Man, you better take yo’ hands off my baby mama.”
People around began to laugh.
Nola said, “Oh he’s alright. What’chu want Uncle Russ?”
Uncle Russ pulled her in close giving her a toothy grin. “You sho get finer every time I see you. Is my nephew treating you right? Cause I’d spoil a woman like you. I’ll give you all my bank codes, credit cards, social security…Girl, you wouldn’t have to lift a finger ‘cept to give Big Daddy some loving.”
Everybody was tickled except Bebe of course.
“That’s all I’d have to do, Uncle Russ?” Nola asked egging him on.
“That’s it. Big Daddy’ll make sure you satisfied too. You better ask about me,” he boasted. “They don’t call me Big Daddy for nothing.”
“Okay, that’s enough,” Bebe said trying to pry the two of them apart. He along with another male family member managed to get Uncle Russ distracted and focused on an older busty woman in the distance.
As they were entertaining everyone close by with that, Nola stepped back up to Keyma. Discreetly as if she was being friendly, she asked, “What’s your intentions with Bebe?”
“What do you mean?” Keyma asked a bit thrown.
“I heard you’re the one he’s been carrying on with for the past few weeks. They said her name was Keyma, and I know someone by the name of Keyma. I was wondering if they were the same person, and lo and behold, it’s you. So, what are your intentions?”
Keyma gave an innocent shrug. “I’m not sure, but for now, we’re just friends and he hired me to do this party. I had no idea it was connected to you.”
“We don’t know each other, okay? Don’t be discussing shit about me with him, and I’m sure you don’t want me disclosing shit about you.”
Keyma swallowed the big lump that had formed in her throat. “You don’t have to worry.”
“Don’t get him caught up in none of you and Ced’s bullshit either,” Nola warned. “He’s been through enough. If I find out that you on some stupid shit, I’ll stomp yo’ ass myself. You understand? I’ve been wanting to put these hands around your neck for some years now. Please don’t trigger me. But since this is business, and I’m assuming you’re gonna keep it that way, I’ll let you slide.”
Keyma nodded.
Plastering a pleasant smile on her face, Nola said, “Good. Are you enjoying yourself?”
Keyma just stared at her blankly. She wondered if Bebe knew his baby mother was on the crazy side.
“Oh, and thanks for the party setup. Everything was nice,” Nola added. “It was nice meeting you.”
Keyma could only nod again.
~~~~~~~~~~
Observing her friend as he was in the moment, Nephia wouldn’t know that he had experienced something so tragic four years ago. He was a big contrast from the Bebe she met. Though he was charming and sweet, he was still lacking that inner glow. His energy had been very low. His eyes were dull. His smiles used to be empty. The Bebe she was looking at now was full of life, laughter, and love. He was really enjoying himself. She was happy for him.
“C’mere,” a happily intoxicated Dinky commanded. He was sitting under the big white tent toward the back.
The sun had set, and fireworks were constantly lighting up the sky at this point. Surrounding the tent were tiki lights giving off a soft glow. Music was still blaring, children still running around, people gathered in clusters scattered across the yards both front and back, and everyone was just having a great time.
Moving toward him, Nephia eyed the dark drink in his hand. “Haven’t you had enough of those?”
“And you ain’t had enough,” he quipped. His lips spread into a teasing, yet sexy smile.
Nephia returned a soft smile. Her friendship with Dinky began shortly after being introduced to him. At first, she hardly paid any attention to him, but it was something about his rugged looks that kept nagging at her. His dark skin was beautiful to her, and the scar on his cheek gave him a distinctive appeal. He was tall like Bebe, maybe taller. They shared a similar muscular build. Dinky wore his hair faded with the top dreaded up. He worked alongside Bebe so he would get dirty from time to time, but he looked so good in pair of navy Dickies and his Blakemore Lawncare t-shirt.
Maybe the attraction stemmed from the fact that Dinky was the complete opposite of her late husband, Marco. They were like night and day, and it was something she appreciated immensely. And then it was the gentle way that he handled her. Sometimes she found herself completely melting in his arms.
“Why you over there lookin’ lost?” he asked.
She shrugged, smoothing her hand over her freshly tapered hair at her nape. “I’m just enjoying watching everybody having fun.”
Dinky nodded his head toward Nola’s house. “You see who your daughter been up under all night?”
Nephia chuckled and looked over in that direction. Her oldest daughter, Marcena was engaged in a private conversation with Marshawn. Whatever they were talking about had her cheesing from ear to ear. “Yes. I been peeped that out. Let her tell it, there’s nothing there but a friendship.”
“Sounds like her mama,” Dinky jabbed.
Nephia narrowed her eyes at him playfully. “Don’t start that, okay?”
“Hey, I never know,” he said.
“You know, so don’t even do that.”
He asked, “So where is this nigga you was supposed to bring today?”
Nephia looked confused. “What nigga?”
“Bebe told me you were bringing some new nigga you talking to.”
Nephia waved him off dismissively. “Boy, I just told him that. He’s always prying in my business.”
Dinky lowered his voice to a sexy tone. “You know I can be that new nigga.”
Nephia blushed. “Stop.”
“C’mon and give a nigga a chance.”
She giggled this time.
“You so fucking pretty. You gon’ let me make you happy?”
She looked around to see if anyone was paying them any attention. Coyly, she nodded.
“You better,” Dinky threatened playfully.
“You so silly.”
He asked, “Am I staying with you tonight or are you coming to my place?”
Nephia pointed to his drink. “Are you even gonna be able to leave Bebe’s house tonight?”
He laughed as he downed the rest of his drink. “Probably not.”
“I guess I can find a reason to crash here too,” she said sneakily.
Dinky’s lips spread into a smile before being replaced with shock. There was a commotion coming from the side of the house. He could hear Bebe’s voice and if he knew anything about his cousin, Dinky knew Bebe was just as drunk if not more wasted than him. He had to sober up just a little bit to go to his cousin’s aide.
By the time he reached the side of the house, Bebe had snatched Nola by the arm and began pulling her toward her own house.
“What the fuck!” Nola spat as she jerked her arm away from him.
“What the fuck you doing?” Bebe snapped.
Nola rolled her eyes in exasperation. She saw Dinky behind Bebe and said, “Get yo’ boy. Ain’t nobody got time for this shit.”
“You go in the house!” she shouted. “And don’t you think it’s rude to leave your guest like that?”
“Who? Keyma?” he asked in disbelief. “You really got an attitude with me over her?”
“No, and don’t play me,” Nola sneered. “I ain’t even like that.”
Dinky interrupted. “What happened?”
“She dancing all over Uncle Russ and these lil young niggas like she tryna get some ones of some shit,” Bebe griped. He was glowering in Nola’s direction.
“It was harmless; just having fun,” she argued.
“C’mon Bebe, man,” Dinky cajoled. “Let them have fun.”
By now a few others had stopped to see what the problem was.
“She always fucking shit up,” Bebe spat.
Nola crossed her arms over her chest and threatened, “Show yo’ ass if you want to.”
“Naw, that’s what you always doing,” Bebe said angrily. “You ain’t gotta dance like that and let niggas touch you all on your ass.”
Nola couldn’t deal with him at the moment. She stormed off in the direction of her house.
“You done for the night?” Marshawn asked as she passed by him.
“Yep,” she answered curtly. She was too aggravated to even say her goodbyes to everyone else.
Dinky turned to Bebe gripping him by the shoulder in a brotherly fashion. “Nigga, you good?”
“I’m a’ight,” Bebe murmured.
“Maybe you need to sit down and sober up a little,” Dinky suggested.
Bebe insisted, “I’m cool. Let me walk Keyma to her car.”
“A’ight.”
Once they saw that that was the end of that, everyone went back to what they were doing.
Chapter 8
B ebe ended up drinking entirely too much. He vowed that he would watch his intake and he even set a limit, but that damn Nola had his nerves bad. Tonight, had been the first time in weeks since she allowed him to be as close to her as he was. They carried on as if that argument between them never happened. The more he thought about it, he didn’t understand why they were letting that get between them. They had argued before and continued to interact. It was deeper this time.
It was three o’clock in the morning and just about everyone was gone. Dinky and Marshawn made sure he got in the house safely, although someone had to make sure those two got situated safely as well.
“Bebe, you need anything?” Stefani asked.
Trying to keep the room from spinning, Bebe kept his eyes closed. “Naw.”
“Sure?”
“Naw.”
Stefani giggled. She climbed into his bed and lay next to him. “Do you wanna take off your clothes?”
“Naw.”
She started rubbing on his chest through his shirt. “Can I sleep in here with you tonight?”
“Naw.”
“I just wanna keep an eye on you and make sure you’re okay.”
“Okay.”
Stefani waited a few minutes as she listened to his breathing deepen. She then carefully began to massage his chest again and wander down his chiseled abdomen letting her hands glide further and further beyond the waist of his jeans. She couldn’t get as far as she wanted so she started rubbing on him through his jeans, hoping to feel a reaction out of him instantly.
With his eyes still closed, Bebe placed his hand on hers and in his drunken stupor, politely moved it back in her space.
Trying not to be offended, Stefani whispered, “You don’t wanna fuck, Bebe?”
“Where’s Nola?” he asked.
That pissed Stefani off. “Really? Your drunk ass asking about Nola.”
“Is she here? I think I smell her,” he slurred.
Stefani groaned out in frustration.
Bebe drunkenly sat up.
“What are you doing?” Stefani asked.
He got up staggering out the bedroom.
When he passed the gathering room, Nephia and Dinky remained quiet and just observed him. He was oblivious to their presence.
“Where you going?” Dinky asked with a chuckle.
Bebe ignored him and headed out the back door. The only thing Bebe was listening to at the moment was his dick. And they both agreed that they needed some Nola.
He tried to be quiet as he entered her house, but Shadow greeted him. Angrily, Bebe asked, “What the fuck you doing over here? You live over there nigga. Take yo ass home sometimes. Goddamn!”
Shadow didn’t give a fuck about what Bebe was talking about. He trotted back into the darkness of the living room. That was a shame that his dog wasn’t his dog anymore. Shadow worshipped Nola as if she had been the one to raise him from a puppy. Dog was supposed to be man’s best friend. Shadow was a traitor and a backstabber.
Clumsily, Bebe made his way upstairs. The kids were spending the night with his mother, so he already knew what was waiting for him in her bedroom. When the kids weren’t around, Nola slept naked.
He sluggishly removed his clothes and crept in the bed with her only to pause when he was met with the harsh order of her voice.
“Get out of my room.”
Nola didn’t bother to move, but she was awake. She heard him when he first came in the house. She even heard him fussing at Shadow
“Shut up,” he mumbled, making his way into bed anyway. He moved closer until his body was pressed up against hers.
She moved away and flipped to her back to look at him. She could smell the liquor seeping from his pores and on his breath. And she didn’t need the moon’s radiance creeping through her bedroom window to know he was wearing a silly grin. It was what he did when he was drunk. “I don’t want no drunk dick. Take yo ass on back over there.”
“Then suck it,” he whispered.
“I ain’t sucking shit!” she snapped. “And I ain’t playing.”
“Ssh,” he hushed her. He palmed her breast and pleaded, “C’mon Nola. Stop being so mean. When you want it, I give it to you.”
“Nigga, if you don’t take yo lying ass out my room. And getcho hand off my titty,” she spat pushing his arm away. “You’ve turned me down plenty of times.”
“Cause you be high, and I don’t do high pussy,” he chuckled.
“Get the fuck out my bed, drunk dick bitch,” she said playfully with an angered undertone.
Bebe continued to laugh as his hand slipped under the cover to find its way to her center. He knew she wasn’t serious; she just had to give him a hard time as always.
“What are you doing?” she asked. His finger slipped inside her, discovering she was already wet and ready. But when he started roughly digging in her, she yelled out angrily. “Ow! What the fuck you doing!” She pushed his arm away.
“You got one of them egg thangs in there?”
Nola laughed and shook her head. “How many times I gotta tell you I don’t sleep with those up my pussy? Furthermore, it doesn’t take a damn pelvic exam to get it out. You tryna fuck my shit up.”
“Lemme fuck you up with this dick,” he slurred.
“Eat my pussy first,” she bargained with a sneaky smile. She eagerly awaited as he positioned himself in between her legs spreading her legs apart. His drunk ass sloppily ate her like she was a sweet slice of watermelon. She began to rotate her lower half as his tongue swirled against her clit. Her center began to ache immensely. She readily anticipated the strong release she knew she was about to experience. She desperately needed this orgasm. She felt an elation rising in her spirit and her body tensed up in expectation; but it was short-lived when she realized his vigor had slowed down.
Nola raised up slightly to look down between her legs. Anger consumed her as she realized this nigga was falling asleep. Who does that? Who passes out drunk in the middle of cunnilingus? And she was right there at the edge about to tip over! She wanted to ki
ck his ass out of her bed.
She continued to watch him and feel his body grow heavier in between her legs. Then he started snoring. She shook her head in disbelief. That was her Bebe though. She loved him, and like so many other things she let him get away with, she would let this go too.
Rather than move to disturb him, she fell back on her back and allowed him to sleep in between her legs. This wasn’t the first time he passed out on her. In all of her honesty, she wouldn’t want him anywhere else, except right there in between her legs.
~~~~~~~~~~~
When Bebe awakened that early evening, he wasn't sure if he was in his own bed or if he was in Nola’s. Whichever one he was in, she was there staring at him.
“What the fuck you looking at?” he grumbled.
She responded by stuffing a peppermint in his mouth. She chuckled, “You reek of alcohol and your breath isn’t that favorable.”
“Get out of my room” he told her.
“Uhm…you’re in my bed, in my room, in my house,” she corrected.
“Did we fuck?” he asked, hesitant of the answer.
Nola noticed the disappointment in his tone. Why did he always make them having sex seem like a bad thing afterwards? She said, “No, we didn’t. You passed out.”
“Good,” he said with relief.
“Damn, it’s like that?” She feigned insult.
“Naw, it’s just…I don’t want it to seem like…” his voice trailed as he searched for the right words, “We ain’t really been talking lately, and we shouldn’t just be fucking like that all the time.”
“Yeah, I know but somehow you still managed to bring your ass over here,” she said with a smug smirk.
“But I was fucked up and you know I don’t wanna keep this shit up,” he argued. “Not like this anyway.”
“Hmm,” she hummed with thought. She turned over to lay partially on both her stomach and side.
Bebe’s eyes traveled to the mound of her ass under the sheet. His eyes then landed on the exposed swell of her breast caused by her lying on it. His gaze shifted to her face as she looked back at him with a pleasant but flirty and tempting smile. He hated her. She knew the power she had over him and he hated it.
