by Nique Luarks
She stomped out of the family room.
“And I’m charging you full price to babysit this rag doll!” I chuckled, calling after her mad ass.
“Dad!” Chase yelled. “Get yo’ daughter!”
Chasity was spiteful just like her mama. I was going to break her from that shit, though. Whenever she didn’t get her way, she turned into a super brat, throwing tantrums, talking shit, and fucking with people. I loved my Wookie with all of my heart, but I prayed Carlee didn’t act like that.
But then again, they had different mamas.
“Chasity!” I stopped on ESPN. “Bring yo’ ass here!” My eyes bounced to Carter, who stirred in his sleep a little.
It was just me and my young life for two days. I’d been so busy ripping and running the streets, I hadn’t been able to spend any real quality time with them. Nisha was the only one who’d called to check in surprisingly, but I was sure that was because Carter was still small. I most likely wouldn’t hear from Jaliyah and Quindelle until it was time for drop off.
“What?” Chasity stood in the doorway with her hand on her hips.
“Leave your brother alone.”
Chase was on punishment. The school year had just started, but he had been suspended for three days for cursing and throwing a book at a kid. I confiscated his iPad and took all of the remotes and power cords to his game systems at my crib and his mom’s. His phone was upstairs in my room in a drawer, and that was where it was going to stay for two weeks. Since he didn’t have his shit, he was sitting at the kitchen table, drawing.
“Can I go to Chance’s house?” She skipped to me, then leaned in close to my face. “I don’t wanna be the only girl.”
“No. Chance is busy. Did you hear me tell you to leave Chase alone?”
Her bottom lip dropped. “I can’t play with Carter, I can’t play with Chase.” Her eyebrows furrowed, and her eyes squinted lowly behind her glasses. “Give me my baby.” She snatched her doll off my chest.
I chuckled. “Take her ass then. You too young to be a mama anyway. And I’m too G to be a grandpa.”
“Grandpa starts with a G.” She hopped on the sofa.
“I know.” I rested my arm behind my head.
“And I know how to spell you and my mama name.” Scooting closer to me, Chasity laid next to me. “You want me to spell it?” she asked, snuggling next to me.
“Yep.”
For thirty minutes, I quizzed Chasity on her spelling. Chase ended up wanting to be a part of it, so they had their own little spelling competition. When Carter woke up, I made him a bottle and went upstairs to change his diaper. That was how we all ended up in my bed. Chasity was knocked, and Chase had one of my phones, listening to music with his Beat headphones at the foot of the bed. Carter was asleep again, this time, on my chest.
My second phone pinged from a text notification from a little chick I was fucking with. Ignoring her, I scrolled through my text messages and stopped at Chance’s name. I then clicked on our conversation. I read through some of our older messages, reminiscing. Carter whined a little, and I rubbed his back to calm him.
Once I got to the last of our messages, I decided I’d send her a text to let her know her and my jellybean were on my mind. I would’ve much rather they be lying in bed with us.
Me: I love you
Her breaking down at that BBQ was still bothering me. I understood her emotions were all over the place, but it was something much more than being pregnant that had her breaking down in public. Chance wasn’t even that type. She was sensitive, but she’d cry alone in the dark before she’d want anybody to see her down.
But then again, maybe I was the problem. She was getting ready to have our baby, and our relationship was off and on. One minute, we’d be good, and the next, we were talking reckless to each other. Ms. Sonia called me and told me how Chance had broken down in the middle of planning the baby shower, saying she didn’t want one.
I felt bad for promising Chance nothing would change between us. Growing up, and until recently, she held on to my every word with confidence that I had her best interest in mind. Now, she didn’t believe shit I said most of the time. She refused to put all her trust in me, and the hard reality of that was, I needed her to want me in that way again.
I grabbed my phone again and went back to our texts. It showed that she’d read my message, but there was no sign of her replying. I texted her again.
Me: I’m sorry for everything baby
I stared at the message, and when I saw she was replying, I waited intently for her response. But then, nothing came. Shaking my head, I tossed my phone next to me. Placing my arm behind my head, I closed my eyes.
Four days later…
“That nigga Ro here yet?” Ava let me in, then started through the foyer. “He told me to meet him.”
She nodded. “Yeah, he should be pulling up any minute. You want something to drink?”
“Nah, I’m straight.”
She shrugged. We made it to the sitting area, and Ava waltzed over to the built-in bar. Taking a seat, I got comfortable.
“Yo, Ava.”
“Yeah?” she asked with her back to me, making a drink.
I leaned forward. “You talk to Chance lately?”
Ava spun around with a glass full of brown liquor. “We went to brunch with Erin and that one chick, Morgan.”
I nodded. “How is she?”
Taking a seat on the opposite sofa, Ava shrugged. “Okay, I guess. She’s not her usual bubbly, goofy self, but I guess that’s normal, right? She’s pregnant, she doesn’t have the best relationship with her baby daddy, and she been having to deal with fuck nigga after fuck nigga.” Ava took a long sip. “Chance is as good as she gon’ get until she realizes it don’t pay to be nice. And I told her that.”
I stared at her. “But that ain’t Chance, that’s you.”
“And look where it got her and look where I am,” she grilled me. “I love Chance, and I fucks with you, too, True, but you know you ain’t right.”
I turned my hat backward.
She took another drink. “I told her to leave your ass alone and not even tell you when she goes into labor.”
I mugged her, and she took another sip, unbothered.
“Morgan told her to get over one nigga and get up under another.” Ava shook her head. “She a lowkey hoe and I don’t trust her.”
So I ain’t the only one who feels that way...
“Erin told her to stop crying and running from her problems, and that the easiest way to grow from a situation and come out on top was too forgive yourself before you try to show forgiveness to others,” Ava shrugged. “I told her she should listen to me.”
“Yo, Ava, you disrespectful,” I frowned. “What kind of friend tells they homie not to let they baby daddy be involved in a kid’s life?”
“A real friend, who is tired of seeing sadness in her eyes and watching her grow despondent. Chance has done everything to show you she’s all about you.”
I sat back. “Chance knows I love her.”
Ava picked her glass back up. “It ain’t about love, bro, it’s about loyalty.”
Damn...
I wasn’t even thinking on that end of the spectrum.
“Luckily for you, Chance is a real one.” She finished off the rest of her drink and stood up.
I’d been so worried about proving to Chance I loved her, instead of giving her the same loyalty she had given me. I knew how she felt about Nisha, and I had gone and gotten her knocked up. She went out of her way for Chasity, and I couldn’t even keep Quindelle out of her face. Whole time, I’m thinking as long as I showed her love, she’d be satisfied, but all she wanted was my loyalty.
I looked at the entrance when Roman stepped in. Pushing off the sofa, I met him halfway to lock B’s.
“My fault, Leah been on that stupid shit.” He made his way to Ava, and they shared a loving embrace, and I turned away.
Going into my pocket, I grabbed my phone to text Chance again.
Me: Thank you Jelly. For everything
18
Blind to the truth
Chance
“Well, I’m out.” Keri stood in the doorway. “Everything up front is clean. I told security he could leave like you told me to. Melissa prepped for tomorrow, and I just put the last customer out.”
I chuckled. “Don’t be putting people out, Keri.”
She laughed. “I’m ready to get to my man, what you mean? I had one of them ten-day periods, so it’s on,” Keri winked at me playfully.
“Eww.” Giggling, I shook my head at her. “You could’ve kept that little piece of information to yourself.”
“Oh, yeah. Um, Piper called and said she was coming to get the rest of her things.” Keri crossed her arms. “I told her you’d be here until eight, so hopefully, she makes it in time.”
I nodded. “Okay.”
“What you doin’ when you get off?”
Shrugging, I took a bite of a donut. “Me and a couple of friends are getting together for dinner.”
I couldn’t wait to get with Ava, Erin, and Morgan to talk about our week. It was our new tradition. We still conversed during the week, but every Friday, one person picked a new spot to eat. It was an idea of mine that Erin thought was a great idea. At first, it was just Av, E, and I, but then Morg called while we were out one day and they suggested I invite her.
I didn’t mind Morgan hanging with us, it was just that she and Drake were still messing around, and she was knowingly smiling in Erin’s face. I talked to my mom about it, and she told me to mind my business, which was easier said than done because I was growing closer and closer to Erin every day.
Keri pushed off the door. “Sounds fun. Well, I’ll see you in the morning. Later.”
“Later, Keri. Drive safe.”
“Will do,” she spoke over her shoulder as she made her exit.
Once I saw through the surveillance cameras that she was gone, I turned on some music while I straightened my office and cleaned my desk out.
7:56 p.m.
Grabbing my purse and keys, I made sure to turn the light in my office off. I was so ready to go put something hot in my stomach. I’d been eating donuts and pastries all day like the fatty I was. This week was Ava’s turn to pick the restaurant, and since she was already out and about, she agreed to pick me up from my loft. That would allow me to take the wedges on my feet off and slip into some slides.
My phone rang, and I stopped moving to dig into my purse for it. I retrieved it at the same time there was a knock on the glass door. I looked to see Piper and smiled as I answered for Ava.
“Hey, Av.” I hurried to unlock the door.
“You on your way home? I’m already down this way.”
I let Piper in. “Hold on, Ava. Hey, Piper. I thought you weren’t coming. You can go ahead and get your things.”
She didn’t speak as she headed for the back.
Okaaay...
Giving my attention back to Ava, I rubbed my belly and took a seat at the counter. “Ava.”
“Mm-hm. Who is that? I thought you were closed?”
“I am. It’s Piper, an old employee just coming to get the rest of her things. This shouldn’t take long, I’ll call you when I get to the house.”
“I’m down this way, so I’ll stop at that daiquiri place while I wait for you.”
I nodded. “Okay. See you in a minute.”
“Later.”
Setting my phone and purse on the counter, I waited for Piper. After a few minutes passed, she emerged from the back, carrying the box I had set out for her to put her belongings in.
“You get everything?” I smiled, turning in my seat to face her.
“Mm-hm,” she mumbled. Piper sat the box on the counter and took a seat a few spots away from mine.
I stared at her profile. “Everything okay?”
She chuckled. “I’m getting fired, and my savings is almost drained. No, I’m not all right, Chance.” Piper stared down at the counter.
Um...okay...
“Piper, you missed a lot of work this summer.”
“You asked me if I needed time off,” she snapped.
I frowned. “And you told me no, but then basically took the entire summer off. And somedays, you didn’t even call in.”
“I told you I was going through some shit. I cried to you and everything.”
“And I was empathetic towards your problems, Piper. If you need a reference, you know I got you.”
“Fuck your reference.”
I grabbed my phone. “Okay, well, if you’re ready, we can go.” I didn’t have anything else to say to her. I was trying to be professional, and I wasn’t sure how much longer that was going to last with her cursing at me.
“Every day, I came in here to work, I wondered what he saw in you that he didn’t see in me.”
My gaze shot back towards her. “What?”
“I’m skinnier than you. I don’t wear weave. I’m funnier. I gave him two babies...” she chuckled wickedly. “I did whatever he wanted in the bedroom, left my life to come here for him, and it still wasn’t good enough.”
“Piper, you need to go.” My grip tightened on my phone. The dark look in her eyes was scary.
She got down from her seat and wrapped her hands around the box. “Did he really ask you to marry him?”
Marry me?
“Rel?” I gave her a confused look. “Rel is your ex-fiancé?”
“Bingo. And you took him from me.” She inched closer to me.
As I prepared to climb out of my seat, Piper wrapped what I assumed was a thin cord around the front of my neck. I tried to pull free, but her grip only tightened in return. She yanked my head back as she strangled me, making me drop my phone. Tears stung my eyes as fear washed over me. I was more scared for my baby than I was myself.
“Pi-Pi—” I tried to reach back and push her away, hit her...something. “Plea—"
“I love him.” I heard her crying as I continued to fight. “But he loves you, so I have to get rid of you, then he’ll love me again.”
True’s ringtone sounded off.
“I’m sorry, Chance, but I don’t lose.”
Everything faded to black, then I heard a gunshot go off. My body hit the floor with a loud thud. Tears leaked from my eyes as I gagged and coughed. When I started throwing up and dry heaving, someone came to my side and caressed my back. I cried loudly as they lifted me off the ground and carried me out.
True
Ten minutes earlier…
“Fuck them rigged-ass dice,” Tone crapped out.
I chuckled, snatching them up. “Yeah, yeah.”
“Y’all always gambling, yo.” Ava walked up on us. “I’m convinced it’s becoming a problem.” She stood next to Roman.
He gave her a side hug. “I thought you was meeting up wit’ yo’ homegirls?”
“I am, I’m just waiting on Chance to get home. She’s still at the shop, taking care of some last-minute business.”
Hearing my Jelly’s name made my heart throb.
“She said it shouldn’t take long, though. Somebody had to get something that belonged to them.” Ava took his cup from him and took a sip. “I was gon’ wait at the daiquiri shop, but wanted to see what you were doing.”
I looked over at her as I stood up straight. “She say who?”
Ava nodded. “Some chick named Piper or some shit like that.” I dropped the dice. “Hol’ up.” Going into my pocket, I grabbed my phone and dialed Chance.
As I waited for her to answer, everybody else stood around quietly. When her voicemail picked up, my eyes shot to Ava. I remembered the short conversation we’d had about that Piper chick. When Chance mentioned her, she seemed uncomfortable about firing her.
“Call her for me, Av.”
“Okay.” Ava looked concern. “You know the chick or something?” she asked, looking down at her phone.
“Nah...” I neared her.
Ava put her p
hone to her ear.
I stared down at her, waiting for her to get Chance on the line. When she pulled it away from her face, she looked at me.
“She didn’t answer.”
I nodded, reaching into my pocket for my keys. “What location she at?”
“I...I don’t know.” Ava rushed after me. “True, I swear to God, you scaring me. Tell me what’s going on, yo.”
“Ava, go home and wait on me,” Roman demanded as we reached my whip.
“But—"
“Do what the fuck I said!” he yelled as we hopped in. Tone jumped in the back. Pulling out of the parking lot, I called Chance back. Again, her voicemail picked up.
“Yo, E,” Tone spoke from behind me. “You talked to Chance today?” he paused. “Which location is she at, and call her on three-way for me real quick.”
Roman answered his phone. “Ava, go home like I said. Everything is all right. We handling it.”
“E said she ain’t talked to her since earlier, and she ain’t answering for her either.”
My heart dropped to the pit of my stomach. Her shop locations were too far apart to end up at the wrong one if something had happened to her. Surfing through my contacts, I called the security guard I’d hired for her inner city location.
“Drake,” Roman spoke into his phone. “You mobile? A’ight, do me a solid and go to Chance’s shop. Yeah, the one we went to the other day. A’ight.”
The security didn’t answer his phone, either.
“The fuck, man?!” I flexed.
I wasn’t the kind of nigga to scare easily. Shit, to be honest, I didn’t scare at all, but if I had to place a bet on what emotion was taking over me at this very moment, it would be fear. Fear that Chance needed me, and I wasn’t there. Fear that if Chance was in danger, then my baby was, too.
Since Drake was going to the shop in the city, I sped to the one in Lee’s Summit. I called Chance once more, only driving myself crazier when she didn’t pick up. When we were ten minutes away from the shop, my phone rang. Quickly snatching it up, thinking it was Drake, that punk-ass fear kicked in. I was scared to know the result of what he had or hadn’t found.
