“That’s not true. I can handle them. You can come to visit the kids in Miami after you complete your required counseling sessions.” Malcolm waited for Olivia’s response.
“What part of no, don’t you understand?”
“Okay, here’s the deal. Simone and Christian are having a rough time with other kids making fun of them. They’ve been struggling with keeping friends since the fire. For their safety and well-being, they need to be in a different environment.”
“No.”
Malcolm leaned back. “You know what? I need to go to the bathroom. Hold that thought and I’ll be right back.” He left the table heading to the rear of the café.
“He has lost his mind if he thinks I’m going to wait on him for more of this bull.” Olivia grabbed money from her wallet and tossed it on the table. She snatched her coat and purse from the seat, pivoted on the heel of her sneaker, and stormed toward the front of the restaurant.
The tinkle of a bell made Olivia glance at the entrance as the door to the café opened. A woman, dressed in a too-tight, too-short, candy-cane striped dress, entered wobbling in high-heeled shoes. The matted, rabbit fur jacket she wore remained open with an inability to stretch across her belly to fasten. She didn’t offer a smile to Olivia, rolled her eyes upward, and snorted, “Humph.”
Olivia burrowed her brow in confusion about who this unkempt woman could be who blocked her pathway to the exit.
“Excuse me, ma’am.” She squeezed past the woman who appeared ready to give birth any day.
The lady rolled her eyes at Olivia again as she passed and huffed, “Excuse you.”
“Wait, what?” Olivia peeked across her shoulder at the woman. “Not today, Satan.” She placed her hand on the door to exit when she heard the woman speak again.
“Hey, Papi.”
Papi? Olivia recognized the voice and the words. A chill covered her body, bringing goosebumps to her arms. Olivia would never forget what led to the destruction of her marriage, home, and life as she once knew it to be. She snapped her body around away from the exit. Malcolm stood next to the woman.
The look of guilt on his face and twisted lips said it all. The coffee in her stomach rose into her esophagus, leaving a sour taste in her mouth.
“Umm. Olivia. This is Mariah. Mariah, this is Olivia.” Malcolm had the nerve to introduce them as if they were at a cocktail party.
“So we finally meet,” Mariah said, a smirk across her face.
One, two, three…Calm down, Olivia. Don’t let this trigger a reaction…four, five, six…I am the captain of my soul...seven, eight…strive to be happy…nine, ten…I got this.
Malcolm and his thot had no idea how close they were to seeing the old Olivia Maxwell rear her ugly head.
TWO
Savannah “Savvy” Menefee
Thrilled to find an empty pump at a crowded gas station, Savvy wheeled her BMW into a spot to fill up. She groaned at the $3.65 price for premium.
Sweaty from attending a high-intensity interval training workout class, she zipped her warm-up jacket as far as it could go to block the frigid wind. The knitted cap yanked on top of her micro braids, protected her damp head. The cold front wasn’t a deterrent from getting out of bed and making it to the gym early in the morning. The bipolar weather in San Antonio tended to increase thirty degrees to hotter temperatures by noon at this time of the year.
With a plan to pump gas as fast as possible and jump back into the warmth of the car, Savvy removed a credit card from her wallet and opened the door to get out. White puffs of air plumed from her mouth as she blew on her hands to keep them warm once she paid and placed the nozzle in the tank.
Loud music blared from a silver car that drove to the other side of the pump. Despite the cold temperature, the driver’s windows were lowered. Disrespectful lyrics poured out.
Savvy peered around the pump to find out who expressed the need to disturb the peace with explicit music that continued to play after the driver turned the car off. A handsome man with cocoa brown skin, emerged from the car to enter the convenience store. He tugged the top of his jeans with one hand to raise them to his waist before they fell and hugged below his hips.
The man sauntered back to his car to begin pumping gas. Disregarding the chill in the air, he wore a white wife-beater undershirt, above the ankle, wide-legged baggy denim shorts, white high-top sneakers, and a red baseball cap turned backward. He didn’t appear to mind the cold. Waiting for the tank to fill, he leaned against the trunk. He made eye contact with Savvy and nodded his head in her direction with a smile.
Savvy’s face warmed from the embarrassment of him catching her staring. She turned her head to focus on the price gauge and sucked her teeth.
The man emerged from around the pump. Surprised, she jumped and almost knocked the nozzle from the car’s gas tank.
“How are you doing today, baby?” he asked.
Savvy turned, checking to find out who he may have been speaking to. She focused on him with confusion and shouted above the music, “Baby? Who are you calling, baby?”
The man pointed at her. “I’m talking to you, sweetie.” He chuckled, grinding on gum in an intentional slow way. Dimples showed in his cheeks each time his jaw chewed. His eyes penetrated Savvy and warmed her body in the cold air. She stopped shivering.
“Oh. I’m fine.” Savvy refocused on the numbers on the pump, which seemed to click by slower than usual. She became self-conscious about her tight, turquoise workout pants, which
accentuated her behind. The jacket she wore didn’t have enough fabric to hide from what seemed to be his x-ray vision eyes.
“Oh. Is my music too explicit for you? I know some ladies don’t care for anything with cuss words in it. You seem like you prefer something by Missy Elliot instead. Hold up. I’ll change it.”
Before Savvy could respond, he jogged to his car and switched to We Run This. He returned to the same spot in front of Savvy. “What do you think about this song?”
Savvy shrugged. “I like it. One of my favorites.”
“I figured you would. You seem like someone who’s running thangs.” He tilted his head back. His eyes roamed across her body without discretion. “You been working out?”
Savvy tugged the bottom of her jacket then folded her arms. She glanced at him before diverting her eyes. “Yes.”
“I know you work out. Your body is tight.” He smiled and nodded as if in approval of her physique.
“Um. Thank you, I guess.” Savvy had enough of this conversation. Although her tank wasn’t full yet, she reached toward the pump handle to stop filling the car.
“Here, I’ll help you.” The man jumped to grab the nozzle and replace it in the pump before she could. He used his other hand to yank at the back of his beltless shorts, which had begun to drop further below his waistline. “Allow me to be a gentleman to a beautiful woman.”
“Thank you. I could’ve done it myself.” Savvy inched backward to increase the distance between them.
“Let a man help you. It’s what real men do.” His eyes roamed across her body again. “You have a nice booty. I know it’s real and not fake.”
“Excuse me?” Savvy’s head snapped in his direction.
“Ha. I got your attention. You weren’t expecting me to give you a compliment like that, did ya?” The man laughed at his own joke. “I’m messin’ with ya. I’m not trying to be rude to you.”
Savvy planted a hand on her hip and glared at him. “Rude isn’t even half of the problem.”
The man didn’t stop laughing. “I’m sorry. For real, tho’. Please forgive me for disrespecting you.”
Savvy contemplated the sincerity in his apology. “Okay. I’ll forgive you. You were about to get told off.”
“I know you ain’t playin’. I had to come up with something to get your guard down. You were looking serious when I first said ‘hello’.” He extended his hand after wiping it on his shorts. “I�
�m Kolby Alfredson. With a K. What’s your name?”
Savvy hesitated before shaking his hand. “Hi, Kolby with a K. I’m Savvy Menefee. Short for Savannah.”
A horn blared behind his car. He yelled at the driver, “Hey man. I’m helping this lady out.” He shook his head and returned his gaze to Savvy. “Do you mind parking on the side? I’d like to holla at you for a minute. I’m new around here, and I have questions about a few places.”
Savvy huffed with impatience before glancing at her smartwatch. She wasn’t interested in talking to him and was anxious to get to the office.
Recently promoted, her new position as a Global Marketing Manager for a biotechnology company lingered on her mind. Driven by success, the next goal she had was to become the Marketing Director. Based on her performance since day one, the Vice President mentioned they had big plans for her career.
Seeing Kolby’s dimpled smile helped her decide to assist him. “I don’t have much time. I’ll go into the parking lot area to the left for a moment.”
“Bet. Thanks, sweetie. I’ll meet you after I finish.” He hoisted his shorts again and placed the nozzle back in the gas pump before starting the car.
Savvy got into her vehicle and drove to a parking space. Feeling self-conscious, she put her nose against her underarm and took a quick sniff to make sure her deodorant still worked. Aside from questioning her common sense about staying, she contemplated leaving to get a much-needed shower.
Before she could decide to leave, Kolby parked next to her and got out. He had enough sense to put on a black leather jacket, left wide open. Savvy couldn’t help herself, staring at his physique, accentuated by the coat. She lowered the car window when he sauntered toward her. A gust of chilly air whipped inside. She cranked the heat higher to stay warm as he talked.
“You waited for me.” A lottery winner smile spread from one ear to the other.
“I stayed to answer your questions. The clock is ticking. I need to go. What do you want information about?” Savvy grew impatient and rubbed her arms. She didn’t want the morning wasted.
“My bad. I should’ve known you have a busy schedule. Where’s a good place to get shrimp and grits for breakfast?”
“Shrimp and grits? The best place is Swampyfood Café,” Savvy suggested without missing a beat. “No question, they have the best in town.”
“Alright. Is it close by?” Kolby asked.
“It’s a few blocks away.” Savvy pointed toward the restaurant.
“Perfect. I prefer staying close to Interstate 35. It’ll be easy to jump back on to drive to Dallas.”
“What’s going on in Dallas?” Savvy asked with a hint of curiosity. She wanted to kick herself for showing any interest in carrying on a conversation.
“I drive for a living. I’ll drop off this car in Dallas and bring back another one for a customer. I get to travel throughout Texas and Louisiana. It’s good work.” He beamed with pride about his job.
“It’s great you get to travel to a lot of places.” Savvy glanced at the clock in the car before turning back to him. “Did you have any other questions before I go?”
Kolby bit his bottom lip with his top teeth in a seductive way. He stood back with his feet together and legs bowed out. He used his hands to talk. “Would a pretty woman like you mind eating with a guy like me?”
Kolby’s question caught Savvy by surprise. “What?”
He approached her car. “Excuse me if what I’m about to say sounds corny. You seem like a sophisticated kind of lady and I’m enamored by your smile.” He paused and licked his thick lips. “I hate eating by myself everywhere I go. If you would bless me with your presence at Swampyfood Café, it would help make my four-hour ride to Dallas much more enjoyable.”
Savvy couldn’t think of a word to say. She didn’t like the way he dressed. As a tradeoff, he had handsome facial features and was charming.
“Since I planned to grab a bite to eat after my workout, I guess I’ll join you since you paid me such a nice compliment,”
Savvy agreed.
Kolby’s face beamed with joy as if he were a child opening gifts on Christmas morning. “For real? Did you say ‘yes’?” He danced around in the parking lot and held his pants up with one hand.
His excitement about her accepting a meal with him surprised Savvy. She had to admit, he was intriguing. “Yes, I’ll go.”
“You got it. I’ll jump in my car and follow you.”
“Okay. I’ll see you there.”
Savvy drove onto the street toward Swampyfood Café. She called her best friend, Olivia, and left a voicemail message.
“Girl. I met this guy named Kolby Alfredson at the gas station on 410 and I-35. He looks like a thug version of Idris Elba. He asked me to join him for breakfast at Swampyfood Café. He’s driving a silver Mercury Sable, which is a car he picked up for his job. You aren’t going to believe this. His pants are sagging, showing his plaid-covered behind. You know he must be cute for me to hang with him. I wanted you to be aware in case anything happens to me. I’ll fill you in later. Bye.”
THREE
Olivia
The website, Large Luscious Latina Ladies Love Black Men, raced through Olivia’s mind. She lost the ability to speak for a moment. If boiling blood could burn through her veins, orange flames of fire would leap from her skin to consume Malcolm and Mariah.
Mariah. The recollection of lewd videos and photos of naked women she found in Malcolm’s phone made their way into her head. She recalled finding the chat page pictures on the website, which Malcolm left open on their home computer by mistake. The pornographic images still seared her brain.
“Aww, hell naw.” Olivia slammed the door of the café open and darted outside. She didn’t notice the sting of the wintery air hitting her lungs as she sucked in oxygen.
“Olivia. Wait.” Malcolm’s footsteps pounded behind her into the parking lot. Mariah followed them. Her labored breathing sounded raspy as if her lungs pressed against her trachea.
Olivia turned and Malcolm almost ran into her. She placed her hands on his chest and shoved him away. “What is this? Why is she here?”
Before Malcolm could answer, Mariah snapped her head toward him and blurted out with an attitude, “Why is she asking you about why I’m here? You told me you needed to speak to her to tell her about us.”
“Hold on, Mariah. I-I hadn’t gotten to it yet,” Malcolm stuttered.
“Tell me what?” Olivia asked. Her temples pulsated with a readiness to burst at any moment. The light from the sun blurred as rage grew in the pit of her stomach. The pounding of her heart beating in her ears muffled the sound of everything.
“I’m going to be his wife now.” Mariah raised her swollen left hand to show an apple-seed sized diamond ring. “I’m also happy to say, I’m twenty weeks pregnant. Your kids are about to have a baby brother.” Mariah declared this news with joy as if they were the best of friends. Her sniffy attitude didn’t pass above Olivia’s head.
“Engaged? Pregnant? What the hell? You got her pregnant while we were still married?” Olivia fixated her eyes on Malcolm and noticed beads of sweat forming above his lip.
“Yeah. See. I attempted to t-tell you,” Malcolm stammered.
Mariah gazed at Olivia with teary eyes. She placed her hand on Malcolm’s tremoring hand. “We’re moving in with the rest of my kids and my mother. She’s not doing well these days with her bad heart. I can’t expect her to keep taking care of my children on her own with her health being as bad as it is now. I only relocated to San Antonio to get away from their trifling fathers. I didn’t plan to be here this long. I met Malcolm and fell in love with him.”
Olivia’s chest rose and fell ten times before she could calm her anger enough to answer without screaming. She turned her attention to Mariah. “Why are you talking to me as if I’m your friend and care about anything in your life? You are with my husband.”
Before Mariah respond
ed, Olivia focused on Malcolm. “You lied to me again. This has nothing to do with money for our kids. I see you spent my money on a Cracker Jack engagement ring. You’re moving my children to Miami to be with your new family. Is this what’s going on here?”
“Olivia. I didn’t lie to you. You wouldn’t let me finish explaining why I asked you to meet me today. Mariah hasn’t been able to work at the bowling alley because of the stress of the pregnancy. I haven’t drummed up enough prospects for my marketing business since I’ve been too busy with the kids. We might get kicked out of the apartment due to late payments.”
“Wait. When you say ‘we,’ do you mean you and the kids are about to get evicted? Or are you telling me she’s living in your apartment with you, too?” Olivia’s eyes darted back and forth between Malcolm and Mariah.
“Baby, you didn’t tell her I moved in last month?” Mariah’s eyebrows pinched together beneath her bangs. “I thought you were going to let her know.”
Olivia refused to acknowledge Mariah. She directed her questions to Malcolm, who now had sweat pouring along the sides of his face despite the frigid air.
“A month? This whore has been living in the apartment with our kids all this time and no one said anything to me? What’s going on Malcolm?” Olivia yelled.
“Whore? Who are you calling a whore?” Mariah yelled and pointed her finger at Olivia with a barrage of Spanish curse words spilling from her mouth.
“Malcolm, you’d better get this trick out of my face,” Olivia demanded and slapped Mariah’s hand from in front of her. “Vete al infierno. Don’t think I don’t understand what you said. If you weren’t pregnant, I’d grab you by your greasy hair and knock you out. Call me those names one more time.” She didn’t care about other people standing around in the parking lot watching. Someone held a cell phone up to record the ordeal.
“Oh, no you didn’t put your hands on me,” Mariah yelled and attempted to lunge at Olivia. The heel on her shoe snapped. Malcolm caught her and she kept running her mouth. “You hate the fact he’s with me because you’re a racist and you don’t like Hispanics.”
Insatiable Revenge Page 2