Upside Down In Love

by Dominique Thomas

  “Yeah how is she doing? I have to go see her baby.”

  Dreux frowned. He licked his lips as he stared at Billie.

  “She’s good but why the fuck Malachi mom have her co-sign for a loan then dip out on her. She was getting ready to pay on it when I popped up at her house. The shit is for $40,000 and shit.”

  Billie’s eyes widened. She scratched her scalp that was in dire need of a deep conditioning and shook her head. Let Malachi tell it he was paying the bills at his mother’s home.

  “What do you mean? So, she’s losing the house?” she asked wondering what that meant for Malachi and her son.

  “Nah, she’s not cause my mom saved her lazy ass then she basically said fuck my mom. For some reason, my mom keeps letting my auntie shit on her. I’m not her though. I paid the loan off cause my mom not ever gone take the L but I’m not either. I hit my auntie up twice and her ass trying to cry that broke shit, so I hit up her son. I told that nigga to hit me with $3,000, today or it was gone be a fucking problem and I wanted $1500 a month from them. I’m not fucking around either. They paying me that shit back,” Dreux said adamantly.

  Billie sighed. $3000. Immediately she knew what her money was going to be put towards. Her insides coiled with anger as she thought of how fucking shady Malachi was.

  “Wow I don’t know what to say,” she said quietly trying to mask her anger.

  Dreux chuckled darkly as he sat up in the large bed.

  “You aint gotta say shit. I’m meeting up with that nigga at five and he better have my shit or else. I wouldn’t shoot him, but I would beat his ass. He not broke and neither is his cheap wine drinking ass mama,” Dreux vented and Billie had to smile.

  Malachi’s mom did love her some cheap ass wine.

  “Well hopefully he will give it to you,” she muttered knowing that he would because she was giving Malachi the money.

  “Oh, he will. What you doing today?”

  Billie thought of her upcoming errands as she hit her vape again. The smoke flowed through her nose as she stared at Dreux.

  “Going to see my mom then the lawyer. You know court is coming up.”

  Dreux leaned towards Billie and ran his hands through her mass of ashe blonde strands. She closed her eyes as he massaged her scalp.

  “I know and you gone be good. Don’t stress about shit baby. You want me to go see your mom with you?” he asked.

  Billie’s eyes peered open at her man. She wasn’t sure what she’d done right in life but damn she was lucky to have him.

  “I thought you had plans today.”

  Dreux’s thick brows pulled together. He licked his full lips as he stared at her intently.

  “For you I would cancel all that shit. Just say the word.”

  Billie’s heart warmed at his words. She leaned in and sensually kissed his soft lips. Dreux gripped her strands and she giggled against his lips.

  “I love you baby. How much you love me?”

  Dreux chuckled still holding her strands hostage. He kissed her again and his eyes ate her alive. Love, adoration, devotion, and loyalty sat in his lids as he peered at her.

  “More than I ever loved anything in this fucking world sexy. That much. Come hop on this dick before you go,” he told her and pulled a giggling Billie onto his lap.

  An hour later Billie pulled up to the gas station near Malachi’s job. She threw her car in park and grabbed her phone. After sexing Dreux she was ready to go back to sleep, but her day was just beginning. Her fingers moved swiftly as she sent off a text.

  I’m here.

  The message was immediately read with no response. Billie tapped her coffin natural colored nail on the middle console as she stared out of her car’s window. Her body grew tired with every minute that passed. Her eyes grew heavy and as twenty minutes rolled around Malachi was tapping on her window. A cocky smirk sat on his chunky face as he stared down into the car. Like always he was rocking a fresh haircut with nice threads. He looked as if he was ready to hit the streets instead of hitting up his job.

  Billie sucked her teeth as she looked him over.

  She grabbed the neatly stacked money. Money that she’d busted her ass for. Money that she was hoping to put into her sons account, and she rolled her window down. She stuck her hand out and rolled her eyes.

  She absolutely hated Malachi.

  “Here’s ten. I’ll help you pay off the rest. Why would you tell me you were helping your mom when clearly you weren’t?”

  Malachi snatched the money from Billie’s hand and placed it in his jean pocket. He leaned into the car and the strong stench of marijuana assaulted Billie’s nostrils.

  “Look, I was fucking helping her! She was taking my shit and not paying her bills. It’s hard-taking care of a fucking kid when you doing the shit by yourself.”

  Billie’s head snapped back, and she laughed lightly.

  “You got some fucking nerve. Now you doing this by yourself? Yes, I fucked up. Yes, I messed up very badly, but I never once stopped providing for my child!”

  Malachi nodded. He glared down at Billie as she frowned back at him.

  “How the fuck you know about my family’s business? You and that nigga must still be real close,” he said referring to Dreux.

  “Did I ever say we wasn’t? I’ve been close with him since I was a damn teenager. That’s how I know you! Don’t start with me Malachi. I can’t believe you lied to me about getting your car fixed,” she replied.

  Malachi waved her off and his shiny watch caught her eye.

  “And I can’t believe you dropped the ball and almost killed our damn son. Neither one of us is perfect. I hope you know he got a bitch. I heard she live with him too while you running behind him and shit. Looking dumb as fuck. You need to be focusing on being a good mom to Kawan and trying to make our family work,” he told her.

  Billie’s eyes rolled as she stared straight ahead.

  “Malachi you and I will never be nothing more than two people that made a child together. You need to focus on fixing what your mom did. That wasn’t right,” Billie said angered by his words.

  “What!” Malachi moved quickly to pulled Billie’s door open.

  Billie tossed her car in drive and sped away as he hollered obscenities at her vehicle. Billie’s heart beat didn’t slow down until she was pulling onto the freeway. Billie road to see her mother in silence. She was thankful for all of the things the Lord had blessed her with still an emptiness filled her insides when it came to her parents and her son. Her father was in another state playing house with his mistress while her mother suffered alone.

  Billie had grown up in a nice upper middle-class family. Had everything that a kid could want and while she modeled and lived out her dreams her parents secretly battled it out. Her father was a womanizer and to cope with his infidelities her mother turned to the casino. Her mom started a serious gambling addiction that resulted in them losing nearly everything.

  After driving for forty-five minutes Billie pulled up to the recovery center. Billie made good money modeling and her income went to her son and her mom. To take care of them she was close to being broke. Being the sole provider wasn’t easy at all. And the truth was without Dreux, Billie wouldn’t be living as comfortable as she was.

  “Lord, let her be doing good today,” she prayed before exiting her car.

  Billie quickly went into the large white building and signed in. She was then checked for drugs and weapons before being sent through. Billie waited for twenty minutes before she was called to the visitation room. Her face lit up when she spotted her tall, modelesque mother at a white round table.

  “Bethany! Look at you!” her mother Eva spoke excitedly.

  Billie sighed with relief after seeing her mother’s good disposition. She rushed into her mother’s slender arms and hugged her tight. Tears threatened to fall as Eva embraced her.

  “I love you pretty girl. You know that?” her mom whispered.

  Billie nodded. She believed it. W
hen they lost the house.

  She believed it.

  When they lost the cars.

  She believed it.

  When her mom cleaned out all the accounts including her modeling account that she’d had from the age of three…

  She believed it.

  Billie loved her mom and regardless of the things she done she knew in her heart that her mother loved her as well.

  However, her mom had an addiction. Billie believed it was how she’d easily picked up her habit of drinking.

  “I know ma, and I love you too.”

  They both sat down, and Billie’s mother smiled at her. Billie matched the smile as she soaked in her mom’s natural beauty. It was who she’d gotten her looks from. Eva was tall with striking features. The perfect sized nose and lips. High cheek bones with almond slanted eyes. Long thick ashe blonde hair and a slim frame. Eva was an investment banker before her fall. Had gone to school for it and was great at what she did.

  “How are you doing?” Billie asked breaking the silence.

  Eva shrugged.

  “Okay, I guess. Some days are good, and some are really bad. It’s my third time coming here baby. I can’t keep taking your money for this place and relapsing. I have to fix this addiction. I can’t let it ruin anymore of my good years. I wish I was as strong as you,” her mom revealed.

  Billie grabbed her mothers’ soft hands and squeezed them gently.

  “You are. God is faithful mommy. You taught me that and he will get us through this. Don’t worry about the money. Just take your time getting better.”

  Eva sighed with worry on her pretty caramel colored face.

  “This place is $5,000 a month Billie. You have Kawan and your own self to think of. Like I haven’t done enough now you have to pay for this and its embarrassing. I feel like a failure,” her mom revealed.

  Billie let her mothers’ hands go and she stood up. She sat beside her mom and pulled her to her side. The money she didn’t care about. You couldn’t take the shit with you when you left the earth anyway. For the people she loved she would do anything for them. That wasn’t up for debate.

  “Close your eyes mom,” she instructed quietly.

  Eva began to quietly weep as Billie held her.

  “No weapon formed against us shall prosper. The God we serve is a mighty God. I pray in the name of Jesus that he delivers you from this addiction like he delivered me. Like he is still delivering me. I pray that he heals your pain, binds your wounds, and set you free. For he is the only one who can give you real joy. Real inner peace. Amen.”

  “Amen,” Eva sniffled out.

  Billie sighed. She rocked her mother back and forth slowly as she began to sing.

  “Jesus loves me this I know. For the bible tells me so,” she sung lowly.

  Eva smiled with wet eyes as she joined in with Billie. It was a song that Billie’s mother had often sung to her as a child.

  “Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me,” Eva sung out loud.

  Billie exhaled as her body relaxed. Slowly her worry dissipated, and she knew in that moment that God was surrounding them. Billie kissed her mother’s forehead as her own eyes misted over.

  “We’ll be fine. This too shall pass mommy,” she whispered believing that it would.

  What good was it to pray and worry? Billie knew that in order for the Lord to work you had to really give all of your problems to Him.

  Billie returned home late into the night tired. Her feet moved slowly as she walked through her bricked home. Trey Songs played from the upstairs garnering her attention. Billie stepped out of her heels and headed to the second floor.

  Rose petals lined the hardwood floors and led to the bedroom. Billie’s beautiful face stretched into a smile as she entered the master bedroom.

  Their master bedroom.

  “Dreux Kawan Jones. What are you up to?” Billie asked peering around her large bedroom.

  A year ago, Dreux asked her to move in with him. Billie had been shacking up with Novah and hadn’t planned on leaving anytime soon but his request was well received. Billie accepted it and didn’t regret it. Dreux owned a beautiful townhome in Midtown. The property was in an excellent location and Billie knew that when he was ready to sell it people would be fighting for the place.

  “Trying to keep you smiling. I know it’s always hard when you go see your mom. Take off your clothes,” Dreux replied sitting in the large winged back chair that sat in the corner of their room.

  Next to the nightstand beside the chair was a bottle of Roi Merde Rose. It was top notch liquor from Detroit’s own rapper Kasam. And like Diddy when he brought out Cîroc or Rick Ross with his Bellaire, the drink was instantly a hit selling out in all of the stores.

  Billie eyed the tall equiangular brown shiny bottle before looking at her man. Dreux sat slouched in the chair with a large black towel wrapped around his waist. His lusty hooded eyes deliberately ghosted up and down her slim body and he licked his lips. His taper possessed a longer curly look to it still he donned a fresh line up. A smirk ghosted across his face as he stared her way. “Get naked and come here,” he instructed.

  Billie moved as if she were in a marathon stripping away her attire for the day. Once she was down to her birthday suit, she sauntered over to her man. Dreux pulled Billie onto his lap and his erection attempted to break through the thick towel in search of her warm tunnel.

  Dreux chuckled as he leaned towards her.

  “That nigga looking for you like where she at? Where she at?” he joked.

  Billie smiled. She laughed lightly until Dreux was removing the towel from his waist. He lifted Billie up and slid his member deep inside of her. Billie’s body quaked with pleasure as she slowly slid down his thick dick. Dreux slapped her ass gently as he gazed up into her eyes.

  “Damn, she wet and ready too. Bounce on it for me,” he demanded.

  Billie rode him faster as he cupped her 34 C cups. Billie’s eyes rolled as her body grew warm. Already his thick ass dick was knocking against her spot. Billie’s chest heaved up and down as she stared into Dreux’s eyes.

  “I love you so much baby,” she whispered.

  Dreux nodded. He tweaked her nipples as his teeth sunk into his bottom lip.

  “I love the shit out of you too. Stick out your tongue,” he commanded.

  Like his love slave Billie stuck out her pretty pink tongue. Dreux sucked on her tongue vigorously as he fucked her from the bottom. His large hands cupped her ass as he pulled Billie close to him. Billie’s cries of pleasure came out muffled as her sex secreted love juices all over his member.

  “Damn, this pussy so good,” Dreux muttered.

  He leaned Billie back and with her sitting on his lap with her head hanging back he fucked the shit out of her until they were both erupting so loudly, so strong that they broke the chair.

  Two days later Billie watched her man as pride coursed through her veins. She cheesed a big stupid grin as he stood before the young impressionable men that were all in some local gang doing God knows what.

  Dreux removed the Mitchell and Ness Detroit snap back and his eyes peered intently at the group of young men. Briefly he looked Billie’s way and she winked at him.

  “I’ll keep this quick. My man’s runs this place and asked me if I could come through. I met him when we was around y’all age. We hung in the hood daily. Bragged bout things we didn’t have and got into a lot of trouble. We both could have been dead or in jail, but we chose a different route. We saw how people was dying daily. We saw shit that I knew I didn’t want for myself and I’m glad he felt that same way. We started back going to class. Pulled our grades up and we was both given scholarships. Going away to college was hard. I had to leave my family and the love of my life,” he noted, and Billie swallowed hard when he looked at her.

  Back then times was hard for them. She was always busy and so was he. Life was pulling them in separate directions, and it was in those weak moments that she’d started to lean on Malac
hi. Malachi could never replace Dreux, but he had been a shoulder to cry on.

  “I did what I had to do however to secure my future. My mom told me a long time ago that all I had was my education. Do you know what society thinks about young black men like yourselves?” he asked.

  A few boys nodded while most stared blankly at Dreux. Dreux smirked at them before shaking his head.

  “That if you want to hide something from black people, put it in a book. They don’t expect y’all to live past 18. Shit now maybe 16 with the way the cops taking us out. I know better than anybody how it is growing up in Detroit. It’s hard but the only way you can change your life is to change yourself. Nothing happens by chance. I now own my own business. I got cars, money in the bank and property. That happened by hard work and dedication. I didn’t steal to get it or sell drugs. I didn’t have to, and I believe that if you are a hustler you can hustle anything. I brought checks with me. I wanna help y’all beat the odds. Not be a statistic but you gotta want that too. I’m giving away cash for scholarships but only to the people that want it,” Dreux said and Billie clapped before everyone else in the room.

  Dreux’s mother stood at her side clapping loudly as well. Both women calmed down once Dreux wasn’t infront of the room and Billie turned to his mother. They were close and always had been. Billie loved and respected her and often went to her with her daily issues.

  “How are things going with you and my son?” his mom asked while smiling.

  Billie watched Dreux speak with a couple of young black men and she sighed. Things with him was….

  Perfect.

  “Great. I can’t complain. How are you?”

  Dreux’s mother shrugged while staring Billie’s way. She smiled but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.

  “I’ve seen better days. It’s a lot going on with the family right now. I’m not sure if he told you.”

  Billie’s brows knitted together. She scooted closer to Dreux’s mom and she continued.

  “I can’t go into detail just yet, but I need for you to promise me something baby. Can you please hold off on telling everyone about you and my son? I need to fix things with everyone then you can tell them,” his mom explained.