Upside Down In Love

by Dominique Thomas

  “You good? You look sick.”

  Novah nodded. The watery bile coming up made her pull away from Durand and rush out of the room. She ran to the closest bathroom and as soon as she entered the empty stall the contents of her stomach spilled into the commode. Novah frowned as she spit up everything, she’d eaten that day. Her head ached ferociously as she stood up.

  “Let’s get you cleaned up,” Durand said pulling her out of the stall.

  Novah jumped and turned to him. Her hand flew to her chest as she looked up into his eyes.

  “You scared the shit out of me,” she said and laughed nervously.

  Durand looked her up and down. He turned on the water and wet a paper towel for Novah. Novah stood still as he cleaned her face. He then tossed the towel and kissed her forehead.

  “Come on,” he said before pulling her away.

  For two hours Novah sat inside of the studio with Durand and his group mates. She met Malano’s wife Quinn and her bestfriend Erin whom was Durand’s old manager Kasam’s, wife. Novah felt at home and welcomed amongst everyone and that eased her nerves still she couldn’t shake her stomach and headache woes. She rested on the leather sofa with her head propped up on Quinn’s jacket as Durand wrapped up his verses on their new song.

  “Hey this should make you feel better,” Quinn said passing Novah some ginger pills along with a bottle of water.

  Novah smiled as she took the items.

  “Thank you so much.”

  Quinn shook her head. She was gorgeous in person and Novah felt the pictures she’d seen of her online did her no justice.

  “Girl we’ve all been there. Pregnancy is a bitch.”

  “Yes, it is,” Erin added in as she sat beside Quinn.

  Novah’s heart raced at Quinn’s words. She noticed Malano and Trill staring at her and she felt herself getting light headed.

  “I’m not pregnant girl,” she laughed.

  Quinn and Erin joined in with her as Durand stepped out of the booth.

  “Oh, my bad. I’m not trying to put that nine-month sentence on you. Let’s exchange numbers so we can hook up for lunch. Any friend of Durand’s is a friend of ours,” Quinn told her.

  “Yes, he never brings women around, so we are geeked to see you,” Erin told her.

  Novah laughed as she looked their way. She exchanged numbers with Quinn and Erin and was soon leaving the studio with Durand. After grabbing food from a local soul food spot Durand went back with Novah to her home. They took a quick shower and retreated to Novah’s bed. Durand answered calls from his lawyer as Novah picked over her macaroni and cheese.

  The food smelled delicious, but the thought of eating food made her want to hurl again.

  “My mom loved the spa party. I know she was in there wilding out with her girls,” Durand said as he put his phone away.

  Novah thought back on meeting Durand’s young, vivacious mother and she laughed. His mom and her friends were definitely a lively bunch.

  “She was and she looks so young.”

  Durand sat his food onto the marble nightstand and looked at Novah.

  “She is. She had me when she was twelve. She gave me up for adoption and I didn’t meet her until six years ago,” he revealed.

  Novah stared at him with wide eyes not sure what to say.

  “When I was younger, I hated her. I felt like an orphan until I met Trill and Malano. They was in the group home with me. We ran the streets together and eventually shacked up with Trill’s bm. Her grandmother for some damn reason allowed for us to sleep in her basement. It had to be God but even then, we was reckless. Jacking niggas and shit that’s how I was shot. Falling saved my life though.”

  Novah caressed his hairy cheek.

  “You’re blessed and that’s why you’re still here. How did you get over hating your mom?”

  Durand shrugged.

  “When she found me at one of my shows, I was so happy to see her that I let it go. We’d lost so many years together. I just didn’t have it in me to hate her anymore. I needed that love. That shit was like the missing puzzle piece. When we connected life changed for the better. Yeah, I had money and shit, but I wasn’t happy. Meeting her and reconnecting with that side of my family gave me the kind of happiness that you can’t pay for.”

  “Wow,” Novah murmured having a new respect for Durand.

  It took courage and strength to forgive and she was happy to see that he was mature enough to do such a thing.

  “My family life wasn’t like yours per say. I grew up in a middle-class family and my parents were the picture-perfect couple to me. They hated when I started doing videos, but they loved me enough to let me make my own mistakes. When I met Carter, my dad told me he wasn’t the one,” Novah said and dropped her gaze down to her ruffled duvet.

  Durand kissed Novah’s cheek and she smiled at him. He seemed to know to do the right thing at the right time.

  “He said that he didn’t really love me, and I ignored him. I guess what you said back at your place is kind of true. I fell in love with what I thought Carter could be. I wanted so badly to have what my parents had that I was willing to recreate that with any man. Even the wrong one.”

  Durand moved Novah’s food into the nightstand and pulled her onto his lap. Her t-shirt rode up as he massaged her bare bottom.

  “None of us are perfect. Everything happens for a reason. Without him you wouldn’t have your sons.”

  And without you I wouldn’t have this new baby.

  Novah shook her head to clear her thoughts. Durand began to kiss her neck as her cellphone rung.

  “Come with me to New York tomorrow. I’ll have you back before your lil dudes come home,” he said into her neck before tonguing it down.

  Novah felt her mouth grow watery and she sighed.

  “I’ll have to see. I do have a business baby.”

  Baby?

  The term of endearment made her frown but had the opposite effect on Durand. Novah eased off his lap. As she rushed to her bathroom her cellphone begin to ring. Novah ignored the call and turned the water on so that she could vomit in peace.

  Once Novah was sure her stomach couldn’t throw up anymore, she brushed her teeth. As she exited her bathroom Durand sat at the foot of her bed with his phone pressed to his ear. His eyes lifted to her and she gave him a small smile.

  “Ma, somebody blowing you up,” he told her.

  Novah grabbed her phone as her mom called her cell.

  “Hey, ma. Everything okay?”

  “No, Karter is in the hospital! He had an allergic reaction to some food that stupid ass Melanie cooked. We’re at the Henry Ford in Bloomfield,” her mom replied.

  Novah ended the call and quickly tossed on her ripped jeans. Durand sat his phone down and stared at her.

  “You good?”

  Novah’s chest heaved up and down as she took a second to look at Durand.

  “No, my mom said that one of my sons had an allergic reaction to some food. I have to go check on him.”

  Durand jumped up and rushed to place on his clothes as well. Together they exited Novah’s home and got into Durand’s truck. Novah held Durand’s hand tightly as he raced to the hospital.

  “He’s good. Relax,” he assured her quietly.

  Novah nodded with her left leg bouncing. Her babies had been blessed in the health department. They rarely caught colds and to know her son had eaten something involving seafood had her heated. It was the only thing he was allergic too and she knew because she’d had him tested for it a year ago after he’d taken some shrimp off her plate.

  Back then he’d only caught a fever, but the doctor let Novah and Carter know that it could potentially kill him if he injected too much.

  Novah’s teeth gritted as she thought of Carter and Melanie.

  “First week in and they already have my baby at the fucking hospital. I’m fucking them up,” she declared.

  Durand glanced over at her and lightly squeezed her hand.

 
; “Don’t do anything that could help his case. Just keep the paper trail and remain calm. I found this lawyer from here that has a good winning streak. He’s high as hell but I think he can help you. I’m waiting on him to call my mom back now.”

  Novah turned to Durand and frowned.

  “Your mom?” she asked with an angry bite to her question.

  Durand chuckled as he looked over at her.

  “Calm down man. I know you pissed but going in there on a hundred won’t be good for you and yeah, she’s like my assistant you would say. I have her do little shit and she likes it. You don’t mind that I told her, do you?”

  Novah thought of Durand’s mother and shook her head. His mom seemed like she was a genuinely good person and had been nice to Novah the entire time she’d been at the spa party.

  “No and sorry for the attitude. I’m not feeling well and with this on my mind I feel like I’ma throw up again,” she admitted.

  Durand nodded as he pulled up to the hospital.

  “Just relax sexy,” he said glancing over at her.

  After parking and entering the hospital it took Novah five minutes to locate her family. Her mom, sister, and Billie along with her cousin Arquez sat in the ER. On the other side of the room sat Carter and his people. Novah could feel Melanie burning a hole through her as she hugged her mom.

  “I wanna go slap that bitch,” Novah whispered to Normani.

  Normani rubbed Novah’s back lovingly.

  “You and me both. Slap some common sense into her ugly ass. Just relax cause we gone pull up on her,” Normani replied.

  “Aye, chill out,” Durand said rubbing Novah’s arm.

  Novah pulled back from her hug and went to Durand’s side. Since Carter she hadn’t brought another man home. It felt weird in a sense because she had no clue what the hell, they were doing but she was also comfortable with him. More relaxed than she’d ever been with a man and that scared her as well.

  “Everyone this is Durand my…my—”

  “Close friend. It’s nice to meet y’all,” Durand said and dapped up Arquez who wore a small smirk on his handsome face.

  Novah blushed as her mother gave her the side eye and before she could bask in the glow of introducing her family to Durand the nurse walked over.

  “I was told the mother was here,” the male nurse said with a blank look on his face.

  Novah walked up to him and nodded.

  “Where is my baby?”

  “Right this way,” he replied and walked away.

  Novah glanced back at Durand and he winked at her. She sighed as she walked off headed after the nurse. Carter met them halfway and stared Novah down as they headed for the room.

  “Why the fuck you bring that hoe ass nigga up here? Huh!”

  Novah and the male nurse stopped walking to look at Carter. Carter held a look of pure hatred on his face for Novah as he glared down at her.

  “Make that muthafucka leave right now,” he demanded lowly.

  “Sir you will have to calm down,” the nurse said looking Carters way.

  Carter waved off the nurse and reached for Novah’s arm. A large hand pressing against Novah’s back made her jump. She glanced behind her and sighed when her eyes connected with Durand’s.

  The anger radiating off Carter could be felt a mile away as he glared Durand’s way. Durand moved around Novah and held his hand out.

  “We done bumped into each other a few times but never like this. I’m —”

  “Did it look like I was interested in meeting you? Fuck outa my face,” Carter vented and walked off.

  Novah clutched Durand’s hand tightly. She looked to the male nurse and he stared down at her with an empathetic gaze.

  “Your son is fine. He ingested shellfish and it caused him to have an allergic reaction. I am warning you now that his face is slightly swollen but he’s okay. It’s a good thing the babysitter called when she did,” he told her.

  Babysitter?

  Shellfish?

  Novah’s mind was swirling with venomous thoughts. She swallowed hard and nodded. She grabbed onto Durand’s arm for support and the nurse led them into Karter’s hospital room.

  “Oh, my baby,” Novah said as she rushed over to her peacefully sleeping son.

  “He’s actually getting ready for discharge. The medicine made him drowsy,” the nurse told her.

  “I’d like a copy of the discharge papers,” Novah said before going over to her son.

  She kissed his handsome face as Durand rubbed her back. Just seeing her son in such a state made her sad. Broke her heart in a sense because she knew this would happen. It may have been small to some people but Novah didn’t want her boys to suffer in any sort of way. Carter wanted the kids more and already he was fucking up.

  The sad thing was she wasn’t surprised.

  “He’s good,” Durand said lowly.

  His words relaxed Novah and again she was grateful for his presence. She peered back at him and laughed lightly.

  “I’m sure you’re ready to run for the hills,” she joked.

  Durand shook his head while frowning.

  “Your ex not shit for me to worry about. I just wish I could have met your boys in a different way. Where your other son at?”

  Novah’s brows pinched together, and she sighed. She shrugged as she took a step back.

  “Probably with Carter and his people. Let me go see.”

  As they exited the room Carter stood against the opposite wall facing the hospital door. With his cellphone sitting in his hand he peered at Novah intently. All anger gone from his visage he cleared his throat.

  “Let me holla at you real quick. Okay?”

  Novah rolled her eyes. Carter was like Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hide. One minute he was unruly and crass and the next he was timid and sweet. She was sure she would never understand him.

  “Carter what do you want and where is King?”

  Carter stared at Durand briefly. His eyes lingered down to where Durand touched Novah’s waist and Novah watched him struggle to keep his cool.

  “He’s with my mom at the house. Can I talk to you alone? You aint married to this nigga so he really shouldn’t fucking be here?”

  “I’ll be with your people beautiful,” Durand whispered in Novah’s ear before walking away.

  Novah watched Durand walk off before looking at Carter. The second Durand was out of her line of sight Carter was rushing up on her. He grabbed her hand aggressively and pulled her into Karter’s room. Novah struggled to break free from his hold as she stepped back away from him.

  “Carter what the hell is wrong with you?” she snapped glaring at him.

  Carter’s chest heaved up and down as he glared back at her.

  “You fucking that nigga? You gave him my pussy?”

  Novah’s head whipped back as amazement washed over her pretty face. She held her head as she stared up at him.

  “Are you fucking serious? You have a whole wife and you wanna know if I’m fucking him? It’s none of your business who I’m fucking! How did you allow for our son to eat shellfish and since when did you get a babysitter?”

  Carter placed his hands in his pockets and licked his lips. His face relaxed and his smug attitude returned.

  “Shit, I had a few extra dollars since my child support was cut so Mel decided to hire somebody. We was out on a date and the babysitter accidently gave him that. I told Mel to make a list of food that they couldn’t eat but she forgot. You don’t have to make a big deal out of this shit.”

  Novah shook her head. There was so many things she saw wrong with his words that she didn’t know where to begin. She took a moment to compose herself before responding.

  “Carter, I can’t do this with you right now. I just can’t but know that the judge will be hearing about this. I will get this order reversed.”

  Novah turned to walk out of the room and Carter grabbed her arm roughly. He tightened his grip as he pulled her back to him.

  “Novah
I let a lot of the shit you do slide. You wanted us to break up and eventually I accepted that. You wanted to cut the pussy off and again I let you do that, but this is where I draw the line ma. You gotta be out of your fucking mind if you think I’ma let you parade this nigga around me and my sons. We a family. Not you and that nigga. Let him go before shit gets ugly. I don’t give a fuck who he is. I got niggas on speed dial that can make shit happen immediately. Cut that nigga off before it’s too late baby. It’ll be for the best and if you do that then I can maybe slide you a few more dollars every week with your other money. You do something for me, and I’ll do something for you,” he whispered in her ear.

  Novah snatched away from Carter and left out of the room. All the peace Durand had carried into her spirit was gone just like that. Carter was once again bringing drama to her that she didn’t want or need.

  8

  #letmeexplain

  The lights were dimmed low as everyone stood quietly inside of the large banquet hall. For the night, the room had been transformed into a real-life throwback scene. One of Dreux’s favorite movies was Harlem Nights. Billie loved it as well, but she really enjoyed the flick because of her baby.

  Everyone’s attire was reminiscent of the hit classic movie including Billie. She wore a vintage black gown that reached her ankle. Her hair had been done up in pin curls while red lipstick stained her lips. She smiled wide as she waited for the man of the hour to enter into the room.

  “He’s coming right now!” Deidra yelled looking stunning in her own royal blue dress that she wore a feather head gear with.

  Billie nodded. Seconds later Dreux stepped into the room with low lids. Beside him was his brother Donny. Both men looked handsome in their black Tom Ford tux’s.

  “Surprise!” everyone in the room yelled

  Dreux jumped and Donny patted his back.

  “We got your ass boy! Happy Birthday nigga!” Donny exclaimed and pulled Dreux into a hug.

  Billie smiled with watery eyes as she watched the scene. Donny had been home for a week and it was still surreal. She had sadly gotten used to him being behind bars but was glad to see him out of the cell.